http://www.cnn.com/2004/TRAVEL/07/01....ap/index.html

-UC

What's really funny is to hear the tourists sing as they run ...

Kind of a humorous article, until the end, when it's just sad:

"'We try to encourage people to actually go inside the Art Museum, too,' the [visitors] center's chief executive, Bill Moore, said. 'But a lot of people just want to run up the steps.'"

It is sad, but shows what the priority of Americans is.

So many tourists go to the King of Prussia Mall, but not nearly as many go to see Valley Forge National Park, 3 minutes away.

the art museum gets its fair share of visitors.

Ex-Philadelphian Francine Manstein here . . . My grandparents used to live at the Parkway House Apartments at 22nd and Spring Garden, which was right near the Art Museum . . . Yep, I've climbed up and down those steps many a time as a kid - and that was before the Rocky movies came out, too! LOL! I also, of course, went INSIDE the Art Museum with my family occasionally, too!

Sincerely,
Francine Manstein
(Currently in Miami, FL)

It appears that the Rocky Statue will be moving to the Art Museum after all.....just not at the top of the steps:
http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/14549303.htm

The Donald Duck argument in this article is ridiculous. That statue and those steps are arguably the #1 tourist attraction for Philly. I wish the Art Museum could just suck it up and put it at the top of the steps......and maybe figure out a way to suck the endless line of tourist into their fine museum (win-win).

-UC

Rocky fans and Impressionist art don't always mix. The art museum might be glad that not all those climbing the stairs enter its halls.

where was the rocky statue originally?

At the top of the steps, in the middle.

-UC