Devote at least an entire day to exploring the Parkway Museum District, a tree-lined boulevard with lots of cultural and educational attractions. The scenic area is also known as the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, and it extends for 1 mile (1.6 kilometers) from City Hall to the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Stroll along the broad avenue and explore the many places of interest along the way.
Start with a guided tour of the monumental City Hall, an impressive-looking structure covered in statues. It lays claim to being the largest municipal building in the United States.
Tour the crumbling cellblocks and other buildings of the Eastern State Penitentiary, which once held notorious criminals such as Al Capone. Visit the gangster's cell, which has been re-created with smart furnishings and other luxuries he would've enjoyed.
Browse the Rodin Museum, home to more than 100 bronze, marble and plaster sculptures by 19th- and 20th-century French sculptor Auguste Rodin. Further creative works await at the mid 19th-century Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul. These include mosaics depicting the church's role in Pennsylvania history.
Study the artistic treasures of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Follow in the footsteps of Sylvester Stallone's Rocky by running up the museum's steps just as the eponymous character did in the first movie. At the bottom of the steps is a statue of the fictional boxer which was created forRocky III.
Afterward, unwind in Fairmount Park, where the Museum of Art is located. Enjoy more than 2,000 acres (809 hectares) of woodlands, wetlands, trails, public art and Colonial-era mansions. Stroll through the massive urban oasis and stop by the 19th-century Memorial Hall which hosts the Please Touch Museum, an interactive museum for children.
Other highlights of the parkway include the Holocaust Memorial and the Franklin Institute, a science and technology museum with interactive exhibits and a planetarium.
The Parkway Museum District is located in the center of Philadelphia, and consequently, there is limited parking in the area. Therefore consider the easier option of coming by public transportation.
