Twelve Gates Gallery specializes in contemporary South Asian art, and is the first of its kind in…read morethe Philadelphia area! With a strong focus on Pakistani and Indian art, gallery owners Atif Sheikh and Aisha Khan are dedicated to exhibiting artists with a reputation for unique work that follows in, as well as expands on, the rich history and culture of these countries. Establishing itself as one of Philadelphia's leading contemporary fine art gallery programs, Twelve Gates exhibits both local and international artists in a range of media. Through a unique and thought-provoking atmosphere the gallery aims to educate the community on contemporary South Asian art and culture. By holding artist talks, as well as panel discussions on the importance of collecting, the gallery will undoubtedly become a resource for any lover of art. Twelve Gates is sure to become a unique cultural center for the arts in Old City. I may be slightly biased since I intern here part time, but I can guarantee that you will encounter beautiful pieces of work within a gorgeous space. Aisha, one of the owners, is very friendly and personable, and occasionally her adorable young son is also in and around the gallery space, playing with his toy trucks in the back. They also feature some exquisite pieces of jewelry in very unique designs that are available for purchase in addition to all the art hanging on the walls. This is one gallery in Old City you must drop by - there's no other one like it!

The center city tour was great! Sandi was great!! We've been center city locals for five years and…read morewe wanted to learn about the murals around us. We hit a bunch of murals in 1.5 hours, and some of them I'd never seen! 10/10 tour service. 10/10 selection of tours. Reasonable cost for the tour. We'll be doing more!

Among other things, Philadelphia is a city of public art. I could not help but spot sculptures and…read morestatues here and there, but it was this particular mural - six stories tall - that really drove it home. There have been plans for an office/mixed use tower in the parking lot that faces this mural but for now, we have the opportunity to take it in entirely. Wow, there's some detail here and a story. If you're passing near, I suggest you stop and check this one out near 150 North Broad Street. [Review 18311 overall - 603 in Pennsylvania - 1833 of 2022.]

From the very moment you step through its doors, the art gallery leaves an indelible first…read moreimpression--charmingly adorned with an air of elegance and thoughtfully curated pieces that ignite contemplation. Events constantly take place, thankfully giving me reasons to come back and immerse myself again. I wait in anticipation every time, being able to enjoy the sheer beauty of these artworks, is a delight in itself. It's a realm where abstract portraits and contemporary local creations gracefully envelop the senses, one where local pieces allow one to immerse oneself in the beauty of life whilst supporting local artists. My review can't even begin to do justice to my love for Colonna Contemporary. Can't wait until the next event.

A fun time watching Temple basketball! The Liacouras Center is easy to get to by car or Septa…read more Parking lots and street parking are available. I parked about a block away. It is clean, has lots of bathrooms and has a small shop selling Temple gear. A few fun activities were happening in the concourse. Lots of fun with the cheer team and Hoot during the game too!

As far as venues go this one is clean and located near convenient parking. Its in the heart of the…read morenorth Philadelphia and while some may not feel comfortable, I felt completely safe. Service was also friendly. The downside is that staff seemed very clueless or appeared to be directing people one way throughout the comedy show I was attending. This caused many distractions in the setting area especially for those already watching the show.

I went for an event not a tour. It's sad when you at one point in life lived so close to such an…read morehistorical gem and had no idea this beauty existed. But maturity can drive a lot if change. I've always been a history buff but now I look for more things that peak my interest locally. On a search for 'mansions in Philadelphia' this mansion as many others in the area have interesting events. This event was unusual, view a movie in the Parlor. I didn't know what to expect but I really enjoyed myself. As for the portion of the house I could see, it was impressive. A house with lots good sized of rooms. Each room displayed pre and civil war era decor, As per the time heavy, dark and opulent. I found the staff inviting and edifying. I will ensure I visit again for other events and possibly the book club.

