Philadelphia's Rocky statue undergoing restoration for several days
"Rocky is out here in every element. He's a survivor and this is what he needs in order to look his best."
PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Many people come from all over to see the famous Rocky statue at the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
However, some of those tourists encountered barriers as the statue underwent routine conservation maintenance on Tuesday.
"Rocky is out here in every element. He's a survivor and this is what he needs in order to look his best," said Marco Federico, with Heritage Conservation Collective.
Temporary barriers and signage were posted Tuesday morning to let visitors know of the ongoing conservation work. The work will be done from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on both Tuesday and Wednesday.
Professional public art conservators hired from Heritage Conservation Collective to clean and wax the statue of the iconic champion.
"We'll heat the sculpture up with a torch and apply a microcrystal and torch, and that will really slow down the process of corrosion and protect it," Federico explained.
For those who have the statue on their Philadelphia bucket list, you'll still have your chance to see it! Officials say the barriers will be removed each day after the work is complete, ensuring that it remains fully accessible for visitors.
"I couldn't pass up seeing the statue and getting a picture of it," said Cheryl Baker, who is visiting from Kalamazoo, Michigan.
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"It really has become one of the icons of the city for people who visit," said Noni Clemens, with the Office of Arts, Culture and Creative Economy.
The bronze statue has been standing tall at the Art Museum for 18 years.
The Rocky statue was created by artist A. Thomas Schomberg in 1980 and was gifted to the city by Sylvester Stallone. It is part of Philadelphia's permanent collection of over 1,000 public artworks.
"The Rocky statue is beloved by residents and visitors of Philadelphia alike," said Marguerite Anglin, Public Art Director of the Office of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy. "Regular cleaning and waxing protects Rocky from weather-related damage and deterioration and helps preserve it for generations to come."
