PROGRAM REGISTRATION: After you have your room assignment, come over to the Road Scholar desk in the lobby to register with the program staff and receive your Road Scholar arrival packet containing your name tag, up-to-date schedule, and other important information we will review during orientation.
ORIENTATION: 4:30pm. Check the hotel message board inside the elevator where you will see the name and floor of the meeting room where our group will gather.
The Program Coordinator will greet you with a warm welcome, introduce everyone, and provide key staff contact names and phone numbers. We will review the up-to-date daily schedule and any changes, discuss responsibilities, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer any questions you may have.
Please be aware that program activities and scheduled times could change due to weather or other local circumstances. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding.
LATE ARRIVALS: If you arrive after the orientation session has concluded, pick up your packet at the hotel front desk and proceed to The Balcony Café on the Mezzanine floor to join the group for dinner. If you are going to be significantly delayed for any reason, notify the administrator of Philadelphia Landmarks Road Scholar, Margaret Biddle, at 215-205-4480.Dinner: Dinner is in the Doubletree’s restaurant, Balcony, serving “classic comfort food” at center city's newest restaurant on the Avenue of the Arts overlooking the Academy of Music and the lights and sounds of Broad Street.Evening: PERFORMANCE: Curtis Institute of Music (3 blocks from hotel). There is a special focus on the Curtis in this program with several featured performances. One of the world's leading conservatories, the Curtis Institute on Rittenhouse Square educates and trains exceptionally gifted young musicians for careers as performing artists on the highest professional level. The recital series features performances of solo and chamber works in Field Concert Hall. Scheduled for this evening at 8:00pm: Beethoven Violin Sonatas — Sonata No. 1 in D major, Sonata No. 5 in F major (Spring), Sonata No. 9 in A major (Kreutzer).Lodging: Doubletree HotelMeals Included: Dinner
Margaret Biddle is the long-time administrator of Road Scholar’s programs in association with the Philadelphia Society for the Preservation of Landmarks. A knowledgeable native of the city active in numerous community projects, she is the Landmarks link to Philadelphia’s academic, cultural and tourism professionals and communities.Afternoon: PERFORMANCE: 12:45-1:45pm — Music at St. Mark’s. St. Mark’s Episcopal Church on Locust Street was founded in 1847 in the midst of an Anglican church revival of richness in liturgy, architecture, and music. The program will be announced closer to the date of the program. This is a free concert open to the public.Dinner: Dinner will be out at a local popular restaurant.Evening: PERFORMANCE: Curtis Institute of Music (3 blocks from hotel). The Curtis has produced outstanding performers such as Lang Lang, Sarah Chang, Anna Moffo, and many more. As part of our special focus on the Curtis, we will attend another excellent concert. The program scheduled for this evening features Beethoven’s Trio in D major, Op. 70, No. 1 (“Ghost”).Lodging: Doubletree HotelMeals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Following professional success in the pharmaceutical business, Dr. Barnes made his first art acquisitions and began to develop theories about how people look at and learn from art. In 1922, he established the Barnes Foundation. Both his art collection and educational theories grew and changed throughout the course of his life.
At the conclusion of the field trip, we will return to the hotel by bus.Lunch: Lunch is on your own today to enjoy the foods of your choice. You have a wide range of choices in the area.Afternoon: LECTURE: Introduction to Collections of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. The Museum is home to more than 227,000 objects, spanning the creative achievements of the Western world since the first century AD and those of Asia since the third millennium BC. The European holdings date from the Medieval era to the present, and the collection of arms and armor is the second largest in the United States. The American collections are among the finest in the country, as are the expanding collections of modern and contemporary art. In addition, the Museum houses encyclopedic holdings of costume and textiles as well as prints, drawings, and photographs that are displayed in rotation for reasons of preservationDinner: Dinner is in the hotel restaurant at 5:00pm in order to attend the pre-concert lecture at The Kimmel Performance Center on Bach and His BrandenburgsEvening: PERFORMANCE: 8:00pm. The Philadelphia Orchestra — Bach and His Brandenburgs. Conductor Nicholas McGegan leads the orchestra in four of Bach’s most sparkling and propulsive works. Virtuosic soloists are featured in these masterworks of the Baroque era including the famous "Air on the G String" from Bach's Third Orchestral Suite.Lodging: Doubletree HotelMeals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
FIELD TRIP: The Philadelphia Museum of Art. The Museum presents more than 25 exhibitions each year, ranging from comprehensive single-artist retrospectives to historical surveys to focused presentations that explore specific topics. Works of art from the Museum's collections, many not regularly on view, as well as masterpieces on loan from museums worldwide are featured in these installations.Lunch: Your free afternoon and evening begin with lunch on own at the conclusion of our field trip. The Museum itself offers a variety of dining options from a sit-down lunch to a sandwich or snack on the go, all by acclaimed restaurateur Stephen Starr’s catering group.Afternoon: FREE AFTERNOON: You may remain at the Museum if you wish, go exploring on your own, or return to the hotel at your leisure. Transportation is easily available from the museum to the hotel via public bus #32 or #38 or taxi (approx. $10 for up to 4 persons). City bus tour excursions also start at the museum.Dinner: Dinner is on your own this evening to enjoy the foods and restaurants of your choice.Evening: FREE EVENING: Take this evening to explore more of the city on your own, spend time with new friends, or simply relax in comfortable surroundings. If you wish to attend a concert or other event, we recommend that you make reservations prior to the program.Lodging: Doubletree HotelMeals Included: Breakfast
Please note that hotel check-out is by 12:00 Noon. Bags can be stored with the concierge until you leave.Morning: Morning lecture on Philadelphia Architecture at 9:30 - 11:00.Lunch: Our closing lunch is in the hotel. Share your favorite memories of the program with your new friends.
The program concludes with lunch. We hope you have enjoyed this experience of Philadelphia's "cultural pearls" and that you will return for other rewarding Road Scholar programs in the future. Best wishes for all your journeys!Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch