Philadelphia and the Countryside - Press Room

Philadelphia is brimming with historical riches, and the sites and attractions that show off the city’s historic side are constantly evolving to create richer experiences for modern-day visitors. This year brings upgrades, expansions and exhibitions designed to shine a new light on Philadelphia’s well-established historical attractions.

Renovated & Renewed:

• The Pearl S. Buck Museum reopens after the completion of its eight-year interior restoration project on June 26, which would have been the Pulitzer Prize-winning writer’s 121^st birthday. Tours of the national historic landmark home feature increased access to collections, including clothes that she wore, tableware and linens that

For those visitors who like to stray off the beaten path, Philadelphia is bursting with attractions that pay homage to the unusual. The region boasts a slew of delightfully quirky spots, including a bench that seems to contradict the laws of sound, the country’s largest bug museum, an anatomical model made of a human nervous system and more. Here’s a look at some of the Philadelphia-area attractions that make the region just a little delightfully weird:

Collections Of A Natural Kind:

• There’s an unsettling site at the entrance to the bookstore at Drexel University College of Medicine’s East Falls

A long list of sacred places, thanks to their history, architecture or emotional resonance, help make Philadelphia and The Countryside^® an awe-inspiring place to visit. Around the region, new sites rise next to centuries-old houses of worship. Together, they provide physical testaments to the indomitable spirit of people who made great sacrifices for the liberty to worship as they please. Here’s a look at some of the region’s old and new sacred sites:

Shrines:

• Hundreds of thousands of visitors travel each year to pay their respects at The National Shrine of Our Lady of Czestochowa. Guests are invited

Anglophiles rejoice: Brilliant!: The 2013 PHS Flower Show will be on view at the Pennsylvania Convention Center from March 2-10, 2013, and the best of Britain doesn’t end with the show’s exquisite themed garden displays, on view for two full weekends for the first time ever. English culture remains alive and well across the Philadelphia region, with historic sites, top-notch museum collections, pubs, tearooms, theaters and sporting events. This season makes the perfect time to explore Philly’s British treasures, and the following are just a few places to start:

Ace Sights: History & Art:

• Independence National Historical Park –

When it comes to visiting Philadelphia, some of the best things to see and do are free—or close to it. For families and budget travelers eager to explore the region, that’s great news. Check out the city’s many low-cost or no-cost attractions, including historic Independence Hall, free student recitals at the Curtis Institute of Music, the hi-tech production line of Herr’s Potato Chip Factory and the always-colorful Mummers Museum.

Historical Sites:

• Snuggled behind the east wing of Independence Hall is Philosophical Hall, a brick building erected in the late 1780s that was the nation’s first museum, national library and

Philadelphia recognizes its distinct African-American culture through this year’s celebration of Black History Month. Highlights include culturally significant exhibitions such as Come See About Me: The Mary Wilson Supremes Collection at The African American Museum in Philadelphia, the Philadelphia Theatre Company’s performance of The Mountaintop, inspired by the last night of Martin Luther King Jr.’s life, and African-American art tours led by the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Philadelphia Mural Arts Program.

Here are some of the Black History Month highlights in Philadelphia in 2013:

Exciting Exhibitions & Collections:

• The Philadelphia History Museum at the Atwater Kent celebrates

LOCATION: Center City, Philadelphia; South Philadelphia; and the suburbs

TRANSPORTATION: By foot in Center City; by taxi, Septa or car for locations beyond

TIME: An overnight

SUMMARY: Featured on visitphilly.com/itineraries, this jaunt takes visitors to many of the spots featured and mentioned in Philadelphia native Bradley Cooper’s hit film, Silver Linings Playbook. (These sites are bolded throughout the itinerary.)

ITINERARY:

Day One:
12:00 noon – Ballroom at the Ben doesn’t appear in the Silver Linings Playbook until Pat’s and Tiffany’s dramatic dance competition scene at the end of the movie, but you can start your trip to Philadelphia with

If you haven’t updated your Philadelphia guidebook lately, you might be missing some major new museums and attractions. Over the past few years, the region welcomed some destination-defining—and trip-defining—attractions, including the Barnes Foundation, the renewed Rodin Museum, the National Museum of American Jewish History and The President’s House, as well as new fashionable hotels and fun festivals.

Between all their touring, visitors fuel up in a city that’s become a top dining destination, evidenced by recent multiple-page features in Travel + Leisure and Bon Appétit. The Italian Market, Reading Terminal Market, BYOB spots, red-gravy restaurants, chef-centric eateries, ethnic outposts, food

The green and lively Washington Square looked very different a couple hundred years ago. After city founder William Penn set the land aside for a public park, Philadelphia used it as a burial ground and as an animal pasture. Today, the park, located just steps from Independence Hall, attracts picnickers, families, sunbathers and history buffs, and the neighborhood that sprouted to the south and west has enjoyed a similar reawakening. Exciting nightlife, independently owned galleries, celebrity chefs and the famed Jewelers’ Row keep the area between 6^th and 10^th Streets and Chestnut and Pine Streets buzzing day and

Major openings and exciting events and exhibitions offer plenty of reasons for travelers to add Philadelphia to their must-visit list in 2013. For animal lovers, there’s the Philadelphia Zoo’s new children’s zoo and education center. For history buffs, the opening of the Benjamin Franklin Museum—formerly Franklin Court—will be big. For fashionistas, it’s the 30 dresses featured in the Come See About Me: The Mary Wilson Supremes Collection exhibition that are sure to dazzle. And for culture vultures, the return of the Philadelphia International Festival of the Arts is sure to please.

