Philly is known as the City of Brotherly Love. It's the birthplace of American democracy, the home of the cheesesteak and some great sports groups like the Eagles, the Flyers and the Phillies. Home of historic items like the Liberty Bell and places like Independence Hall, Philadelphia is rich with early American history. The city of Philadelphia is also the home of a top class collection of museums and cultural establishments.Philadelphia Fine Arts and Museums
The Philadelphia arts scene is made of history rich museums, fine arts destinations and contemporary arts museums and musical establishments, art galleries, performance venues and other cultural destinations. The epicenter of the fine arts in Philadelphia is popularly known as the Parkway Museum District, a 2.4 mile stretch that runs from Logan Square thru LOVE Park to the entrance to Fairmont Park. A wander along this grand boulevard takes one past the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, The Franklin Institute, Moore College of Art & Design, the Academy of Natural Sciences and the Rodin Museum, ending at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Natural history and the sciences, classical art and sculpture and modern art are all represented in the many important cultural destinations found in Philadelphia's Parkways Museum District.Modern Art in Philadelphia
The Philadelphia arts scene cannot be restricted to the Parkways District. The Arthur Ross Gallery and The Institute of Contemporary Art are both major examples of arts in Philadelphia. Other notable museums include the Penn Museum, the Philadelphia History Museum and the Wells Fargo Science Park. The city of Philadelphia is also home to a great variety of ethnic museums including The Polish American Cultural Center Museum, the American Swedish Historical Museum, the African American Museum, the National Museum of Jewish History and the Balch Institute for Ethnic Studies.Philadelphia Opera
Philadelphia's collection of museums alone would offer a visitor with several days worth of entertainment, but the cultural attractions aren't limited solely to museums. Philadelphia is a world class cultural destination and has high a quality of variety of activities. Fans of classical music and opera will enjoy classical performances at the Mann Center and The Opera Company of Philadelphia performing at the Kimmel Center. The city of Philadelphia boasts several other opera firms and locales also , including City Center Opera, ConcertOPERA Philadelphia, the Curtis Opera Theater and Temple University Opera Theater. The Walnut Street Theater offers live theater productions ofdramas, comedies, Broadway musicals and independent productions for all audiences.Philadelphia Local Art Scene
A number of schools call Philadelphia home including St. Joseph's University, Temple University, LaSalle University and Drexel University, among many others. The presence of so many educational institutions contributes mightily to the excitement, the "buzz" one feels all over the city. Fine arts in Philadelphia, additionally to all of the above, include a colorful music and coffeehouse scene, photo and art galleries scene, performing arts schools and locales. Philadelphia is also a regular stop on the lecture tour of outstanding speakers and performance artists.
About the Author:
Helen Georgette has had an interest in Philadelphia arts for several years. She has written op-eds and editorial pieces for many online publications, which can sometimes be seen here.