The National Art Honor Society (NAHS), with the addition of the art history classes, visited the Philadelphia Museum of Art on November 13.

Located in the center of the city, the museum is home to some of the most iconic art pieces ever created. Examples of pieces that students viewed were Monet’s Water Lilies, Van Gogh’s Sunflowers and the famous statue of Diana sculpted by Augustus Saint-Gaudens, a piece that once stood atop Madison Square Garden.

One of the more interesting aspects of the museum does not come from the revered pieces it houses, but rather the museum’s efforts to bring diversity and cultural marks to light.

One of the more famous of these efforts is the presence of the Rocky Statue on the museum’s grounds, which is popular due to the Rocky movie franchise. The statue is representative of a beloved movie character who was able to showcase the reality of life in the city of Philadelphia, and more importantly the opportunities available for those willing to work for it.

Students were also able to see the recent exhibitions hosted by the museum, from old Islamic texts to contemporary Korean art, showcasing the museum’s push for diverse cultures, artists and work for display.

The members of NAHS and the students pursuing art history were able to see so much of what the city of Philadelphia and the Philadelphia Art Museum had to offer, allowing them all to be exposed to work and stories otherwise unavailable here in their local community.