Philadelphia’s Rosenbach Museum & Library is an internationally-known destination for lovers of literature, art, and history.

Enclosed within two 19th-century townhouses at 2008 & 2010 Delancey Place, the Rosenbach contains the collections and treasures of Philip Rosenbach and his younger brother Dr. A. S. W. Rosenbach. The brothers owned the Rosenbach Company, which became the preeminent dealer of rare books, manuscripts and decorative arts during the first half of the 20th century.

The Rosenbach Museum and Library, Philadelphia

Through its vast historical, literary and artistic treasures, the Rosenbach documents a panorama of American and European cultures, while inspiring curiosity and creativity by way of exhibitions, programs and research based on its remarkable and ever-expanding collections.

Here’s an overview of what can be found at the Rosenbach:

THE COLLECTIONS

The Rosenbach’s 1860s townhouse and garden, located in the Rittenhouse-Fitler historic district in Center City Philadelphia, features collections of rare books, manuscripts, furniture, silver, paintings, prints, drawings and sculpture.

Visitors can enjoy regular exhibitions from the Rosenbach’s holdings, decorative & fine arts collections ranging from Egyptian sculpture and English furniture to American portraiture and an amazing rare book and manuscript collection. Themed museum collections include:

• Americana
• Fine Arts
• Furniture, Lighting, & Textiles
• James Joyce’s Ulysses
• Jewelry & Vertu
• Judaica & Rosenbachiana
• Literature
• Maps, Codex Manuscripts, Incunabula, & Book Arts
• Marianne Moore Collection
• Maurice Sendak Collection
• Metal, Ceramic, & Glass
• Portrait Miniature
• Recent Acquisitions

Additional details about collections and themes can be found here: www.rosenbach.org/learn/collections

THE EXHIBITIONS

The Rosenbach’s ongoing schedule of unique exhibitions gives museum visitors something new and exciting to experience all through the year. While online projects and exhibitions are a convenient way to sample museum offerings, one must visit in person to enjoy the full spectrum of available presentations.

For a complete listing of past, current and future scheduled museum exhibitions, visit www.rosenbach.org/learn/exhibitions.

MUSEUM PROGRAMS & EVENTS

Most programs at the Rosenbach Museum and Library are included with paid admission. Here are some of the museum’s signature events:

• Open House – Available only once a year, this public program allows visitors to explore the historic Rosenbach brothers’ home at leisure, with staff onhand throughout the day to answer questions about the brothers’ parlor, dining room and library.
• Hands-On Tours – An hour of unparalleled access to rare and important items not usually public display, with up-close connection to a variety of theme-related treasures such as founding fathers, love letters and Irish authors.
• Guided Tours – An escorted 50-minute excursion through the Rosenbach brothers’ 19th-century townhouse, including Dr. Rosenbach’s rare book library, Philip Rosenbach’s decorative art collection and the re-creation of modernist poet Marianne Moore’s Greenwich Village living room.
• Artists-in Residence – Original works by visual artists, musicians, poets, filmmakers, graphic novelists and photographers, with inspiration drawn from the museum’s collection of nearly 400,000 rare books, manuscripts and decorative & fine arts objects.
• Reading Groups – Evenings of discussion led by some of the area’s most notable scholars. Each group focuses on a different novel or a collection of shorter works, and at least once during the course, the group examines related rare books, manuscripts and other items found in the Rosenbach’s collection.

For more information about the Rosenbach exhibits, collections, programs and visitor information, visit the Rosenbach Museum and Library website.

Transportation to The Rosenbach Museum and Library

has been providing transportation services in the Philadelphia area for more than 20 years, and we have greatly appreciated the opportunity to share our great city’s unique museums and galleries with our visitors.

We are familiar with all of the area’s traffic patterns and most reliable routes for traveling to our city’s many landmark sites, and we invite visitors to consider our car or limousine services when touring any of these unique and unforgettable locations. Even if you don’t have any immediate plans for touring the city, you can get an easy online rate quote with no obligation whatsoever, just to see how affordable it can be to enjoy the rich histories of Philadelphia – all within a couple of mouse clicks.

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