Visitor Guidelines

We look forward to welcoming you to the Penn Museum. Before you visit, please review these guidelines to keep our visitors and artifacts safe:

No outside food or drink except bottled water.

Children 14 and under must be accompanied by an adult at all times.

Please keep conversations respectful. Be mindful when using cell phones.

No pens or markers. Sketching or notetaking with pencil is encouraged. Pencils are available at our welcome desks.

Please store large backpacks, suitcases, and umbrellas in a locker. Lockers are located on the Lower Level near the East Entrance and near the Harrison Auditorium. Private property is stored at your own risk.

Photography and videography are permitted for personal use only, unless otherwise indicated. The use of tripods, monopods, or selfie sticks in the Museum and gardens is prohibited. Learn more about photography/videography for commercial/education use here.

The following are prohibited inside and outside the Museum:

Possession of dangerous materials or weapons, including firearms.

Smoking, including electronic cigarettes.

Explore more with the Digital Guide

Enhance your visit using our digital guide, available for free from Bloomberg Connects.

Learn More

Know Before You Go

When is the Penn Museum open to the public?

The Museum is open Tuesdays through Sundays, 10:00 am to 5:00 pm.

The Museum is closed on Mondays. The Museum is also closed on the following holidays, as observed by the University of Pennsylvania:

Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Presidents' Day
Easter
Memorial Day
Juneteenth National Independence Day
Independence Day
Labor Day
Indigenous Peoples Day
Thanksgiving
Christmas Eve
Christmas Day
New Year's Eve
New Year's Day

Do tickets need to be reserved in advance? Can I purchase tickets online?

How do I get to the Museum? Where is the best place to park?

Are baby strollers allowed inside the Penn Museum?

Is the Penn Museum accessible? Do you have wheelchairs or other visitor accommodations?

Is there a café in the Museum?

Does the Museum have a gift shop?

What is the temperature in the Museum galleries?

Is the Penn Museum, the Museum Archives, and the Museum Library open to the general public?

The Penn Museum is part of the University of Pennsylvania and is open to the general public. We invite all visitors to enjoy our galleries, exhibitions, and gardens during our public hours.

Access to the Penn Museum Archives for research is available by appointment. Groups may book Archives programs through Group Sales.

Access to the Penn Museum’s Research Library is available during Museum hours. Visit the Library's website for more information.

What is the Museum’s policy regarding photography/videography?

Photography is permitted for private, noncommercial use except where otherwise posted. Flash photography is not permitted. Videotaping with small, personal recording devices is allowed for non-commercial use.

To protect visitors and objects, the Penn Museum prohibits the use of tripods, monopods, or selfie sticks in the Museum and gardens. We encourage visitors to share their photographs with others through social media using @pennmuseum.

Photographs cannot be published, sold, reproduced, transferred, distributed or otherwise commercially exploited in any way.

Professional photography, videography, selfie-sticks, monopods, and tripods are not permitted without advanced notice. Contact the Public Relations Department at 215.898.2956 or email info@pennmuseum.org. Visit Rights and Permissions for more details.