20 Places to Visit and Color
Jake Rose Illustrations by Various Artists
Color Philadelphia
Color Our Town COLORING BOOKS A celebration of the beauty and diversity of America’s Cities
Welcome to Philadelphia Filled with revolutionary flair and brotherly love, Philadelphia is the birthplace for the great American experiment of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
A place for people to explore their history Located at the epicenter of the Delaware River, this Cradle of Liberty is best known for its iconic landmarks such as the Liberty Bell, the LOVE Sculpture, and Elfreth's Alley. Cultural institutions like the Museum of the American Revolution, the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, the Franklin Institute, and the Philadelphia Museum of Art give amazing perspectives on American life and culture.
Genesis for the Greatest Nation While Philly is known for its gorgeous sights, it is best known as the town where the United States acquired its own unique identity. That distinctiveness rings especially true at Independence Hall, where both the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution were signed within these hallowed grounds. As you experience the grandeur and rich history of this city, try to envision what it truly means to be an American.
Photo by Mefman00
Photo by Tony the Misfit
1. Liberty Bell Bearing the message: "Proclaim Liberty Throughout All the Land Unto All the Inhabitants thereof", the Liberty Bell is one of America’s greatest symbols of liberty. Isaac Norris ordered a bell for Independence Hall’s tower in 1751 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Pennsylvania’s first constitution. When it cracked, John Pass and John Stow melted it down and casted a new one in 1753. It is this bell that summoned citizens in 1776 to hear the Declaration of Independence’s first public reading. In the early 1800s, abolitionists embraced the Bell an anti-slavery symbol. Though Anti-Slavery Record referred to the bell as Liberty Bell in 1835, that name was not adopted until George Lippard's 1847 story Ring, Grandfather, Ring. Now a global symbol, the bell's message of liberty is still relevant today.
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Photo by Carol M. Highsmith
2. Independence Hall Dedicating their blood, sweat, and tears to the pursuit of life, liberty, and happiness, 56 men gathered at the Pennsylvania State House in 1776 to declare their independence from King George III of England. In 1787, representatives from 12 states gathered to shape the U.S. Constitution and create one unified nation. Today, Independence Hall is an UNESCO World Heritage Site that is part of the U.S. National Park Service and an Independence National Historical Park. George Washington’s “rising sun” chair dominates the Assembly Room, which is arranged as it was during the Constitutional Convention. In the West Wing, the inkstand used to sign the Declaration of Independence and an original draft of the Constitution is displayed.
Photo by Difference engine
4. Pennsylvania Academy of The Fine Arts Founded by Charles Peale and William Rush in 1805, the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts is America's first school and museum of fine arts. Promoting the cultivation of the Fine Arts in the United States by exciting artists to invigorate the talents of its Citizens, PAFA’s collection explores the history of American art from the 1760s to today. Designed by Frank Furness and George Hewitt in 1876, PAFA’s Historic Victorian Gothic Building provides the museum with a marvelous setting for its collections, exhibits, and events. Designed by OLIN in 2011, Lenfest Plaza features Claes Oldenburg's Paint Torch and Jordan Griska's Grumman Greenhouse.
Photo by Smallbones
5. Love Sculpture The City of Brotherly Love’s best-known landmark is LOVE itself – the Robert Indiana sculpture in JFK Plaza. First produced as a painting in 1964, Indiana lent the city a large aluminum sculpture of his “love” image as part of the U.S. Bicentennial in 1976. Though Indiana had the LOVE sculpture moved to New York in 1978, its disappearance sparked a local media uproar. Thus, F. Eugene Dixon bought it for $35,000, donated it back to the City of Brotherly Love, and had them reinstall it in the Plaza, now lovingly referred to as LOVE Park. In 2018, LOVE returned to JFK plaza with a red, green, and purple color scheme. An iconic image synonymous with Philadelphia, the piece is almost as prevalent as the concept of love itself.
