Neighborhoods CHINATOWN/CONVENTION CENTER DISTRICT (CENTER CITY) Photo by S. Spitzer for the PHLCVB ANCHORED BY THE PENNSYLVANIA CONVENTION CENTER, THIS BUSTLING DISTRICT IS WHERE CULTURE, COLLABORATION AND COMMERCE CONVERGE. DO: Take the City Hall Tower Tour and get a panoramic view of Philadelphia from 548 feet above ground. Tour the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts , the oldest art museum and art school in the nation. Walk under the Friendship Gate , a gift from Philadelphia’s sister city of Tianjin, which welcomes visitors to Chinatown . Visit the free Fabric Workshop and Museum , a modern-art exhibition space whose unique artist-in-residence program results in one-of-a-kind collaborations with internationally renowned artists. DINE: Satisfy just about any craving at the historic Reading Terminal Market , home to more than 80 independent vendors and 30 eateries. Grab a drink at McGillin’s Olde Ale House — the city’s oldest continuously operating tavern — or settle in for an evening of live jazz at Chris’ Jazz Café . Savor the best duck in the city in Chinatown’s local favorite, Sang Kee Peking Duck House . Friendship Gate RITTENHOUSE SQUARE A EUROPEAN-LIKE SQUARE IN THE MIDDLE OF PHILADELPHIA, RITTENHOUSE SQUARE IS KNOWN FOR ITS PICTURESQUE PARK, UPSCALE SHOPPING AND AL FRESCO DINING. DO: Home to a collection of more than 25,000 medical specimens and instruments, the iconic Mütter Museum is dedicated to displaying fascinating discoveries about the human body. The Rosenbach Museum holds a private collection of noted rare books, including the only surviving copy of Benjamin Franklin’s first “Poor Richard’s Almanack” and Bram Stoker’s notes for “Dracula.” For late-night fun, reserve an Olympic-grade ping-pong table at SPIN Philadelphia , a ping-pong social club. DINE: Enjoy a Parisian brasserie experience at Parc , complete with outdoor seating along the square. Chef Amanda Shulman’s Her Place Supper Club is like a dinner party with an ever-changing menu of Italian and French fare. Gran Caffè L ’Aquila serves authentic Italian delicacies from a building moved here from Italy. Photo by M. Frischetti for Visit Philadelphia™ Rittenhouse Square 22 | DiscoverPHL.com
Philadelphia Official Visitors Guide FALL 2023 / WINTER 2024: Page 22
