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Philadelphia Maps & Attractions Guide
Philadelphia maps & Attractions - Things to do
in Philadelphia
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Philadelphia
Attractions - Things to do
1. Independence National Historical Park
Independence Visitor Center located at 6th and Market
Streets
www.nps.gov/inde |
What is it? On July 8, 1776, the Liberty Bell rang out
from the tower of Independence Hall summoning citizens to hear the
first public reading of the Declaration of Independence. Today the
Hall stands proudly, revered as the birthplace of the American
nation, in Independence National Historical Park, an eight-block
historic neighbourhood in the very centre of old Philadelphia. The
Liberty Bell itself is on display here, in a pavilion in Market
Street between 5th and 6th Street. Independence Hall on Chestnut
Street was originally built as the Pennsylvania State House in
1732, but became famous after first the Declaration of Independence
and later the Constitution of the United States was ratified here.
The rest of the 45-acre Independence Park is packed with
historically significant buildings and museums, interpreting the
events and lives of the movers and shakers involved in
Philadelphia's years as capital of the United States from 1790 to
1800, including George Washington and John Adams. About 20
buildings are open to the public daily, with times varying
according to season. Advance tickets are required for Independence
Hall, obtainable from the adjacent Visitor's Centre or bookable in
advance through the National Parks Service.
Hours of Operation: Independence Hall and Liberty Bell Center: daily 9am
to 5pm. Independence Visitor Center: daily 8.30am to
5pm
Phone:(215) 597 8974, or (215) 965 7676 (Independence Visitor
Center) |
2. Franklin Institute Science Museum
222 North 20th Street
www.fi.edu |
What is it? Philadelphia's most visited museum, the
Franklin Institute on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, opened in 1934
and fast became recognised for its innovative and imaginative
exhibits that demonstrate the influence of science in our lives.
The museum complex is divided into four sections. Firstly the
Franklin National Memorial is dedicated to Benjamin Franklin,
featuring a huge statue of its namesake and a collection of
memorabilia associated with the great man. The second section
features a collection of hands-on and interactive science and
technology exhibits, ranging from a walk-through model of a heart
to a lightning gallery. This section also includes the Discovery
Theatre where scientific shows are given each afternoon, and a
puzzle section. The basement area is the location of the Fels
Planetarium. The third section consists of the Mandell Futures
Center, a relatively new addition to the museum's offerings, which
features eight futuristic permanent interactive exhibits covering
space, earth, computers, chemistry and health. There is also an
Imax theatre arena here showing a variety of films. Lastly the
museum offers the CoreStates Science Park, located on the lawn
between the main museum buildings. This is a garden full of
high-tech play structures like a stand-on organ, maze and a
high-wire bicycle. The museum also features several restaurants and
a snack bar.
Hours of Operation: Daily 9.30am and 5pm. IMAX Theater is open until 9pm
on Fridays and Saturdays
Phone:(215) 448 1200 |
3. Philadelphia Museum of Art
Benjamin Franklin Parkway and 26th Street
www.philamuseum.org |
What is it? Philadelphia's elegant art museum,
established in the 1870s, houses a permanent collection of more
than 400,000 works in 200 galleries, recognised as being one of the
finest art assemblages in America. Exhibits include not only
magnificent paintings, but also sculptures, period furniture and
historic rooms. The beautiful building that houses this collection
is built in the style of a Greco-Roman temple and stands on a
hilltop off Benjamin Franklin Parkway. The two-storey building is
designed with L-shaped wings leading off a central court, and
exhibits are arranged in period groupings. The museum also has a
cafeteria and a formal restaurant, and regularly hosts visiting
exhibitions.
