Sights in Philadelphia
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University Museum of Archaeology & Anthropology
The University Museum of Archaeology & Anthropology is Penn's magical museum, containing archaeological treasures from ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, the Mayan peninsula, Greece, Rome and North America. Its fragments of Sumerian script are among the oldest examples of writing ever found.
The neighborhood of University City, separated from downtown Philly by the Schuylkill River, feels like one big college town. That's because it's home to both Drexel University and the Ivy League University of Pennsylvania (commonly called 'U Penn'), founded in 1740. The leafy, bustling campus makes a pleasant afternoon stroll
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Barnes Foundation Gallery
The Barnes Foundation Gallery houses an exceptionally fine collection of impressionist, post-impressionist and early French modern paintings, including works by Cézanne, Degas, Matisse, Monet, Picasso, Renoir and Van Gogh.
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Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts is a prestigious academy that has a museum with works by American painters, including Charles Willson Peale and Thomas Eakins.
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Franklin Institute Science Museum
Franklin Institute Science Museum is where hands-on science displays were pioneered; a highlight is the Ben Franklin exhibit.
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Independence National Historic Park
This L-shaped park, along with Old City, has been dubbed 'America's most historic square mile.' Once the backbone of the United States government, it has become the backbone of Philadelphia's tourist trade. Stroll around and you'll see storied buildings in which the seeds for the Revolutionary War were planted and the US government came into bloom.
You'll also find beautiful, shaded urban lawns dotted with plenty of squirrels, pigeons and costumed actors. These days, the park looks spiffier then ever. The only downer is the barrier that now surrounds the park's top two sites - Independence Hall and the bell - installed as a security precaution.
Independence Hall is the 'b…
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Liberty Bell Center
Liberty Bell Center is Philadelphia's top tourist attraction and was commissioned to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Charter of Privileges (Pennsylvania's constitution, enacted in 1701 by William Penn). The 2080lb bronze bell was made in London's East End by the Whitechapel Bell Foundry in 1751. The bell's inscription, from Leviticus 25:10, reads: 'Proclaim liberty through all the land, to all the inhabitants thereof.' The bell was secured in the belfry of the Pennsylvania State House (now Independence Hall) and tolled on important occasions, most notably the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence in Independence Sq. The bell became badly cracked …
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This L-shaped 45-acre park, along with Old City, has been dubbed 'America's most historic square mile.' Once the backbone of the United States government, today it is the backbone of Philadelphia's tourist trade. Stroll around and you'll see storied buildings in which the seeds for the Revolutionary War were planted and the US government came into bloom. You'll also find beautiful, shaded urban lawns dotted with large groups of schoolchildren and costumed actors. Most sites are open every day from 9am to 5pm, and some are closed Monday. Note that you must call or stop in to the Independence Visitor Center to make a timed reservation before visiting the high-volume Indepen…
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Chinese Friendship Gate
The fourth-largest Chinatown in the USA, Philly's version has existed since the 1860s. Chinese immigrants who built America's transcontinental railroads started out west and worked their way here. Today's Chinatown remains a center for immigrants, though now many of the neighborhood's residents come from Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam in addition to every province in China. Though it does hold a few residents, the tone of Chinatown is thoroughly commercial. The Chinese Friendship Gate is a decorative arch built in 1984 as a joint project between Philadelphia and its Chinese sister city, Tianjin. The multicolored, four-story gate is Chinatown's most conspicuous landmark.
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Second Bank of the Us
Second Bank of the US, modeled after the Greek Parthenon, is an 1824 marble-faced Greek Revival masterpiece that was home to the world's most powerful financial institution until President Andrew Jackson dissolved its charter in 1836. The building then became the Philadelphia Customs House until 1935, when it became a museum. Today it's home to the National Portrait Gallery, housing many paintings by Charles Willson Peale, America's top portrait artist at the time of the American Revolution.
