With the 8th World Meeting of Families conference assembling in Philadelphia from September 22-25, and celebrating its theme “Love Is Our Mission: The Family Fully Alive,” the City of Brotherly Love is welcoming families from all over the world with open arms. From globally recognized museums, to the nation’s first zoo, to a Philadelphia icon-filled miniature golf course, Philadelphia offers an entertaining and educational destination for anyone and everyone.
Check out some highlights of the various family-friendly options in Philadelphia:
• Franklin Square
The perfect spot to enjoy a sunny city day for kids or for those simply kids at heart; Franklin Square is located in Historic Philadelphia and is a welcoming green oasis tucked inside this bustling city. Hop on the Philadelphia Park Liberty Carousel for a relaxing ride, or try your putting skills on the 18-hole Philadelphia-themed miniature golf course. Windmills and waterfalls are replaced by some of our city’s most prominent monuments and icons, including the Chinatown Friendship Arch, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Elfreth’s Alley and the Liberty Bell. Enjoy a burger or hot dog as you sit around picnic tables and indulge on milkshakes and gelato.
• The Franklin Institute
Located in the museum district of Philadelphia, The Franklin Institute is a leading museum in science and innovation. The entire family can walk through a larger-than-life heart, learn from Benjamin Franklin’s early electricity experiments, and view IMAX® movies on a four-story domed theater.
• The Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University
The oldest natural history science research institution and museum in the Americas is located in the museum district of Philadelphia. Featuring fun, informative family exhibitions inspired by the Academy’s rich history of exploration and environmental research, it’s the perfect combination of entertainment and learning for everyone. Dig for dinosaur fossils, stroll among live butterflies, touch a live animal, learn the importance of watersheds, explore diorama animals from around the world, or take a behind- the-scenes tour, all within the four floors of this interactive and environmentally focused institution.
• Philadelphia Zoo
Animal lovers will love America’s first zoo, where lions, tigers, bears, giraffes, gorillas and species from around the world come out to play. Visitors can see these dynamic animals move 360 degrees-along, above and across visitor pathways through the first-in-the-world animal travel and exploration trail system, called Zoo360. With Treetop Trail, Great Ape Trail and Big Cat Crossing – named the best zoo exhibit in the country by USAToday, visitors are taken on an experience unlike any other zoo in the world. 2015 has been dubbed the “Year of the Gorilla” with a new Zoo360 expansion named Gorilla Treeway, where the Philadelphia Zoo’s western lowland gorillas can enjoy long-distance travel throughout a variety of environments.