It was only a matter of time before the ducks would fly back east! Laugh, learn, and quack in this 70 minute land and sea adventure tour throughout Philadelphia. Crafted from a WWII DUKW, this amphibious vehicle provides a hilarious and musical journey guaranteed to leave you in feathers.

Your fearless captain will en-tour-tain you with stories of our rich history, our role in films and sports and of course, the food. Attractions include Independence Hall , the hippest street in town, South Street ,the Betsy Ross House and so much more.

Now ready for the best part? After spending 50 minutes on dry land, the duck takes you for a splash in the beautiful Delaware! See all of Philadelphia on this quacktaular adventure.

It is guaranteed fun for the whole family. So are you ready to shake your tailfeather?

To learn more and get tickets, stop by our visitor desk. And remember, we are now open till 6pm. We’re here to serve you.

With love XOXO

Philadelphia

Did you think Ben Franklin ever sported tights and a cape? Hmm. Could Mother Teresa fly? I would think not. But who says real heroes need a cape, or a costume, for that matter? They save the world with the tools everyone has… their head, their heart and their hands.

Some people have done amazing things with their liberty. What do you do with yours? The answers lie in the new exhibit- Heroes of Character at the National Liberty Museum .

In case you’ve never been, the National Liberty Museum is the home to heroes.
Only two blocks from the birthplace of Independence , you’ll find four floors with over 200 interactive exhibits and works of art that celebrate American democracy as a “work in progress.”

Armed with your own personal hero code, embark on four animated adventures including trekking through a jungle of decisions to help determine what you stand for. You can even take a photo with your favorite hero!

To learn much more about the exhibit and the museum itself, stop by our visitor desk. We’d love to chat with you.

With Love, Philadelphia
XOXO

Officially, spring doesn’t bloom till Saturday March 20th.

But try saying that to the thousands of people in town this week for the 2010 Philadelphia International Flower Show at the Pennsylvania Convention Center . Considered the largest indoor flower in the world, it’ll be quite easy to lose yourself in 10 acres of glorious gardens. This year’s theme, Passport to the World, is a journey around the globe, with breathtaking stops in India, Brazil, the Netherlands, South Africa, New Zealand and Singapore. With live performances, a bustling marketplace and a wine and spirits garden, you’ll forget there even was a winter!

Be sure to stop by our visitor desk for Flower Show tickets, restaurants reservations and even more ways to say goodbye to winter and hello to Spring. R

With Love, Philadelphia
XOXO

The 2010 Philadelphia International Flower Show
Now through March 7
PA Convention Center
Purchase tickets at the concierge desk!

As the saying goes, Rome wasn’t built in a day but neither was the United States. From the building of a republic down to the “bun” hairstyle, Ben Franklin certainly wasn’t crazy when he was pictured wearing a toga. We owe a great deal to the Romans as proclaimed in the world premiere exhibition“Ancient Rome & America”, debuting today at the National Constitution Center .

Featuring more than 300 artifacts from Italy and the United States, it begs to answer the question-What enduring lessons does Rome have for America today ? The similarities are frankly uncanny.
• Our use of myths/ heroes to develop society
• The Importance of the Census
• Dividing the republic into three branches of government and many more.

Highlights include: the very tea leaves collected from the Boston Tea Party, a playbill for “Our American Cousin”- the night Abraham Lincoln was assassinated, and signed letters by Abigail Adams to her husband John addressing herself as Portia- the wife of Brutus (the Senator opposed to Julius Caesar).

I’ve really only scratched the surface. For more information on this fascinating exhibit and to get tickets, click here . After all, when in Rome, do as the Romans.

Real Philly, Real Easy.

Ancient Rome & America
February 19- August 1, 2010
National Constitution Center
6th Arch Streets

The snow has ended and our streets are clear! And as the calendar states, we have a three- day holiday weekend on our hands! Valentine’s Day, President’s Day and the Chinese New Year all fall at the same time, which means a boatload of activities from which to choose from.

Here is what’s happening:

SATURDAY

• Loving on the Wild Side @ the Philadelphia Zoo
Spend Valentine’s Day at the Zoo! Take an up close and personal tour of the zoo and learn fascinating mating behaviors of everything from tigers to tortoises. Brunch and champagne toast are included in this “close encounter” on this lover’s weekend.

• Lunar New Year Celebration @ the Independence Seaport Museum
Ring in the Year of the Tiger with an afternoon full of cultural activities, crafts, demonstrations and performances. Children can learn how to make a Chinese Zodiac necklace, enjoy demonstrations of origami and see a live performance of the dragon dance.

• Ghost Tour of Philadelphia
Hold on tight what to goes bump in the night! The Ghost Tour of Philadelphia will be hosting special candlelight walking tours Valentine’s weekend, spinning tales of love, loss and betrayal about famous scoundrels and socialites from Philadelphia’s past.

• Chinese New Year Celebration in Chinatown
On Feb. 13 at 12 midnight, hundreds will line the streets of Chinatown to celebrate the start of the Chinese New Year! Firecrackers will be lit, lions will dance and dragons will awaken as we roar into the Year of the Tiger!

