Living - Places - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

Philadelphia has many neighborhoods, entertainment venues, museums, and other places with Web sites

• Sites: Places such as parks, buildings, public gardens and zoos, notable buildings, libraries, interesting places
  • 30th St: 30th Street Station; transportation hub served by Amtrak, SEPTA, NJTransit; food court; shops
  • Arboretum Awbury: 22 hectares of scenery; in the Germantown section of Philadelphia; Francis Cope House
  • Arboretum Jenkins: 18 hectares of native environment; native trees, shrubs, rhododendrons, azaleas, laurel, blueberries, ferns and wildflowers
  • Arboretum Morris: Morris Arboretum of the University of Pennsylvania; official arboretum of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania; in Chestnut Hill neighborhood
  • Arboretum Scott: Scott Arboretum of Swarthmore College; 120 hectares; ornamental plants, trees, shrubs, vines and perennials
  • Arboretum Tyler: 263 hectares of horticultural collections; rare specimens, ancient trees, historic buildings, and hiking trails; Media, PA
  • Art Public: Philadelphia Public Art; collection of pictures of sculptures, fountains, mosaics and memorials in Philadelphia
  • B&B: Bed and Breakfast Connection of Philadelphia; listings and reservation service for bed and breakfasts in eastern Pennsylvania
  • Buildings/Arch: Philadelphia Architects and Buildings database; information on three centuries of Philadelphia buildings and designers; data and images from the collections of more than 25 Philadelphia-area repositories; added to and amended daily
  • Buildings/Emporis: Coverage of Philadelphia buildings; Skycrapers, architecture, buildings, real estate, and construction news; from Emporis databases on buildings and the real-estate industry
  • Carpenters' Hall: historic building; hosted the First Continental Congress in 1774; home to Franklin's Library Company, The American Philosophical Society, and the First and Second Banks of the United States; part of Independence National Historical Park
  • Christ Church: Old Christ Church and Burial Ground; burial place of Benjamin Franklin; founded in 1695; colonial and revolution-era history
  • City Hall: Historic building housing city government; at Center Square (Broad and Market); French Second -Empire Architectural style; completed in 1901; National Historic Landmark; the nation’s largest municipal building; 167 meter tower with 11 meter tall statue of William Penn on top; public tours
  • City Tavern: Historic meeting place; original opened 1773; used by First Continental Congress as informal meeting place; George Washington used as his headquarters; reconstructed in 1975; dining with costumed serving staff
  • CVB: Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau
  • Fairmount Pk: Philadelphia's Park System; 3,700 hectares; 62 regional and neighborhood parks including the larger of these: East and West Parks, Franklin D. Roosevelt Park, Pennypack Park, Poquessing Park, Tacony Creek Park and Wissahickon Valley Park; includes Center, Franklin, Logan, Rittenhouse and Washington Squares
  • Franklink Mem: Benjamin Franklin National Memorial; located in the rotunda of The Franklin Institute Science Museum; statue of Franklin and exhibits of objects and publications
  • Garden Betram's: botanical garden; a pastoral 18th century homestead
  • Garden GP: Greater Philadelphia Gardens; public gardens, arboreta and historic houses with gardens
  • Gloria Dei: (Old Swedes') Church; built in 1700; oldest church in Pennsylvania
  • Historic: Sites in Philadelphia's Historic District; List of extensive sites of historic interest in Philadelphia
  • Independence NHP: Independence National Historical Park; Independence Hall and the related historical buildings: Liberty Bell Center, Independence Hall, Great Essentials Exhibit, Congress Hall, Old City Hall, Second Bank of the United States, New Hall Military Museum, Carpenters' Hall, Franklin Court, Christ Church, Bishop White House, Todd House, Declaration House, City Tavern, Deshler Morris House, Mikveh Israel Cemetery, Philosophical Hall (American Philosophical Society), National Constitution Center, Independence Visitor Center, Free Quaker Meeting House, Merchants' Exchange Building; National Park Service
  • Japanese House: Japanese House and Garden (Shofuso) in Fairmount Park; 16th-century style house and grounds located in the Horticultural Center of Fairmount Park
  • Kosciuszko Mem: Thaddeus Kosciuszko National Memorial; military engineer and volunteer in American revolution; house where Kosciuszko lived from 1797-98
