Among the best-known buildings of Germantown are the sturdy, elegant stone structures known today as Cliveden, the Johnson House, the Germantown Mennonite Meeting House, and the Concord School House. Remarkably, these structures can all be attributed to one builder, Jacob Knorr. This tour will bring visitors into these charming and significant sites. We will investigate
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This special 90-minute tour explores the history of pigeons in North America — from the passenger pigeon, once the most abundant bird on the continent, to the rock pigeons that share Philadelphia’s streets today. We’ll observe pigeon flocks, nesting sites, and more along our Italian Market Tour route. Along the way, participants will learn about:
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Cliveden offers free house tours the second Saturday of the month through October. Tours are available from 12 pm to 4 pm, beginning on the hour; last tour of the day is at 3 pm. Visitors will view two exhibits: “Procuring Liberty in the Emerging Nation” and “Looking Glass.” No registration is needed. Visitors should
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Celebrate America’s 250th by making your own poster of Independence Hall! Stop by the lobby of Parkway Central Library between 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. for a free hands-on screen printing workshop. All ages welcome and no experience required. A teaching artist from Posters for the People will guide you in making your own print
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Our bus tour of the Wingohocking Watershed, led by Adam Levine, Philadelphia Water Department historical consultant and webmaster of WaterHistoryPHL.org, will give you a view of the underbelly of the city that you might never have thought about before. On the tour you’ll learn all about the city’s hidden infrastructure, including the many creeks like
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Join us on Wednesday, June 10th in the Print and Picture Collection and on Saturday, June 27th in the Rare Book Department to create your own pins based on images from the Free Library’s Special Collections. Events will run from 1 pm – 3 pm. Stop by anytime to make a button!
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Explore the built environment and landscape to uncover the lives and labor of those enslaved and in service at Cliveden. The tour will discuss the physical and metaphorical thresholds between people who labored at Cliveden and the Chew family, revealing the history of stratified social relationships that relate to conflicts and tension in American culture
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Our bus tour of the Wingohocking Watershed, led by Adam Levine, Philadelphia Water Department historical consultant and webmaster of WaterHistoryPHL.org, will give you a view of the underbelly of the city that you might never have thought about before. On the tour you’ll learn all about the city’s hidden infrastructure, including the many creeks like
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MuseumFest transforms Philadelphia’s Historic District into a lively afternoon of discovery, powered by the American Alliance of Museums (the national association representing the entire museum field). Five iconic museums open their doors for free, with pop-up performances, living history, and interactive moments along a walkable half-mile loop. A passport challenge rewards explorers who collect stamps
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Precious Places Premiere Montgomery Auditorium, Parkway Central Library, 1901 Vine Street Since 2003, Scribe Video Center’s Precious Places Community History Project has facilitated the production of 124 short documentaries about the spaces that hold the memories of our communities and define where we live. Precious Places teaches the video production process to participating groups, fostering
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