A team of three prominent Philadelphia architects designed the University Museum, all of who taught on the faculty of the University -- Wilson Eyre, Cope and Stewardson and Frank Miles Day and Brother. Only a portion of the original plan for the Museum was built. The first phase was completed in 1899 and housed the discoveries from an expedition sponsored by the University to the ancient site of Nippur. In 1915, the rotunda, which houses the Harrison Auditorium in the basement, was completed. Charles G. Klauder designed the Coxe Memorial Wing, which opened in 1926 to house the Museum's Egyptian collection.
Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, University of Pennsylvania
A team of three prominent Philadelphia architects designed the University Museum, all of who taught on the faculty of the University -- Wilson Eyre, Cope and Stewardson and Frank Miles Day and Brother. Only a portion of the original plan for the Museum was built. The first phase was completed in 1899 and housed the discoveries from an expedition sponsored by the University to the ancient site of Nippur. In 1915, the rotunda, which houses the Harrison Auditorium in the basement, was completed. Charles G. Klauder designed the Coxe Memorial Wing, which opened in 1926 to house the Museum's Egyptian collection.
The largest renovation in the museum’s history began in fall 2017, with the renovation work unfolding in three phases.
Phase One:
This first of three planned phases was completed in fall 2019 and included the renovation of the first and second floors of the Harrison wing, including the Harrison Auditorium, and a small portion of all three floors of the Coxe wing. The Main (Kamin) Entrance was renovated alongside the construction of a new Main Entrance Gallery, which serves as the new home of the Sphinx. The $24M phase one also included ADA accessibility and restroom improvements, as well as central HVAC upgrades.
Phase Two:
Construction on phase two began in fall 2023. This second phase includes the continued renovation to portions of the Coxe Wing, as well as a major renovation of the Museum’s Lower and Upper Egypt Galleries, first opened to the public in 1926. Additionally, phase two includes refurbishment of the Collections storage area, and well as the museum’s Academic Wing. This $20M project aims for substantial completion in spring 2025.
Phase Three:
Phase three will include additional HVAC upgrades as well as the restoration of the Harrison Rotunda, first constructed in 1915, Pepper Hall, and the museum’s Japan Gallery.