Signature City Philadelphia

Program Registration: 4:00 p.m. After you check in and have your room assignment, join us at the Road Scholar table in the lobby to register with the program staff, get any updated information, and confirm the time and location of the Orientation session. If you arrive late, please locate your Group Leader and let them know you have arrived. Orientation: 4:30 p.m. The Group Leader will greet everyone and lead introductions. We will review the up-to-date program schedule, discuss roles and responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer questions. Periods in the schedule designated as “Free time” and “At leisure” offer opportunities to do what you like and make your experience even more meaningful and memorable according to your personal preferences. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Program activities, schedules, personnel, and indicated distances or times may change due to local circumstances/conditions. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding.

At a Restaurant close to the Hotel. If arriving late, please email Lauren Kain for information. lkain@philalandmarks.org

Benjamin Franklin welcomes you to Philadelphia!

At the hotel.

We will board our motorcoach ride ten blocks to the Colonial City, America’s most historic square mile. We begin our day with a self-directed exploration of the Museum of The American Revolution. The impressive collection includes several thousand objects from works of art and manuscripts to printed works from the period of the American Revolution. There are also objects that span the scope of the war from British, French, and American arms used in battles to a soldier’s wooden canteen branded “UStates” — at a time when the phrase was merely an aspiration. The genesis began more than a century ago when a history-minded minister in Valley Forge raised funds from around the nation to purchase the original tent George Washington used as his command center during the revolutionary war. It was the beginning of a rich and diverse collection that continues to grow.

At the Museum of the American Revolution, we will have vouchers provided.

After lunch we will depart by foot for a field trip to the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall. These are national treasures and icons of American democracy. The old cracked bell still proclaims “Liberty” and Independence Hall echoes the words “We the People.” As we explore what has been called Ben Franklin’s Philadelphia, we’ll learn about America’s past and continuing struggle to fulfill the Founders’ Declaration that “all men are created equal.”

At a nearby restaurant.

At leisure.

At the hotel.

For our next field trip, we will board a motorcoach with an educator and ride to the Historic District of Philadelphia— Old City — and explore Elfreth’s Alley, Arch Street Meeting House, Christ Church, & The Powel House. We will be on/off a motorcoach throughout the morning.

At a local restaurant

After lunch we'll then board a motorcoach with an educator for a ride through the city to learn more about its history and culture.

At a nearby restaurant.

Returning to the hotel, the remainder of the evening is at leisure.

At the hotel.

We will be joined by a local historian who will give us a presentation on 18th Century Philadelphia history and the story of our Founding Fathers. After the lecture, we will ride to the National Constitution Center. The National Constitution Center’s permanent exhibition — The Story of We the People — traces development of the Constitution, its history, and contemporary relevance through more than 100 multimedia exhibits, film, photographs, text, sculpture, and artifacts. It also features a powerful, award-winning theatrical performance we will see, “Freedom Rising,” and Signers’ Hall with 42 life-size, bronze statues of the Founding Fathers. We’ll learn more about the three branches of our government as we explore giant models of the Capitol, White House, and Supreme Court. The movie will lead us through an entertaining look at the buildings, the people who work in them, and the checks and balances of our government.

This meal has been excluded from the program cost and is on your own to have what you like. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.

Free time. This period of time has been set aside for your personal independent exploration to see and do what interests you most. Please refer to the list of Free Time Opportunities. An optional transfer from the National Constitution Center will be offered at 2:00pm for those who wish to return to the hotel. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions as well as restaurant ideas for tonight’s dinner. Please note that the period scheduled for free time is subject to change depending on local circumstances and opportunities for independent exploration.

On your own to have what you like. Dine with new friends and perhaps explore a new neighborhood or cuisine.

At leisure. You might like to attend a performance of theater or music (as available), see more of the city on your own, or simply relax.

At the hotel.

Our lecture this morning will focus on the city’s built history through architecture. After the lecture we will set out on a walking field trip The Reading Terminal via Philadelphia's City Hall and the Masonic Temple near our hotel. We will gain an appreciation for the outstanding 19th Century architecture for which Philadelphia is famous. City Hall, in the elaborate French Second Empire style, is the largest municipal building in the world.

On your own at Reading Terminal Market, a short walk from City Hall.

We will travel by bus to the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Our educator will introduce some of the highlights of its incomparable galleries. Among the greatest in the U.S., the Museum has a collection of more than 227,000 works of art spanning the creative achievements of the Western world since the first century CE and those of Asia since the third millennium BCE. Its European holdings date from the Medieval era to the present, and the American collections are among the finest in the country. Following the expert-led exploration, we will have some independent time to see what interests each of us most.

At The Victor Cafe. Share favorite experiences with new Road Scholar friends during our farewell dinner.

This evening we will dine at The Victor Café, “Music Lover’s Rendezvous.” For over 100 years the Victor Cafe has cultivated old traditions and established new ones. In 1979, an Opera student working at The Victor Café between singing engagements sang for his customers and another tradition was born. Enjoy Opera while you dine tonight! Returning to the hotel, prepare for check-out and departure after our closing lecture in the morning.

At the hotel.

At the hotel, an instructor will lecture on the Tale of Two Cities. This concludes our program. If you are returning home, safe travels. If you are staying on independently, have a wonderful time. If you are transferring to another Road Scholar program, detailed instructions are included in your Information Packet for that program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Don’t forget to join our Facebook page and follow us on Instagram. Best wishes for all your journeys!