Find Something to Explore

Center City is the epicenter of arts and culture entertainment in Philadelphia. Along the Avenue of the Arts, decades-old theaters host an impressive lineup of performances, including shows from resident artists and traveling companies. Vibrant greenspaces, like Rittenhouse Square, offer a reprieve from the bustle of city excitement, and at Dilworth Park, visitors of all ages are welcome to enjoy free events, seasonal amenities and a stunning view of historic City Hall. One-of-a-kind museums, nightlife and luxury hotels are just some of the many other highlights to explore.

Happenings & Events

The Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University

  • Illuminating Birds: Drawing as a Way of Knowing | May 20–October 15 | Part gallery and part studio, this exhibit celebrates the enduring appeal of drawing and writing about birds. 
  • Dinosaur Hall | Ongoing | More than 30 species of dinosaurs and other Mesozoic reptile can be found in the Academy's Dinosaur Hall.
     

1900 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy, 215.299.1000

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African American Museum in Philadelphia &
Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts:
Rising Sun: Artists in an Uncertain America

Now-October 8 | A groundbreaking exhibition featuring new art installations spread across multiple galleries at both institutions. Twenty artists have been invited to join in a bold collaboration and create new works that respond to the critical question: Is the sun rising or setting on the experiment of American democracy? 
African American Museum in Philadelphia, 701 Arch Street, 215.574.0380
Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts 118-128 North Broad Street, 215.972.7600

African American Museum in Philadelphia (AAMP)
Liberation Rising: Juneteenth Block Party and Free Museum Day

June 19 | 11 a.m. - 4 p.m.| Join AAMP for the 2023 Juneteenth Block Party, an all-day, family-friendly outdoor festival with W.U.R.D.’s Tiffany Bacon as emcee, with entertainment, activations, games and education. This year, AAMP welcomes the legendary DJ, Spinderella, for a tribute to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Hip Hop. Attendees can expect a community marketplace featuring Black-owned businesses, community resources, giveaways, artmaking, food trucks and line dancing. Guests will have free admission to the museum, courtesy of Wawa. 
701 Arch Street, 215.574.0380

arts and culture

Barnes Foundation: Summer Programming

2025 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy, 215.278.7000

CCD Parks: Summer Events
June-August | CCD is ushering in the season with continuous outdoor entertainment in Dilworth Park and Sister Cities Park. Activities for families, fitness classes and a roller rink help to kick-start the parks’ seasonal transformation.
Dilworth Park, 1 S. 15th St, 215.440.5500
Sister Cities Park, 18th Street & the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, 215.440.5500

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City Winery: Summer Performances
City Winery’s state-of-the-art concert venue is designed to offer an intimate setting with unobstructed views close to your favorite performers. Their year-round programming and events include well known musicians and comedians as well as food and wine events. Check their website for upcoming shows.
990 Filbert Street, 267.479.7373

The Fabric Workshop and Museum: Summer Programs
The Fabric Workshop and Museum (FWM) is an internationally acclaimed contemporary art museum devoted both to the creation and presentation of innovative works of art. Below are some of their summer offerings.

  • Sunday Behind-the-Scenes Collections Tour | Sundays | 1:30p.m.| Join this guided behind-the-scenes tour of the museums 7th floor archive where you will explore a variety of stored collection pieces and get a first-hand look at how the work is preserved. 
  • Museum As… | Now-September 10 | This exhibit explores FWM origins and name, which can be misleading or confusing. Each exhibition, organized around a singular element in our name and drawing from FWM’s extensive collection. 
     

1214 Arch Street, 215.561.8888

Fashion District Philadelphia: Wonderspaces
Ongoing | Wonderspaces presents an evolving lineup of 16 extraordinary art installations and signature cocktails to experience with friends and family. This year-round, ever changing immersive art installation is located inside Fashion District Philadelphia.
901 Market Street, 267.534.7705

Free Library of Philadelphia: Author Events
Ongoing | This author series features some of today’s most celebrated voices in the humanities and sciences. Programming is held throughout the year. Many of the programs are free and books will be for sale on-site. For more details, visit the Free Library's website.
Parkway Central Library, 1901 Vine Street, 215.567.4341

The Kimmel Cultural Campus: Free Events This Summer
The Kimmel Cultural Campus produces and presents a broad range of relevant and meaningful events year-round, including free productions and performances.

  • Free Pride Concert | June 3 | 7p.m. | Legendary conductor Marin Alsop leads the Orchestra joined by the ANNA Crusis Feminist Choir, the Philadelphia Gay Men’s Chorus, and Philadelphia Voices of Pride for our second annual Pride Concert dedicated to the Philadelphia region’s LGBTQ+ community.
  • Happy Hour Sessions at the Kimmel: Solomon Temple & Jakeya Limitless | June 9 | 4p.m. | Meet up, mix, and mingle! Enjoy live entertainment from an eclectic roster of top-shelf DJs, bands, and emcees. This week, join for a soulful early evening of live music performance featuring original music compositions and Philly favorite covers by Solomon Temple and Jakeya Limitless. 
  • Avenue of the Arts Block Party | July 1 | 11a.m. | Join us at the Avenue of the Arts Block Party for FREE festivities on Broad Street: Broadway performances, family-friendly activities, and more! Plus, the Garces Beer Garden will provide the perfect spot to enjoy a bite and a drink. 
     

300 South Broad Street, 215.893.1999

Lantern Theater Company: Twelfth Night
May 18-June 18 | As Shakespeare's most fascinating comic heroine, Viola turns personal tragedy and loss into a life-changing experience for herself and those she comes to love. Join the Lantern for an enchanting and poetic journey of discovery.
St. Stephen's Theater, 923 Ludlow St, 215.829.0395

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Philadelphia Museum of Art: Friday Nights
Fridays | 5-8:45 p.m. | Enjoy evening access to the museum’s galleries every Friday night. Stop by the Friday Lounge to get a glass of wine or a cocktail and enjoy the live music. Admission is pay what you wish, with discounted parking at the museum’s parking garage after 5 p.m.
2600 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, 215.763.8100

Red Rūm Theater: Summer Show Lineup
Welcome to Red Rum Theater, Philadelphia’s only event venue dedicated to the art of murder mystery! See below for some summer offerings.

  • Murder At The Moulin Rouge | Fridays, Saturdays & Sundays until August 27 | Join us in Paris where the Bohemian Revolution is taking place at the Moulin Rouge, a night club where rich and poor men come to be entertained by the high-kicking dancers, and murder is just one kick away.
  • Dirty Potter: Show and Quizzo | Wednesdays from June 28 to August 30 | Welcome to “The Two Swiffers,” the hottest spot in the wizarding world…if you’re a washed-up has-been, that is. Visit and enjoy drinks, Wizarding Quizzo, and a magical evening you won’t soon forget!
     

601 Walnut Street, 267.994.1056

Wawa Welcome America
June 19-July 4 | Wawa Welcome America is Philadelphia’s premier July 4th festival offering residents and visitors sixteen days of free, family-friendly programming across the city, with a focus on arts, culture, diversity, education, wellness, history, and performance. Festival attendees can enjoy free concerts, fireworks, complimentary museum access, Wawa Hoagie Day, and more!
Various locations

Wawa Welcome America: Free Museum Days
This year several of the city’s museums are offering free admission during Wawa Welcome America's Free Museum Days. Below is a list of participating Center City museums. For more details and a full list, visit the event website.

CCD Parks

Getting Outdoors in CCD Parks This Summer