Join the Rare Book Department for extended evening hours on the first Wednesday of every month. Our October event is all about “The Raven,” Edgar Allan Poe’s poetic masterpiece, and will give guests a chance to view the manuscript up close. Continue reading
Step into a world where big ideas come in small packages. Hagley library’s miniature model exhibit brings together three fascinating fields — interior design, miniatures, and conservation — and invites you to explore how they connect in surprising ways. Continue reading
From land to sea, learn the role of the nation’s founding forces Continue reading
Night of Lights opens on Friday, October 3, transforming Germantown Avenue into a walkable outdoor gallery of archival images and stories that celebrate community history, architecture, design, and archives. The colorful lighting illuminates one of Philadelphia’s most iconic main streets, and opening night features live music and family-friendly activities. Continue reading
Come join us for an open house at Founding Forward’s Philadelphia campus, featuring items from our newly acquired collection of materials created by sculptor Jakob Otto Schweizer. Continue reading
Join the Mercer Museum for this special presentation with Chase Palmer, author of Postcards of Bucks County: The Complete Arnold Brothers Series and explore the history of Bucks County and its landmarks through early postcards of images taken by the Arnold Brothers. Continue reading
“Why do Quakers create and keep so many records?” Join us to find out! Continue reading
Explore peacebuilding through an exhibit highlighting activists and organizations represented in the Peace Collection. Continue reading
Sometimes the dearly departed are darkly departed – from killers and thieves to their victims, uncover the dark past of Laurel Hill Continue reading
Bearing true stories of mystery and murder, notable Laurel Hill residents return from the dead in these theatrical walking tours featuring a local cast from The Not Ready for After-Life Players. Continue reading
Bill Tilden not only won tennis championships and unceasingly promoted the game, he also wrote books, performed in stage plays, loved classical music, and played bridge at a championship level. Catered to by European, Asian, and Hollywood royalty, Tilden was very much a Renaissance man, and his contributions are worthy of recognition and study. Continue reading
If you are interested in learning more about the wonderful resources that the Mercer Museum Research Library has to offer, join our library and archives staff at this free “Research Library 101” Open House drop-in program! Continue reading
The Free Library of Philadelphia, in partnership with Archives Month Philly, is hosting a free, interactive community fair featuring pop-up displays, table-top activities, and workshops, showcasing how our natural, built, and digital environments are documented in and catalyzed by archives. Continue reading
Come celebrate Archives Month Philly with the team behind The Revolutionary City: A Portal to the Nation’s Founding (Rev City) and help us transcribe 18th-century handwritten documents from across the portal. Continue reading
Step back in time and learn about Reading, Pa’s vibrant history as a top resort and wine making region while sampling local wines and cheeses. Continue reading
Come see behind the scenes at a world renowned digitization and preservation facility! Continue reading
Take a guided walking tour behind the 10-foot wall of Girard College, looking at the campus as it exists today, along with archival maps and photographs that document its history and growth. Continue reading
On this historic tour, uncover the twisted tales of our cemetery residents odd paths to the great beyond. Continue reading
The first 11 women ordained as Episcopal priests did so on their own terms: in a controversial ceremony, held on July 29, 1974–two years before the ruling body of the Church explicitly allowed it. Meet the Philadelphia Eleven, learn about their hard-earned path to ordination, and watch how they broke down barriers with grace and perseverance. Continue reading
The Old York Road Historical Society will be holding an Open House for librarians and archivists featuring tours of the archives and a wine and cheese reception. Continue reading
Celebrate Archives Month Philly in the Wagner’s historic lecture hall as we view glass lantern slides from local special collections! Continue reading
Explore the impact of environmental conditions on archives and special collections materials. Continue reading
At these annual after-dark tours of Laurel Hill East, hear the storied lives of restless spirits from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Continue reading
Where history and nature connect through stories of Laurel Hill’s permanent residents! Continue reading
From land to sea, learn more about the many connections to our nation’s founding forces Continue reading
