Full Description
Come to Philadelphia for the arts. Stay to discover the city's lesser-known contributions to American culture. It is the birthplace of the political cartoon and the rich history that followed, a hub of early American burlesque that led to Gypsy Rose Lee's discovery, and a national model for public art with the country's largest public arts program. Uncover the fun secrets, like where to score a free music degree, enjoy free orchestral concerts, and catch free circus arts performances around the city. And if you're searching for a painting so gruesome it was once considered too offensive for display but now calls two museums home, this book will tell you where to find it.
Whether your interests lie in high culture or the underground, the magnificent or the macabre, fitness or food, or even just the casually quirky, 111 Places in Philadelphia That You Must Not Miss will reveal something new to everyone, even lifelong residents.
Contents
Adrian Balboa's Grave
A real grave for a fictional character | 10
Albert Einstein's Pipe
You've seen it in photos, now see it in person | 12
America's Best Bathroom
It's just outside Philadelphia, and it's alive | 14
Assembly
The swankiest rooftop in town | 16
Baleroy Mansion
Maybe a little too haunted | 18
Barnes Foundation
Black culture among the impressionists | 20
Bartram's Garden
Colonial America's first garden | 22
Batalá Philly
Philly's most inclusive musical act | 24
BioPond
A shockingly secluded secret garden | 26
Black Vulture Gallery
Art for your skin, art for your walls | 28
BOK
Vintage cheese, anyone? | 30
Buist Sophora
A beloved tree that defies destruction | 32
Burlesque Academy
Get your Gypsy Rose Lee on | 34
Carmen's
Where Obama went for a cheesesteak | 36
Cave of Kelpius
Where America's first mystic cult awaited Doomsday | 38
Charles Dickens' Desk
Not his only, but his last | 40
Cherry Street Pier
An abandoned space turned community inspiration | 42
Cherry Street Tavern
Is that a urinal trough along the bar? | 44
Cira Green
A complete park in the sky | 46
Circadium School of Contemporary Circus
The first state-accredited program for circus arts | 48
The Clay Studio
Learn, create, and "clay it forward" | 50
The Colored Girls Museum
A curated collection in a private home | 52
Congress Hall
Move over, Independence Hall | 54
Curtis Institute
Free education and free concerts | 56
DeLong Building
A stunning model of urban fire history | 58
Dirty Franks
Eye-popping dive with serious heart | 60
Discovery Center
From forgotten reservoir to city treasure | 62
Dream Garden
A masterpiece nearly lost | 64
Earliest US Serial Killer
The devil in the white city met his end in Philadelphia | 66
East Market
A full community in a single block | 68
Edgar Allan Poe's House
Three stories and one creepy basement | 70
Eiffel Tower of Philly
It's a milk bottle, but close enough | 72
Emmy the Mannequin
A local celeb hawking inside jokes | 74
Eternal Performance
Some seats come with an extra show | 76
Fairmount Groot
An enduring fixture in an evolving garden | 78
Fairmount Water Works
A hands-on learning center in a historic location | 80
FDR Skate Park
Where community and government agree | 82
First Antislavery Protest
An early petition against hypocrisy and injustice | 84
First Person Arts
Where Philadelphians take center stage | 86
Fitler Square Farmers Market
A delicious secret in a picturesque square | 88
Fletcher Street Urban Riding Club
Philly's urban Black cowboys | 90
Four Seasons Total Landscaping
A political disaster and a business boon | 92
George Washington's Apron
For ceremony, not for kitchen messes | 94
Germantown White House
America's oldest surviving presidential residence | 96
Giant Otters
Philadelphia's cutest "first" | 98
Giant Wood Slide
Big fun for the little ones | 100
Graffiti Pier
Philly's most photographed illegal art | 102
The Gross Clinic
