I had no idea how special this experience was until I finally took the tour, and wow it completely…read morechanged the way I see the city. Id noticed the murals before just passing by, but seeing them as part of a curated journey gives everything so much more meaning. The guide helped point out details I never would've caught on my own, and it added a whole new layer of appreciation. The artwork is powerful, full of emotion, and spread across the city in a way that makes the whole place feel like an open-air gallery. It celebrates the personality of the neighborhoods and captures stories that stay with you long after you're done. What really stood out to me was how much heart is behind each piece. You can feel the intention, the humor, the honesty, and the love woven into every message along the route. It turns a familiar ride into something unexpectedly uplifting. I left feeling inspired and genuinely connected to the city in a new way. Highly recommend this tour to anyone who wants to see a different, more meaningful side of Philly.

I love this. They had an initiative in the early 2000s to have graffiti art just work on art…read moreprojects as part of their community service. I believe this project is part of that circle was to have about 2OOO murals up by the mid-late OOs. By the time that happened they were way more than enough it's always nice to see free art as welll.

WHAT A BLAST. We came here for my birthday kind of ironically because online we saw reels saying it…read morewas the "weirdest museum ever," and thought it would be kind of funny/maybe even creepy. Little did we know it was actually FASCINATING; it was so fun to admire every last piece in the museum. The tram guide was great, the pre-recorded audio is helpful and interesting, and the collection is so varied and extensive that you can't help but love it. The pipe organs - fabulous. The walkable "toy box" collection was great after the tram. Overall, I'd recommend this to anyone - it was soooo fun.

The largest toy, car & animatronic collection in the country. All inside an old tire factory. Looks…read morelike an abandon building when you pull up to the front doors. All the employees are very friendly and acknowledgeable about the collection. The tram ride through the collection was extremely fun. There is something from every age group to catch your attention and send you back to your childhood. Well worth the reasonable price tag.

Seems like a really lovely and serene acres of gardens to wander thru. Sqirrrls flowers plants…read morepathways birds benches to sit Large fallen trees to sit and it's along the water but the view was blocked by trees. I saw a pond with Lilly pads in it too. There's supposed to be free fishing from 5-7pm and it's thru the back circular parking lot. The trees are labeled w gold dog tag info. Wear bug spray cuz I had sandals and my feet felt sting and maybe bit up

Came here for a 52 Firsts event during Spring Fest and it ended up being such a fun day. There was…read morea lot going on without feeling overwhelming. Live energy, little activity tables, and a small plant sale that was honestly very tempting. One of the coolest things I learned is that they have what's believed to be the oldest ginkgo tree in both North and South America. That alone made the visit feel a little special. I spent some time walking the trails and made my way around the water too. It's really pretty back there. Lots of flowers in bloom, open space, and quieter areas if you want a break from the crowd. I definitely liked the more shaded, tree-heavy sections the most. Some of the booths were set up fully in the sun and it got a bit intense after a while, so having those cooler, shaded areas made a big difference. Staff were very helpful and the trails are clearly marked, which made it easy to just wander without worrying about getting lost. Only downside is the location can be a little tricky to get to, especially if you're not driving. But once you're there, it's absolutely worth it. Overall just a really enjoyable, laid-back outdoor spot with a lot to explore. I'd come back, especially for another event.

This is such a fascinating place on many levels. I can't remember how I stumbled upon this (maybe…read moreAtlas Obscura), but I'm glad that I made the effort to search it out. Even some people who have lived in Philly most of their lives have not been here, let alone heard of it! This museum is in a now largely lower-middle class neighborhood, but don't let that deter you from experiencing this gem. Housed in an historic, wooden building, complete with creaky floors and stairs, this is the real deal...a throwback to a different era, unchanged in a hundred plus years, and the intent is for it to remain so. Inside, the main draw is the natural history collection upstairs, in original wood and glass cases, which were made especially for this collection. The signage, as ancient as the collection and the building, is handwritten, in ink now faded, and in a case or two, reflects the name known at that time, but since changed. Here you'll find minerals, shells, skeletons, taxidermied animals, insects, some charts, and for the children (or children at heart), scavenger hunt sheets. Downstairs, on the way to the restrooms, you'll see the fabulous, expansive, original, all wood lecture hall. (I would love to hear anything there!) A small gift shop with some unusual items rounds out the experience. Here, I found a very realistic plastic pangolin (my one souvenir from Philly!). I spent at least 2 hours here, but I'm a natural history nerd, and talked to one of the employees a bit to learn more about the place and its mission.

They have birds, and as well, crabs. We came here on a date. Also, there are shells. There are many…read morethings to look at at this establishment. Tapeworms on exhibit!

I wanna say that the staff is very helpful and very welcoming…read more I really enjoyed my short time here. This is one of the many wonderful Treasures of Philadelphia

When trying to find something to do with my niece who was visiting me last weekend, this came to…read moremy. Because she just finished up a STEM camp for kids back home and her just liking to see/do new things, decided to take her here. Glad I did because she had a blast! We didn't get a chance to see the new Universal Theme park/studios exhibit, but she loved everything else - walking through the heart, the space exhibit where she looked up at the stars and tried to figure out how she would jump in another planet's atmosphere, etc. Great time and look forward to coming back in the future!

We came for the Halloween nights . I glad that we paid extra…read morefor the advance pass. First there is a long line to have your tickets checked. Next is another line to go through security check point. Then you finally get in another long line to start the tour. We were able to skip that last line. It is divided into 5 different sections. The first area they explain all the rules.. What sets this attraction apart from others. You can opt in and allow the performers to touch you. They give you a free glow necklace to identify that you allow them to touch you. It definitely adds to the experience. I got put in a cage while threatened with carnage. Lots of shock moments. Definitely worth the price.

