If "Virginia is for Lovers," Philadelphia is Definitely for History Nerds, part 3

     Besides history, visitors to Philadelphia will find themselves surrounded by art and great food, two things that I'm really interested in.

    Philadelphia is a city of murals, often called the "Mural Capital of the World." They're everywhere, literally thousands of them. 

    A must-see is the Philadelphia Museum of Art (https://philamuseum.org/ ), with the exterior made famous, of course, in the famous training scenes from "Rocky", and, sure enough, it is not that unusual to see a visitor or two trying to make the run, or at least posing by the statue. Inside, visitors will find an amazing collection of art. There's a huge American art gallery, featuring local artist Thomas Eakins and many other works that American history buffs will recognize. There are also large collections of Impressionists, Post-Impressionists, Asian art, and medieval arms and armor. Spend hours or days, your choice.

    Next on your list should be the Barnes Foundation, maybe the most exciting and unexpected art museums I've visited. (https://www.barnesfoundation.org/ ). I'd never heard of the Barnes before our visit, but I was so glad to find it. The museum started with the collection of Albert C. Barnes, who made his fortune by co-developing a treatment for gonorrhea in the early twentieth century. In 1922, he founded the Barnes. The museums collections are mostly Impressionists, Post-Impressionists, and Modernists, but the collection also includes ancient African, Asian, Egyptian, Greek, Roman, and Native American pieces. The most interesting thing about the museum to me was that the art was arranged and exhibited in a way that resembles how Barnes himself displayed the works in his home. The museum is divided into many rooms, and, in each room, the art covers the walls and the displays, and they are not segregated by age, style, or region. You might find African, Greek, and Impressionist works grouped together. Sometimes, it seems there is no rhyme or reason, but, in some arrangements, the viewer can see how the works relate to each other - at least in their mind.  The Barnes was our favorite "discovery' of the trip.

    Almost next door to the Barnes is the Rodin Museum, a branch of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and one of the largest collections of Rodin sculptures in the world. Auguste Rodin is considered the father of modern sculpture and is my favorite sculptor. I've been lucky enough to visit the Rodin Museum in Paris, and the Philadelphia version is just as awesome. (https://www.rodinmuseum.org/ )

If "Virginia is for Lovers," Philadelphia is Definitely for History Nerds, part 2

     Not all of Philadelphia's history is related to colonial history or the history of America's early government.  There's much more to see.

    For example, one of America's most historic prisons is open for visitors, the Eastern State Penitentiary (https://www.easternstate.org/ ). It opened in 1829, and it represented a radical new approach to incarceration.  The architecture of the prison itself was innovative, designed like a wheel with seven spokes, allowing guards to keep an eye on the hallways from a central location. In the beginning, the way the prisoners were treated  was based on the philosophy of isolation. The idea was that prisoners should be confined separately to allow for self-reflection and to prevent them from falling under bad influences. Prisoners were kept in single cells, each one with a small walled off outdoor exercise yard, and whenever they left their cells, they were masked. This solitary confinement system became known as the "Pennsylvania system" and influenced penal systems around the world before it was abandoned in 1913. ESP itself continued as a prison until 1971, housing more than 75,000 prisoners, including some famous inmates like Al Capone. It's a really interesting, and eerie, site to tour during the day, and they offer night tours during the summer as well.

    

    Located near Independence Hall is the National Museum of American Jewish History ( https://www.nmajh.org/ ) established in 1976, the only museum in the country dedicated "to exploring and interpreting the American Jewish experience."  The museum has a collection of over 30,000 artifacts, from the colonial period to the present day, that are used to create enlightening exhibits. 

By Beyond My Ken - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=26378465

    Belmont Mansion (https://www.belmontmansion.org/index.html ), built in the mid 1700s, is a historic mansion that hosted such illustrious guests as George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and James Madison. In the 1800s, the heirs of the builder were prominent abolitionists, and they allegedly played a role in the Underground Railroad. Philadelphia had quite a number of abolitionist groups, and it was a prominent terminal, the home of many free blacks and escaped slaves. Since 2007, a museum dedicated to the history of the Underground Railroad has occupied the mansion. Honestly, I wouldn't say that it's a must-see, but if you have time, go for it.

    For black history in Philadelphia, I would recommend Mother Bethel AME Church (https://www.motherbethel.org/ ), founded in 1794 and the oldest African Methodist Episcopal congregation in America. The site is the oldest property in the United States continuously owned by black Americans. Originally founded as Methodist Episcopal, Reverend Richard Allen, considered the founder of the AME denomination, made it the denomination's "Mother" church in the early 1800s. The church is open for tours during the day, and, when we visited, we were lucky to have an older gentleman give us a private tour of the church that had been his home for his entire life. He was extremely knowledgeable, and it was a great tour. 

