Museum Council of Greater Philadelphia

Established in 1939, the Museum Council of Philadelphia and the Delaware Valley is one of the longest-lasting volunteer organizations for cultural professionals in the area. We are a membership-based organization benefitting both institutions and former, current and future museum professionals in the city of Philadelphia and throughout the Delaware Valley. A Little History:

On February 16, 1939, a group of Philadelphia museum representatives met to discuss the New York World’s Fair. The group saw the fair, which was held from April to October that year, as an opportunity to promote and advertise Philadelphia and its museums. Out of this meeting was born the Philadelphia Council of Museums. Among its charter members were Dr. Henry Butler Allen and William F. Jackson of the Franklin Institute, Dr. Fiske Kimball of the Philadelphia Museum of Arts, and Franklin H. The council has been active in Philadelphia’s cultural community ever since, and has played an important role in preserving our region’s treasures through fostering communication and cooperation. This was especially true in the 1940s following World War II. The council examined ways to preserve artifacts during such a crisis and frequently worked with organizations to come up with preservation solutions. Today:

With 25 institutional members and 841 individual members (and growing), the council’s primary mission is to promote and publicize cooperation among the city’s cultural institutions. Throughout the year, our members come together for networking events, Behind-the-Scene Tours, and professional development opportunities. We host lectures and workshops on a variety of topics affecting today’s museum professionals and hold annual meetings to keep our members updated on our many efforts. In the spirit of the season, we also host a membership celebration every fall, where the Museum Council community can come together and celebrate our common passions and goals.