Philadelphia Art Museum steps

Overview

The Rocky Statue and the “Rocky Steps” — better known as the Art Museum Steps — are two of the most popular attractions in Philadelphia.

Visiting the statue, running up the steps and taking a picture at the top is pretty much a must on your first visit to Philadelphia. It’s a rite of passage.

The Rocky Statue

One of Philadelphia’s most famous pieces of public art is a bigger-than-life boxer… literally. Originally created for Rocky III, the sculpture is now a real-life monument to a celluloid hero. The fictional Rocky Balboa of Sylvester Stallone’s Rocky movies was immortalized in bronze in 1980. After filming for the movie completed, Stallone donated the statue to the City of Philadelphia.

Insider Tip for Photos: On nice weekend days, there can be a a short line of people waiting to take their photo with the statue. The good news is it’s become a welcome practice for the people behind you in line to take a photo of you with the statue if you want, and then they ask the same of the people behind them and so on. Once you get your favorite shot, be sure to tag it with the hashtag #visitphilly.

The Rocky Steps

As famous as the statue itself is, the stairs leading to the East Entrance of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, aka “The Rocky Steps, ” may be even more famous. In fact, they’ve been declared the second most famous movie filming location in the entire world(!!).

Making the iconic trip up the steps is regarded as a symbol of perseverance and determination — and a must-do on your visit to Philadelphia.

Each year, tens of thousands of people, young and old, recreate the scene from the legendary movie and make the trek up the steps. So remember to pack running shoes before you make the trip!

Photo Op: Once you reach the top and mimic Rocky’s triumphant celebration, turn around for a breathtaking view of the scenic Benjamin Franklin Parkway and the Philadelphia skyline. And be sure to tag your photos with the hashtag #visitphilly.

Our Guide to Rocky’s Philadelphia – Itinerary & Interactive Map

Want to follow in Rocky’s actual footsteps? You can do just that with our new Rocky Tour of Philadelphia. Recreate his famous run up the Art Museum steps; grab an authentic cheesesteak at Pat’s, the very place he stopped at in the original Rocky; walk through the Italian Market and then stop by an old-school butcher shop, where — SPOILER — they’re probably not going to let you go in the back and use the meat as a punching bag.

The Philadelphia Museum of Art

Once you jog up the steps and snap a photo, keep going and you’ll hit the East Entrance of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the third-largest art museum in the country and an absolute must-see on the city’s cultural circuit.