If "Virginia is for Lovers," Philadelphia is Definitely for History Nerds, part 1

     In September 2019, we spent a week in Philadelphia, but it just occurred to me that that was during the Histocrats' hiatus, and I never blogged about it. As I sat down and listed the sites we visited and went through pictures, I realized that we crammed a whole lot into a week. Too much for one blog, even, so I'll just give you a little info about the sites and what we did.  If you visit Philadelphia, and you're into history, you won't be disappointed by any of these options. 

    Of course, most tourists' first stop is Independence National Historical Park                                                ( https://www.nps.gov/inde/planyourvisit/independencehall.htm ), an area of a couple of blocks that includes many of the most important places associated with America's founding. In Independence Hall, you can enter the room where the Continental Congress named George Washington head of the Continental Army and argued over the Declaration of Independence and Constitution.  Standing in that space is awe-inspiring.  Be sure to tour the building next door as well to see where the Congress of the new nation met from 1790 to 1800.  

    The park includes so many sites within a couple of blocks that you could spend a day or two there alone.  There's the Old City Hall where the US Supreme Court met from 1791-1800, the Liberty Bell Center, the First Bank of the United States, the Second Bank of the United States, the Free Quaker Meeting House, the City Tavern, and the Declaration House where Jefferson lived and wrote the Declaration of Independence.  Take a short walk outdoors and visit Washington Square, one of the city's five original squares featuring a monument to Washington and the unknown soldiers of the American Revolution, and the President's House Site. Washington's Philadelphia home is no longer standing, but there is an interesting exhibit on the site that provides a lot of information about the Washington house and household.

    One of the newest attractions in Philadelphia is the Museum of the American Revolution (https://www.amrevmuseum.org/ ), which just opened in 2017, and is very close to the First and Second National Bank buildings.  It is definitely a must see. The building is beautiful inside and out, and the exhibits are very well done. The star of the show, so to speak, is the Washington's tent exhibit. So special that it has its own theater and specific show times throughout the day. The audience is seated as a powerful film is projected. Then the curtain parts, and the star of the show becomes visible. George Washington's personal campaign tent, used during the Revolution. Apparently, at the end of the war, it was just packed up and passed down through the Custis and Lee families (descendants through Martha Washington) until 1909, when it was purchased from Robert E. Lee's daughter and first put on display. Who'd have thought the unveiling of a tent would be a main attraction?

    Facing Independence Hall is the National Constitution Center (https://constitutioncenter.org/), featuring everything you ever wanted to know about the Constitution and more. Again, the exhibits are extremely well done, educational, and interactive. One of the most popular exhibits is Signers' Hall, an assembly of life-size bronze statues of 42 of the Constitution's signers. There is also a 17-minute show, called "Freedom Rising," featuring projections and a live actor.

    As you're walking around the historic area, you might find yourself on a beautifully preserved street from the 18th and early 19th centuries, called Elfreth's Alley (http://www.elfrethsalley.org/ ). Restoration began in the1930s, and today there is a museum, and lots of visitors walk the street daily, through a real living museum, as the buildings and houses on the street are still occupied by residents, including many artisans.

    While you're in the Independence Hall area, you might consider taking a walking tour with an experienced guide.  There are several to choose from; just google Philadelphia walking tours. But why not take a tour with James Madison, the "father of the Constitution," himself? Well kind of. Kyle Jenks is an actor, writer, and James Madison portrayer. He created the Society Hill Walking Tour, and he takes guests back to 1787 Philadelphia, in character as the fourth president. Jenks is the subject of an upcoming 7 Questions interview, and I am looking forward to another trip to Philadelphia in order to do his tour.

Facebook: facebook.com/PresidentMadison

Website: https://leagueofmostinterestinggentlemen.com

 

 For pricing, scheduling and other questions e-mail: 

Kyle Jenks at Jaktar773@aol.com

    One of the most unique museums on Philadelphia is the National Liberty Museum (https://www.libertymuseum.org/ ). It is not an American history museum. As the name says, it is dedicated to liberty as an ideal that humans all over the world find inspiring. Its artifacts and artworks, all tell the story of liberty.

    Whew! Those are just some of the sights to see in Philadelphia. There are probably two more blogs to follow; please watch for those!