Street art is pretty to look at, but Mural Arts Philadelphia creates artwork that not only transforms the wall it appears on but also changes lives.  They have the largest collection of collaborative artwork in the world – there are over 4100 pieces!

It can be a little overwhelming, trying to figure out where to go to see the best Philadelphia street art.  Instead of venturing out on our own, we were excited to do the Philadelphia Mural Mile walking tour.  That way we could see the best murals and learn some of the stories behind the artwork. 

Let me tell you more about the powerful street art you can expect to see on this Philadelphia mural tour.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, please see disclosure below for more information.

COVID-19 Notice: Mural Mile tours are ongoing but as of March 41, 2021 are limited to 10 people per tour.  Face masks are required.

Pride and Progress by Ann Northup shows the history of the Gay Pride movement. You can see Russell taking a photo and that shows how enormous the mural is! -

Pride and Progress by Ann Northup shows the history of the Gay Pride movement. You can see Russell taking a photo and that shows how enormous the mural is!

About Mural Arts Philadelphia

Originally Mural Arts started as an anti-graffiti summer program in 1984.  They wanted to redirect the talents of the graffiti artists to make art that would beautify the area.  This resonated with me, especially after seeing the graffiti on top of some beautiful murals in Bushwick, a neighborhood in Brooklyn, New York.

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE:  Must See Historic Sites in Philadelphia

The mission has grown to be much more than just an anti-graffiti project though.  The nonprofit works with communities to create 50–100 new public art projects each year and also does the important job of restoring the older Philadelphia murals in its growing collection.  They have helped people with substance abuse issues, those that have been incarcerated, the homeless, and more.  The artwork also gets people talking about critical issues facing society.

Shepard Fairey, the artist behind Obama's hope campaign, created this mural of one of the people that the Mural Arts program has helped. - "Philadelphia Mural Mile Tour: Get Inspired!" - Two Traveling Texans

Shepard Fairey, the artist behind Obama’s hope campaign, created this mural of one of the people that the Mural Arts program has helped.

Their Royal Highnesses Charles, the Prince of Wales and his wife, Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, also spent an afternoon with Mural Arts to learn more about the program in 2007. 

If you are interested in learning more about the program and the murals, Jane Golden, the Executive Director of the Philly Mural Arts Program, wrote a book called Philadelphia Murals & the Stories They Tell.  The book is available on Amazon, click here to check the price.  There is also the sequel More Philadelphia Murals and the Stories They Tell, click here to check the price.

I love the bold colors on Philadelphia Muses by Meg Saligman - "Philadelphia Mural Mile Tour: Get Inspired!" - Two Traveling Texans

I love the bold colors on Philadelphia Muses by Meg Saligman

Mural Mile Philadelphia

It was inspiring to see the amazing artwork that is part of the Mural Mile and hear Brendan, our tour guide, explain the stories behind them.  It was clear that Brendan was very knowledgeable and passionate about the murals and the artists.

One of the things that struck me was the sheer size of the murals.  Some were difficult to photograph because they were so gigantic. And as you would expect with street art, most were pretty bold and colorful.

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE:  Free Shoreditch Street Art Tour

My Favorite Philadelphia Murals

We saw so many amazing murals along the Philadelphia Mural Mile with moving stories to go along with them, I loved them all.  Here are a few of the best murals in Philadelphia.

How to Turn Anything Into Something Else

The art collective, Miss Rockaway Armada, worked with about 30 Mural Arts students aged 10 to 15 over the summer to create this colorful mural.  It is a huge piece and there is lots going on so you will want to take some time to look at all the details.  

How to Turn Anything Into Something Else has such a positive message! - "Philadelphia Mural Mile Tour: Get Inspired!" - Two Traveling Texans

How to Turn Anything Into Something Else has such a positive message!

The artists had students draw an animal head on a sheet of paper, then fold it so no one could see it, and pass it to the next student to draw more, and so on.  The goal was to show students that not everything has to end the way it began.  I know sometimes it is hard to keep a positive attitude when things don’t look promising. I loved the message from this mural!