So gross it couldn't be displayed | 104
Halloween
Find the store, find a treasure | 106
Hamilton Garden
A rooftop within a rooftop | 108
Insectarium
The only cockroach kitchen you'd pay to see | 110
Irish Memorial
A waterfront homage to those who came and went | 112
Jazz Attack
Lindy Hop or Philly Bop, it's your call | 114
Jim Loewer Glass
Blow your own masterpiece | 116
John E. Freyer Marker
A small testament to a monumental shift | 118
King's Highway Bridge
Built for Penn, used by Washington | 120
LGBT Community Center
A local resource of national proportion | 122
Lydia Darrah School
Moderne building honoring a Revolutionary spy | 124
Magic Gardens
There's a secret among the murals | 126
Maillardet's Automaton
The future, according to the past | 128
Manayunk Canal Towpath
Recreation among the remnants of industry | 130
Mask and Wig Clubhouse
A long tradition of musical-comedy wit and whimsy | 132
Mount Moriah Cemetery
Is Betsy Ross still in this unowned cemetery? | 134
Mummers Museum
Your chance to be a Mummer, if only for a moment | 136
Neon Museum
Representing the "Workshop of the World" | 138
Octavius V. Catto Memorial
Enormous impact from a short life | 140
Ohio State House
The last state house from the first World's Fair | 142
Old St. Joseph's Church
A hidden church, then and now | 144
Oneida Debate
Two revolutions in one | 146
Original Pumpkin Spice
Philly was into pumpkin spice before it was basic | 148
Painted Bride
Incubating a city's underserved communities | 150
Patti LaBelle Way
A permanent home for a Philly legend | 152
Philadelphia Independents
Philly-centric, Philly-made, Philly-proud | 154
Philadelphia Stars Memorial Park
A small tribute to a major contribution | 156
Prison Synagogue
The first in the nation | 158
Pulse Fountain
The train timetable you didn't know existed | 160
Quince Street
The most charming, among alleys | 162
Rail Park
It's even greener than you think | 164
Random Tea Room
Shopping, sipping, and co-working in serenity | 166
Rittenhouse Chess
Make your move, make a friend | 168
River Hammocks
Beach vibes at the riverfront | 170
The Rosenbach
A literary wonderland | 172
The Rotunda
A literal arts sanctuary | 174
Sedgley Woods Disc Golf
An older course for a newer sport | 176
Sesame Place
The country's original Sesame Street theme park | 178
Shrek Box
Leave an ogre, take an ogre | 180
Sidewalk Pretzel
A beloved symbol of the city | 182
Singh Center
An architectural jewel | 184
Sister Cities Park
Where Philly is the center of everything | 186
Skew Arch Bridge
Better below than above | 188
Southeast Asian Market
An enormous market you've somehow missed | 190
St. Albans Place
From Devil's Pocket to romantic courtyard | 192
St. John Neumann's Body
A holy body permanently on display | 194
Star Doors
Philly's most coveted glass | 196
Surgical Amphitheater
You've seen them on TV, now see one in person | 198
Taller Puertorriqueño
The cultural heart of El Barrio | 200
Tea for Few at Stenton
The hot drink wasn't for everyone in early Philly | 202
Thaddeus Kosciuszko National Memorial
Smallest national park site, big dose of history | 204
Thirsty Dice
Eat, drink, play, and propose? | 206
Thunderbird Salvage
Bargaining for local treasures | 208
Tomb of Empress Ana María
Final resting place of Mexico's first empress | 210
Urban Fishing
Country fun in the city | 212
W Hotel WET Deck Bar
Have a drink with a couple of legends | 214
Wagner Free Institute
Free science lessons in a Victorian museum | 216
West Laurel Hill
Where America's best came to rest | 218
Whispering Benches
Share your secrets in public | 220
Wildlife Refuge
Go birds! | 222
William & Letitia Still House
Harriet Tubman stood here - and slept here, too | 224
Wonderspaces
A nearly indefinable space | 226
Wood Street Steps
Step into the past and toward Utopia | 228
World Café Live
An independent stage for everyone | 230
