Did you know? The Philadelphia Horticultural Society Flower Show will be on display at the Pennsylvania Convention Center from March 2 -10, 2013, and the best of Britain doesn’t end with the show's exquisite themed garden displays, on view for two full weekends for the first time ever. English culture remains alive and well across the Philadelphia region, with historic sites, top-notch museum collections, pubs, tearooms, theaters and sporting events. This season makes the perfect time to explore Philly’s British treasures, and the following are just a few places to start concerning history and art:
- Independence National Historical Park – Philadelphia’s history has long been intertwined with Britain’s. The Liberty Bell, Independence Hall and the many other historical sites that comprise this park are ground zero for the American struggle for independence from English rule in the 18th century and a fascinating area to tour for anyone interested in this dramatic historical period.5th & Chestnut Streets, (215) 965-1785, nps.gov/inde
- Cliveden of the National Trust – The official site of the Battle of Germantown,Clivedensheltered British troops from American revolutionary forces in 1777. Visitors can tour the house and property with its period furniture and decorative arts. Open April through January.6401 Germantown Avenue, (215) 848-1777, cliveden.org
- Valley Forge National Historical Park – No tour of local Revolutionary history would be complete without atrip to the site of the 1777-78 winter encampment of the Continental Army. Ranger-led tours and programs illuminate the park’s rich history.1400 N. Outer Line Drive, Valley Forge, (610) 783-1099, nps.gov/vafo/index.htm
- Philadelphia Museum of Art –Among the vast holdings here are thousands of objects of English origin, including silver, furniture, ceramics and a recreation of an 18th-century drawing room, plus works by notable British artists such as J.M.W. Turner. 26th Street & the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, (215) 763-8100, philamuseum.org
- Bartram’s Garden –Philly native John Bartram created a seed and plant exchange with the leading patrons in England and was appointed the Royal Botanist by King George III. His garden thrives today, with an 18th-century English ginkgo bilobo tree (thought to be the oldest in the North America) still on the premises.54th Street & Lindbergh Boulevard, (215) 729-5281, bartramsgarden.org
- Awbury Arboretum – The former Cope family estateis a 55-acre retreat in Germantown, with trails and gardens landscaped in the Romantic and Victorian English styles. Grounds are open year round from dawn to dusk and free to visitors. 1 Awbury Road, (215) 849-2855, awbury.org
- Shakespeare Memorial – Alexander Stirling Calder paid tribute to England’s national poet with his 1926 sculpture depicting Hamlet and the jester Touchstone at Logan Square on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. 19th Street at Logan Square
- Barnes Foundation – While the museumis perhaps best known for its French collections, it also houses a gorgeous sampling of English furniture and decorative objects from the 18th through the 20th centuries. 2025 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, (215) 278-7000, barnesfoundation.org
- Rosenbach Museum & Library – This archive and literary museum proudly holds an impressive collection of literature from the British Isles, including two 15th-century manuscripts of Chaucers’ Canterbury Tales, more than 450 books and pamphlets by Daniel Defoe, an extensive Lewis Carroll collection, a Dickens manuscript parodying Shakespeare and more. 2008-2010 Delancey Place, (215) 732-1600, rosenbach.org
