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The newest of the city's parks, but already becoming one of the most popular. For a century, Philadelphia's waterfronts were cut off from its residents by industry and an extensive system of railroads. Now gone for decades, the waterfront is a kaleidoscope of residential development, recreation, and good living. Center City's ongoing Renaissance is being charged by new amenities such as this urban river-side park, which carves its way deep into the city, culminating in South Philly.
Schuylkill River Park is a swath of land owned by the Philadelphia Department of Parks and Recreation in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It encompasses most of the area bordered by 25th Street and the Schuylkill River between Manning and Delancey Streets and the area bordered by the Schuylkill River and 26th Street between Delancey and Pine Streets. Some of this land was held by the Department of Recreation prior to its 2010 merger with the Fairmount Park. In addition, the merged Department of Parks and Recreation owns the land from Taney Street to the Schuylkill River between Pine and the end of Schuylkill Pocket Veterans Memorial Field as well as O'Connor Pool. It also encompasses the Schuylkill River Park Community Garden, which is on land owned by the Department of Parks and Recreation and managed by the Center City Residents' Association. The area connects with the Schuylkill River Trail via a pedestrian bridge, which was completed in October 2012.
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It used to be open only to medical students, but this collection of medical oddities is quickly becoming one of the city's most popular attractions. Not for the faint of heart, this museum includes lots of items in formaldehyde, lots of skeletons, and one of the only women to ever decompose into soap.
This museum attracts some of the top scientific exhibits in the world, including special exhibits that change every few months. Be sure to walk through the giant-sized human heart, a favorite with kids. Also features planetarium and the immense Tuttleman IMAX Theater and its four-story, domed screen with fifty-six speakers. This museum is incredibly popular as a field trip destination for local schools, so mornings and early afternoons on weekdays may be crowded with schoolchildren.
Not just a natural history museum, this institution also has an active research arm and library. Highlights of the museum include a 2-story dinosaur exhibit, a butterfly walk-through area, and a children's nature center with live animals. It is the oldest natural science research institution and museum in the Americas.
One of the world's most important collections of post-impressionist and modernist art, open in this location since 2012. Advance reservations strongly recommended (weeks in advance for week-end time slots); a limited number of tickets is available for same-day visits.
If you're into rare books at all, take the free tour, offered M-F at 11AM, of the Philadelphia Free Library's amazing rare book collection. Besides the Gutenberg Bible, highlights include medieval manuscripts, children's book illustrations, and the stuffed body of Charles Dickens's pet raven Grip, the raven who indirectly inspired Poe's "The Raven."
Displays the largest collection of Rodin's work outside of Paris.