Cliveden is a local historical site. It is the site of the Chew House, built by attorney Benjamin Chew in 1767. It is known for being the location of the 1777 Battle of Germantown. The National Trust for Historic Preservation owns and runs the site. It is available to the public for walking tours during the hours listed on this page. Visitors are requested to call in advance of attending a tour.
Philadelphia's Please Touch Museum inspires kids to learn and discover through playing. The museum features countless exhibits for all ages to enjoy, including some that grown adults may even remember from their childhood trips to Please Touch Museum. Kids and parents can enjoy hands-on fun on two levels of exciting attractions to explore, with special programs and events also featured throughout the year.
Best and Worst Time to Go to Please Touch Museum
Rainy days tend to draw more guests to the Please Touch Museum, so plan to visit on a sunny or fair day if you are looking for smaller crowds. Visits later in the day, particularly during the afternoon, are usually less crowded due to school trips having already wrapped up their visits. Mondays are another safe bet as groups are not taken that first day of the week.
Must-See and Do at Please Touch Museum
Kids will love to play in the water at the museum's River Adventures exhibit, complete with sailboat races and animals nestled in the nooks of the gigantic winding water table. The Space Station allows families to create and launch foam rockets high into the sky of the space room, aiming for the Ring Tower or other parts of the room. Don't miss the ShopRite Supermarket downstairs in the museum--a must-do for kids who love play food, shopping, and role play.
Admission to Please Touch Museum
Children over the age of 1 and adults will need to pay for admission to the museum. Museum members gain free admission for as many times each year as they would like to visit, and the cost of a family membership is quite reasonable if you live in the area. Discounts are offered for members of the military and AAA members, as well as from 4 - 7 p.m. for all guests on the first Wednesday of the month.
Parking and Public Transportation to Please Touch Museum
Depending on how busy the museum is when you visit, the paid lot can be quite full with finding a parking spot taking a little patience. Members of the museum park in the lot for free, but free parking is available for non-members all along the street outside of the museum. Public transportation options also provide convenient access to the Please Touch Museum, specifically SEPTA buses, Philly PHLASH, Amtrak, and NJ Transit.
Food at Please Touch Museum
Families can enjoy a bite to eat at the museum's Please Taste Cafe, featuring pizzas, salads, sandwiches, beverages, and more. Expect to pay typical prices for this kind of establishment, but gain a 10% discount if you are a member. The room with the Carousel also has tables spaced out if you choose to bring your own snacks or lunch to save some money.
Insider Tip for Visitors to Please Touch Museum
Visit the Woodside Park Dentzel Carousel as a reward toward the end of your visit so that you can make it through all the exhibits. Child riders will need a ticket but one parent can accompany the child for free.
Author's bio: Kathryn M. D'Imperio is a freelance writer and marketing specialist in Pennsylvania. She enjoys taking her toddler daughter to various attractions in and around Philadelphia.
The Mütter Museum is Philadelphia's strangest--and possibly grossest, depending on your perspective--tourist attraction. Originally started as a collection of medical oddities for research and the education of students at The College of Physicians of Philadelphia, the museum draws flocks of people looking to be informed and disturbed. The Mütter's collection includes a wall of over 100 human skulls and an eight-foot-long colon.
Parking and Public Transportation at the Mütter Museum
The Mütter Museum is one of the most easily accessible attractions using Philadelphia's public transportation: nearly every trolley line stops at Market and 22nd, just a block north of the museum. Amtrak also services the nearby 30th Street Station.
The Mütter Museum does not have its own parking lot, though there is paid street parking available around the museum, as well as several parking garages within walking distance, including one around the block from the museum on 21st Street.
Admission to the Mütter Museum
It's $16 for adults to access the museum, and $11 for children ages 6-17. Children 5 and under get in for free, but parents of young children might want to visit or do some research first to determine if their child is ready for this level of creepiness. Seniors, students, and those in the military receive discounted admission with valid ID.
Must See/Do at the Mütter Museum
The Mütter Museum has rotating exhibits, like The Aesthetics of Medical Science. Of course, you can't go to the Mütter without visiting The Soap Lady or the the cast of conjoined twins Chang and Eng Bunker. Other fan favorites include the cast of the woman with a growth in the shape of a giant horn coming out of her forehead, and the slices of Albert Einstein's brain.
Other Places to Visit Near the Mütter Museum
Museum lovers must check out the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Franklin Institute. Shopping enthusiasts and foodies will find a lot to love in the nearby Rittenhouse neighborhood.
Insider tip for visitors to the Mütter Museum
While the museum's presentation evokes creepiness, its mission really is educational, so take some extra time to read the descriptions around each specimen. Also, don't miss the Benjamin Rush Medical Plant Garden, in the museum's courtyard.
Author's bio: Jeff Birou is an education administrator by day, travel and freelance writer by night. You can find him at his blog, Lance+Jeff, or on Twitter at @Jetsetter_Jeff.
