Most underrated thing in Philly

[raider.adam]

University of Pennsylvania's Museum of Archaeology.

Hmm. I will add it to my to do list. Wasn't even aware there was one. Thanks.

[five apples]

Hmm. I will add it to my to do list. Wasn't even aware there was one. Thanks.

Well, that goes to tell you how underrated it is, you don't even know it exists.

Penn Museum - Penn Museum

Apparently the name is actually the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology.

The building alone is worth the visit.

[annie]

University of Pennsylvania's Museum of Archaeology.

Really, what aspect of it? Don't remember being impressed with the galleries. The architecture and lecture hall are impressive.

[five apples]

Really, what aspect of it? Don't remember being impressed with the galleries. The architecture and lecture hall are impressive.

The building itself is pretty awesome. Also, they have tons of interesting collections I think. If you are into that type of thing, it is definitely worth checking out. I am not saying it is our best museum, but I think it qualifies as underrated. For most people, the fact it is in West Philly just kind of makes it an afterthought.

[loveisnoise]

Unions. They really don't get nearly enough credit for destroying this city.

[Tartan69]

unions. They really don't get nearly enough credit for destroying this city.

^ this

[Pitt]

University of Pennsylvania's Museum of Archaeology.

Big time. Good luck getting through all of it in one day.

[seand]

Really, what aspect of it? Don't remember being impressed with the galleries. The architecture and lecture hall are impressive.

The ancient Babylonian stuff is as far I know one of the very best collections in the world. The Egyptian collection is fairly impressive. Varies greatly.

My kid loved the Chinese New Year celebration.

[annie]

The ancient Babylonian stuff is as far I know one of the very best collections in the world. The Egyptian collection is fairly impressive. Varies greatly.

Perhaps I should give it another chance. During classes it seemed a bit stale but that might have just been tainted by the dull lecture. Also distinctly remember a hippy girl trying to smuggle her pet ferret into the museum. No idea why she thought it necessary to show a ferret the tombs of Ur.

Penn Museum Summer Concerts return this Wednesday: Tickets are only $5 and include museum admission

Adam, I don't know that "Turkish folk rock" is your thing but some of the other summer concerts look fun.

[ChiefSalsa]

Top 5:

Theatre Nothing is close to Broadway, but Philly shows top shelf musicals, plays and other special events that makes the city pretty damn good theatre town. By extension of this, the Ritz is something I miss dearly. You don't know how bad movies are until you live somewhere with very little Indie film exposure.

SEPTA rail service Notice I did not say SEPTA. The Broad Street subway, the El, the green line trolleys, the Suburban trolleys (Such as Media 102) and the R trains are a first class system that makes getting outside and inside the city easy for people who lack a car by choice or circumstance.

Friendliness I hate it when people out here ask if Philadelphians are rude. We are not. I think from years of working in hospitality that Philadelphians take the city's bad reputation to heart; and they try to refute it by being nice to visitors.

Walkability Not for visitors, who love how easy Philly is to navigate, but for residents. How many people still take their cars everywhere in the city? Especially in CC. Walk! It is one of the easiest walking cities you will ever be in.

String Band Mummers We provide a unqiue musical brand to the city. We pack hotel rooms for New Year's Day. We play various charity functions for hospitals, neighborhood groups and the sick. And when the city needs a string band to play for a group who wants to bring large conventions to Philly, we are the ones they call. Because we get lumped in with the Comics, we get little respect. But we ARE a part of Philly's identity. Period.

[Hospitalitygirl]

Top 5:

Theatre Nothing is close to Broadway, but Philly shows top shelf musicals, plays and other special events that makes the city pretty damn good theatre town. By extension of this, the Ritz is something I miss dearly. You don't know how bad movies are until you live somewhere with very little Indie film exposure.

SEPTA rail service Notice I did not say SEPTA. The Broad Street subway, the El, the green line trolleys, the Suburban trolleys (Such as Media 102) and the R trains are a first class system that makes getting outside and inside the city easy for people who lack a car by choice or circumstance.

Friendliness I hate it when people out here ask if Philadelphians are rude. We are not. I think from years of working in hospitality that Philadelphians take the city's bad reputation to heart; and they try to refute it by being nice to visitors.

Walkability Not for visitors, who love how easy Philly is to navigate, but for residents. How many people still take their cars everywhere in the city? Especially in CC. Walk! It is one of the easiest walking cities you will ever be in.

String Band Mummers We provide a unqiue musical brand to the city. We pack hotel rooms for New Year's Day. We play various charity functions for hospitals, neighborhood groups and the sick. And when the city needs a string band to play for a group who wants to bring large conventions to Philly, we are the ones they call. Because we get lumped in with the Comics, we get little respect. But we ARE a part of Philly's identity. Period.

Nice list and I concur.

[phillyaggie]

concur with whoever said Penn Museum. The garden/lawn in the front entrance is lovely in summertime when they do Wednesday evening live music/drinks and the museum stays open until later; in the spring time, the cherry blossoms are spectacular the way they frame the lovely building. The building itself houses a fine collection of antiquities that most any other city's main art museum would be proud to own...in Philly, this museum hardly gets any visitors, and now we know many locals also don't know about it. Seriously, check it out sometime!


-Cherry blossoms, and the whole Cherry Blossom Festival in Fairmount Park... Philly doesn't get much national press about its annual springtime visual delight compared to D.C. but we seriously have a beautiful setting and our blossoms are just as pretty. The Fairmount Park on the west side, where the Japanese Tea House is... that part of the park is seemingly well maintained and looks gorgeous in Spring. I didn't make it there until this year... it's nice.

-gotta agree with Shosh about the fine-tooth grid and density in central Philly. Hard to find that elsewhere. I sometimes crib that more of Center City could be built up with 4 and 5 and 6+ floor buildings and the amazing vitality you see around Rittenhouse neighborhood would naturally expand to those other neighborhoods too... more people would love to live in center city but there's no more room... but i digress. Even in its current built form, most things are easily accessible... and unlike many other cities, Philly does a pretty good job of keeping its old architecture and recycling it to new uses... so the meats and bones of the city are mostly intact.

[five apples]

Friendliness I hate it when people out here ask if Philadelphians are rude. We are not. I think from years of working in hospitality that Philadelphians take the city's bad reputation to heart; and they try to refute it by being nice to visitors.

It is funny that you mention this, so frequently when people visit here they always remark how surprised they are at how friendly everyone is.

[OffenseTaken]

It is funny that you mention this, so frequently when people visit here they always remark how surprised they are at how friendly everyone is.

It's always been my experience that when in public, New Yorkers tend to be cold and laconic: you really don't encounter much friendliness OR anger until you get to know people pretty well. Whereas the opposite attitude seems to prevail here: if you're a stranger, Philadelphians will treat you like family—generous, caring, considerate—as long as you don't give them trouble. Then they'll smash your face in.

(And I'm defining "trouble" broadly.)

[five apples]

It's always been my experience that when in public, New Yorkers tend to be cold and laconic: you really don't encounter much friendliness OR anger until you get to know people pretty well. Whereas the opposite attitude seems to prevail here: if you're a stranger, Philadelphians will treat you like family—generous, caring, considerate—as long as you don't give them trouble. Then they'll smash your face in.

(And I'm defining "trouble" broadly.)

I say this all the time as well. We are always friendly, but are quick to anger when crossed.

God forbid if you also come here and insult the city itself.

[BarryG]

I say this all the time as well. We are always friendly, but are quick to anger when crossed.

God forbid if you also come here and insult the city itself.

Only Philadelphians are allowed to talk **** on Philly.

[supersupper]

Penn's archeology collection certainly is something worthwhile to see, but it's collection up would never happen again in the near future the way it did back then. Pretty much close to thievery it was by today's standards of ethics. But of course that applies to many if not most American museums collecting that category as well.

[phillyaggie]

Penn's archeology collection certainly is something worthwhile to see, but it's collection up would never happen again in the near future the way it did back then. Pretty much close to thievery it was by today's standards of ethics. But of course that applies to many if not most American museums collecting that category as well.

The Brits have the world beat when it comes to thievery and showing off the hoardings in their museums.

[PASnow]

Stroehmann bread & rolls, when it's fresh it rocks.
Hatfield hot dogs.
Utz & Herrs potato chips.

Sure, they're a bit more "regionally local", but it's no further than Yuengling really. The chips could be equidistant of Baltimore though.

[BarryG]

Stroehmann bread & rolls, when it's fresh it rocks.
Hatfield hot dogs.
Utz & Herrs potato chips.

Sure, they're a bit more "regionally local", but it's no further than Yuengling really. The chips could be equidistant of Baltimore though.

Grandma Utz's chips are amazing. Cooked in lard--you dont find too many products like that on store shelves anymore.