I saw a very reasonably priced tour for 4 people on Groupon and purchased it for myself and…read morefriends. While certainly a mansion, the home was much smaller than I was expecting. Our tour included 10 rooms: parlor, dining area, kitchen, library, mother's day room, mother's bed room, husband's bedroom, husband's bathroom, children's room, and billiards room. I've toured other family homes including the Ford Family estate in Grosse Pointe, MI (60 rooms) so I think I had different expectations.That's my own fault though for not researching more about the home. Note: you are unable to take photos inside the house, although this seems to be common practice when touring family homes. The house itself was an interesting piece of history and our tour guide was incredibly informed. Great quality, 5 stars. The reason the overall score is so low is because of my experience with the Executive Director. Very poor, 0 stars. I second Celic's comments of interacting with someone rude. My friends and I were waiting for her to process my Groupon payment, so I asked a couple of questions about the family while we waited at the bottom of the stairs. When Joan was in the middle of explaining, the director (who was in another room) snapped at me and said, "If you'd actually give Joan a chance to explain, she'll get to what you're wondering about. So hold your questions until the end." It is like she mistook asking a question as an insult to the quality of the tour instead of interest and excitement in what Joan was talking about. In case you're reading this- a more gracious way to handle this would be: 1) Explaining before the tour begins to hold questions until the end. 2) A reminder to come from THE TOUR GUIDE using language such as "That's a great question. And we're going to talk about that more when we enter the children's room. So let me know if you have any more unanswered questions about the family at that time." They have some interesting events that happen throughout the year - and I'm contemplating attending - but frankly the thought of having a possible negative interaction (again) with the director might be enough to keep me from spending more money here.

We enjoyed an inspiring and informative tour by Terry! She engaged us in discussion and answered…read moreall our questions.

I went to the Seaport museum to see a candlelight theater show…read more When you enter the building, you get a chance to spend time in the museum before going into the theater area. Everything was pretty interesting and very neatly presented. There was a parking garage that was pretty convenient on the way in. For about two hours, it was $33. Lots of traffic, leaving the garage due to the show ending and a stop light right outside.

Great museum for revolution era maritime history buffs. I really enjoyed seeing letters,…read moreartifacts, and models from the late 1700s. The self guided tour of the ship the Olympia was very cool, especially that you could walk around and check out much of the ship on your own. However, what I was really looking forward to was the tour of the WWII era submarine Becuna, which is why I went to the museum in the first place. Seeing the submarine itself was really cool but the guided tour had much to be desired. The tour guide pretty much memorized all her lines and had limited knowledge outside of her memorization. She avoided questions but when trapped with one, she would make up answers. Unlike most tour guides, it was clear that there was no passion for the subject rather, it was purely a job for a paycheck.

I visited the African American Museum in Philadelphia (AAMP) last weekend, when I was in Philly for…read morea day. I was there to see their current special exhibit but had plenty of time for a full visit. Let's start with the reason I was there - "Ruth E. Carter: Afrofuturism in Costume Design." It was a great exhibit on a fashion designer who created the designs for Sinners, Selma, Black Panther, Do the Right Thing, and many more movies, and who has won two Oscars for her costumes. The exhibit was made even better by the docent-led tours they offer. I learned a lot about the costumes from the docent at the museum! However, the exhibit takes place in Galleries 2, 3, and 4 - a majority of the museum's space. I had expected the museum to have a permanent collection and artifacts telling the story of Black Philadelphians, but I was disappointed to find that the museum doesn't have much of a permanent collection. I did find one room, part of the permanent exhibit "Audacious Freedom: African Americans in Philadelphia, 1776-1876," which consisted of a timeline of African American history with pictures. I didn't find the second room pictured on their website, part of the same permanent exhibit, which has 10 full-size video projections of trailblazers from 18th century Philadelphia. I saw a sign for the auditorium, but I didn't think to go see it. Usually, an auditorium is just an auditorium, used for special events or screenings. When I looked at their website later, I realized I had missed a temporary exhibit that was displayed in the auditorium: "Sailing to Freedom: Maritime Dimensions of the Underground Railroad." When I entered the museum, there was quite to line to buy tickets, so I didn't get much of an explanation when I entered about areas not to miss or where to go to see the temporary exhibits. Sadly, I did end up missing a bit in the museum when I visited. The exhibit was great. But I was sad to find that the museum doesn't have much of a permanent collection or a large permanent exhibit. I can certainly recommend visiting if there's an exhibit you're intrigued by. But I wouldn't visit if you're not interested in the temporary exhibit, because there's not much else to the museum!

This museum is small but beautifully curated. The exhibit on display were blacks in Philadelphia…read morehistory and Ruth E Carter costume designs for legendary movies. The first exhibit was interesting because four projectors were in the ceiling but weren't projecting images, I believe they were used for the sound of the narrative being presented. There was an interactive touch screen, wrap around timeline with information and images of different black people on the wall. On the second floor, Ruth E Carter's exhibit showcased the Black Panther costume collection along with Coming to America and LeBron James Fortnite costume.