Have you ever stopped to admire the art scattered across Drexel University’s University City Campus? A new student-designed scavenger hunt could guide you in exploring the paintings, sculptures and galleries you might be passing by without even realizing.
Tori Ruth, an arts administration and museum leadership graduate student in the Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts & Design, developed the art-filled activity while working for The Drexel Founding Collection, the University’s flagship art collection, as a community engagement coordinator (as part of the program’s practicum). They created the scavenger hunt to promote access to the collections — it covers eight locations, four gallery spaces and three collections.
The end result? About 100 or so students participated in the event on Sept. 18 during Welcome Week, with the quickest finishers and a few lucky raffle winners picking up some Drexel swag, gift cards to local coffee places and Dragon Dollars.
Want to see the art — and instructions — for yourself? Below is an abridged version of Ruth’s Drexel Founding Collection Welcome Week Scavenger Hunt. Good luck! (The answers and links to the relevant pieces of art, exhibitions and collections are listed at the end of the article.)
Anthony J. Drexel Picture Gallery
- The Anthony J. Drexel Picture Gallery is one of the main gallery spaces of the Drexel Founding Collection. It was opened in 1902, just over a decade after Drexel was founded as the Drexel Institute of Art, Science and Industry. It was renovated in 2002 and then again in 2012. We are located in Main Building, the original building home to Drexel at its founding. What floor is the Picture Gallery on in Main Building?
- What color are the walls of the Picture Gallery?
- White
- Yellow
- Orange
- Red
- Green
Main Building
The real hunt begins! This section will keep you inside Main Building to explore the various galleries and displays of the Drexel Founding Collection..
- Many of the original paintings in the Drexel Founding Collection, founded alongside Drexel in 1891, depict landscapes and agrarian life, including images of livestock. Find the painting “Study of Cattle” in the Picture Gallery.
- We are currently undergoing a reinstallation of the Picture Gallery and have recently reinstalled new art on one of the walls. The mural “In The Garden,” pictured below, used to live in a hallway in the URBN Center, home to the Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts & Design. It has taken on a new life in this space. Find the name of the artist who created “In The Garden.”
- The Rincliffe Gallery, right outside the Picture Gallery, is the DFC's home to rotating exhibits covering a wide variety of topics. The current exhibit, A Full Time Job, is a student-curated exhibit on the history of Drexel's Home Economics school, which would become the Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts & Design. Can you find a miniature parrot?
- The Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University, located in Center City right across from the Franklin Institute, has an amazing fossil on display here in Main Building. Find Megaloceros giganteus; what is his English name?
- Giant great Horn
- Higgins
- Woolly Rhinoceros
- Irish Elk
- Steve
- Sometimes a shoe brand, but always a goddess! This lovely lady of Samothrace is reproduction of a famous statue found in the Louvre in France. Can you find her?
- We have another famous Greek lady, sitting under the view of the same goddess above, on the floor below. She's probably thinking more about love and what she may write next. What's her name?
Perelman Plaza and Korman Quad
Make your way outside the side door of Main Building by the elevators, we are going to take a look at some of the places and displays outside!
- Find Mr. Tony D. on Market Street, you should be able to see him from the Peck Gallery. You may not want to call him Tony D. when talking about his school, just so you know. Or you might, that's up to you. Anyway, what is his middle initial?
- You've probably seen the famous Dragon statue on the corner of 33rd and Market streets already. What is that Dragon's name?
- Mario the Master
- Mario the Magnificent
- Mario Mascioli
- Mario the Marvelous
- Mario the Okay I Guess
Hagerty Library and Drexel University Archives
Now that you've made it to Mario, head across the street to the Hagerty Library! Once you’re inside, head down to the building.
- Find the George Rickey sculpture outside the library. What shape is it? Hint: You might want to look up!
- Square
- Circle
- Triangle
- Diamond
- Star
- Can you find the marble stairs from Main building inside the Hagerty library? Hint: You may have to look behind Mr. Hagerty.
- Remember that Rickey sculpture from earlier? It may share something with a student newspaper at Drexel. What is the name of that newspaper, based on what you see in Drexel's Archives?
Lancaster Walk
Head out of the Hagerty Library and start making your way to Lancaster Walk! You can find it right across Market Street behind the Rec Center.
- The Rush Building, located at the corner of Lancaster Walk and 33rd Street, has a beautiful alumni garden. Try to find this inscription: “H. Kimmelman 1986.”
- As part of a long-term loan, we currently have Alicja Kwade’s “Pars Pro Toto” on display across the green space on Lancaster Walk. This work mimics a solar system, not necessarily our own, of varying planet sizes, colors and materials. How many planets do you see?
URBN Center and Annex
Almost there! Make your way to the URBN Center from Lancaster Walk to 34th and Market streets. Follow Market Street towards the URBN Center and Annex.
- The Fox Historic Costume Collection (FHCC), located in URBN Center, is Drexel's major collection for fashion garments and textiles. They curate rotating exhibits with items from their collection in their gallery space. What is the name of the current exhibition the FHCC has on display?
- Based on the information inside the gallery, what is the name of the proprietary fabric created by Mary McFadden?
- Make your way out of the back door of URBN Center, towards the garden outside URBN Annex. Can you find a tile plane
- Currently, the Pearlstein Gallery has an exhibition called Cey Adams, Departure: 40 Years of Art and Design on display through Oct. 5. Cey Adams, original creative director of Def Jam Records, had a major role in the album covers of many famous hip-hop albums. Find the album wall highlighting his connection to Def Jam Records.
- How can you create art in the Pearlstein Gallery right now?
- Spray paint a wall
- Use a VR headset to simulate graffiti
- Make hats
- Draw on Post-its and put them on the wall
- Trick question; you can't
