Anna first founded the Trinity Memorial Church in Philadelphia to commemorate her daughter's early death, and proceeded to fund various schools and women's charities on a regular basis after that.

[1] She is known for the large number of codicils to her will, which enabled the founding of the current location of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, but which did not prevent the city of Philadelphia from overruling her wishes and selling most of her collection of paintings in 1954, keeping a few works by local painters and her sculptures, among them a series of animal bronzes by Antoine-Louis Barye and a bust of Washington by Hiram Powers.

In 1876, Philadelphia marked the 100th anniversary of American independence with the International Exhibition of Arts, Manufacturers, and Products of the Soil and Mine, commonly referred to as the Centennial Exposition.

[2] The first international fair to be held in the United States, the Exhibition celebrated the country’s thriving arts, industry, and commerce.

It was staged on more than 285 acres in Fairmount Park with a central art gallery, which became known as Memorial Hall (Philadelphia).