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The “Rocky Steps” are actually the 72 steps leading up to the main entrance of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. The Rocky Statue is at the bottom of the steps. These steps became very popular because of the movie Rocky starring Sylvester Stallone. Rocky came out in 1976. The movie was made on a budget of around $1 million and made over $225 million in box office receipts. The Rocky Statue was commissioned much later in 1982 for the movie Rocky III. The 2017 the NFL Draft was held outdoors for the first time. It was held at the bottom of the steps.
The exact address for the Rocky Steps is 2600 Benjamin Franklin Parkway.
The Rocky Steps is a very popular spot among the people of Philadelphia. It is a place where you can sit and enjoy a nice sunset. From the top of the steps you will get a nice view of Center City Philadelphia and also the City Hall of Philadelphia. You will also see many people run up the steps like Rocky Balboa did in the 1970’s!
The Rocky Steps and the Philadelphia Museum of Art are on a hill known as Fairmount. In the movie Rocky was wearing Converse shoes. At the top of the steps, there is an impression of the shoes (see the featured image of this article). That is where you stand, face the city, and have your picture taken!! You can see the Philadelphia City Hall and Love Park from the top of the steps.
On February 08, 2018, the Philadelphia Eagles Super Bowl Parade ended at the Rocky Steps. It was a momentous occasion with many players and coaches speaking in front of almost 700,000 fans!! No Eagles fan will ever forget the speech by Eagles Center Jason Kelce from the Rocky Steps!!
Rallies and protest marches normally starts the Rocky Steps also.
Things to do at the Rocky Steps.
Rocky Statue: You should begin your trip with a visit to the Rocky Statue. The location of this statue has changed many times since 1983. It is currently at the bottom of the Rocky Steps. It is to your right when you are looking at the steps.
Running up the Steps: Running up the steps is a Philadelphia tradition. You will see a lot of tourists doing that as well. Keep in mind that there are 72 steps and these steps are not designed for running! Many people will be sitting on the steps and enjoying the view as well.
Philadelphia Museum of Art: A visit to the Philadelphia Museum of Art is recommended. The entrance is not free. It is the third largest museum in the United States and has collections from Europe, Asia and also the United States. You can easily spend a whole day inside the museum.
Fairmount Water Works: There is a nice garden behind the museum. The garden is connected to the Fairmount Water Works. You can see the Fairmount Dam (built in 1822) from the Fairmount Water Works.
Boathouse Row and Kelly Drive: The historic Boathouse Row and the Kelly Drive are about a 100 meters away from the Fairmount Water Works. This is a nice spot to walk, bicycle or jog (this is part of the Schuylkill River Trail).
Best time to visit the Rocky Steps.
The best time to visit is in the evenings. The view of the sunset from the top of the steps is spectacular. The view is also nice from the back of the museum (area known as Tree House in the Sky). I enjoy taking sunset photographs from both these areas. Visiting the museum during the day and enjoying the Rocky Steps and the Statue in the evening is something that I would recommend.
How to get to the Rocky Steps?
Car: The Philadelphia Museum of Art is easy to get to from I-676 and also I-76. Both these highways can get extremely congested. If you are driving in from the King of Prussia or Conshohocken area, you might want to think about taking Kelly Drive (the Museum is on Kelly Drive).
Train: Unfortunately it is not easy to reach Rocky Steps by train. From the 30th Street Station, you can actually see the Philadelphia Museum of Art. The distance is only 1.3 miles (walking). You can get on the Schuylkill River Trail from the 30th Street Station and walk (The JFK Boulevard Bridge that is right in front of the 30th Street Station has steps that will connect you to the trail). The distance is about the same from the Suburban Station also.
Bus: There is a SEPTA bus stop right in front of the Rocky Statue (Route 43). Route 38 has stops nearby.
Where should I park?
Street parking is normally not easy to find. The best option is the Philadelphia Museum of Art Parking Garage or the “Made in America” area that is right in front of the Rocky Steps (I have noticed people parking here, but many times this area will be cordoned off).
Have you been to the Rocky Steps?
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