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| City Guide - Philadelphia - Key Attractions | ||
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Key Attractions Independence National Historical Park The Independence National Historical Park encompasses several historic attractions that date from the era of the American Revolution, most of which are free to visit. The Park Visitor Center shows a 28-minute film, Independence, which is a good introduction to the attractions. Among the highlights are Independence Hall, formerly the Pennsylvania State House, where the Declaration of Independence was issued in 1776 and the Constitution was announced in 1787. Park rangers lead free tours of the Hall and grounds. The glass Liberty Bell Pavilion houses the great cracked bell that was sounded at the first public reading of the Declaration. It was later adopted as a symbol by the anti-slavery movement. Talks explaining the Bell's history are held continuously, but crowds are very large in summer. The park covers several city blocks and is a pleasant place to wander and admire the handsome colonial buildings. These include Old City Hall, early home of the US Supreme Court; Carpenters' Hall, site of the First Continental Congress; and the Second Bank of the United States, an outstanding Greek Revival building that houses a portrait gallery. Third and Chestnut Streets (park visitor centre) Tel: (215) 597 8974. Website: www.nps.gov/inde Transport: Fifth Street station. Opening hours: Daily 0900-1700, although times vary for each building. Admission: Most sites free; otherwise US$2. Christ Church George Washington, Benjamin Franklin and other patriots worshipped at Christ Church, built as the first Protestant Episcopal church in the country. Franklin is buried nearby in the church's cemetery. The handsome Georgian building was begun in 1727 and features a simple but elegant interior with arched windows, fluted columns and wooden pews. The narrow white steeple was added in 1754. Second and Market Streets Tel: (215) 922 1695. Transport: Second Street station. Opening hours: Mon-Sat 0900-1700, Sun 1300-1700; only Wed-Sat and Sun Jan-Feb; services Sun 0900 and 1100, Wed 1200. Admission: Donations welcome. Elfreth's Alley Tucked away off Second Street between Arch and Race Streets, Elfreth's Alley is reputed to be the oldest residential street in America. The 33 tiny brick rowhouses were built in the early eighteenth century by a blacksmith, Jeremiah Elfreth, who rented them to artisans and seamen. Although the quaint buildings look like a movie set, all are private homes except the one that houses the Elfreth Alley Museum, which depicts the early history and eighteenth-century life. 126 Elfreth's Alley Tel: (215) 574 0560. Transport: Second Street station. Opening hours: Tues-Sat 1000-1600, Sun 1200-1600. Admission: US$2. Betsy Ross House The widow Ross, a staunch patriot, is credited with sewing the first American flag. Although scholars now dispute this, the small 1740s house where she lived is a museum that provides an insight into the lives of working-class people in the Colonial era as well as the history of the flag. 239 Arch Street Tel: (215) 627 5343. Website: www.libertynet.org/iha/betsy Transport: Second Street station. Opening hours: Daily 1000-1700 (summer); Tues-Sun 1000-1700 (winter). Admission: Donations welcome. US Mint The United States Mint is the largest in the world. Through windows overlooking the production floor, visitors can watch the coinage process and see thousands of coins spewing out into giant hoppers. Various displays cover the history and process of coin-making, commemorative coins and related topics. Fifth and Arch Streets Tel: (215) 408 0114. Transport: Fifth Street station. Opening hours: Mon-Fri 0900-1630 (Sep-Apr); Mon-Sat 0900-1630 (May and Jun); daily 0900-1630 (Jul and Aug). Admission: Free. Franklin Court Situated in the space between Chestnut and Market Streets, between Third and Fourth Streets, Franklin Court, part of the National Historical Park, was the site of Benjamin Franklin's last home. The house was demolished long ago, but in its place stands the striking steel 'ghost house', designed by Robert Venturi, which outlines the structure. The Underground Museum here has displays on Franklin's life as a statesman, scientist and printer, as well as replicas of his inventions and a portrait gallery. Facing Market Street are a row of houses, also built by Franklin, which now house the Franklin Court Printing Office, a working eighteenth-century print shop, and the B Free Franklin Post Office - mail sent from here bears this postmark. Behind Chestnut/Market Streets, between Third and Fourth Streets Tel: (215) 597 8974. Transport: Second Street station/Fifth Street station. Opening hours: Daily 0900-1700 (winter); daily 1000-1800 (summer). Admission: Free. Penn's