Curtis Institute of Music - founded by Mary Louise Curtis Bok

The Curtis Institute of Music, located at 1726 Locust Street, was founded in 1924 by philanthropist Mary Louise Curtis Bok with the aim of providing conservatory-level training to gifted young musicians. The institute admits students by competitive audition and has trained many prominent 20th- and 21st-century performers and conductors. Curtis's founding and endowment remain a documented example of early 20th-century musical philanthropy in Philadelphia.