What are the opening hours?

Tuesday 12pm - 5pm Wednesday 12pm - 8pm Thursday 12pm - 8pm Friday 12pm - 5pm Saturday 12pm - 6pm Sunday 12pm - 6pm

The Rosenbach

Name: The Rosenbach
Address: 2008-2010 Delancey Place, Philadelphia, PA, 19103, US
Telephone: +12157321600
Price range: $

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Where 400,000 works of literature, history, and fine + decorative art come together. Come explore!

The Rosenbach offers exhibits, programs, and tours showcasing rare books, manuscripts, and art. We seek to inspire curiosity, inquiry, and creativity by engaging broad audiences in exhibitions, programs, and research based on our remarkable and expanding collections.

10/22/2026

There is perhaps no better hero for uncertain times than Nakahama Manjirō.

Yesterday, we were delighted to welcome visitors attending the 2026 Japan-America Grassroots Summit. Our guests enjoyed a special viewing of manuscripts documenting the extraordinary travels of Manjirō.

In 1841, Manjirō was shipwrecked while fishing off the coast of Japan and later rescued by Captain William Whitfield, who brought him to Massachusetts. Their friendship helped lay the foundations for relations between Japan and the United States and continues to be celebrated by the Summit today.
Thank you to everyone who joined us for this special opportunity to explore a fascinating chapter in the shared history of our two countries!

10/21/2026

What an incredible first session of the Republic of Letters Rosenbach Book Club last evening. This season focuses on the Wh***ey Rebellion, a pivotal chapter in our nation’s early history that raises questions about taxation, government, and the lives of everyday Americans.

In collaboration with , we began the evening with a tour that brought our reading to life: a visit to Philadelphia’s newly renovated First Bank of the United States. The bank featured prominently in the book we read, and seeing this historic landmark in person added a whole new dimension to our discussion and deepened our appreciation for the people, events, and political tensions woven throughout the story.

We also had the opportunity to sample wh***ey from Dad's Hat, a Bucks County-based distillery, adding a local taste of Pennsylvania heritage to our historical exploration.

This is our third season collaborating with Carpenters' Hall, and we are grateful for the opportunity to highlight how literature, history, and local craftsmanship can come together to create a richer understanding of our nation’s past.

10/19/2026

Is Ivanhoe this much of a riot?

The Rosenbach and Scotland’s Abbotsford, the Home of Sir Walter Scott, have partnered in numerous ways this year. Last week, James Wolffe, chair of Abbotsford’s board, and Sarah Wolffe joined Director Kelsey Scouten Bates and Librarian Elizabeth Fuller to view some of our Scottish (and related) holdings, from Walter Scott and Robert Burns to Arthur Conan Doyle and Robert Louis Stevenson. We are all very happy about our shared love of Scottish literature!

10/16/2026

It's a Wilde day for a birthday!

Born to stand out, dressed to impress, and always ready with a perfectly wicked quip. From The Importance of Being Earnest to the art of being delightfully outrageous, Oscar Wilde reminded us that life is far too important to be taken seriously.

What’s your favorite Oscar Wilde quote? Drop it in the comments and let’s celebrate the wit, wisdom, and wonderfully wicked words of a literary legend!

10/15/2026

Do you love discovering fascinating stories from history? Have you ever wanted to get up close and personal with museum and library collections, including rare books and manuscripts, as well as fine and decorative arts? If so, then this course is for you.

The Curator’s Toolkit will equip you with knowledge and skills for handling, studying, preserving, and learning from fine art, antiques, rare books, and manuscripts at the Rosenbach Museum & Library and beyond, and give you hands-on, behind-the-scenes access to world-renowned museum and library collections in both Philadelphia and New York City. You will have the opportunity to study the museum exhibition design process, research an object in the Rosenbach collection, and write text for the collaborative online database Engaging Liberty, a project of the Philadelphia Area Consortium for Special Collections Libraries. In this course, the Rosenbach and its partner institutions become your laboratories for the study and enjoyment of art, artifacts, and historic texts.

Thanks to the generosity of Bruce McKittrick Rare Books, sponsors of the 2027 Curator’s Toolkit course, the Rosenbach can offer four scholarships and one fellowship, each of which covers tuition, book purchase, and field trip transit to New York City. The scholarships are intended for students and early-career professionals seeking training to enhance their education and skills, with the goal that students will then share their new knowledge and wisdom with others.

Learn more and register today at www.rosenbach.org/programs

Images: Curator's Toolkit Course 2026

10/14/2026

“Sometimes the smallest things take up the most room in your heart.” - Winnie-the-Pooh

On October 14, 1926, a lovable bear named Winnie-the-Pooh made his literary debut! Created by British author A.A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh introduced readers to the whimsical adventures of Pooh, Christopher Robin, Piglet, Tigger, and their friends in the Hundred Acre Wood. A century later, these stories remind us of the magic of friendship, imagination, and the simple joys in life.

Visit the Rosenbach to see a first edition of Winnie-the-Pooh and experience literary history up close!

Image: A. A. Milne (1882-1956). Winnie-the-Pooh. 1926. Rosenbach Museum & Library. EL4 .M695wi.

10/13/2026

Sign up for an all-new Behind the Bookcase tour exploring Herman Melville’s journey from overlooked author to literary icon. Discover rare books, handwritten letters, and archival treasures that helped revive his legacy, and learn how Dr. A.S.W. Rosenbach helped recognize Moby-Dick as one of the greatest novels ever written.

Reserve your spot today at www.rosenbach.org/programs.

10/12/2026

It was a busy weekend of spectacular programs at the Rosenbach!

We kicked things off Friday with movie night and a screening of Nosferatu. Gorgeous Saturday weather made our Exploring the Country House course at the Neumors Estate perfect. Sunday was spent in the Book Arts Center with a creative and hands-on printmaking course inspired by the papers of le***an playwright Mercedes de Acosta (1892-1968).

The Rosenbach has so much more to explore. Sign up today for a signature program, book club, or hands-on course. Learn more at www.rosenbach.org.

10/11/2026

Escape the rain and explore at your own pace with a self-guided tour through our fascinating collections and literary treasures. Then, pop into the gift shop to browse our NEW merch and find something special to take home!

Make the most of a cozy, culture-filled day at the Rosenbach. We can’t wait to see you!

Plan your visit with us at www.rosenbach.org.

10/09/2026

Executive Director Kelsey Scouten Bates joined her colleague, Executive Director of the Philadelphia Athenaeum, Beth Hessel, to present at the Mid-Atlantic Association of Museums annual conference at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, NJ. They shared their guidance on how museum leaders can approach strategic planning with one overarching takeaway: every museum is different, and therefore no strategic planning process should be the same.

Image credit: Chelsea Sanz

Address

2008-2010 Delancey Place
Philadelphia, PA
19103

Opening Hours

Tuesday	12pm - 5pm
Wednesday	12pm - 8pm
Thursday	12pm - 8pm
Friday	12pm - 5pm
Saturday	12pm - 6pm
Sunday	12pm - 6pm

Telephone

+12157321600

Website

http://www.rosenbach.org/, https://lnk.bio/therosenbach

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