Curtis Institute of Music

The Curtis Institute of Music occupies the former nineteenth century mansions facing Rittenhouse Square, identifiable by their limestone facades and the understated, elegant brass plaque by the front door. Mary Louise Curtis Bok founded the school in nineteen twenty-four, dedicating it to the principle that students should never pay tuition. She once convinced the legendary pianist Josef Hofmann to serve as the first director by reportedly buying his entire collection of stamps, a hobby he loved far more than administrative duties.