Start From Here Mural

Visually, this mural by Isaac Lin is mesmerizing and it also covers two buildings!  If you looked at the mural and the title, you might not guess it is about immigration!  At first, it reminded me of a video game.

Start from here by Isaac Lin actually makes a statement about immigration. - "Philadelphia Mural Mile Tour: Get Inspired!" - Two Traveling Texans

Start from here by Isaac Lin actually makes a statement about immigration.

He used colors of national flags to remind us that except for Native Americans, we all come from somewhere else as immigrants or refugees.  The title comes from the idea of starting a new life, just as his parents did when they came to the United States.

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE:  Tenement Museum NYC: Rediscovering the American Dream

Tree Of Knowledge

This mural by Michael Webb was created in honor of the 50 year anniversary of Eisenhower Fellowships.  The organization identifies and connects innovative leaders committed to creating a better world that is more peaceful and prosperous.

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE:  Musings about the Modern Art Museum in Fort Worth
 

The Tree of Knowledge mural has objects hidden among the leaves that show what knowledge and perseverance can accomplish.  You also see the ladders leading up the Tree of Knowledge.

You can get a sense of the scale of the Tree of Knowledge mural. Do you see Anisa? - "Philadelphia Mural Mile Tour: Get Inspired!" - Two Traveling Texans

You can get a sense of the scale of the Tree of Knowledge mural. Do you see Anisa? And yes, all those bricks are painted on.

Since it is painted on the side of a building,  I didn’t think much about the bricks I saw around the edge of the art.  Then Brendan pointed out that the bricks were actually painted on.  This technique of painting the bricks on is called Trompe-l’oeil, which means to deceive the eye.  The artist makes the viewer believe that something painted on is actually a 3D physical object.  

I had to get close to verify it because the bricks looked so real.  After learning about the technique, I noticed that several of the murals we saw had painted on bricks.

Finding Home

This is a huge (2,200 square feet) multimedia mural led by artists Kathryn Pennepacker and Josh Sarantitis in partnership with Project H.O.M.E. and the City of Philadelphia Department of Health and Intellectual Disability Services.  The artwork aimed to give a voice to Philadelphia’s homeless, reduce the stigma around homelessness, and to raise awareness about the issue in our society.   The mural is so big, we weren’t able to capture it all in one photo!

A closeup of part of the Finding Home mural. - - "Philadelphia Mural Mile Tour: Get Inspired!" - Two Traveling Texans

A closeup of part of the Finding Home mural.

Contributors, many who were homeless, wove strips of cloth depicting personal reflections on what it means to have a home.  They adhered those strips to the wall and then painted.  The artists also added pieces of print, sheet metal and cable into the mural.  There were so many stories on this mural, I wish I would have had time to look at all of them.

More detail on the Finding Home mural. - "Philadelphia Mural Mile Tour: Get Inspired!" - Two Traveling Texans

More detail on the Finding Home mural.

Women of Progress

This mural by Cesar E Viveros-Herrera & Larissa Preston includes over 44 symbolic images representing diverse communities of women, the different roles they have played over time, and the complex obstacles they’ve overcome. The masks worn by some of the women represent the social issues women have faced (and continue to face) in their fight towards equality.  

Women of Progress by Cesar E Viveros-Herrera & Larissa Preston. - "Philadelphia Mural Mile Tour: Get Inspired!" - Two Traveling Texans

Women of Progress by Cesar E Viveros-Herrera & Larissa Preston.

If you look closely, you can spot Eleanor Roosevelt towards the top left of the mural.  As she once said, “The battle for the individual rights of women is one of long standing and none of us should countenance anything which undermines it.”

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE:  Chasing Evita in Buenos Aires, Argentina

It is painted on Philadelphia’s New Century Trust Building.  The New Century Trust is a foundation that works to end the political and economic inequalities facing women and girls in Greater Philadelphia.  The mural reminds us how far women have come and the issues we still need to deal with like income equality

Dirty Franks

Dirty Franks is actually a bar in Philadelphia and instead of posting their name on the outside, they have a mural by the artist David McShane of different Franks on the walls.  

