Looking ahead to America’s 250th birthday celebration in Philadelphia
As Fourth of July celebrations wind down for 2025, Philadelphia is already gearing up for next year’s party, commemorating America’s 250th birthday. Watch the video here.
A generation of Americans never learned cursive. So Philly historians are teaching AI to transcribe it.
The American Philosophical Society in Old City is using AI to transcribe thousands of Revolutionary-era documents. The decline of formal penmanship has no doubt pained old-fashioned letter writers everywhere, but it poses a particular threat to Philadelphia historians. Those humble servants of 18th-century antiquary tasked with preserving and interpreting the private musings and public pronouncements […]
Are you ready for Philly boot camp? Philly is recruiting 10,000 ‘Phambassadors’ for America’s 250th birthday
Phambassadors’ will serve as trained Philly champions, advocates and storytellers ahead of America’s 250th birthday in 2026 Are you ready for Philly boot camp? Are you Philly proud enough to withstand the rigors of one, five-hour session learning Philadelphia fun facts and hidden histories, playing Philly-themed Quizzo, and enjoying a happy hour at a Historic […]
Forget Boston. Philly was where the Revolutionary War really went down.
The American Philosophical Society’s new exhibit for the 250th birthday of America documents daily life in Philadelphia during the fevered days of the Revolutionary War. Boston may have lit the fuse, but Philly is where the Revolution really went down. Caught in the middle of all the fury and foment were roughly 40,000 everyday Philadelphians […]
Philly will host TED Talks with national speakers ahead of 250th anniversary celebration in 2026
Programming starts this summer to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence and leads up to 2026. TED, the nonprofit known for its inspirational talks, is coming to Philadelphia with a series of programs to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, city and state officials announced Tuesday […]
Move over, July 4: Philly’s planning a new celebration on the real independence day
A brand-new family-oriented patriotic celebration with a parade, free concerts, restaurant deals and extended museum hours is coming to Old City this year — just a couple days before Philly’s traditional Independence Day festivities. The neighborhood’s cultural and tourist organizations have banded together to create what they’re calling the inaugural Red, White & Blue To-Do […]
A Children’s World Fair may be the next big thing coming to Philadelphia
A really big year for Philadelphia may get even bigger if three of the city’s most-loved institutions have their way. The Please Touch Museum, the Philadelphia Zoo, and the Mann Center for the Performing Arts have partnered to explore the possibility of a Children’s World Fair in 2026. Not only is that the year of […]
Historic District museums and businesses launch new summer event ahead of 2026
Historic Philadelphia and museums and businesses throughout Old City will debut a new event this summer that aims to highlight Philadelphia’s vital role in the nation’s history ahead of the country’s 250th anniversary in 2026. Red, White & Blue To-Do’s inaugural event will take place on July 2 at locations throughout the Historic District, which runs […]
Philadelphia cultural institutions plan Children’s World Fair for 2026
A trio of tourist attractions in Philadelphia’s Centennial District are proposing the creation of a Children’s World Fair in 2026, which would be the latest major event on the city’s calendar for America’s 250th birthday. The Please Touch Museum, the Philadelphia Zoo and the Mann Center for the Performing Arts have partnered on the proposal, […]