Landing This waterfront stretch along the Delaware River marks the spot where Philadelphia's founder, William Penn, stepped ashore in 1682. A host of music festivals and cultural events take place here, including a spectacular Fourth of July fireworks show, and there are restaurants and live music clubs for night-time entertainment. The Independence Seaport Museum is a maritime museum with interactive displays and demonstrations. Visitors can also tour the 1892 cruiser USS Olympia and the World War II submarine Becuna. This is also the departure point for ferries to the New Jersey State Aquarium, in Camden, on the opposite side of the river. Columbus Boulevard at Spring Garden Street Tel: (215) 922 2386. Website: www.pennslandingcorp.com Transport: Bus 21 or 76. Independence Seaport Museum Tel: (215) 925 5439. Website: www.libertynet.org/seaport Opening hours: Daily 1000-1700. Admission: US$7.50. New Jersey State Aquarium Tel: (800) 616 JAWS or 5297. Website: www.njaquarium.org Opening hours: Daily 0930-1730 (mid-Apr-mid-Sep); Mon-Fri 0930-1630, Sat and Sun 1000-1700 (rest of year). Admission: US$12.95. City Hall Philadelphia boasts the largest and most elaborate city hall in America. Designed by John McArthur and Thomas U Walter in Second Empire style, it took 30 years to build and was completed in 1901. Its massive central tower rises 167m (548ft) high and is the hub of downtown, with an open courtyard that forms a walkway connecting Broad and Market Streets. The tower is topped by an 11m (37ft) bronze statue of the city's founder, William Penn, designed by Alexander Milne Calder. The observation deck at the base of the statue has superb panoramic views. A one-hour guided tour offers a look at the richly decorated public rooms, such as Conservation Hall and the Mayor's Reception Room. Broad and Market Streets Tel: (215) 686 9074. Transport: 15th Street station/City Hall station. Opening hours: Mon-Fri 1000-1500 (tower and observation deck, tours every 15 minutes); interior tour Mon-Fri 1230. Admission: Free. Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts Founded in 1805 by the portrait painter Charles Willson Peale and other contemporary artists, this was America's first art school and museum. The ornate Victorian Gothic building, a National Historic Landmark designed by Frank Furness, was opened in 1876 in honour of the Centennial. It houses three centuries of American paintings and sculpture by the country's finest artists, including Gilbert Stuart, Thomas Eakins, William Morris Hunt and Mary Cassatt. There are also exhibitions of contemporary work by the students and faculty staff. Broad and Cherry Streets Tel: (215) 972 7600. Website: www.pafa.org Transport: Surburban Station (rail). Opening hours: Mon-Sat 1000-1700, Sun 1100-1700. Admission: US$5. Philadelphia Museum of Art This stately neo-classical building sits at the top of a hill just west of Center City, with splendid views down the length of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway to City Hall. The steps leading to its entrance are famous for being those climbed by Rocky in the 1976 film. The museum's collection is one of the most important in the country, with more than half a million paintings, sculptures and artefacts spanning 2000 years of art from Asia, Europe and America. Among the highlights are the American collection, with Pennsylvania Dutch and Shaker furniture and works by leading artists, such as Thomas Eakins; a large European collection, which ranges from medieval works to a fine collection of French impressionists; and a sixteenth-century Hindu temple. Free gallery tours that pinpoint the highlights are given hourly. 26th Street and Benjamin Franklin Parkway Tel: (215) 763 8100. Website: www.philamuseum.org Transport: Bus 76. Opening hours: Tues-Sun 1000-1700, Wed 1000-2045. Admission: US$8 (concessions available); free until 1300 on Sun. Rodin Museum A branch of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the nearby Rodin Museum features the largest collection of the great sculptor's work outside Paris. It includes numerous casts of the Thinker, as well as The Burghers of Calais and the Gates of Hell. 22nd Street and Benjamin Franklin Parkway Tel: (215) 763 8100. Transport: Bus 76. Opening hours: Tues-Sun 1000-1700. Admission: Donations welcome. Institute of Contemporary Art Located at the University of Pennsylvania, the Institute of Contemporary Art is the city's main venue for presenting the latest developments in the visual arts. Both new and established artists are represented in changing exhibitions of contemporary and often controversial works. 118 South 36th Street at Sansom Street Tel: (215) 898 7108. Website: www.upenn.edu/ica Transport: Bus 21. Opening hours: Wed-Fri 1200-2000, Sat and Sun 1100-1700. Admission: US$3. |
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