Hours of Operation: Tuesday to Sunday 10am to 5pm (until 8.45pm on
Fridays, offering music, talks, film shows and social
gatherings)
Phone:(215) 763 8100, or (215) 684 7500 |
4. Barnes Foundation
North Latch's Lane, Merion, Philadelphia
www.barnesfoundation.org |
What is it? The Barnes Foundation, housed in the French
provincial mansion of Albert Barnes, holds one of the finest
collections of French modern and post-impressionist paintings in
the entire world. Dr Albert Barnes was a wealthy Philadelphia born
and bred pharmaceutical entrepreneur who established the foundation
in 1922. This artistic experience without equal offers the chance
to view an awesome number of masterpieces by artists such as
Matisse, Cézanne, Renoir and Picasso. There are also objects like
furniture, ceramics and jewellery from around the world in this
rare collection of artistic treasures.
Hours of Operation: Gallery opening hours are restricted to Friday,
Saturday and Sunday between 9.30am to 5pm. In July and August the
gallery also opens on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Advance
bookings are required for all visits, and are accepted by telephone
or email on weekdays only between 9.30am and 4.45pm. Guided tours
and audio guides are available
Phone:(610) 667 0290 |
5. Franklin Court
316-322 Market Street
www.nps.gov/inde |
What is it? Part of the Independence National Historical
Park, the area between 3rd and 4th Streets is where the home of
America's most remarkable historic figure, Benjamin Franklin, once
stood. The house no longer exists, but the remaining courtyard has
been covered with a 54-foot high steel skeleton 'ghost structure'
and provides a novel and fascinating tribute and insight into the
life of Franklin, a printer, diplomat, inventor, publisher, author,
statesman, postmaster, founder of the University of Pennsylvania
and more! On the site visitors can see an underground museum filled
with paintings, objects and inventions associated with Franklin,
and use a bank of telephones listening to testimonies from famous
personalities about the achievements of the great man. There is
also a US Postal Service Museum and active post office on the site
and in a nearby house an architectural exhibit explaining
Franklin's fire-resisting building techniques can be viewed.
Another building in Market Street houses an 18th-century printing
office and bindery where demonstrations are given, and alongside is
the restored office of the newspaper published by Franklin's
grandson, Benjamin Franklin Bache.
Hours of Operation: Daily 9am to 5pm. Underground Museum: Wednesday to
Sunday 12pm to 5pm; Postal Museum: Monday to Saturday 9am to 5pm;
Printing Office: Wednesday to Friday 10am to 3pm (until 5pm on
weekends)
Phone:(215) 965 2305, or (215) 965 7676 (Independence Visitor
Center) |
6. Philadelphia Zoo
34th Street and Girard Avenue, Fairmount Park
www.phillyzoo.org |
What is it? Philadelphia's state-of-the-art Zoo, opened
in 1874, was the first in the United States and today takes first
place as one of the world's most renowned zoological gardens with
its wonderful animal exhibits, award-winning education and
conservation programmes, recreational opportunities and scientific
accomplishments. More than one million visitors a year are drawn to
this leading city attraction. Among the special features offered
are more than 1,600 rare and exotic animals and 42 acres of
picturesque Victorian gardens. Highlights are the Peco Primate
Reserve, an interactive exhibit featuring 10 species of primates;
the Rare Animal Conservation Center giving close up views of some
of the world's most endangered animals; the Reptile and Amphibian
House, which has an interactive adventure path showcasing 87
species including the King Cobra; an African animal section; the
chance to ascend in a helium balloon; children's petting zoo and
daily live animal shows.
Hours of Operation: Daily 9.30am to 5pm (February to November), 9.30am to
4pm (December to January)
Phone:(215) 243 1100 |
7. Doylestown
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What is it? The city of Doylestown, about 25 miles (40km)
north of Philadelphia in the centre of Bucks County (of which it is
the county capital), is renowned for its Historic District which
contains more than 1,000 structures dating from between 1851 and
1910. This treasure-trove of architectural heritage, bounded by
Union, Cottage and East Ashland Streets, Hillside Avenue and South
and North-West Streets, draws hundreds of visitors to the city,
which has been named one of a 'Dozen Distinctive Destinations' by
the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The city also offers
inviting antique and handcraft shops, numerous excellent
restaurants and in the surrounding Bucks County countryside there
are vast recreational possibilities, from fishing and boating on
the scenic Delaware River to hiking through nature trails and
discovering surprises like the 300-year-old Fallsington village.
