Please Touch Museum

Please Touch Museum
source
Name	Please Touch Museum
Established	1976
Location	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Type	Children's museum
Director	Peter S. Samis
Publictransit	SEPTA

Please Touch Museum is a children's museum located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The institution occupies a historic building and operates as an interactive center focused on play-based learning, combining exhibition, theater, and community programs. It engages families, educators, and cultural partners across Pennsylvania and the broader Philadelphia metropolitan area.

History

The museum began as a volunteer-driven initiative in 1976, inspired by models such as the Please Touch Museum (original initiative) movement and pediatric playrooms in institutions like Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and St. Christopher's Hospital for Children. Early development involved collaborations with local organizations including the Smithsonian Institution's outreach offices and the Philadelphia Museum of Art, drawing on exhibit design techniques from firms that had worked with the American Museum of Natural History and Brooklyn Children's Museum. In the 1980s and 1990s the institution expanded programming through partnerships with the National Endowment for the Arts, the Institute of Museum and Library Services, and philanthropic foundations active in Pennsylvania.

A major transition occurred when the museum moved into a renovated Beaux-Arts building in Fairmount Park, formerly associated with Memorial Hall (Philadelphia) and nearby cultural sites like the Franklin Institute and Philadelphia Zoo. This relocation echoed precedents set by other urban museums such as the Boston Children's Museum and the Chicago Children's Museum. The museum weathered financial challenges during the early 2000s and the 2008 financial crisis, working with civic leaders from City of Philadelphia and cultural funders including the William Penn Foundation and the Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia to stabilize operations. Leadership during these periods included executives with backgrounds at institutions like the Please Touch Museum (leadership legacy) and advisory support from trustees drawn from University of Pennsylvania and Drexel University.

Throughout its history the museum has staged collaborative exhibitions with entities such as the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University, the Franklin Institute, and touring collections from the Children's Museum of Indianapolis. Its evolution reflects broader trends in museum practice exemplified by initiatives of the American Alliance of Museums and standards promoted by the Association of Children's Museums.

Collections and Exhibits

Collections and exhibits emphasize hands-on, sensory, and role-playing experiences influenced by exhibit traditions at institutions like the Science Museum (London), the Field Museum, and the Exploratorium. Permanent galleries have included recreations of local scenes referencing Philadelphia landmarks and trades, connecting with civic history presented by the Historic Philadelphia, Inc. and the Independence National Historical Park. Exhibits have showcased transport themes akin to displays at the National Railroad Museum and agricultural exhibits similar to those at the Museum of the American Revolution.

Rotating exhibits have been produced in partnership with organizations such as the Please Touch Museum (exhibit partners) network, touring shows coordinated with the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service, and creative collaborations with cultural institutions like the Mural Arts Philadelphia program. The museum also preserves educational play artifacts and design prototypes, drawing curatorial methods used by the Metropolitan Museum of Art for children’s programming and conservation practices informed by the Conservation Center for Art & Historic Artifacts.

Signature installations have included interactive theaters and stage areas that collaborate with performing arts groups such as the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts and community ensembles funded by the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts. The exhibit program has featured multimedia components developed with technology partners from Carnegie Mellon University and MIT Media Lab alumni.

Educational Programs

Educational programs target early childhood development and family learning, aligning with curricular frameworks used by districts such as the School District of Philadelphia and early learning standards promoted by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The museum offers teacher professional development modeled on partnerships between the National Science Teachers Association and local universities like Temple University and University of the Arts (Philadelphia). Outreach programs serve Head Start sites and community centers in collaboration with agencies such as Philadelphia Corporation for Aging.

Programs includestorytimes, STEAM workshops, and literacy initiatives developed with partners including the Free Library of Philadelphia and childhood research centers at University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education. Special initiatives have addressed access by coordinating with municipal departments and nonprofits like United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey.

Facilities and Operations

Housed in a landmark building near Fairmount Park and adjacent to institutions such as the Please Touch Museum neighborhood partners—including Philadelphia Museum of Art and Please Touch Museum transit links—the museum features accessible galleries, family amenities, and spaces for events and rentals used by civic organizations and cultural festivals such as the Philadelphia Flower Show. Operational practices reflect standards set by the American Alliance of Museums and safety guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and local health departments.

The site includes visitor services, group learning rooms, and a theatrical space that has hosted performances by local arts organizations including Opera Philadelphia and youth ensembles affiliated with Settlement Music School. The facilities management team coordinates with preservation experts from the Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia to maintain the historic structure.

Funding and Governance

Funding is a mix of earned revenue from admissions and rentals, private philanthropy from foundations such as the William Penn Foundation and corporate sponsors with ties to the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce, and government support from entities including the City of Philadelphia and state arts agencies like the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts. Governance is provided by a Board of Trustees composed of professionals drawn from institutions such as Drexel University, University of Pennsylvania, financial firms headquartered in Philadelphia, and nonprofit leadership experienced with the Association of Children's Museums.

The museum pursues grants from national funders including the Institute of Museum and Library Services and the National Endowment for the Arts, and maintains donor relations coordinated through development offices patterned after peer institutions like the Please Touch Museum (development models). Efforts to diversify revenue have included membership drives, corporate partnerships with local firms, and capital campaigns supported by civic leaders and cultural philanthropists from the Philadelphia region.

Category:Museums in Philadelphia