Philadelphia and the Countryside - Press Room

Explore the gophila.com Visitor Site

Releases: Expanded View

Feb 23 2009

Travel The World—Right In Philadelphia

Cézanne, Galileo, Riverdance And More Make Philly A Global City This Year

Those not planning an expensive trip across the Atlantic this year can spend a few days in Philadelphia—for a fraction of the cost but all of the fun. They can soak up art exhibitions and performances that will have them thinking they’re strolling along the Avenue des Champs-Élysées in Paris, explore the boot-shaped peninsula of Italy and discover the cultural gems of Ireland and England. Here are a few Philly events that will transport visitors around the globe this year:

France:

  • Including approximately 35 paintings and sculptures, Henri Matisse and Modern Art on the French Riviera at the Philadelphia Museum of Art’s Perelman Building celebrates the French Riviera’s mythic allure for modern artists. Museum-goers experience the dazzling optical effects of the sun-drenched coastline—all without leaving the country. Through November 1, 2009. Fairmount & Pennsylvania Avenues, (215) 763-8100, philamuseum.org
  • Making its exclusive world appearance at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Cézanne and Beyond brings together 150 works, including 40 paintings and 20 drawings by Cézanne and many more paintings, drawings, photographs and sculptures by 18 other masters from succeeding generations. As they walk through the exhibition, visitors can see how the icon influenced the next generation of artists and how he continues to serve as a touchstone for artists today. February 26-May 31, 2009. 26th Street & the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, (215) 763-8100, philamuseum.org
  • Also at the Philadelphia Museum of Art’s Perelman Building, Shopping in Paris compares American fashions, spanning from 1850 through World War I, to the French luxury designers like Lanvin and House of Worth that inspired them. April 11-September 2009. Fairmount & Pennsylvania Avenues, (215) 763-8100, philamuseum.org
  • This season, The Philadelphia Orchestra launches its multi-season exploration of the works of French master Hector Berlioz with an all-star performance of the composer’s The Damnation of Faust, led by renowned conductor Simon Rattle, at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts. April 29 and May 2, 2009. Broad & Spruce Streets, (215) 893-1999, kimmelcenter.org

Italy:

  • Green thumbs and admirers of buds, blooms and all-things green can check out the Philadelphia Flower Show. This year’s theme, “Bella Italia,” celebrates the natural beauty, art, food, music and people of Italy through elaborate displays, operatic performances, strolling mandolin players, folk dancers and costumed actors. The world’s oldest and largest indoor flower show, the event features top-of-the-line horticulture and landscape design, entertainment and more than 150 vendors at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. March 1-8, 2009. 12th & Arch Streets, (215) 988-8800, theflowershow.com
  • During the International Year of Astronomy, The Franklin Institute Science Museum is the only stop in the world for Galileo, The Medici and The Age of Astronomy, a special exhibition that explores the contributions of Galileo, as well as that of other luminaries during the age of the Medicis. Highlights include one of only two existing Galileo telescopes. April 4-September 7, 2009. 222 N. 20th Street, (215) 448-1200, fi.edu

Ireland:

  • The Kimmel Center’s Innovation Studio presents The Irish…And How They Got That Way, an irreverent but affectionate history of the Irish in America that mingles laughter and sentiment in a tapestry of classical songs and stories as told by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Frank McCourt. March 5-29, 2009. Broad & Spruce Streets, (215) 893-1999, kimmelcenter.org
  • A thunderous celebration of Irish music, song and dance that has tapped its way onto the world stage, Riverdance plays eight farewell performances at the Academy of Music. March 31-April 5, 2009. 240 S. Broad Street, (215) 893-1999, kimmelcenter.org
  • The Rosenbach Museum & Library commemorates Bloomsday, the day on which novel hero Leopold Bloom made his “odyssey” through Dublin in Ulysses, with special events that bring the novel to life. June 16, 2009. 2008 Delancey Place, (215) 732-1600, rosenbach.org

England:

  • The University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology leads the year-long celebration honoring the birthday bicentennial of Englishman Charles Darwin with its innovative exhibition Surviving: The Body of Evidence. Visitors see how evolution impacts their daily lives. Through May 3, 2009. 3260 South Street, (215) 898-4000, museum.upenn.edu
  • How much William Shakespeare can a theater company pack into one play? The Philadelphia Shakespeare Theatre attempts to find out with its hilarious show entitled The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged). Inspired by Monty Python, Bugs Bunny and Shakespeare himself and with audience participation throughout, the rollercoaster performance is sure to be one to remember. March 27-May 10, 2009. 2111 Sansom Street, (215) 496-8001, phillyshakespeare.org