  • Liberty Bell: famous bell that rang July 8, 1776 in the tower of Independence Hall; summoned people to hear the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence
  • Liberty Pl: Shops at Liberty Place; retail complex between the Liberty One and Liberty Two Office Towers; in Center City business district
  • Libraries List: List of area libraries; provided by Libweb; gives link to official Web site and information link; includes academic, public, and special libraries
  • Libraries Special: Philadelphia Area Consortium of Special Collections Libraries
  • Library Athenæum: special collections library; the history and antiquities of America; architecture and interior design history, particularly for 1800-1945; founded 1814; member supported
  • Library Co: independent research library; history and background of American culture from colonial times to the end of the 19th century; founded 1731 by Benjamin Franklin and his Junto members
  • Library Free: Free Library of Philadelphia
  • Parking: Philadelphia Parking Authority; parking in garages and lots in Center City and University City; parking and flight status at Philadelphia International Airport; on-street parking information; purchase a Parking Meter Smart Card; pay fines
  • Parking-Spot Hero: Parking spots around town; rent by the day or longer
  • PCVB Members: Lodging search of Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau members
  • Penn's Landing: 15 hectares of publicly-owned land on the Delaware River just east of downtown; year-round events, festivals, and recreational activities; Festival Pier, Blue Cross River Rink, The Great Plaza, Walnut Plaza, Southern Quay and Overlook, Tall Ship
  • Poe NHS: Edgar Allan Poe National Historic Site; house where Poe lived from 1843-44
  • Reading Mkt: Reading Terminal Market; public market 12th and Arch Streets
  • Ross House: Betsy Ross House; house of Elizabeth Griscom Ross, seamstress; no known evidence establishes that she sewed the first American flag
  • Schuylkill Riv: Schuylkill River National & State Heritage Area; watershed in Schuylkill, Berks, Chester, Montgomery, and Philadelphia Counties; managed by Schuylkill River Greenway Association
  • US Mint: Philadelphia Mint; produces coins and medals; public tours
  • Valley Forge: Valley Forge National Historical Park; place where revolutionary war soldiers under George Washington camped; located in Valley Forge, PA, about 30 km from Philadelphia Center City
  • Visitor Ctr: Independence Visitor Center; information about the Philadelphia region; across from the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall in Independence National Historical Park; "America's most historic" 259 hectares
  • Zoo: Zoological Society of Philadelphia; rare and exotic animals from around the world
• Neighborhoods: Areas of town with a distinct identity or official status as a business improvement district (BID), neighborhood association, or other designation
  • PACDC: Philadelphia Association of Community Development Corporations; works for "advocacy, policy development and technical assistance for community development corporations and other organizations in their efforts to rebuild communities and revitalize neighborhoods"; includes a locator map of neighborhoods and organizations
  • Historic: Philadelphia Historic Neighborhood Consortium; a group of more than 40 cultural institutions, museums, historic houses of worship and historic sites located within walking distance of the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall
  • Arts Avenue: Avenue of the Arts; Broad Street extending from Glenwood Avenue in the north to Washington Avenue in the south; entertainment and cultural district
  • Center City: Center City District and Central Philadelphia Development Corporation; area in the center of Philadelphia that is its commercial and cultural core; business improvement and historic revitalization
  • Old City: Historic and contemporary urban neighborhood; between Center City and the Delaware River; includes Independence Hall, Independence Visitor's Center, the National Constitution Center, the Liberty Bell Center; art galleries, musuems, restaurants, theaters, hotels
  • South St: Eclectic urban neighborhood; shops, galleries, restaurants, businesses, residences, along street which had been the southern boundary of Philadelphia during the 19th century; 8 blocks south and parallel to Market Street; pedestrian walkway to Penn's Landing; Fabric Row, Zombie Crawl
  • Wash Sq W: Washington Square West Civic Association; Broad to 7th St. and (the north side of) Chestnut to (the north side of) South St.