An Incredible Halloween Experience in One of the Coolest Historic Locations!…read more We visited Eastern State Penitentiary for its Halloween Horror Nights event, and we had an absolute BLAST! This place is already fascinating because of its history and the atmosphere of the old penitentiary, but experiencing it during a Halloween event takes things to a whole new level. The setting alone makes this such a cool place to visit. There's something about exploring a historic prison after dark that creates the perfect atmosphere for a haunted attraction. Add in the Halloween decorations, incredible actors, and immersive experiences, and you have the recipe for a fantastic night! The event featured five well-themed haunted mazes, and we were thoroughly impressed. The haunt actors were incredible, bringing so much energy and commitment to their performances. We also loved the Touch Pass option, which lets guests opt for a more intense, hands-on experience. It's a great addition for those who want to take things up a notch and get even more immersed in the scares! There were tons of great photo opportunities throughout the grounds, so you'll definitely want to take your time exploring and grabbing some pictures. We appreciated the variety of food trucks available, too, which made it easy to grab something to eat while enjoying the event. The absolute highlight for us, though, was the Speakeasy experience inside Al Capone's cell! We paid a little extra for this experience, and we HIGHLY recommend doing the same if you visit. The singers and actors were phenomenal! One of my personal favourites was an amazingly talented woman who sang opera beautifully. Her voice was absolutely incredible, and it was such an unexpected highlight of the evening. I also loved the woman who performed a lovely rendition of Barracuda. Both performances really stood out and made the experience feel like so much more than just another Halloween attraction. You even get a complimentary drink included with the Speakeasy experience, and the beer was excellent! Between the live entertainment, the historical setting, and the overall atmosphere, it was absolutely worth paying the extra money. Overall, we had an amazing time at Eastern State Penitentiary's Halloween event. The combination of the historic location, fantastic haunted mazes, talented actors, Touch Pass option, photo opportunities, food trucks, and unique Speakeasy experience made for a memorable night. If you're visiting Philadelphia during Halloween season, we highly recommend checking this out! And seriously, don't skip the Speakeasy at Al Capone's cell. That experience alone was a major highlight for us! For more food, travel, brewery, hockey, haunted attraction, and destination reviews, check out our YouTube channel A&M Roam and follow along with Angela and Mike as we travel, eat, drink, explore spooky attractions, catch games, and goof around!

The Institute of Contemporary Art Philadelphia - ICA is a…read morelaunchpad for contemporary art and ideas. ICA is on site at the Univeristy of Pennsylvania. We stopped by on our visit to the University of Pennsylvania to specifically see the Joanna Piotrowska: unseeing eyes, restless bodies We didn't think we would spend as much time as we did here, and I loved both of the exhibits. There are two gallery spaces, the first one held "Where I Learned to Look: Art from the Yard", with the curator and several artist being from Texas. I'm not sure I loved it because there was a Texas connection and also Baltimore screen art, but I really enjoyed art from a yard perspective. Fun contemporary art and a Koons piece. The second story held the second exhibit: Joanna Piotrowska: unseeing eyes, restless bodies. She's a Ukrainian artist, and I really thought it was going to be something different but it was a really cool exhibit. I have never seen carpet and space used this way before and her art evoked both fear and whimsy and awe. I love this museum and the fact that it's really quaint - obviously the experience you're going to have here depends on what exhibits are showing, but I had a great time here overall. It's completely free so if you're ever by the University of Pennsylvania, I highly recommend you stop by.

Worth the stop as it's always free admission. Admittedly I did not do my research and was unaware…read morehow small the space is. It's two rooms with rotating exhibitions. No permanent gallery. The current exhibition on Shaker furniture was interesting, but I can see how it's not for everyone. I appreciate what they're doing at the ICA, I just wish there was a bigger permanent collection on display. Shoutout to Juno the welcoming cat.

One of the first things I noticed on my first trip to Philadelphia was how amazing their public art…read moreis. That always stuck with me. Some research led me to discover that Mural Arts Philadelphia can be thanked for most (if not?) all this meaningful community artwork. At a later time, I found out that Mural Arts offers walking tours. I probably wouldn't do it during COVID for personal reasons, but the next time I'm in Philadelphia, I totally will. Thank you, Mural Arts Philadelphia for the work you do arranging such beautiful, meaningful, bright and interesting public art throughout the city. From their website: "With a robust portfolio of 50-100 public art projects each year and ongoing core programs in education, restorative justice, mental health, and public art and civic engagement, Mural Arts' work and the incredible resulting outdoor gallery are an inseparable, iconic part of the city's civic landscape." Thank you, Mural Arts for all the work you do recognizing how important public art is to a city. You're doing a stellar job beautifying Philadelphia and I look forward to taking one of your tours in the future!

The center city tour was great! Sandi was great!! We've been center city locals for five years and…read morewe wanted to learn about the murals around us. We hit a bunch of murals in 1.5 hours, and some of them I'd never seen! 10/10 tour service. 10/10 selection of tours. Reasonable cost for the tour. We'll be doing more!

Support your local libraries! I have come to this library for so many different things! I've done…read morecooking class, tea demonstrations, sewing classes, death planning workshops, interviews in the private rooms. Hell I went to one of the best musicals I've seen in Philly here! It's really a catch 22. I really appreciate the diversity of events they hold and it's a bummer it's an underfunded field. GO TO THE LIBRARY!

Gorgeous library with plenty of books and plenty of history. Staff is kind and helpful. Bathrooms…read moreare clean.