Things to Do in Philadelphia
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Local Treasures

Cool Places to Visit in Philadelphia - PART 12 of our series

If your last visit to an attraction in Philadelphia was your grade-school field trip, it's time to start rediscovering our lovely city that us locals tend to take for granted (us included). Here are some unique Philadelphia attractions to get you started!

Insectarium

8046 Frankford Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19136 (map it)

Insectarium Philadelphia

Have you ever seen a twelve inch walking stick or a metallic gold beetle? Now you can! Insectarium is the nation's largest insect museum! There are thousands of live and mounted insects, tons of interactive displays, a movie-room, fun stuff for kids and much more. Visit the Insectarium website >

Magic Gardens

1020 South Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147 (map it)

Magic Gardens Philadelphia

Philadelphia's Magic Gardens is a fully tiled indoor space and a massive outdoor mosaic sculpture garden created by Isaiah Zagar,  an award-winning mosaic mural artist whose work can be found on more than 200 public walls throughout the city of Philadelphia and around the world. Visit the Magic Gardens website >

Edgar Allan Poe House

532 N. 7th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19123 (map it)

Edgar Allen Poe House Tours

At the Edgar Allan Poe National Historic Site visitors can explore the rooms that Poe called home and discover why Poe considered his time in Philadelphia as the most productive years of his short literary career. The site includes the original home (unfurnished) where Poe lived as well as an adjoining home with exhibits. Visit the Edgar Allan Poe National Historic Site website >

Eastern State Penitentiary

2027 Fairmount Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19130 (map it)

Lehigh Valley Heritage Museum

Sure, you can get spooked at the Eastern State Penitentiary during their Halloween haunting, but a visit during a regular day will bring a REAL chill to your spine. This fascinating tour of one of the most famous prisons in the world is a must-have experience. Visit the Eastern State Penitentiary website >

The Mütter Museum

19 S 22nd Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103 (map it)

Bucks County Children's Museum

Skulls, tumors and gallstones , OH MY! The Mütter Museum unveils the mysteries and beauty of the human body with its beautifully preserved collections of anatomical specimens, models, and medical instruments in a nineteenth-century "cabinet museum" setting. The Museum has been featured on countless TV programs and specials and is the subject of two best-selling books. Visit the Mütter Museum website >

MORE LOCAL TREASURES:

Part 1
Carousel Village (Wrightstown)
Garden of Reflection (Yardley)
Raven Rock Bridge (Lumberville)
Ringing Rocks (Upper Black Eddy)
Grounds for Sculpture (Hamilton, NJ)
Part 2
Hortulus Farm (Wrightstown)
Red Mill Museum (Clinton, NJ)
America on Wheels (Allentown)
Hunterdon Arboretum (Lebanon)
Lost River Caverns (Hellertown)
Part 3
Northlandz (Flemington)
Black River RR (Flemington)
Elmwood Park Zoo (Norristown)
Howell Farm (Lambertville)
Audubon Center (Audubon)
Part 4
DaVinci Science Center (Allentown)
The Stoogeum (Ambler)
Washington Mem. Chapel (Valley Forge)
NJ State Museum (Trenton)
Wings of Freedom Aviation Museum (Horsham)
Part 5
Lights in the Parkway (Allentown)
Byers Choice Holiday (Chalfont)
Holiday Garden Railway (Philadelphia)
Brandywine Christmas (Chadds Ford)
Downtown Bethlehem (Bethlehem)
Longwood Gardens (Kennett Square)
Peddlers Village (Lahaska)
Part 6
Bucks County Playhouse (New Hope)
Trenton Fire Museum (Trenton)
Moravian Museum (Nazareth)
American Treasure Tour (Oaks)
Martin Guitar Factory (Nazareth)
Part 7
Barn Nature Center (Doylestown)
Greenshire Gardens (Quakertown)
Lockwood Gorge (Lebanon Twp, NJ)
Chanticleer Garden (Wayne)
Boyertown Museum (Boyertown)
Part 8
Canal Boat Ride (Easton)
Classic Car Museum (Pottsville)
Delaware Canal (Easton to Bristol)
Mack Trucks Museum (Allentown)
Sanderson Museum (Chadds Ford)
Part 9
Sculpture Park (Jenkintown)
Bowmans Hill Tower (New Hope)
Bowmans Hill Wildflowers (New Hope)
Delaware Valley Fire Museum (New Hope)
Morris Arboretum (Philadelphia)
Part 10
Halloween
Fall Season
Ghost Tours
Cemetery Tours
Apple Picking
Part 11
Lakota Wolf Preserve (Columbia, NJ)
Mt Airy Art Garage (Philadelphia)
The Highlands (Fort Washington)
LV Heritage Museum (Allentown)
Bucks Childrens Museum (New Hope)
Part 12
Insectarium (Philadelphia)
Magic Gardens (Philadelphia)
Edgar Allan Poe House (Philadelphia)
Eastern State Penitentiary (Philadelphia)
Mütter Museum (Philadelphia)