Dirty Franks Mural in Philadelphia

Perfect mural for the outside of a bar named Dirty Franks!

We had fun trying to guess the famous Franks depicted in the mural.  They were creative and didn’t just include people with the first name Frank.  For example, since the bar is in Philadelphia, they had to include Ben Franklin! I also like that they recently added Pope Francis, just in time for his visit to Philly.

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE:  Pat's Vs Geno's Cheesesteaks Taste Test

Philly Street Art Video

I could go on and on about the street art in Philly.  We saw so many impressive and moving murals.  Check out our video for more insight on our Philly mural tour.  Even in the video, it is hard to get a sense of the scale of the murals, they are huge!  

Logistics for the Philadelphia Mural Tour

This Philadelphia street art tour starts at the Academy of Fine Arts Hamilton Building, 128 N. Broad Street.  We checked in with reception and received buttons to wear so our guide would know who was part of the tour. 

There are no breaks during the Mural Mile tour, so you will want to use the facilities and grab a drink before it starts. Everyone was ready a few minutes before the tour’s scheduled start time so our tour guide, Brendan, gathered the group and we headed off on our mural arts tour.

The Philadelphia mural arts tour ends close to the intersection of 12th Street and Locust.  Brendan offered to direct anyone back to the starting point.  We just walked to the 11th street subway stop which was about five minutes away.

The tours operate rain or shine, so check the weather and come prepared.  The day we had our Philadelphia Mural tour it was hot, but we still had a great time.  

The Mural Mile tour is definitely more than one mile long!  According to my Fitbit, it is probably closer to two miles over the two-hour tour.   For those with mobility issues, there is also the option to do a trolley tour.  

You can find the schedule for the different tours that are offered here.  Tickets should be booked online for $24 plus a $1.50 fee per person or the Mural Mile tour (price is accurate as of 3/14/21).

If you would like to do a self-guided tour of the murals, you can use this map to help locate the artwork.

We ended the tour seeing Garden of Delight by David Guinn - "Philadelphia Mural Mile Tour: Get Inspired!" - Two Traveling Texans

We ended the tour seeing Garden of Delight by David Guinn

Philly Mural Mile Tour Review

We enjoyed our tour of the Mural Mile in Philadelphia.  Thanks so much to our tour guide Brendan!  He had so much positive energy and knew his stuff. 

We covered a lot more ground than I expected and got to see so many breathtaking murals.  Still, the stories behind the art are what will stick with me.  I don’t think the street art would have had the same impact if we would have done a self-guided tour.

Is it Worth Doing a Street Art Tour in Philadelphia?

Yes, we were impressed by the street art we saw and enjoyed learning more about the artwork on the tour.  It was a fun way to spend an afternoon.

The street art in Philadelphia is definitely a must-see whether you go on a tour like we did or see it on your own.  Philly has been called the “City of Murals” for good reason!

Has street art inspired you?

-Anisa

Pin for

detail of a mural in Philadelphia with text overlay

Expert Tips for the Philadelphia Mural Mile Walking Tour

  • Come prepared for the weather and lots of walking.  Wear comfortable shoes and bring appropriate weather gear – i.e. umbrella, jacket, sunglasses.
  • Check in with reception a few minutes before the tour, once everyone arrives they will start.

Disclosure:  No financial compensation was received.  Thanks to Mural Arts Philadelphia for providing complimentary tours, so that we could share our experience with our readers.  As always, opinions expressed here are my own.

This post also contains affiliate links. This means we will receive a small commission for some purchases made using links in our blog with no additional cost to you. Please be assured we would not promote any product unless we believe that our readers will also benefit. The commission does not influence the editorial content of this site.

Two Traveling Texans is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com, amazon.co.uk, amazon.ca. Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.

Last Updated on April 2, 2022