The Ryerss Museum and Library sits at 7370 Central Ave. in Philadelphia’s Fox Chase neighborhood, tucked behind a hill with galleries, a lending library and grounds open free to the public. The site includes Chinese artwork, relics from the 1876 Philadelphia Centennial, a pet cemetery and a library that serves visitors apart from the Free Library system.
Many of the museum’s closest neighbors have never visited, even though the building has been part of the area for generations. Martha Moffat, site manager at the Ryerss Museum, said nearby residents who come in for the first time are often surprised to find the museum, library and events so close to home.
The building began as a private summer retreat for the Ryerss family. Constructed in 1859, it served as the family’s warm-weather home in Fox Chase, where the family’s Quaker roots traced directly to William Penn’s original Pennsylvania settlers…