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6. Philadelphia Museum of Art With its renowned collection, the Philadelphia Museum of Art brings the arts to life, inspiring visitors through study to discover the spirit of imagination. Connecting people with the arts in varied ways, the Museum invites visitors to see the world through the beauty and power of the arts. Founded in 1876 at the Centennial Exhibition, the Museum opened its landmark building on Fairmount in 1928. As one of the nation's best places to see world-class art, the museum includes the world’s largest collection of Marcel Duchamp’s works and the United States’ finest collection of Auguste Rodin’s sculptures. However, the museum’s most beloved attractions lies outside its esteemed walls – the Rocky Statue and the “Rocky Steps”. Created by A. Thomas Schomberg in 1980, the Rocky Statue celebrates Philly's favorite celluloid son Rocky Balboa. Since 2006, the statue has been located at the bottom of the stairs at the Philadelphia Museum of Art’s east entrance – where Rocky made his trek up the 72 steps in the first Rocky movie.
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Photo by Becker1999
7. Philadelphia Zoo Founded by William Camac in 1874, Philadelphia Zoo is America's first zoo. Today, the Zoo educates visitors about conservation via the Zoo360 exploration trail system and the KidZooU children’s zoo and education center. Zoo360 delivers unparalleled animal interaction by giving animals greater freedom of movement while also providing guests with more direct access to see the animals. The KidZooU Children’s Zoo & Education Center has conservation stations, programs, and exhibits that shows visitors how saving energy and recycling can help save wildlife. A visit is not complete without seeing exhibits like KeyBank Big Cat Falls, Bear Country, Penn's Woodland Trail, PECO Primate Reserve, and McNeil Avian Center. The Zoo’s breeding programs serve as a safety net for species threatened with extinction in the wild. These conservation programs and modern animal exhibits make Philadelphia Zoo one of the world’s most renowned zoos.
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9. Boathouse Row Lining the Schuylkill River west of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, historic 19th-century boathouses outline one of the city’s loveliest views – Boathouse Row. From a single rower on a river in the morning to colorful races, rowers of all ages and skill levels flock to the Schuylkill River and Boathouse Row to practice, compete, learn, and explore rowing. Boathouse Row features a series of historic structures, starting with Fairmount Park’s recreation center, Lloyd Hall, and rowing clubs claiming the next 10 buildings all the way to the Sedgely Club. Each club is a member of the Schuylkill Navy of Philadelphia, America’s oldest amateur athletic governing body.
Photo by Chris6d
11. Citizens Bank Park Citizens Bank Park has been the illustrious home to the Philadelphia Phillies since 2004. Named after Phillies’ legend Richie Ashburn, Ashburn Alley features a Memory Lane of Phillies lore, along with batting and throwing games. Citizens Bank Park excels when it comes to food, as crab fries at Chickie and Pete’s, roast pork sandwiches at Tony Luke’s, and Schmitter cheesesteaks from Chestnut Hill’s McNally’s. One of the nation’s most kid-friendly ballparks, Citizens Bank Park also contains the Phanatic Fun Zone, where youngsters can enjoy the Major Leagues’ largest play area for kids. But that’s just the start, as kids can build their own Phanatic, participate in rock-climbing, and be engrossed with America's national pastime.
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12. Elfreth's Alley Nestled between Second Street and the Delaware River, Elfreth's Alley is made up of Federal and Georgian homes that stand as reminders of Philadelphia’s early days. As Philadelphia became a major city, artisans and merchants bought property near ports, which led to overcrowding. Thus, Arthur Wells and John Gilbert combined their properties to open Elfreth’s Alley in 1706. From the 1930s to 1960s, Dolly Ottey preserved the Alley as a colonial street through the Elfreth’s Alley Association. In 1966, the EAA secured National Historic Landmark status to ensure that Interstate 95 would not destroy Elfreth’s Alley. Today, Elfreth’s Alley is a great example of early American structures built between 1720 and 1830. A celebration of America’s working class that helped build this nation, the alley is still a thriving community that is home to artists, artisans, educators, entrepreneurs, and everything in-between.
Color Philadelphia is filled to the brim with the city's most iconic settings, like Boathouse Row, Love Park, Independence Hall, and the Liberty Bell, among many others.
Through its 20 beautiful illustrations and detailed descriptions, “Color Philadelphia” masterfully highlights what makes the City of Brotherly Love so special to its residents and visitors.