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Regarding the National Endowment for the Humanities’ Section 106 Review of Building Transformation: Renovation of the Penn Museum's Egyptian Wing
The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) has offered Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania a Challenge Infrastructure and Capacity Building grant (CHA-276758) to renovate of the Lower and Upper Egypt galleries in the Coxe wing of the Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology (Museum).
NEH is an independent grant-making agency of the United States government dedicated to supporting research, education, preservation, and public programs in the humanities. This public notice is issued as part of NEH’s responsibilities under 36 C.F.R. Part 800, the regulations which implement Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) of 1966, as amended, 54 U.S.C. 306108. NEH, a funding agency, is required by regulation to identify and assess the effects of any proposed actions on historic properties. If any proposed action will have an adverse effect on historic resources, NEH works with the appropriate parties to seek ways to avoid, minimize, or mitigate any adverse effects. Additionally, the Section 106 regulations require NEH to consider the views of the public on preservation issues when making final decisions that affect historic properties.
The Museum is located at 3260 South Street, Philadelphia, 19104. The Museum is a contributing resource in the University of Pennsylvania Campus Historic District (National Register of Historic Places # 78002457). It was a collaboration of several of the major architectural firms in Philadelphia. Designed in a 12th century northern Italian mode with wide mortar joints, terracotta roof tiles and mosaic fragments of brick and marble. The N.W. section was begun in 1897, the 2nd section with domed area begun 1912. Extensions of the gallery and round tower also begun at that time. The Museum was built to house discoveries made at the University of Pennsylvania’s excavations performed throughout the world in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, including at Memphis, Egypt. Archival and physical evidence indicates that the Coxe Wing retains much of its historic character-defining fabric, including its brick exterior and interior finish materials (terrazzo floors, Guastavino tile ceilings, buff-colored brick walls, and cast stone door surrounds) and therefore continues to convey its overall historic architectural character. Proposed work consists of select repairs to existing historic features, including terrazzo flooring, Guastavino tile ceilings, and buff-colored face brick; alterations to the utilitarian first-floor level to improve collections storage; as well as alterations to the service core and gallery spaces required to support contemporary program and collection needs.
Many of the artifacts excavated from Ancient Egypt and Nubia are currently exhibited in galleries located on the top two floors of the Coxe Wing, which was built specifically to exhibit this collection. When these galleries, known as Lower Egypt (second floor) and Upper Egypt (third floor) were built in 1926, their configuration and construction were thought to be adequate to the Museum’s needs. However, they have not been substantially renovated since then, are generally deteriorated and outdated, and do not meet contemporary standards for collections storage, climate control, lighting, circulation of artifacts, facility rentals, and special events. In addition, Lower and Upper Egypt require structural reinforcement to accommodate the monumental displays historically intended for these spaces.
The proposed scope of work involves:
* Structural: When the Coxe Wing was planned in the 1920s, Upper Egypt gallery was expressly designed to display monumental components of a 13th c. BCE palace, which had just been excavated in Egypt. However, it was discovered upon completion of the Coxe Wing that Upper Egypt could not sustain the weight of these colossal architectural elements due to a miscommunication between the architects and builders during construction. Although segments of the palace have been on display in Lower Egypt since 1926, the portal and the columns have never been displayed at full height as originally intended. New structural enhancements will enable the Museum to install its Egypt and Nubia Galleries with the monumental columns at full height for the first time since the excavation of the palace. Five steel plates will be installed under the terrazzo floor of Upper Egypt to support the portal and columns. These plates will be concealed by new terrazzo to match the historic floor.
New steel tie rods modeled after the visible historic tie rods present in the Upper Egypt gallery will be installed at the ceiling levels of both Lower and Upper Egypt. At Lower Egypt, the tie rods will structurally reinforce the floor of Upper Egypt. At both Lower and Upper Egypt, the new and existing tie rods will also support new contemporary exhibit lighting to minimize penetrations into the existing Guastavino tile ceilings for new wiring and light fixtures. To accommodate wiring and the weight of new lighting fixtures, metal valences and hangers will be added to all new and existing tie rods. Existing light fixtures and associated anchors and other abandoned devices will be removed from the ceilings and visible holes will be patched to match the appearance of the existing Guastavino tile.
* Mechanical, Engineering and Plumbing (MEP) Upgrades: The MEP upgrades will minimize the fluctuating climate conditions that adversely affect the stability of the museum objects and the quality of the visitor experience. A decommissioned freight elevator shaft (see “Elevators” below) and original air ducts behind the brick walls of the galleries are being re-used for the installation of new pipes and conduit in order to reduce the impact of MEP installations on the historic fabric. Where new MEP installations cannot be accommodated in the shaft or behind walls, discrete penetrations will be made in the floors and walls. Where penetrations are to be filled/covered, the existing historic finish material (typically terrazzo) will be matched. To accommodate and consolidate new systems that could not be concealed behind walls or in floors, raceways will be surface mounted around the perimeters of both galleries. The raceways will be anchored into mortar joints to avoid damage to the brick walls and finished to blend in with the walls.
