William Penn Foundation commits $7.6M to expand cultural access program across Philadelphia

The William Penn Foundation has announced a $7.6 million grant to expand Philadelphia’s ACCESS program to six cultural institutions. The funding supports access for low-income residents and people with disabilities, subsidizing entry to venues including the Academy of Natural Sciences, Franklin Institute, Morris Arboretum and Gardens, Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia Zoo, and Please Touch Museum. Administered by Art-Reach, a Philadelphia nonprofit, the initiative strengthens affordable access, visitor services, staffing, and operating costs, sustaining a program that enables more than 240,000 reduced-cost visits annually, advancing equitable cultural access across the city.