Some say his stories were inspired by the graves and gardens.. on this historic tour you’ll hear tales of Poe’s friends, associates, and foes from our city. Continue reading
Founded in 1852 as a school for individuals with intellectual disabilities, Elwyn now offers services for children and adults while preserving its historical legacy through manuscript and photo displays; curated with the help of day program students at the Judy and Bill Strine Student Transition Center, this open house will highlight both institutional care models and personal narratives. Continue reading
Bubble bubble toil and trouble, Distinctive Collections is up to no good! Come explore poisonous books, potions, spells, and all things Halloween from the collection. Continue reading
Venture beyond closed doors and see some neat stuff! Continue reading
Seldom-seen weird & wonderful short films from Philadelphia archives and museums! Continue reading
Join the Chestnut Hill Conservancy for Ask the Experts: The Art of Protection with Michelle Impey (Chubb) and Jessica Silverman (CCAHA). This free session offers practical guidance on protecting valuable collections, including fine art, rare jewelry, and archival materials, through preventive care, risk preparedness, and informed insurance strategies. Continue reading
In life and death, we all have stories to tell, and what better place to hear tales of wonder than Philadelphia’s most famous home of the dead? Continue reading
The Marvin Samson Museum for the History of Pharmacy presents work by Artist-in-Residence Teresa Cervantes. Continue reading
In anticipation of the Rutgers University-Camden Centennial in 2026, we pull out some favorite pieces from our Special Collections archive. Continue reading
Visit our library atrium to see several slide shows of digitized archival materials including; Women at SJU, Early images from SJU Press, and Selections from our Poetry Collections. The slides will show at intervals on the screens in the atrium. Continue reading
Travel back in time to the Jazz Age – an era of glamour, rapid change and enduring cultural impact. Continue reading
Whose Story? Narratives of Philadelphia’s History is an exhibition that explores the people, organizations, institutions, and communities that have shaped the narrative of Philadelphia’s past. Continue reading
Absolute Trash Philadelphia: An Investigation into the Postwar City, Wall Writing, and Local Media features selections from the Philadelphia Inquirer, Philadelphia Daily News, and Temple University Libraries. Continue reading
On this special tour, celebrating the 200th anniversary of Lafayette’s American tour, visitors will get to see seldom-displayed archival material and delve into the role of the French community in early national Philadelphia Continue reading
At this Mercer Museum Research Library open house, guests will meet our staff, enjoy a self-guided visit of the space explore our vast resources, and learn more about how to conduct research or preserve family heirlooms. Continue reading
Panel event for the general public on how to protect your personal digital files (family photos, medical records, etc) for the long term Continue reading
Have you ever wandered the graveyard at Gloria Dei (Old Swedes’) Church and wondered about the people buried there? Now is your chance to find out. Continue reading
Come join us for an open house of Founding Forward’s exhibit, A City Divided: The Civil War, Philadelphia & The Union League, with a pop up archival display. Continue reading
A narrow band of territory along each side of the Delaware River, including what became Frankford, was included in the Colony of New Sweden from the colony’s founding in 1638 until conquered by Dutch gunboats in 1675. Continue reading
Don’t miss your chance to go behind the scenes! Continue reading
In our state-of-the-art lab, CCAHA’s expert conservators will share some of the exciting projects that they’ve been working on – whether they be rare books, unique works of art, or priceless historical documents. Continue reading
Celebrate Archives Month Philly in the Wagner’s historic lecture hall as we view glass lantern slides from area special collections! Continue reading
Join the Revolutionary City team in a day-long transcribe-a-thon, using machine-learning tools to transcribe documents from the American Philosophical Society, the Library Company of Philadelphia, and the Historical Society of Pennsylvania. Continue reading
The Free Library of Philadelphia, in partnership with the Delaware Valley Archivists Group, is hosting a free, interactive community fair featuring unique pop-up displays, demonstrations, and table top activities showcasing how movement and change are both documented in and catalyzed by their archives. Continue reading
Get a peak beyond the public areas of the City Archives and see where and how our material is stored; also featuring some treasures from the collection! Continue reading
Archives Month Philly 