* Windows: Existing steel windows will be replaced with new insulated metal windows with UV protective glass at all three floor levels. Select windows at the second-floor level were already replaced during Phase 1 (approved by the Philadelphia Historic Commission) and the new windows will match the prior replacements. While the historic steel windows are not deteriorated beyond repair, they cannot be retrofitted to achieve the level of weather-tightness and UV protection that contemporary Museum standards require, which is essential for the protection of the ancient artifacts to be stored and displayed in these galleries. The new factory-finished aluminum windows will replicate the overall appearance, dimensions, and lite configuration of the existing steel windows. None of the windows being replaced are visible from the street. They are located on the north elevation of the Coxe Wing, which faces an interior courtyard, or on the south elevation, which is blocked by the University of Pennsylvania Hospital parking garage.
* Service Core Improvements: This work is limited to a service core on the first through third floors at the southeast corner of the Coxe Wing that is currently inaccessible to the public and has always served as secondary back-of-house space. Because the service core work on the first floor is in the former utilitarian loading dock area, this work is not assessed below. On the second and third floors, while the service core areas are non-public spaces that have always served a utilitarian purpose and have been altered over time, they connect to the Lower and Upper Egypt galleries. Proposed work involves:
** Elevators: The Project will eliminate one of the two existing freight elevators (the empty shaft of which will be used to run ductwork, conduit, etc. to prevent damage to historic fabric) and enlarge the remaining freight elevator to facilitate artifact handling. Currently, there are 12 large scale museum artifacts that cannot be moved from their locations in the galleries due to the size restrictions of the existing freight elevators. These pieces previously entered the building through an opening on the East wall in the Lower Egypt gallery that is now blocked by the museum's 1971 Academic Wing. A larger freight elevator will also better support facility rental and event management. These elevators are utilitarian features and have never been accessible to the public.
Second Floor/Lower Egypt: A portion of the terrazzo floor next to the elevator will be removed to allow for the expansion of the elevator footprint. A new catering pantry will be installed at the second-floor service core. A previously altered opening with a modern metal door between the service core and the Lower Egypt gallery will be further widened, rebuilt with new cast stone and salvaged brick for compatibility with the historic finishes, and fitted with a new modern door with secure coded access. This wider door opening is needed to facilitate the movement of artifacts, exhibits, event rentals, event food and beverage, and cleaning equipment throughout the building.
Third Floor/Upper Egypt: A portion of the terrazzo floor next to the elevator will be removed to allow for the expansion of the elevator footprint. A new catering pantry will be installed at the third-floor service core. A round-arched historic opening between the service core and the Upper Egypt gallery will be widened and rebuilt with a jack arch using salvaged brick to match the adjacent historic masonry on the gallery side. A new modern door will be installed with secure coded access. Although the removal of the round-arched opening in the Upper Egypt Gallery is a loss of intact decorative historic fabric, this change is necessary to facilitate the movement of artifacts, exhibits, event rentals, event food and beverage, and cleaning equipment throughout the building. The Museum investigated moving artifacts out of the building through new openings in exterior walls, oversized floor penetrations between levels, and relocation through elevator shafts during construction, but each presented greater historic preservation, safety, and cost issues than this approach.
The renovations of the Coxe Wing do not change the character of the property’s use or of the physical features that contribute to its historic significance. The majority of work is in back-of house non-public spaces. The galleries will retain their character-defining features—a rectangular configuration with an open volume, terrazzo floors, exposed buff-colored brick walls, vaulted Guastavino tile ceilings, structural tie rods in Upper Egypt, and door openings framed by monolithic cast stone surrounds in Lower Egypt—and will continue to convey their overall historic architectural character. The proposed work in the gallery spaces is largely reversible and has been designed to achieve contemporary standards for climate control, lighting, circulation of artifacts, and special events while minimizing damage to historic fabric.
On December 5, 2023, Emma Diehl, Environmental Review Division with the Pennsylvannia State Historic Preservation Office, provided a finding of No Adverse Effect. After reviewing Section 106 documentation and SHPO finding, NEH issues a determination of No Adverse Effect.
As required by Section 106, NEH is providing the public with information about this project, as well as an opportunity to comment on any knowledge of, or concerns with, historic properties in the proposed project area, and issues relating to the project’s potential effects on historic properties. Comments may be submitted to the NEH by e-mail to