| Pennsylvania
Attractions
•
The Franklin
Mint Museum
U.S. 1, Franklin Center, 610-459-6168
Fine collectibles and celebrity memorabilia
from the 20th century are on permanent display at The Franklin
Mint Museum. Princess Diana’s white beaded gown is here,
as is Jackie Kennedy’s triple strand of faux pearls;
you can purchase your own strand at the Gallery Store. Call
for more information.
• Fairmount
Park
Interstate 76 and U.S. 1, Philadelphia, PA, 215-685-0000
Located along the banks of the Schuylkill
River, Fairmount Park is home to many of Philadelphia’s
cultural, historical and recreational attractions. This 14-square-mile
park has more than 100 miles of trails and hosts open-air
concerts at the Mann Center for the Performing Arts. Three
of the park’s attractions are detailed below:
• Philadelphia Zoo
215-243-1100
Chartered in 1859 and opened in 1874,
the Philadelphia Zoo is America’s first zoo. More
than 1,800 animals reside at the zoo, which offers seasonal
exhibits and a chance to see a wide variety of animals,
including a Matschie’s tree kangaroo, a spectacled
langur and an inland bearded dragon.
• Philadelphia Museum of
Art
215-763-8100
Featuring a full-scale medieval cloister, an excellent collection
of Impressionist works and an exhibit of Pennsylvania Dutch
decorative arts, the Philadelphia Museum of Art is one of
the many reasons why Philadelphia is one of the most cultured
cities in America. Visitors can also catch a glimpse of
Thomas Eakins’ works, including portraits of 19th-century
Philadelphians.
• Historic Houses
215-684-7926
Lining the Schuylkill riverfront,
these stately 18th- and 19th-century houses were built as
elegant and fashionable retreats from Philadelphia’s
urban environment. Among the seven homes is a Quaker farmhouse,
a Federal-style mansion and the summer home of a Scottish
sea captain.
• Edgar Allan Poe National Historic
Site
532 North 7th Street, Philadelphia, PA, 215-597-8780
Master of chilling tales Edgar Allan
Poe lived in this small brick home from 1843-44, during which
time he published some of his most famous tales, including
The Tell-Tale Heart and Black Cat. The visitor’s
center here offers ranger-guided tours, an audiovisual program,
library and informative exhibits on Poe’s life.
• Penn’s Landing
Delaware River waterfront, between Washington Avenue and Spring
Garden Street, Philadelphia, 215-629-3200 or 215-922-2386
Stretching for 10 blocks along the
Delaware waterfront is Penn’s Landing, a 37-acre area
marking the spot where William Penn first came ashore in 1682.
Penn once wished for the area to become a “tree-lined
Promenade”, and many years later his dream was realized.
Today, Penn’s Landing draws visitors for its many restaurants,
museums, picturesque views of New Jersey and more than 70
special events. Ships regularly navigate the Delaware and
unload near the Ben Franklin Bridge, and you’ll also
see historic ships such as the Moshulu docked in the river.
Penn’s Landing’s Festival Pier is host to festivals,
concerts and events during the summer season and is home to
an ice rink for skaters during the wintertime. Here are details
on one of the landing’s most popular attractions:
• Independence
Seaport Museum
211 South Columbus Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA, 215-925-5439
More than 20 interactive exhibits
and audiovisual games celebrate Philadelphia’s maritime
history at the Independence Seaport Museum. The Coming to
America exhibit highlights the trials of immigrants to America
through first-person audio accounts. Other displays let
visitors see the 1892 cruiser Olympia, flagship of the Battle
of Manila Bay, and the 1943 Becuna, a guppy-class World
War II submarine.
• Independence
National Historical Park
Visitors Center: 6th and Market Streets, Philadelphia, PA,
215-597-8974
Independence National Historical Park
is considered one of the most important historical sites in
this country. Around 20 sites in the 45-acre park are open
to the public. Among them are:
• Independence Hall
Independence Hall saw the birth of
the nation in 1775-76 during the historic debate and signing
of the Declaration of Independence. The hall was designated
a World Heritage Site in 1979.
• Liberty Bell
The Liberty Bell became an international
symbol of freedom when it rang on July 8, 1776, following
the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence.
Originally cast in Great Britain, it was delivered to Philadelphia
in 1752 with a large flaw and had to be recast. The bell’s
new home is currently under construction on 6th Street between
Market and Chestnut streets.
