Location
Kislak Center for special collections, rare books and manuscripts at Van Pelt Library (sixth floor)
University of Pennsylvania
3420 Walnut Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104
Campus Directions
The main entrance to the library faces the inside of the 3400 block below Walnut Street. From the intersection of 34th & Walnut, there’s a path that leads southwest into campus. As soon as the path opens up into a green space, you’ll look toward the right and you’ll see a sculpture of a broken button that is in front of the stairs into up to the library’s main entrance.
Accessibility
The accessible entrance to the Van Pelt-Dietrich Library Center is through the Goldstein Undergraduate Study Center entrance on the ground floor of the Van Pelt-Dietrich Library Center. This entrance faces the Blanche P. Levy Park (to the right/East of the button sculpture). There is a wheelchair accessible doorbell on the railing leading towards the door. All floors can be reached during open hours by means of our primary elevator bank.
All visitors using the ADA entrance are expected to go to the security desk on the first floor to have their identification checked. Assistance will be provided if necessary. All bags and books may be subject to inspection upon exiting the building.
Rest Rooms: Wheelchair-accessible rest rooms are located on the east side of the building on the ground, second, third, fourth and fifth floors and in the third floor west elevator lobby. Gender neutral single stall rest rooms are available on the east side of the building on the third, fourths, and fifth floors and on the west side of the building on the third and fourth floor elevator lobbies.
Driving Directions
From WEST via 76 East – exit at 30th Street Station, at the light turn right, curve around the train station to the left. At the third light, you’ll want to be in the right lane to go straight across Market Street. Turn right onto Walnut Street – after 33rd, start looking for a parking spot or follow directions to the parking garage/lot of your choice. The closest parking garage/lot is two short blocks north of the site on 34th Street between Chestnut and Ludlow Streets. Both the garage and lot cost $13 for the day, and can be paid only by credit/debit cards.
From EAST via Benjamin Franklin Bridge to 676 West. Exit at 30th Street Station and follow directions above.
Public Transit Directions:
If coming by Train – 30th Street Station is equally close to the library as the University City station that usually requires switching SEPTA trains and getting off at 33rd & South. (OTOH, it’s right by the University Museum of Anthropology and Archaeology, if you’d like to include that in your visit.) From 30th Street Station it’s three-quarters of a mile to walk to the library. Or you can leave the building and head to the entrance to the subway at 30th & Market.
If coming by Greyhound or Peter Pan bus, ask directions to the 11th street entrance to the Market-Frankfort Line. Get off at 34th street. Head south to Walnut street, and then follow the walking directions in the driving directions.
Within the city – Aside from being convenient to the MFL, the library is also easily reached by the 21 and 42 buses, both of which stop at 34th & Walnut.
Further Information
- Campus map – including parking and local restaurants
- More on parking at Penn
- Parking in UPenn lots/garages on a weekend is a $13 flat rate for the day.
- Kislak Center
- Collections at the Kislak