We want the Penn Museum to be accessible to all visitors. This is a priority of our mission—after all, the Museum’s extraordinary research and collections are meant to be shared.
You might have noticed one of our newest means of increasing access to the Museum: our new ramp on the west side of the Kamin Main Entrance gates, near the corner of 33rd Street, is now open. With lovely new plantings of trees and grasses, this stroller-friendly and ADA-compatible ramp not only enhances our South Street façade but also enables all visitors to access the beautiful Warden Garden and our Kamin Main Entrance.
Access to the Museum’s collections through educational programming is vital, too. Learning Programs has been doing a remarkable job of increasing the number of students reached. This fiscal year, Unpacking the Past, designed for 7th-grade students in Philadelphia public and Title I charter schools, increased its participants by 35%, serving over 6,500 students, teachers, and chaperones. Educational outreach programs overall increased by a fantastic 98% this year. Including virtual programs, International Classroom, and Loan Box, these educational outreach programs expand Museum access to more students than ever before. Learning Programs also doubled last year’s numbers by serving over 500 students with special needs.
Access is important. We are proud to welcome visitors to our Museum and to share the human story with them in myriad ways, from exhibitions to educational workshops like Mummy Makers. And students are not the only ones learning about mummies: this issue of Expedition explores mummies around the world. I hope you enjoy this exploration of one fascinating component of the Museum’s collections.