• Arden
Theatre Company
40 North 2nd Street, Philadelphia, PA, 215-922-1122
The Arden Theatre Company has mounted
67 professional productions since its inception in 1988, winning
critical acclaim on numerous occasions. The Philadelphia Inquirer
named Arden “Theatre Company of the Year” three
times for its classic renditions of contemporary dramas, comedies,
musicals and children’s theater. The company raises
its curtain September to June. Call or visit the website for
schedule information.
• Kimmel
Center for the Performing Arts
260 South Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA, 215-790-5800
The Philadelphia Orchestra and six
other resident companies make their home at the Kimmel Center
for the Performing Arts, a towering, glass-vaulted structure
located on the Avenue of the Arts. The center holds two performance
venues: 2,500-sedat Verizon Hall and 650-seat Perelman Theater.
Call about subscription series (215-893-1955).
• Walnut
Street Theatre
825 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA, 6215-574-3550
Walnut Street Theatre was founded in
1809 and enjoys the honored distinction of being the oldest
continuously operating theater in the nation. Scores of critically
acclaimed actors have graced the stage here, including Marlon
Brando, Audrey Hepburn, Sidney Poitier and George c. Scott.
Through the years the Walnut Street Theatre has been at the
forefront of theatrical innovation – among the theater’s
firsts: use of gas footlights (1837), installation of air
conditioning (1855) and application of copyright law to protect
plays. Today audiences still fill the seats to see a diverse
mix of musicals, dramas, comedies and experimental plays.
• Freedom
Theatre
1346 North Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA, 215-765-2793
The Edwin Forrest mansion is an elegant
setting for Pennsylvania’s most highly touted African
American performing arts group, Freedom Theatre. The organization
offers a wide variety of productions and training in the arts
for adults and children.
• Annenberg
Center for the Performing Arts
3680 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA, 215-898-3900
As the main performance facility on
the University of Pennsylvania’s campus, the Annenberg
Center offers a wide variety of performing arts, including
dance, classical music, jazz, and theater and family entertainment.
The Annenberg’s largest theaters are the Zellerbach
Theatre, with seating for 970, and the Prince Theatre, with
seating for 211.
• Academy of Music
Broad and Locust Streets, Philadelphia, PA, 215-893-1999
Owned and operated by the Philadelphia
Orchestra Association, the Academy of Music is as much a historical
landmark as it is a cultural center for the city. Opened in
1857, the Academy has entertained numerous U.S. presidents
with world-renowned artists such as Caruso, Pavlova and Pavarotti.
The 2,897-seat main hall is home to the Opera Company of Philadelphia
and the Pennsylvania Ballet.
• Philadelphia
Park Racetrack
3001 Street Road, Bensalem, PA, 215-639-9000
With a new restaurant, wagering lounges,
sports bars and grandstand seating, Philadelphia Park Racetrack
is an ideal spot to watch year-round thoroughbred racing.
The park is host to the famed Pennsylvania Derby every Labor
Day. Watch the derby from a family-friendly picnic grove located
outside.
• The
Liacouras Center
1776 North Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA, 215-204-2400
This versatile 10,000-seat arena is
home to the Temple Owls men and women’s basketball teams
in addition to hosting concerts, family shows and other special
events. The Esther Boyer Theater within the Liacouras Center
offers a versatile performance venue, holding 1,00 to 5,000
people depending on the production.
• Veterans Stadium
3501 South Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA, 215-685-1500
The 2002-2003 football season and the
2003 baseball season will mark the final seasons that Veterans
Stadium will be home to the NFL’s Philadelphia Eagles
and Major League Baseball’s Philadelphia Phillies. From
summer 2003 the Eagles will play at the new state-of-the-art
Lincoln Financial Field, and from spring 2004 the Phillies
will play at their new custom-built ballpark. Both facilities
will be near the current site of Veterans Stadium.
• Philadelphia
Eagles
National Football League
September – December
Tickets: 215-463-5500
• Philadelphia
Phillies
Major League Baseball
April - October
Tickets: 215-463-1000
• Comcast-Spectacor’s
First Union Complex
3601 South Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA, 215-336-3600
Home to the rest of the professional
Philadelphia sports teams; this venue also has concerts, ice
shows, Ringling Brothers Barnum & Bailey Circus, and other
terrific programs.
• Philadelphia
76ers
National Basketball Association
November – April
Tickets: 215-952-7000
• Philadelphia
Flyers
National Hockey League
October - April
Tickets: 215-755-9700
• Philadelphia
KIXX
Major Indoor Soccer League
September – April
Tickets: 888-888-KIXX
• Philadelphia
Phantoms
American Hockey League
October – April
Tickets: 215-465-4522
|