• Venues: Places for performances, concerts, athletics, conventions, tradeshows, gatherings; many of the sports arenas (Wachovia Ctr, Lincoln Financial Field, Veterans Stadium, Citizens Bank Park) are grouped in south Philadelphia near South Broad Street/I-95
  • Academy of Music: 2,900-seat historic grand opera house; opened in 1857; performances by the Opera Company of Philadelphia, the Pennsylvania Ballet and Philly Pops with Peter Nero
  • Annenberg Ctr: Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts; performing arts center: music, theatre, dance, arts education and outreach for adults and young people; professional performing arts series Penn Presents; The Zellerbach Theatre, Harold Prince Theatre, Irvine Auditorium, and The Studio Theatre
  • Citizens Bank Pk: 43,500-seat baseball stadium; home of major league baseball's Philadelphia Phillies; opened on April 12, 2004
  • Forrest Theatre: live theatre; plays and musicals; Broadway; built in 1927
  • Kimmel Ctr: Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts; includes Verizon Hall, Perelman Theater, Innovation Studio and the Merck Arts Education Center; home to eight performing arts organizations: The Philadelphia Orchestra, Opera Company of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Ballet, Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia, American Theater Arts for Youth, PHILADANCO, Philadelphia Chamber Music Society, and Peter Nero and the Philly Pops®
  • Lincoln FF: Lincoln Financial Field 68,532-seat football stadium; where Philadelphia Eagles play; other sporting events
  • Mann Ctr: Mann Center for the Performing Arts; outdoor cultural arts venue; 4,000 seats under cover and 10,000 lawn/terrace; 5201 Parkside Avenue, Philadelphia
  • PN Conv Ctr: Pennsylvania Convention Center; Grand Hall and Ballroom; Reading Terminal Trainshed; 2.5 hectares of contiguous space; expansion started in 2006 to double its size
  • Walnut St Th: Oldest theatre in America; opened in 1809
  • Wells Fargo Ctr: sports arena; formerly called CoreStates Center, First Union Center, Wachovia Center; on site of former JFK Stadium; owned by Comcast Spectacor
• Museums: Displays of objects; includes planned educational activities related to art, history, culture, or science
  • African Amer: The African American Museum in Philadelphia; the heritage of African Americans; themes include: the African Diaspora, the Philadelphia Story, and the Contemporary Narrative
  • Acad Nat Sci: The Academy of Natural Sciences; founded 1812; museum includes dinosaurs, dioramas, and events; Dinosaur Hall
  • Art Barnes: Barnes Foundation; notable collection of impressionist and post-impressionist paintings; Philadelphia campus
  • Art Drexel: The Drexel Collection; paintings, sculpture, decorative arts, porcelain; at Drexel Univeristy
  • Art ICA: Institute of Contemporary Art at the University of Pennsylvania; presentation of contemporary art
  • Art Online: InLiquid.com; shows an online collection of work by local, national, and international artists
  • Art PAFA: Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts; nation's oldest museum and school of fine arts, founded 1805; American art, ranging from colonial Robert Feke, John Singleton Copley, and Benjamin West, to contemporary including Richard Diebenkorn, Red Grooms, and Faith Ringgold
  • Art PMA: Philadelphia Museum of Art; over 225,000 works of art in 200 galleries covering two millennia and six continents
  • Art Rodin: Rodin Museum; Auguste Rodin (French, 1840–1917), sculptor; houses 124 sculptures, including The Thinker, The Burghers of Calais, Eternal Springtime, Apotheosis of Victor Hugo, and The Gates of Hell
  • Art Romanian: Romanian Folk Art Museum
  • Atwater/History: Atwater Kent Philadelphia's history museum; objects include William Penn's wampum belt and personal effects of George Washington and Benjamin Franklin; located near Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell
  • Battleship NJ: Battleship New Jersey museum; notable US Navy battleship BB-62 produced at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard; notable service in World War II, Vietnam, Mediterranean; decommissioned in 1991; museum on the Delaware River, along the Camden Waterfront across from Center City Philadelphia
  • Childrens/Please Touch: Please Touch Museum; for families with children; learning through play
  • Civil War: Civil War and Underground Railroad Museum of Philadelphia; founded in 1888 by veteran Union Army, Navy and Marine Corps officers; oldest chartered Civil War institution in America; formerly the Civil War Library and Museum
