Wandering Off the Beaten Path in Philadelphia

If you vacation in Philadelphia, there are certain things you’re almost obligated to see: the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, and the Betsy Ross House, for instance. This article looks at a few attractions that may not be household names but that are still worth seeing if you travel to the City of Brotherly Love.

Christ Church Burial Ground, 22-26 N. 2nd Street, 215-627-2750

Christ Church was founded in 1695. Its burial ground spreads over two acres of land and contains more than 1400 grave markers, the earliest dating back to 1721. The Christ Church burial ground is the final resting place of such luminaries as Benjamin Franklin and Dr. Benjamin Rush, the Father of Modern Psychiatry. A new tour of the burial ground entitled Declaring Freedom: Slavery in Philadelphia is conducted every hour on the hour.  

African American Museum in Philadelphia, 701 Arch Street, 215-574-0380

Founded in 1976, the African American Museum was the first city-sponsored museum to focus on the Black experience in America. Today the museum offers exhibits pertaining to the history and culture of African Americans from colonial times through the present day. Items on display include art, photographs, books, domestic objects, and costumes.

Bartram’s Garden, 54th Street and Lindbergh Boulevard, 215-729-1047

Bartram’s Garden is the oldest botanical garden in the United States. Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin once walked along its tranquil pathways. The famous garden features herbs, vegetables, flowers, and woody plants. In addition, the site also contains historic buildings, archeological digs, a wetland, a meadow, and a river trail. Bartram’s Garden is a great place to get away from it all…without ever leaving the city.

Mutter Museum, 19 South 22nd Street

The Mutter Museum, which is administered by the College of Physicians of Philadelphia, was founded in 1858 to allow medical students to examine physical curiosities. Today the Mutter Museum’s bizarre medical collection is open to the public. Visitors can see exhibits such as the death cast of the ”original” Siamese twins, Chang and Eng Bunker, a cancerous tumor removed from the jaw of President Grover Cleveland, the skeleton of a man who grew to be seven and a half feet tall, and medical tools of days gone by.

Philadelphia Zoo, 3400 W. Girard Ave., 215-243-5347

The Philadelphia Zoo is the oldest zoo in the United States. It offers eighteen distinct habitats featuring almost every creature imaginable from bears to tortoises. Feline fans will be fascinated by the new Bank of America Big Cat Falls. Those whose tastes run to more exotic creatures will revel in the Dodge Rare Animal Conservation Center where animals such as the pygmy marmoset and the Madagascar giant jumping rat are on display. Kids will enjoy the Children’s Zoo where they can get hands-on time with some of the gentler animals.

So if your upcoming travel plans include Philadelphia, don’t forget to wander off the beaten path to some of the lesser known–but still very enjoyable–attractions.      

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