A Celebration Of Cultures:

  • Jugglers, folk singers, puppeteers and acrobats from around the world delight young audiences during the 25th annual Philadelphia International Children’s Festival at the Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts. April 29-May 2, 2009. 3680 Walnut Street, (215) 898-3900, pennpresents.org
  • Throughout the summer, the PECO Multicultural Series at Penn’s Landing’s Great Plaza celebrates the diverse cultures that make Philadelphia a distinct city. June-September 2009. Great Plaza, Columbus Boulevard at Chestnut Street, (215) 922-2FUN, delawareriverwaterfrontcorp.com

The Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) makes Philadelphia and The Countryside® a premier destination through marketing and image building that increases business and promotes the region’s vitality.

For more information about travel to Philadelphia, visit gophila.com or uwishunu.com, where you can build itineraries; search event calendars; see photos and videos; view interactive maps; sign up for newsletters; listen to HearPhilly, an online radio station about what to see and do in the region; book hotel reservations and more. Or, call the Independence Visitor Center, located in Historic Philadelphia, at (800) 537-7676.

Contact(s):
  • Bookmark
  • E-mail

Attached Media

Ruth and Raymond G. Perelman Building

Ruth and Raymond G. Perelman Building

Dramatic lighting highlights the Art Deco architecture of the Ruth and Raymond G. Perelman Building, the Philadelphia Museum of Art’s new annex. The 59,000-square foot addition houses an education center, archives, a library, a café and several galleries to exhibit the museum’s vast fashion and textile collections....

Credit: Photo by G. Widman for GPTMC

Tags: Architecture, Arts & Culture, Museums & Attractions

Philadelphia Museum of Art

Philadelphia Museum of Art

From the Schuylkill River, the Philadelphia Museum of Art rises majestically at the end of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. Constructed of Minnesota Dolomite and completed in 1928, the museum covers 10 acres and houses more than 300,000 works spanning 2,000 years....

Credit: Photo by B. Krist for GPTMC

Tags: Architecture, Arts & Culture, Icons, Museums & Attractions

Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts

Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts

The $265 million Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, a soaring, glass-enclosed facility on the Avenue of the Arts is home to The Philadelphia Orchestra, Peter Nero and the Philly Pops®, Philadanco, The Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia, The Philadelphia Chamber Music Society and American Theater Arts for Youth....

Credit: Photo by B. Krist for GPTMC

Tags: Architecture, Music, Performing Arts, Theaters

Philadelphia Flower Show

Philadelphia Flower Show

The Philadelphia Flower Show, held annually at the Pennsylvania Convention Center every March, is the world’s largest indoor flower show....

Credit: Photo by K. Ciappa for GPTMC

Tags: Events, Parks & Gardens, Spring

The Franklin Institute

The Franklin Institute

The Franklin Institute, the oldest organization in the United States devoted to the study and promotion of mechanical arts and applied sciences, houses an interactive museum of science and technology....

Credit: Photo by K. Ciappa for GPTMC

Tags: Family-friendly, Museums & Attractions

Academy of Music

Academy of Music

Modeled after Milan’s La Scala opera house, Philadelphia’s 1865 Academy of Music is a performing and architectural landmark on the Avenue of the Arts (Broad Street) and is home to the Opera Company of Philadelphia and Pennsylvania Ballet....

Credit: Photo by B. Krist for GPTMC

Tags: Architecture, Music, Performing Arts, Theaters

University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology

University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology

The Lower Egyptian gallery of the world-renowned University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology in Philadelphia counts the 12-ton granite Sphinx of Ramesses II among its treasures....

Credit: Photo by B. Krist for GPTMC

Tags: History, Museums & Attractions

Philadelphia International Children’s Festival

Philadelphia International Children’s Festival

Colorful street performers, including jugglers, storytellers and musicians, perform outdoors at the Philadelphia International Children’s Festival, an annual event each May at the University of Pennsylvania....

Credit: Photo by L. Wuillermin for GPTMC

Tags: Events, Family-friendly, Multicultural, Spring

Hispanic Fiesta, Penn’s Landing

Hispanic Fiesta, Penn’s Landing

The Hispanic Fiesta, held annually each summer, is part of Penn’s Landing’s PECO Multicultural Series....

Credit: Photo by R. Kennedy for GPTMC

Tags: Events, Hispanic, Multicultural, Summer