About Collections  SPECIAL COLLECTIONS The Philadelphia History Museum houses several special collections. Together, they provide a broad perspective of three centuries of culture and life in the city. Historical Society of Pennsylvania Collection Through an agreement signed in 1999, the Philadelphia-based Historical Society of Pennsylvania transferred stewardship of 10,500 objects and 800 paintings to the Philadelphia History Museum. Among the paintings are works of art by such renowned Philadelphia artists as Charles Wilson Peale and his sons, including portraits of local and national leaders William Penn, Benjamin Franklin, and John Quincy Adams. Objects in the collection include the famed wampum belt supposedly given to William Penn when he concluded a treaty with the local Lenape Indians and the desk which George Washington used in Philadelphia while president of the new nation. Balch Institute of Ethnic Studies Collection Obtained in 2006 from the Balch Institute of Ethnic Studies, objects in this collection document the diverse cultures and peoples of Philadelphia. Among the items are a “Union of Polish Women in America” ribbon; a Quinceañera gown, crown, and cape from a 1990s fifteenth-birthday Latina celebration in Philadelphia; a banner from the Chinese Christian Church and Center that celebrates the 300th anniversary of Philadelphia’s founding; and a Hmong story cloth embroidered by a Laotian craftswoman here in the city. Cigna Collection More than 400 objects, etchings, lithographs, and engravings from the Insurance Company of North America — CIGNA. Highlights include a 1947 plan, drawn for the Philadelphia Shrines Commission, that supported the lobbying effort to create Independence National Historical Park; pre–Civil War prints of some of Philadelphia’s most distinguished buildings and institutions—among them, President Washington’s residence on High Street (c. 1828), the Second Bank of the United States (1839), and the University of Pennsylvania (c. 1838); and firefighting material, such as 19th-century models of firefighting equipment, painted engine panels (c. 1837), a fire warden’s parade staff (1800), and various images of volunteer companies. Neil Benson Collection Neil Benson, a professional photojournalist who worked in Philadelphia from 1970 to 2000, donated to the Museum thousands of negatives, contact sheet prints, full prints of selected photographs, and tear sheets from publications in which photographs appeared. Benson was staff photographer for Philadelphia Magazine (1975–90) and his photographs were published in the Philadelphia Inquirer, Daily News, South Street Star, Time, Life, People, the New York Times, and Rolling Stone. His images document Philadelphia in the turbulent closing decades of the 20th century. Friends Historical Association Collection The 1,700 items in this collection were used or owned by members of the Religious Society of Friends who lived within the boundaries of the Philadelphia Yearly Meeting from the mid-18th century to about 1925. Objects include Quaker clothing, hand-woven linen sheets, dolls, and textiles and artifacts from the anti-slavery “Free Labor Cotton” movement. Jane & Richard Loeliger Centennial Collection Philadelphia’s 1876 exposition commemorating the centennial of the United States was one of the great fairs of the 19th century, attracting millions of visitors and the attention of the world. This collection of 750 objects related to the exposition includes lantern slides and stereograph images, souvenirs, and items brought by participating countries. IN THIS SECTION Collections Special Collections African American Collections City Image Philadelphia History Museum 267.314.7059 info@philadelphiahistory.org Copyright © 2021, Philadelphia History Museum at the Atwater Kent. All rights reserved. Website developed by Zero Defect Design LLC. 267.314.7059 email info_outline