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Philadelphians don’t always care about what other people think. And that’s just one of the special things about them that will be highlighted in a new micromuseum in Fishtown.
“If you’re a Philadelphian, you may wave the flag proudly and tell people, but you may have no idea the baggage you have and this reputation that others put upon you,” said Brian Adoff, head curator and creator of the museum. “So in a way, this whole museum is like an initiation or an orientation that transplants or the people new to the city really do need to come through and say, ‘Oh, this is what the rest of the world thinks of me.’”
Adoff studies human connection and is the creator of Join Philly – a group connecting Philadelphians to local clubs through a public directory and corresponding events.
He said the Museum of the Philadelphian is another way to connect Philadelphians.
“This is an on-ramp as well,” he said. “So you’re brought in to see the funny exhibits and artifacts on display, which is really about the reputation of Philadelphia and the reputation others have put upon us, who maybe have never been here, so it kind of highlights and exhibits the behavior we’re known for,” he said.
The Museum
Adoff said the museum is small – which means he has had to carefully choose which objects to include. He said he wanted his selections to be a good mix of quirky Philly objects and spirit.
“(The museum includes) the objects we’ve thrown, the players and the people we’ve booed and the cars we flipped, but it also shows things like the money we raised afterwards to replace the car that got flipped,” he said. “So while it shows and exhibits the behavior we’re known for, it also catalogs what the constitutional qualities are that Philadelphians share that make us some of the best people around.”
Adoff explained that one exhibit, The Register of the Philadelphians, highlights different Philly people. This includes everyone from Benjamin Franklin to J.D. Drew – a Phillies draft pick who didn’t sign with the club after controversial negotiations.
“It has a long list of a bunch of Philadelphians who have done amazing and heroic things because of these (constitutional) qualities that we’ve discovered,” he said. “There’s also a place where people can add themselves to that register.”
He said he wants the museum to foster a sense of togetherness, and that people from all backgrounds can come in and enjoy the exhibits.
“Everyone’s gonna laugh at the snowball on display that was recovered from the 1968 Eagles game that was thrown at Santa Claus, and realize that we’re actually the same,” he said. “This is what brings people together – the common bonds we have.”
Continuing to connect Philadelphians
Much of Adoff’s work outside of the museum has centered around pushing Philadelphians to join clubs, participate in activities and do more community building.
“What I’m now yelling about all over town is the lack of what the city does for offerings and resources we have not only for resident attraction, but for resident engagement,” he said. “So people move here because they fall in love with Philly, and we want them to stay here. And if they don’t find belonging, they’re going to leave.”
He said his hope with this museum was to tie together some of this other work he has done. He emphasized that he wants to act on solutions for these issues rather than dwelling on them.
“I believe that always talking about the loneliness crisis is propagating more of this loneliness crisis, and talking about the lack of third places just propagates more of that,” he said. “Philly has so much to offer, and we do a lot more in other cities that are struggling worse.”
Adoff said he hopes this museum could continue to highlight all that Philly has to offer. But for now, the installation is only six weeks.
“It opens on Sept. 25th,” he said. “On the website, you can sign up to get first access to the reservation. “It’s tiny, and a lot of people want to come, so I’m probably going to do reservations or reserve time slots.”
The museum will be open Fridays 5-8 p.m., Saturdays noon-5 p.m. and Sundays noon-5 p.m. Admission is free to the museum at 454 E. Girard Ave.