  • Constitution: National Constitution Center; aims to increase public understanding of the United States Constitution; established by the Constitution Heritage Act of 1988; located within Independence National Historical Park
  • Elfreth's Alley: Residential street since 1702; museum houses
  • Fabric: Fabric Workshop and Museum; creating new work in fabric and other materials
  • Fairmount Water: The Fairmount Water Works Interpretive Center; restored buildings housing water works used to supply drinking water from the Schuylkill River to Philadelphia from 1822 to 1909; exhibits; Engine House restaurant; Greek Revival buildings
  • Franklin Inst: Science Museum; includes the Wright Brothers Aeronautical Engineering Collection, Fels Planetarium, Tuttleman IMAX Theater
  • Glen Foerd: Glen Foerd Estate; house museum and grounds
  • Glencairn: educates visitors about the history of religion; art and artifacts; Bryn Athyn, PA
  • Independence: Independence National Historical Park sites; Independence Hall and the related historical buildings; many of the sites display historical objects; sites include: Liberty Bell Center, Independence Hall, Great Essentials Exhibit (copies of the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation and the Constitution of the United States), Congress Hall, Old City Hall, Second Bank of the United States, New Hall Military Museum, Carpenters' Hall, Franklin Court, Christ Church, Bishop White House, Todd House, Declaration House, City Tavern, Deshler Morris House, Mikveh Israel Cemetery, Philosophical Hall (American Philosophical Society), National Constitution Center, Independence Visitor Center, Free Quaker Meeting House, Merchants' Exchange Building; National Park Service
  • Jewish Hist: National Museum of American Jewish History; the history of Jews in America; more than 10,000 artifacts and 300 years of American Jewish life
  • Landmarks: four house museums: Powell House, Grumblethorpe, Physick House, Waynesborough; The Philadelphia Society for the Preservation of Landmarks; Elderhostel
  • Liberty: National Liberty Museum; celebrates the heritage of freedom in the United States; galleries and art collection show exhibits related to freedom, heroism, diversity, and faith
  • Masonic: Masonic Library and Museum of Pennsylvania; Masonic objects including the apron presented in 1784 by Marquis de Lafayette to General George Washington, Benjamin Franklin's 1779 Masonic sash, portraits and works of art, jewelry, regalia, timepieces, curiosa and Masonic history; presented by The Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania
  • Mütter: Medical museum; College of Physicians of Philadelphia; collection includes fluid-preserved anatomical and pathological specimens, medical instruments, anatomical and pathological models, memorabilia of scientists and physicians, medical illustrations, and the Philadelphia General Hospital X-Ray Teaching File; named after Dr. Thomas Dent Mütter who gave his personal collection to the College of Physicians
  • Penn: University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology; materials from Egypt, Mesopotamia, the Bible Lands, Mesoamerica, Asia and the ancient Mediterranean World; artifacts from peoples of the Americas, Africa and Polynesia; founded in 1887
  • Philosophical: Museum of the American Philosophical Society; "rational amusement" for the general public about history, art, and science; focus on the early days of Philadelphia and the nation; historic Philosophical Hall
  • Polish: Polish American Cultural Center and Museum
  • Print Ctr: Gallery; printmaking and photography
  • Prison ESP: Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site; opened in 1829; used for 142 years; housed Al Capone; radial floor plan served as template for hundreds of US prisons; in Center City Philadelphia in the Fairmount Neighborhood
  • Rosenbach: Rosenbach Museum and Library; rare books and manuscripts in a historic townhouse filled with fine art and antiques; Bloomsday (June 16)
  • Seaport: Independence Seaport Museum; science, history and art of boats and boat building; at Penn's Landing waterfront; submarine Becuna and cruiser Olympia
  • Stenton: House museum; Georgian architecture circa 1730 mansion
  • Swedish: American Swedish Historical Museum in South Philadelphia; preserving and promoting Swedish and Swedish-American cultural heritage; founded in 1926
  • Wyck Hse: Historic home since 1690

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