SUNDAY

• Paleopalooza
Paleopalooza is a three-day extravaganza of rare fossil displays, dinosaur art lessons, trilobite races, paleontology talks, games, crafts, and the chance to meet a famous dinosaur book illustrator. Time to get your fossil on!

• The Many Faces of George Washington @ the Second Bank
Celebrate George Washington’s Birthday with this special tour of the many portraits of Washington. The Portrait Gallery inside the Second Bank also features a portrait of Martha Washington and many friends and comrades. Join a park ranger to see the generals, diplomats and congressmen he knew.

• Love Letters “Love Train” Mural Tour
Spend this Valentine’s Day on an exclusive tour of the Love Letters campaign aboard the “Love Train”- a privately-chartered, festively-decorated Septa EL train moving at the speed of 5 m.p.h. With special guests, a champagne reception, and the “love train”, this will truly be a once in a lifetime experience! Join hands and start this love train!

• 76 Carriage Tour
Your carriage awaits! Enjoy a handsome cab ride through the cobblestone streets of Old City, the lavish homes of Society Hill and the rich history of Independence National Historic Park on this holiday of love. Tours will be available in the evening.

Stop in to the Independence Visitor Center and let our visitor staff customize an itinerary just for you!

And here is some more news to make you smile: Beginning immediately and ending Tuesday, Feb 15, there will free metered parking throughout the city, and generously discounted rates at certain Center City garages!! Find out more info here .

Real Philly, Real Easy.

The story of George Washington Carver goes far beyond peanuts. From a traveling school to the use of organic materials, Carver’s green ideas are the model of how society operates today.

Discover the amazing life of George Washington Carver at the Academy of Natural Sciences . On display till February 28, the exhibit follows his beginnings as a slave where a severe illness would unknowingly give him the chance to trade “men’s duties” for women’s work- aka, needle and thread to his contributions as a scientist harnessing the power of nature in order to better serve the poor.

Highlights include:

• More than a 150 of his personal artifacts: table cloths, artwork, agricultural bulletins including the famous 105 ways of growing and preparing the peanut for human consumption.

• A life-size reproduction of the horse drawn Jesup Wagon, Carver’s idea of a traveling school to bring his ideas to farmers in the field and homemakers in the home.

To learn more about Carver and to purchase tickets, check out our visitor page. Real Philly, Real Easy.

Don’t miss the final days of Skin and Bones: Tattoos in the Life of the American Sailor @ the Independence Seaport Museum.

This original exhibit created by the museum’s curator Craig Bruns features modern and traditional tattooing tools, a rich archive of photos behind the artists, their work, and even a “tattoo-tron” where you can get dear old mom tattooed on your forearm.

Believe me; you won’t feel a thing!

To purchase your tickets, click here
. The exhibit was extended to February and ends this Sunday, the 7th! Time to get inked!

Real Philly, Real easy.

Hard to believe that you are turning 304 years old! Why, you don’t even look a day over 200! Although your birthday isn’t technically till Sunday Jan 17th, we figured celebrating a few days earlier wouldn’t hurt.

Tomorrow, Friday, January 15, will be the city-wide celebration in your honor. The festivities begin at Franklin Hall (how appropriate!) with a free seminar exploring the concept of American Character featuring panelists from the University you founded!

We then continue with a procession that departs from the American Philosophical Society and ends up at Christ Church burial ground; hundreds of your admirers will be joining in the parade to give their respects!

A luncheon follows soon after with the Franklin Founder Award being given out toSheldon Hackney, Ph.D. But the celebration doesn’t end there…

At 9:00 am this Saturday, there will be a full breakfast buffet, and a few dozen of your closest friends, in our Liberty View Ballroom! There will be pictures taken, stories shared, and delicious food to be eaten.

For all the details about Ben’s birthday celebration, stop by our Visitor Desk. Real Philly, Real Easy.

On January 2nd, Betsy Ross will be celebrating her 258th birthday!

Boy, that’s a lot of candles. Enjoy storytelling from the birthday girl, balloon artists, craft making and of course, yummy birthday cake.

For more info about our most famous flagmaker, log on here

Betsy Ross Birthday Bash
Saturday Jan 2, 2010
11am - 3pm
239 Arch Street
215-686-1252

Can you believe that Jan 1, 2010 is a mere three days away? Before you know it, we would have celebrated a decade of historic happenings, cultural booms and new found traditions.

And rather than say goodbye to this banner year with just one set of fireworks, we have two!! Yes, beginning at 6pm and then again at 12midnight, spectators can enjoy this spectaular light show on our bustling waterfront known as Penns Landing.

Guaranteed to be filled with oohs and aahs, the only thing missing is you!!! Make sure to catch one or both displays but leave enough time for our Grand New Year’s celebration known as the Mummers!

Kicking off @ 10am Jan 1, on the corner of Broad & Washington, these costumed performers will dance, entertain, and certainly strut down to City Hall where we’ll have your tickets to the VIP seating

The Liberty Bell and the Independence Hall will be open for tours. 11am-4pm and beginning Jan 1, no timed tickets are required to visit Independence Hall.

We’ll be taking a break for the holiday but will return to see you on Saturday, Jan 2nd promptly at 8:30am.

Enjoy saying goodbye to 2009 but a happy hello to 2010, Philly style!