Nearby too is the site where George Washington crossed the Delaware
River and changed the course of the American
Revolution.
Hours of Operation:
Phone: |
8. Dutch Country
www.padutchcountry.com |
What is it? Rated as one of the most popular summer
drives in America, a tour of Pennsylvania's Dutch Country is a
relaxing and rewarding experience, enjoyed by an estimated five
million visitors every year. Central to the area is Pennsylvania's
scenic Lancaster County, just one and a half hour's drive west of
Philadelphia. The main drawcard is the fascinating lifestyle of the
local Amish (plain Quaker) farming communities, who live according
to age-old traditions and values without making use of any modern
conveniences, even eschewing electricity and telephones. The area
abounds with interesting historic and rural attractions, including
28 picturesque covered bridges on quiet country roads, the oldest
Mennonite meeting house in America and the home of a former US
president. Many visitors opt to tour the area in a horse and buggy
or by bicycle. Another big attraction in the area is the food,
which, because of the local agriculture is 'fresh-from-the-farm'
home style cooking, all offered at local restaurants and markets.
To wash down the farm fare there are wineries and breweries open
for tours and tastings. Shopping for local crafts and antiques is
another popular pastime.
Hours of Operation:
Phone: |
9. Gettysburg National Military Park
97 Taneytown Road, Gettysburg (Gettysburg National
Military Park Visitor Center)
www.nps.gov/gett |
What is it? The small town of Gettysburg in Adam's
County, south-central Pennsylvania was the site of the largest
Civil War battle ever waged in the Western Hemisphere. It was here,
too, that Abraham Lincoln delivered his immortal address. The
bloody Battle of Gettysburg started on July 1, 1863 and lasted two
days, resulting in a Union victory. The Gettysburg National
Military Park now stands testimony to the battle, incorporating
about 6,000 acres of land, 26 miles of park roads and more than
1,400 monuments, markers and memorials.
Hours of Operation: Park grounds open daily 6am to 10pm (April to
October) and 6am to 7pm (November to March); Visitor Center open
8am to 5pm (September to May), 8am to 6pm (June to
August)
Phone:(717) 334 1124 (Visitor Center) |
10. Hershey's Chocolate World
800 Park Boulevard, Hershey
www.hersheyschocolateworld.com |
What is it? No Charlie should miss out on the treat of
visiting Hershey's Chocolate World in the town where chocolate
making has become an art. Hershey, billed as 'the sweetest place on
earth', is about 90 miles (145km) from Philadelphia via Lancaster.
A free of charge simulated factory tour ride is offered at the
official visitor's centre of the Hershey Foods Corporation, and a
new Chocolate Tour begins in a tropical rain forest where the
chocolate beans grow, and follows the journey as they make their
way to Hershey's. Visitors can attend a 20 minute presentation on
how Hershey's Chocolate is made, run every half hour in the 3-D
Theater Lobby. There are also gift and souvenir shops, a food
court, and the Hershey's 3-D show.
Hours of Operation: Hours vary seasonally, please call for details.
Generally open daily 9am to 10pm in summer, and Monday to Saturday
9am to 5pm, Sunday 11am to 5pm in winter
Phone:(717) 534 4900 |
11. Brandywine Valley
www.brandywinevalley.com |
What is it? About 35 miles (63km) west of Philadelphia on
US 1 (accessible by bus and train) is the scenic cultural and
historical Mecca of the Brandywine Valley, sprinkled with magical
natural settings, country inns, fascinating museums and beautiful
gardens in the heart of Chester County. Visitors can enjoy Longwood
Gardens, the Brandywine River Museum (with its unique art
collection in a grist mill), the Chaddsford Winery, the Simon
Pearce glassblowing studio and shopping in historic Kennett Square
to name just a few of the attractions in this naturally beautiful
part of Pennsylvania.
Hours of Operation:
Phone:800 228 9933 |
Philadelphia Holidays guide
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Transport -The city of Philadelphia is well equipped
with public transport, most of it run by SEPTA.
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