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Fairmount Park
The snaking Schuylkill River bisects this 9,200-acre greenspace − bigger than New York's Central Park and, in fact, the largest city park in the country. From the earliest days of spring every corner is thrumming with activity − ball games, runners, picnickers, you name it. The enthusiasm is catchy and you'll certainly want to join them. Runners will love the tree-lined, riverside trails, which range from 2 miles to 10 miles in length.
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National Constitution Center
The highly recommended National Constitution Center, right next to the visitor center, makes the United States Constitution sexy and interesting for a general audience through theater-in-the-round reenactments. There are exhibits including interactive voting booths and Signer's Hall, which contains lifelike bronze statues of the signers in action.
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Eastern State Penitentiary
Eastern State Penitentiary, opened in 1829, was controversial for a program that was meant to change behavior through solitary confinement and labor. Before it was abandoned in 1971 it held some of the country's most notorious criminals, including Al Capone. Today you can wander throughout the ancient cell blocks and even take a 'haunted' night-time tour.
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Independence Hall
Independence Hall is the 'birthplace of American government, ' where delegates from the 13 colonies met to approve the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. An excellent example of Georgian architecture, it sports understated lines that reveal Philadelphia's Quaker heritage.
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University of Pennsylvania (U Penn)
University City, separated from downtown Philly by the Schuylkill River, feels like one big college town. That's because it's home to both Drexel University and the Ivy League University of Pennsylvania, founded in 1740. The leafy, bustling campus makes a pleasant afternoon stroll.
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Shofuso Japanese House and Garden
Check out the Shofuso Japanese House and Garden, a picturesque home and teahouse constructed in the traditional 16th-century style. Scattered all throughout the park are some notable monuments, including one, at the far east end, for Joan of Arc.
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Philadelphia Children's Theatre
For a bit of culture once the playing is out of their system, head here for shows like Snow White and Peter Rabbit (put on at the Philadelphia Ethical Society), accompanied by study guides so young audiences can learn about each play's major themes.
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Philosophical Hall
Philosophical Hall, south of Old City Hall, is the headquarters of the American Philosophical Society, founded in 1743 by Benjamin Franklin. Past members have included Thomas Jefferson, Marie Curie, Thomas Edison, Charles Darwin and Albert Einstein.
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Elfreth's Alley
The tiny, cobblestoned Elfreth's Alley is believed to be the oldest continuously occupied street in the USA. Its 32 well-preserved brick row houses are still inhabited with real live Philadelphians, so be considerate as you stroll along.
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Physick House
Physick House, the home of surgeon Philip Syng Physick, was built in 1786 by Henry Hill - a wine importer who kept City Tavern well stocked - and is the only freestanding, Federal-style mansion remaining in Society Hill.
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Civil War Library & Museum
Highly recommended for Civil War buffs is the comprehensive Civil War Library & Museum boasting artifacts and exhibitions; the museum is moving to a new location and will open, at the earliest, in early 2011.
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Mummers Museum
In the midst of all the foodie frenzy is the Mummers Museum, celebrating the tradition of disguise and masquerade. It has an integral role in the famed Mummers Parade, which takes place here every New Year's Day.
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City Hall
The majestic City Hall, completed in 1901, stands 548ft tall in Penn Sq. It's the world's tallest masonry construction without a steel frame, and it's topped by a 27-ton bronze statue of William Penn.
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Cliveden of the National Trust
Cliveden of the National Trust was the summer home of wealthy Benjamin Chew. It was built in 1760 and used as a de facto stronghold in the Battle of Germantown during the Revolutionary War in 1777.
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Clay Studio
The cool Clay Studio exhibits staid as well as oddball works in ceramic; it's been in Old City since 1974 and is partially responsible for the development of the area's burgeoning gallery scene.
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Elfreth's Alley Museum
Be sure to stop into Elfreth's Alley Museum which was built in 1755 by blacksmith and alley namesake Jeremiah Elfreth; it's been restored and furnished to its 1790 appearance.
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