President’s House, Jewish Museum & Cleopatra Take Philadelphia Visitors From Ancient Egypt To Present Day

 TWO NEW ATTRACTIONS AND A ROYAL EXHIBITION MAKE PHILADELPHIA EVEN MORE HISTORIC THIS FALL

PHILADELPHIA, September 1, 2010 – America’s story continues to unfold in Historic Philadelphia with the openings of the President’s House Commemorative Site and the National Museum of American Jewish History this fall. Located next to two of our nation’s most prominent symbols of freedom—the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall—the President’s House reveals the contradiction of slavery in the new nation, while the National Museum of American Jewish History tells the story of American Jews from 1654 through the present day and includes a variety of interactive experiences, including one that invites visitors to make their own story part of the museum’s permanent collection. Telling her own story through a free audio guide, the queen herself guides visitors through the world-premiere Cleopatra: The Search for the Last Queen of Egypt at The Franklin Institute science museum.

With so much to explore during their trips, fall-loving visitors will want to stay over, especially since visitphilly.com makes it so easy and affordable to book a trip. On the site, they can choose from 50 hotel packages—all of which include valuable and fun offers like tours, spa treatments or breakfast. One popular deal is the two-night Philly Overnight^® Hotel Package, complete with free hotel parking and available at more than 30 hotels throughout the region. The packages are bookable online at visitphilly.com or by calling the hotel directly.

Autumn Openings:

• Fall 2010 in Philadelphia will be one for the history books thanks to the scheduled ribbon cutting on the much-anticipated President’s House Commemorative Site. The Independence National Historical Park site will be open around the clock so that visitors can see the exposed underground remains of the home where Presidents Washington and Adams lived during their terms. Through interpretive panels, videos and a spot for silent reflection, the site recognizes the nine enslaved people who served the first president as he led the young country in its pursuit of freedom and equality. 6^th & Market Streets, (215) 597-0060, phila.gov/presidentshouse
• When the new National Museum of American Jewish History opens in November, visitors to Independence Mall will notice a striking glass façade reflecting the accessibility of the museum, the open nature of America and the perennial fragility of democracy. Inside, intriguing permanent and changing exhibitions, rare artifacts and interactive displays will mark the trials and triumphs of American Jews through every phase of our country’s history. The 100,000-square-foot, five-story museum welcomes all people, inviting them to discover what they have in common with the Jewish experience in America and explore the features that make their history distinct. 101 S. Independence Mall East, (215) 923-3811, nmajh.org

Exciting Exhibitions:

·         Inside the world-premiere Cleopatra: The Search for the Last Queen of Egypt at The Franklin Institute, 140 artifacts and multimedia features transport visitors from modern-day Philadelphia to ancient Egypt, where the elusive queen ruled as the last Pharaoh before the Romans took power. While her body and much of the evidence of her life were lost in the sands and waters of Egypt, her fascinating story—her rule, the opposition to her throne and her legendary romances with Julius Caesar and Mark Antony—remains. Through January 2. 222 N. 20^th Street, (215) 448-1200, fi.edu

·         Art of the American Soldier kicks off its national tour in Philadelphia at the National Constitution Center—a museum dedicated to exploring the U.S. Constitution. Through nearly 300 never-before-seen paintings and sketches created by men and women in the line of duty, the exhibition offers intimate, first-hand insight into the life of an American soldier. September 24-January 10. 525 Arch Street, (215) 409-6700, constitutioncenter.org

·         One of just a handful of female characters that emerged from the American Revolution, Betsy Ross stitched her way into the fabric of our nation. Betsy Ross: The Life Behind the Legend at Delaware’s Winterthur Museum & Country Estate examines her roles of wife, mother, upholsterer and icon, and it includes flags from private and public collections. October 2, 2010-January 2, 2011. 5105 Kennett Pike (Route 52), Winterthur, (302) 888-4600,[Back to Press Releases Main]