Magic Gardens on South Street blends art, creativity and community: "This is uniquely Philadelphia"

A South Street landmark is blending art, creativity and community in a way few places can match.

Philadelphia's Magic Gardens is the sprawling vision of artist Isaiah Zagar, and one of the city's most distinctive cultural spaces.

It's a maze of color, texture and detail that draws people from around the world.

"I'm just super excited to see this," Cole Amick from Oakland, California, said. "I was not expecting there to be so much art in Philadelphia."

Spanning half a city block, the space features winding tunnels and intricate mosaic work that covers nearly every surface.

"I love this place," Scott Amick from Pensacola, Florida, said. I just keep spinning around in circles looking at high and low."

Education manager Olivia Edlund said the space reflects Zagar's vision and his deep connection to the neighborhood he helped shape alongside his wife, Julia.

"I think Isaiah and Julia, they really loved this neighborhood and they were committed to seeing it grow," Edlund said.

When the couple arrived in 1968, this area faced an uncertain future. The city had plans to demolish South Street to build the Crosstown Expressway. Decades later, there was another threat. Built in part on vacant lots that Zagar didn't own, when the owners decided to sell, the artwork was at risk of being torn down.

"People were donating money, they were volunteering their time, there were lawyers who stepped up," Edlund said. "That whole group of people was able to form the nonprofit Philadelphia's Magic Gardens and actually buy the lots so that Isaiah could continue working and that was really how the museum started."

While Zagar was the driving force behind Magic Gardens, the project also involved hundreds of collaborators and artists over the years.

Today, the space continues to serve as a hub for connection and creativity.

"This is uniquely Philadelphia and this is what we want to show when people come to our city," Edlund said.

Across Philadelphia, Zagar transformed more than 200 walls into public art. Following his death on Feb. 19, 2026, the museum said it remains committed to preserving his legacy through tours, workshops and community programs year-round.