Philadelphia’s Mütter Museum is expanding, with construction expected to start next year in the historic former church next door. The College of Physicians of Philadelphia, the medical society that oversees the museum, announced the expansion on Monday.
The museum will merge its current location on 19 South 22nd Street with the adjacent Swedenborgian Church and Parish House on 2129 Chestnut Street. This plan has been in the works for awhile, with the Mütter having purchased the property for $9.3 million in 2023. So far, the museum has raised $27 million through an initial phase of fundraising “to support plans to create a cohesive campus,” the release indicated.
“We are not content to rest on our past; we see a need to move forward with plans for innovation, inclusion, and renewed purpose,” president and CEO Larry Kaiser said in a statement. The plan, he continued, will “unify our campus, creating engaging, accessible spaces, including significantly expanding the Mütter Museum’s galleries, and providing more programming that will inspire future generations of healthcare leaders and strengthen our position as a trusted voice in medicine and public health.”
Construction will begin in phases in early 2026. The expansion will allow for the display of more objects, as nearly 500,000 medical instruments, biological specimens, teaching models, texts, and archival materials are not currently on view to the public. This additional space will also allow for new rotating galleries, a larger museum store, and more multi-purpose spaces for educational programs.
Designed by renowned Philadelphia architect Theophilus Parsons Chandler Jr. and constructed in 1881, the Gothic Revival style church was originally established as the Church of the New Jerusalem, an 18th century Christian sect that followed Swedish theologian Emanuel Swedenborg, that closed in the mid-1980s. The building was subsequently renovated and converted into medical offices.
“We are thrilled about the opportunities the campus expansion provides to the Mütter Museum and Historical Medical Library,” Mütter Museum directors Erin McLeary and Sara Ray said in a joint statement. “This is a unique place where our visitors get the chance to see objects that spark curiosity, promote creativity, and encourage engagement with medical history. Through this expansion, we will preserve our extraordinary collection while highlighting more materials than ever before.”
The renovation follows a two-year ethical review of the museum’s policies for its controversial displays of human remains. The museum’s previous director exited her post over the summer amid the review.
