Center City District

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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.

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

Black Star Film Festival
August 2-6 | BlackStar creates the spaces and resources needed to uplift the work of Black, Brown and Indigenous artists working outside of the confines of genre. We do this by producing year-round programs including film screenings, exhibitions, an annual film festival, a filmmaker seminar, a film production lab, and a journal of visual culture.
Kimmel Cultural Campus, 300 S Broad Street Lightbox Film Center, 401 S Broad Street Suzanna Roberts Theatre, 480 S Broad Street

The Fabric Workshop and Museum: S ummer Programs
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.
Museum As… | Now-September 10 | This exhibit explores FWM origins and name, which can be misleading or confusing. Each exhibition, organized around a singular element in our name and drawing from FWM’s extensive collection.
Shopworks | Now-September 10 | This exhibit celebrates FWM’s history of collaborations that have resulted in the production and release of artist multiples. On view (and for sale) are limited edition artworks and objects that suggest a wide range of function, material playfulness, and potential for personal engagement that artists have brought to this program over the decades.

1214 Arch Street, 215.561.8888

Free Library of Philadelphia: Author Events
Ongoing | This author series features some of today’s most celebrated voices in the humanities and sciences. Programming is held throughout the year. Many of the programs are free and books will be for sale on-site. For more details, visit the Free Library's website.

Jake Tapper, All the Demons Are Here: a Thriller | July 11
Barbara Butcher, What the Dead Know: Learning About Life as a New York City Death Investigator with Kate White, Between Two Strangers | July 18
Wesley Lowery, American Whitelash: A Changing Nation and the Cost of Progress | July 20
Cristina García, Vanishing Maps: A Novel | July 26

Parkway Central Library, 1901 Vine Street, 215.567.4341

Red Rūm Theater: Summer Show Lineup
Welcome to Red Rum Theater, Philadelphia’s only event venue dedicated to the art of murder mystery! See below for some summer offerings.

Murder At The Moulin Rouge | Fridays, Saturdays & Sundays until August 27 | Join us in Paris where the Bohemian Revolution is taking place at the Moulin Rouge, a night club where rich and poor men come to be entertained by the high-kicking dancers, and murder is just one kick away.
Dirty Potter: Show and Quizzo | Wednesdays from June 28 to August 30 | Welcome to “The Two Swiffers,” the hottest spot in the wizarding world…if you’re a washed-up has-been, that is. Visit and enjoy drinks, Wizarding Quizzo, and a magical evening you won’t soon forget!
Who Cracked The Liberty Bell | Saturdays, July 1-August 26 | America just won its Independence from Great Britain and the new nation is abuzz with talk of liberty, but the old “State House Bell” has been CRACKED! Who could it have been? That’s up to you to find out!

601 Walnut Street, 267.994.1056

Experience Center City

Experience Center City

Experience Center City

Experience Center City

Experience Center City

Find Something to Explore

Happenings & Events

Getting Outdoors in CCD Parks This Summer