The proposed plan to move the Rocky Statue from the foot of the Philadelphia Art Museum steps to the top of them has been approved by the city’s Art Commission.
After nearly 75 minutes spent discussing the move — which at times shifted into an art theory debate — the commission voted to approve the motion with four votes for it, one vote against, and one commissioner abstaining.
“In thinking of it through a pop art lens — which I think it has fairly become a piece of — it’s a powerful example of democratic public art, where value comes from public meaning versus an institution,” said commission member Rebecca Segal, who approved the motion. “And I believe the statue — what I have seen and witnessed — functions the way that great public art does today, through recognition, repetition, and collective ownership and interaction.”
The proposal was first brought to the commission last month. At the time, the commissioners requested additional information about accessibility, flow, and feasibility.
During that meeting, the proposal changed dramatically, after public outcry convinced “Rocky” actor Sylvester Stallone to allow the original sculpture by A. Thomas Schomberg, that had been featured in the third “Rocky” movie, to stay at the museum. Stallone had previously planned to claim the original and allow a replica to be placed atop the famous steps.
It’s not the first time the statue will sit atop the steps. The original was unveiled there ahead of the movie’s filming in 1981. Between then and 2006, it moved around a bit before settling in its current location at street level, where it has drawn an estimated 4 million tourists each year.
“Despite being previously dismissed as a movie prop and not art, the statue has become the city’s most loved and visited public monument and shaped by millions of people who engage within every year,” Creative Philadelphia’s Chief Cultural Officer Valerie Gay said.
A second statue, one of three made by Schomberg and on loan from Stallone himself, arrived and was placed at the top of the museum steps for the first-ever RockyFest in 2024. That one will be returned to Stallone.
For those keeping count, there’s a third statue as well. It was unveiled at Philadelphia International Airport last November and will remain a permanent fixture in Terminal A-West, between Gates A15 and 16. A fourth statue in Serbia was mentioned during the meeting, but that was sculpted by a different artist.
Before the statue is moved to its final spot, it will go into the museum for the first time ever as part of a “Rising Up: Rocky and the Making of Monuments” exhibition, running from April 25 to Aug. 2. The exhibition will be curated by Paul Farber, director and co-founder of Monument Lab and host of WHYY’s “The Statue” podcast, which details the history and issues surrounding the artwork.
After that, the loaner Rocky will go back to Stallone and the original will be moved back outside, where it will sit about 14 feet from the actual steps, to provide more room for the tourists around it. The location at the bottom of the steps will be filled by another city-owned statue, probably un-Rocky related, according to Creative Philadelphia.
The museum has had a love/hate relationship with the concept of embracing the Rocky statue over the decades. As the vote shows, they are assuredly on the “love” side these days.
“The image of the Rocky Balboa, arms lifted in triumph at the top of the steps, has become one of the most instantly recognizable symbols of Philadelphia,” Mayor Cherelle Parker wrote in a letter that was read out during the meeting. “Far more than a movie prop, the Rocky Statue has grown into a cultural touchstone that reflects the values, strength and spirit that define this city. Rocky’s original placement at the top of the art museum steps is essential to the work’s meaning and intent.”
“I think people come [to see the statue] not because they’re told to, they come because it already belongs to them,” Segal said. “And that kind of cultural legitimacy cannot be manufactured, it can only be earned. And I think it has been.”
Before the motion was brought to its final vote, guarantees were made to address two commission’s concerns:
- Adding “future engagement regarding the opportunities for interpretation of the statue,” particularly regarding its plaque.
- The timing of the new shuttle service that will be provided to bring visitors to see the statue. The shuttle service will be operated by the Philadelphia Visitor Center, and run on a similar schedule to the Philly Phlash service, Gay said.
“While we heard very romantic things about how it represents their lived experiences and worldview, there were people that feel like the story of Rocky doesn’t always leave room for the local history that it was built on,” commission member Matthew Jordan-Miller Kenyatta said. “So I think some of the language that is going to emerge, both from this Rocky A going into the exhibition and coming back out leaves a lot of room for opportunity for that language to better reflect that history.”
The total budget for the relocation was quoted as $150,000 of public funds in the proposal, though Creative Philadelphia said that the final cost is still being confirmed and could increase to $250,000.
