Philadelphia’s Iconic ‘Rocky’ Statue Will Return to PMA’s Steps

The original “Rocky” statue at the base of the Philadelphia Museum of Art’s steps, May 2024. (Photo: Aramil Feraxa via Wikimedia Commons, CC 4.0)

In the 1976 film Rocky, actor Sylvester Stallone, playing the eponymous boxer, races up the 72 stone steps to the east entrance of the Philadelphia Museum of Art (PMA). It’s one of the most iconic scenes in modern film history, and even led to the creation of a 9-foot-tall bronze sculpture in the 1980s. Now, after some debate, the original Rocky statue will soon return to the top of PMA’s steps.

Stallone first commissioned sculptor Auldwin Thomas Schomberg to produce the sculpture of Rocky Balboa in 1980, his chest bare and boxing gloves raised triumphantly in the air. The statue was featured in the 1982 film Rocky III, in which it’s unveiled during a ceremony at PMA. Following the movie’s release, Stallone gifted the work to the city, where it has traveled around to various locations before landing at its final resting place at the base of PMA’s steps in 2006.

For nearly two decades, the statue has served as a symbol of resilience, determination, and the unexpected rise of an underdog, themes that have long resonated with Philadelphia as a city. It has attracted endless selfies, adoration, and controversy, raising questions about whether or not it can even be considered an art object. Regardless, PMA became the home of yet another Rocky sculpture last year. That version of the statue was a duplicate commissioned in 2006 and, before being bought by Stallone at a 2017 auction for some $400,000, had been on display in the San Diego Hall of Champions. It remained in the actor’s personal collection until Philadelphia’s inaugural RockyFest, held in December 2024. Since then, the replica has been perched at the top of PMA’s steps—the original site of the iconic Rocky scene.

But this fall, the Rocky sculpture became a source of remarkable contention. Stallone abruptly requested that the original statue be returned to him, suggesting that the city keep the duplicate instead.

“He asked for it back, for reasons I don’t know,” Valerie Gay, the city’s chief cultural officer, told Philadelphia Magazine in a recent interview. “And we are happy to respect his wishes. We are extremely happy to have him swap it out with his other statue.”

It didn’t take long for Philadelphia residents and officials alike to complain, insisting that the city retain the original Rocky sculpture. On December 10, 2025, in a 3-1 vote, the Philadelphia Art Commission approved a proposal put forth by Creative Philadelphia, suggesting that the original statue be transported inside PMA as it hosts Rising Up: Rocky and the Making of Monuments next year. Once the exhibition closes in August 2026, the original statue will be permanently installed at the top of PMA’s steps, while the replica will be returned to Stallone.

“In response to the strong and heartfelt feedback from the public, Mr. Stallone has graciously decided that we no longer move forward with the proposed statue swap,” Gay said at a meeting on December 10, according to WHYY. “This outcome reflects our shared commitment to listening deeply to the community and doing what is best for both the art and the people who cherish it.”

Louis Marchesano, director of PMA’s curatorial affairs, echoed the sentiment in an email to Artnet: “We support the city’s plan to place the Rocky statue at the top of the steps, where it will continue to be a major point of public engagement. [The upcoming Rocky] exhibition provides an extraordinary opportunity to examine the figure of Rocky and enter into a broader conversation about cultural memory, identity, and public space.”

Aside from PMA, the proposal also has the full support of Philadelphia’s mayor Cherelle Parker, the parks and recreation department, and the visitor center.

“Far more than a movie prop, the Rocky statue has grown into a cultural touchstone that reflects the values, grit, and spirit that define this city,” Parker noted in a statement.

Rising Up: Rocky and the Making of Monuments will open at PMA on April 25, 2026, in celebration of the movie franchise’s 50th anniversary.

After some debate, the iconic Rocky sculpture will be permanently installed at the top of the Philadelphia Museum of Art’s stone steps in 2026.

The east entrance of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, where the iconic training scene in “Rocky” (1976) was filmed. (Photo: su1droot via Wikimedia Commons, CC 2.0)