Here are 13 reasons to visit Philadelphia in

Donna Schorr, a young-at-heart Baby Boomer
Director of Communications

Yes, I take a train ride to the city every day, and at this age, I’m no expert on late night clubbing. But I’ve lived in or near Philly for decades (never mind how many), and I can tell you a lot about great things to see and do that don’t cost a fortune. Here are some of my sentimental favorites:

• Rittenhouse Square: When I miss my dad, I visit his memorial bench in one of the most loved green spots in the city. Rittenhouse Square is the heart and soul

Only in Philadelphia this fall, Prohibition, Titanic, Maya and Dead Sea Scrolls join such recent additions as the Barnes Foundation and the renovated Rodin Museum, making the region a must-see, must-do. A new Kimpton hotel even gives visitors a new way to stay—right on Independence Mall. Here’s a peek at what’s awesome this autumn in Philadelphia and The Countryside®:

Anticipated Accommodations:

• The 100-year-old Lafayette Building, located on Independence Mall, recently found new life as a Kimpton-owned Hotel Monaco. The 10-story, four-star hotel houses 268 rooms; a bevy of luxury suites; 120-seat Red Owl Tavern, serving modern American fare and

* Note: Attractions listed in alphabetical order in each section.

Historical Sites & Attractions:

1. While exploring the Battleship New Jersey Museum and Memorial, visitors can enjoy exhibitions that display artifacts from the ship’s past and play an interactive role as they follow the tour route. America’s most decorated battleship also hosts many special events and overnight encampments. 62 Battleship Place, Camden, NJ, (866) 877-6262, battleshipnewjersey.org
2. While historians debate Betsy Ross’ role in making the first American flag, the Betsy Ross House offers an excellent portrayal of a working-class woman’s life in Colonial America. Visitors can tour the home of

In 2012, two big exhibits bring even more religious insight to Greater Philadelphia—a leader in providing spiritual freedom back when it was a novel idea. The largest and most comprehensive display of the biblical Dead Sea Scrolls ever displayed in the United States comes to The Franklin Institute, May 12-October 14. The 20-scroll Dead Sea Scrolls: Life and Faith in Biblical Times contains the books of Genesis, Leviticus, Exodus and other books and non-biblical writings. Just 45 minutes away, the James A. Michener Art Museum welcomes Offering of the Angels: Treasures from the Uffizi Gallery, April 21-August 12. Incomparable works

Just near the renowned institutions that line the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia’s Fairmount and Spring Garden neighborhoods are often lumped together and dubbed the “Art Museum area,” but the personalities of these laid-back districts separate them from nearby Center City.

Fairmount easily stands on its own as a destination in Philadelphia. Despite its proximity to downtown, the residential neighborhood is considered a sort of urban suburb, thanks to the friendly residents and atmosphere. What to do here? Eat, drink and tour the former prison-turned-attraction. Wedged between the cultural powerhouses of the Parkway and the better-known Fairmount, Spring Garden distinguishes itself

2012 is a year to look backward and forward in the Philadelphia region. In a nod to the past, several of the region’s cultural institutions will showcase globally revered treasures from the worlds of religion and art that date from antiquity to the 20^th century. But with eyes focused on the future, the region is also embracing some of the most modern interpretive artwork ever commissioned. Plus, a number of the city’s museums are unveiling major renovations that will enable them to thrive for many years to come. Here are just 12 reasons to visit in 2012:

Relocations, Redesigns,

Greater Philadelphia pairs its annual fall events and Halloween haunts with big-name and curiously quirky exhibits—ranging from Rembrandt and Wyeth art showings to events centered around creepy crawlers, mummies and Jim Henson Company™ puppets. Plus a new month-long exhibit takes landlubbers to the sea. Here’s a look at what’s making Philadelphia and The Countryside® an exhibit town this fall:

Autumn Openings:

• To mark the 100^th anniversary of the publication of Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island, which included illustrations by Chester County artist N.C. Wyeth, the Brandywine River Museum will display all 16 paintings—the first time they will be

Girlfriends visiting Philadelphia can pack a lot into a few days. They can visit classic landmarks such as the Liberty Bell Center and also take in the region’s best restaurants, shops, nightclubs, museums and African-American heritage sites, including the Marian Anderson House. To download the itinerary, gal pals can log onto visitphilly.com.

LOCATION: Center City Philadelphia and its surrounding neighborhoods

TRANSPORTATION: Feet, public transportation, taxi

TIME: A long weekend

SUMMARY: A jam-packed tour of Philadelphia’s attractions, restaurants, shops, spas, nightspots and African-American heritage sites

HIGHLIGHTS: Old City and Rittenhouse Row shopping, The African American Museum in Philadelphia, The President’s

Five Philadelphia neighborhoods have made headlines in several national travel stories, focusing on must-see and must-do attractions, shops and restaurants beyond the city’s iconic Liberty Bell. Here’s a look at what some of the country’s most-read publications—The New York Times, The Washington Post and Forbes—had to say about Philly’s diverse neighborhoods:

• The historic houses of Germantown and local dining spots got the star treatment in The New York Times’ Frugal Traveler blog post, published on May 3. The articles highlighted the Johnson House, Wyck Historic House and Garden, Cliveden, Stenton, Deshler-Morris House and the oft-overlooked Grumblethorpe, along