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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 new Independence Visitor Center provides a good introduction to the sights. There is a National Park Service exhibit area and video presentations about the park and the entire region. Among the highlights at the park is Independence Hall, formerly the Pennsylvania State House, where the Declaration of Independence was issued in 1776 and the Constitution 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 by the anti-slavery movement, as a symbol. Talks explaining the Bell’s history are held continuously but crowds are still very large during summer. A new Liberty Bell Centre is under construction and will open in early 2003. The park covers several city blocks and is a pleasant place for visitors 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. Sixth Street and Market Street Tel: (215) 965 7676. Website: www.nps.gov/inde or www.independencevisitorcenter.com Transport: Fifth Street station. Opening hours: Daily 0830-1700, 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, begun in 1727, features a simple but elegant interior with arched windows, fluted columns and wooden pews. The narrow white steeple was added in 1754. Second Street and Market Street Tel: (215) 922 1695. Website: www.christchurchphila.org Transport: Second Street station. Opening hours: Mon-Sat 0900-1700, Sun 1300-1700 (Mar-Dec); Wed-Sat 0900-1700 and Sun 1300-1700 (Jan-Feb); services Sun 0900 and 1100, Wed 1200. Admission: Free; 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 18th 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 early history and 18th-century life. 126 Elfreth’s Alley Tel: (215) 574 0560. Website: www.elfrethsalley.org Transport: Second Street station. Opening hours: Mon-Sat 1000-1700, Sun 1200-1700 (Mar-Dec); Tues-Sat 1000-1600, Sun 1200-1600 (Jan-Feb). 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 now 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) 686-1252. Website: www.ushistory.org/betsy Transport: Second Street station. Opening hours: Daily 1000-1700 (summer); Tues-Sun 1000-1700 (winter). Admission: US$2 suggested donation. 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. Website: www.usmint.gov Transport: Fifth Street station. Opening hours: Mon-Fri 0900-1630 (Sep-Apr); Mon-Sat 0900-1630 (May-Jun); Mon-Sat 0900-1630, Sun 1100-1630 (Jul-Aug). Admission: Free. Franklin Court Part of the National Historical Park, Franklin Court 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 18th-century print shop – and the B Free Franklin Post Office. Mail sent from here bears this postmark. Behind Chestnut Street and Market Street, between Third Street and Fourth Street Tel: (215) 597 8974. Transport: Second Street station or 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. 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, as well as the World War II submarine Becuna. Penn's Landing is also the departure point for ferries to the New Jersey State Aquarium, in Camden (website: www.camdenwaterfront.com), on the opposite side of the river, where the Campell's Baseball Statdium is located. 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: http://phillyseaport.org Transport: Bus 17, 21, 33, 48, 76. Opening hours: Daily 1000-1700. Admission: US$8.00. New Jersey State Aquarium Tel: (800) 616 JAWS or 5297. Website: www.njaquarium.org Transport: RiverLink ferry. Opening hours: Daily 0930-1730 (mid-Apr-mid-Sep); Mon-Fri 0930-1630, Sat and Sun 1000-1700 (mid Sep-mid-Apr). Admission: US$12.95. City Hall Philadelphia boasts the largest and most elaborate city hall in America. Designed in Second Empire style, by John McArthur and Thomas U Walter, it took 30 years to build and was completed in 1901. City Hall's massive central tower rises 167m (548ft) high and is the hub of downtown, with an open courtyard forming a walkway that connects Broad Street and Market Street. 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 Street and Market Street Tel: (215) 686 9074. Transport: 15th Street station or City Hall station. Opening hours: Mon-Fri 0930-1600 (tower and observation deck); Mon-Fri 1230 (interior tour – room 121, 1.5 hours). Admission: Free. Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts Founded in 1805, by portrait painter Charles Willson Peale and other contemporary artists, the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts was America’s first art school and museum. The ornate Victorian Gothic building – designed by Frank Furness and now a National Historic Landmark – 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 Street and Cherry Street Tel: (215) 972 7600. Website: www.pafa.org Transport: Surburban station (commuter rail). Opening hours: Tues-Sat 1000-1700, Sun 1100-1700. Admission: US$5; US$8 during special exhibitions. 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 of the same name. 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, as well as works by leading artists, such as Thomas Eakins. There is also a large European collection – from medieval works to a fine collection of French impressionists – and a 16th-century Hindu temple. Free gallery tours, which pinpoint the highlights, are given hourly. 26th Street and Benjamin Franklin Parkway Tel: (215) 763 8100. Website: www.philamuseum.org Transport: Bus 7, 32, 38, 43, 48. Opening hours: Tues, Thurs, Sat-Sun 1000-1700, Wed and Fri 1000-2045. Admission: US$10, 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. Website: http://rodinmuseum.org Transport: Bus 76. Opening hours: Tues-Sun 1000-1700. Admission: US$3 suggested donation. 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 5911. Website: www.icaphila.org Transport: Bus 21. Opening hours: Wed-Fri 1200-2000, Sat-Sun 1100-1700. Admission: US$3. |
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