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

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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

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Barnes Foundation

  • PECO Free First Sunday Family Day | First Sunday of every month | 10 a.m.- 5 p.m.
    This event offers no-cost admission to the collection galleries as well as an array of family-friendly activities, including arts and crafts, musical performances, and interactive workshops.
  • First Friday! | First Friday of every month | 6-9 p.m.
    Enjoy an evening of art, live music, cocktails, and light fare at our monthly First Friday mixer. First Friday at the Barnes includes access to the collection galleries.

2025 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy, 215.278.7000

CCD Parks: Fall Events
September-October | CCD is ushering in the season with continuous outdoor entertainment in Dilworth Park and Sister Cities Park. Activities for families, fitness classes and Harvest Weekend mark 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: Fall 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

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The Fabric Workshop and Museum
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. 

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

 

Fergies's Pub: Pop Up Play in a Pub
Fergie's Pub and Inis Nua Theatre will transport you to a pub in Edinburgh with the return and expansion of Pop Up Play in a Pub. This unique experience serves up the ultimate trifecta, with a handmade British pie, a cold pint and a side of raucously funny theatre. All for one inexpensive ticket price!

  • September 6-17 |10 Dates with Mad Mary
  • November 8-19 | Madame Ovary
     

1214 Sansom Street, 215.454.9776

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Ladder 15: Ladder Laughs                                                 Mondays | Every Single Monday, Ladder Laughs will be bringing a Fresh lineup of Amazing Comedians, to the historic Ladder 15 in Center City. Come grab a drink, try some delicious food, and enjoy some FREE and Hilarious entertainment in a refurbished former Fire House for the Philadelphia Fire Department!              1528 Sansom St, 215.964.9755

Lantern Theater Company: TARTUFFE                                              Septemeber 7 - October 8 | Prim and devout Orgon invites Tartuffe, a charlatan par excellence, into his bourgeois household, laying the scene for equal parts domestic disruption and social outrage. Banned for decades by civil and religious authorities who found the play too close for comfort, this masterpiece from perhaps the most beloved comic playwright of all time is a searing and hilarious study in how we collaborate in our own deception.                                                                      923 Ludlow St, 215.829.0395

Opera Philadelphia: Festival O23
September 21-October 1 | Explore the offerings of the fifth iteration of Opera Philadelphia’s annual, season-opening Festival O, which brings a star-studded lineup of live performances to multiple venues in the city.

Philadelphia Museum of Art: Friday Lounge Series
Fridays | 5:00–8:30 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 Pkwy, 215.763.8100

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PhotoLounge: Depth of Field Exhibition
Now-Septemeber 30 | Philadelphia Sculptors and the PL130 Gallery at PhotoLounge present Depth of Field, a unique exhibition of artworks that combine photography with sculpture. On view from August 7 - September 30, 2023, at PhotoLounge in Philadelphia, PA, the exhibition celebrates the unexpected and the irreverent as artists display original ways of connecting the two disciplines. A free public reception will take place on Friday, September 8, 2023, from 6-9 pm
130 S 17th St, 267.322.6651

Walnut Street Theatre

  • Walnut $30 Under 40 |Ongoing
    As a member of Walnut Street Theatre's (WST) $30 Under 40 program, you’ll get a full evening of entertainment for only $30! You can buy a pair of $30 tickets for you and a friend to every Walnut Street Theatre show. Plus, you’ll be invited to exclusive post-show parties on select nights where you’ll enjoy meeting the artists while mingling with other $30 Under 40 members. And the best part... It's free and easy to join!
     
  • Elvis – A Musical Revolution | October 3-November 5
    This exciting new musical celebrates the cultural icon who changed the history of music. Experience Elvis’ pivotal moments with those who knew him best. You’ll be “All Shook Up,” with dozens of his greatest hits including “Hound Dog,” “Heartbreak Hotel,” and “Are You Lonesome Tonight?” Don’t miss ‘The King’ as you have never seen him before!

825 Walnut Street, 215.574.3550

CCD Parks

FALL-ing in Love with CCD Parks This Autumn