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.

What a fun thing to do! We didn't know what to expect and want to say we all really enjoyed the…read moreexperience! Admission was reasonable and enjoyed the self-guided part while waiting for the next tram departure time. There was everything you could imagine - except one thing! A TELEX MACHINE (which I used to operate). When I asked the staff if they had one none of them even knew what I was talking about (early 20's)! We took the tram tour and really enjoyed it. The tram moved at a nice pace so you could really take in everything. So much to see - everywhere. It was a really fun way to spend a few hours on a rainy day! But I urge you to visit rain or shine!

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.

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

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!

The Franklin Institute is one of those Philadelphia institutions we appreciate more each time our…read morekids get a little older. We went yesterday with three kids under four on a day when it absolutely poured, and it was the perfect place to spend 3.5 hours letting them explore, learn, and burn off some energy. The building itself is beautiful, but one of my favorite things about the museum is how spacious it feels: even within the exhibits, there is enough room to move around without feeling crowded or overbuilt. We somehow found street parking directly in front for about $10 for the entire visit, which felt like a small victory on a rainy Saturday. At this age, our kids are finally starting to appreciate what makes the Franklin Institute so much fun: the Giant Heart, the Benjamin Franklin statue, the space galleries, the planetarium, the enormous locomotive, and especially the science of sports exhibits, which are always a highlight. We even passed a large LEGO area on the way out that could easily have kept them occupied longer. Admission does feel expensive, particularly with a young family, and based on our experience, I think 3 or 4 is about the youngest age when children really start getting enough out of the exhibits to justify the cost; for locals who come a few times, a membership probably makes a lot of sense. Between the hands-on science, the wonderful sense of space, and its location along the Parkway toward City Hall, this remains an easy recommendation for Philadelphia families and a terrific stop for anyone visiting the city.

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

This is a stunning mural located in Philadelphia. When my family and I were on our long journey…read morethrough the northeast over the summer we found many cool murals. I am finally getting around to reviewing some of them. This is an excellent display of color and imagery. I am very impressed with the artists ability to create such a wonderful piece. Check it out when you are in Philly it is worth the trip.

It was definitely a unique experience, and well worth the admission fee. I found it to be…read moreeducational and creepy, yet in a highly photogenic and artsy kind of way. I couldn't stop taking pictures. I'll let the pictures speak for themselves. Besides, I don't think I can add anything to this review about its history that hasn't already been said. I'll just give you a few tips before your visit. Bring ear buds so that you can listen to the self-guided audio tour that is narrated by Steve Buscemi. It's 45 minutes long and is included with admission. Otherwise, just do as we did and go through each cell block at your own pace. You can always listen to the audio tour later. There's also a guided tour that can be booked for a higher fee. The best time to go is in the morning. It didn't feel quite as hot inside as I thought it would be. There are a few exhibits that have air-conditioned rooms if needed. One of them is the "Worship Behind Walls" exhibit that was closed off when we we there. Only the outer room was open in that exhibit. One of the cell blocks was closed off for the "Halloween Nights" event that starts in October. We were told that it's an amazing night experience. They even set up a speakeasy at Al Capone's cell for VIP ticket holders. It's just something to think about when planning your visit. It took us about 2 hours to go through it all. It's easy to navigate through each cell block due to the wheel design of the building from it's central hub. It's on the top 10 list of things to do in Philadelphia for a reason. It also gives you a chance to check out the Fairmount neighborhood while you're there. It was a great experience overall!

My wife and I were in Philly for a long weekend and saw that this was a cool spot to checkout…read more I am glad we did. It is an old prison set in a neighborhood, kind of like Wrigley Field is in the middle of a neighborhood. The structure is huge and has a hub and spoke type of detention with 8 cell clocks around a center location. The cells were small, but they did have Al Capone's cell, which was decked out! He was there for a year for an illegal weapon. Nice narration and a great way to spend an hour or two in Philly!

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.

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.

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!

Among other things, Philadelphia is a city of public art. I could not help but spot sculptures and…read morestatues here and there, but it was this particular mural - six stories tall - that really drove it home. There have been plans for an office/mixed use tower in the parking lot that faces this mural but for now, we have the opportunity to take it in entirely. Wow, there's some detail here and a story. If you're passing near, I suggest you stop and check this one out near 150 North Broad Street. [Review 18311 overall - 603 in Pennsylvania - 1833 of 2022.]

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.