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Atlantic City, NJ | The Countryside | New Hope, Bucks County |
Northern Liberties | Wilmington, DE and Brandywine
Philadelphia LGBT Sightseeing Points of Interest
William Way Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community Center
1315 Spruce Street
215-732-2220
William Way is the focal point of Philadelphia's LGBT community. Open seven days a week, the center provides meeting space for more than 70 groups and hosts a variety of events and art exhibitions throughout the year. Visit William Way for information about social events and support resources. In 2005, the cross street in front of the center was renamed "Elton's Way" in recognition of Sir Elton John's contributions to the City of Philadelphia.
www.waygay.org
Walt Whitman House
328 Mickle Boulevard
Camden, New Jersey
856-964-5383
Located two blocks east of the Camden waterfront, this National Historic Landmark provides an intimate glimpse into the life of the poet, attracting visitors from around the world. Whitman's original letters, personal belongings, the bed in which he died and the death notice that was nailed to the front door have all been preserved, as well as a collection of rare 19th-century photographs, including the earliest known image of Whitman.
Barbara Gittings Gay & Lesbian Collection at the Free Library of Philadelphia
Independence Branch
18 S. 7th Street
215-685-1633
Named for a lifelong Philadelphia activist who fought for the inclusion of gay and lesbian materials in public libraries, this is the second-largest public library collection of LGBT-themed books, movies and magazines in the country.
Independence Hall and Historic Gay Marker
Chestnut Street between 5th & 6th streets
800-537-7676
Built in 1756 as the Pennsylvania State House, Independence Hall is one of the most historically significant buildings in the United States. It is the place where the Declaration of Independence was adopted and the U.S. Constitution was written.
Standing directly across the street from Independence Hall stands a new historic marker. It marks the site of peaceful protests held in the 1960s by the gay and lesbian community. The sign reads: "Annual public demonstrations for gay and lesbian equality. These peaceful protests and New York's Stonewall riots in 1969 and Pride Parade in 1970, transformed a small national campaign into a civil rights movement." This marker reminds visitors of the city's history of tolerance.
The Independence Visitor Center
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Start at the Center. The Independence Visitor Center is the gateway to the City of Brotherly Love and Sisterly Affection. Located on Independence Mall in the heart of Historic Philadelphia across from the Liberty Bell, the Center presents visitors with everything Philadelphia has to offer. After walking through the welcoming glass doors, visitors are surrounded by the sights, sounds and smells of Philadelphia, both past and present. Buy tickets to a museum while making reservations at one of the many hot restaurants in the Gayborhood, only a few blocks away. Book a hotel room while locating the posh boutiques in Old City. The Center puts everything at your fingertips. Whether you're strict to a schedule or a carefree wanderer, the interactive information kiosks will provide you with useful information.
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With information on everything from the International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival, to Equality Forum, to Philly's Pride Parade, the Center will make sure you never miss out on having a gay old time in Philadelphia. Providing information on the countryside, the Independence Visitor Center encourages travelers to experience the quieter side of life in our surrounding regions as well. So come in, grab a bite to eat in one of the cafes, buy a souvenir and let the Center open its doors to the city where "the history's kept straight, but the nightlife goes gay." Call 800-537-7676 or visit www.independencevisitorcenter.com for more information.
Philadelphia is home to more American history than any other U.S. city. Many important historical treasures can be found in Independence National Historical Park, America's most historic square mile.
The Liberty Bell Center, the home of the international symbol for freedom, presents dozens of images and interpretive panels to explain the rich history of the Bell and how it became one of the nation's most sacred relics.
Visitors can tour Independence Hall where the Declaration of Independence was adopted and the U.S. Constitution was written, and Carpenters' Hall, where the First Continental Congress met in 1774. Dozens more historical sites, including the Second Bank of the United States, Franklin Court and Christ Church, document the birth of the nation.
The monumental National Constitution Center demonstrates the relevance of the U.S. Constitution 200 years ago and today. Through a wealth of interactive exhibits, the Center offers visitors the opportunity to take the Presidential Oath of Office, add their signature to the Constitution and review important Supreme Court decisions.
From April through October, the Lights of Liberty Show, Philadelphia's one-of-a-kind sound and light show, tells the story of the events leading up to the American Revolution at many of the sites where history was made.
Outside of the city, Valley Forge National Historical Park honors Colonial soldiers and their winter encampment of 1777-78 and Washington's Crossing State Park marks the site where George Washington and his troops crossed the Delaware River for the important Battle of Trenton. Brandywine Battlefield Park brings to life the largest engagement of the Revolutionary War between Washington's Continental Army and the British forces.
Philadelphia is a true living history museum that features more authentic Colonial history than any other U.S. city. Walk down Delancey or Pine streets in Society Hill and envision the country's founders and earliest citizens. The oldest continuously occupied residential street in the U.S. is Elfreth's Alley (between Arch and Race streets at 2nd Street), where Colonial- and Federal-style homes line the cobblestone street. There are two museum homes you can visit for a glimpse at 18th-century living. Enjoy Martha Washington's turkey pot pie and a pewter tankard of Thomas Jefferson's ale at City Tavern (2nd and Walnut streets), a detailed recreation of Philadelphia' s most popular Colonial dining, drinking and meeting place.
While homes and artifacts share a bit of Philadelphia's Colonial tale, the stories of the everyday people who created the nation share the love, anguish, conflict and joy that often go untold. During the summer, Once Upon A Nation shares the lives and secrets of America's most famous and not-so-famous heroes through storytelling sites around Independence National Historical Park and at Valley Forge National Historical Park. At night, the storytellers captivate visitors with detailed narratives at the area's historical buildings. Visit Edgar Allan Poe in Christ Church Burial Ground by candlelight. Listen to 18th-century gossip by costumed characters. Or, sneak into Independence Hall after closing with the architects of the American Revolution. For an evening of history and music, join in the fun at Interactive 1776: The Movie-Musical with props and sing-a-longs (Fridays at 7:00 pm May 23-August 29, 2008).
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