With the school summer holidays approaching, parents on the hunt for an exciting and educational break for the entire family should look no further than the US city of Philadelphia, which welcomes several new attractions this summer perfect for all children, big and small. Opportunities abound in the east coast gateway city, with four distinctive new attractions suitable for your family’s next holiday.

Inquisitive families can enjoy a close-up encounter of some of the world’s most thrilling insects at the new Xtreme Bugs Exhibition at the Academy of Natural Sciences, through a towering display of 20 gigantic bugs. For those looking for a high-flying adventure, Philadelphia’s first treetop obstacle course, Treetop Quest Philly, is now open through November.

At the Healthy Me, Healthy Family, Healthy Community gallery at the Please Touch Museum, children can unleash their curiosity by shopping in the supermarket, taking orders in the imaginative sandwich shop and making plastic pizzas in a faux wood-fired oven. Families looking to explore Philadelphia’s rich history are encouraged to visit the new In Franklin’s Footsteps: 275 Years at the American Philosophical Society exhibition showcasing materials from the Society’s renowned collections, including Benjamin Franklin’s library chair and Neil Armstrong’s signed copy of the moon landing transcript.

More information on Philadelphia’s newest attractions, including pricing and ticket options, is available below.

New Xtreme Bugs Exhibition at the Academy of Natural Sciences from 26 May 2018 – 21 January 2019
The Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University is the oldest natural history museum in the Americas and from 26 May 2018, families can come face-to-feet with 20 giant, moving, hissing and clicking insects from around the world. Some of the larger-than-life creepy-crawlies on display include an 18-feet-long wiggling centipede, a fluttering oversized monarch butterfly and a 12-feet-tall hissing pink orchid mantis. Xtreme Bugs will allow inquisitive children to experience a bugs’-eye view of the world, dig for ancient arthropods, play a bug facts game, and inspect live insects until 21 January 2019. General admission to the Academy costs £14 ($17.95) for adults and £11 ($13.95) for children (aged 3 – 12) when purchased online. Tickets to Xtreme Bugs cost £5 ($7) for non-members and £3 ($4) for individual members and family members. For more information, visit www.ansp.org.

Treetop Quest Philly from April – November 2018
Those with a head for heights can enjoy a physical and mental challenge thanks to the city’s new Treetop Quest, Philadelphia’s first treetop obstacle course. With activities for kids as young as four years-old and more challenging options for teenagers and adults, it’s an ideal outdoor activity for the whole family. Activities at Treetop Quest include tree-to-tree obstacles such as ziplines, monkey bridges, balance beams and complex courses. The experience is self-guided and uses a continuous safety system that is impossible to detach from the lifeline. In addition to the course, Treetop Quest has also introduced new hiking trails, a covered pavilion with picnic tables and nearby restrooms to the park which will be open seasonally on weekends from April to November, and daily throughout the summer. Tickets booked online cost from £13 – £37 ($17 – $49) per person, depending on age. For more information, visit www.treetopquest.com/philly.

Please Touch Museum’s New Permanent Exhibit: Healthy Me, Healthy Family, Healthy Community
For children who love to press every button, flick every switch, and pull every lever, Philadelphia’s Please Touch Museum® is a wonderful place where such activities are not only allowed, they are encouraged. Since 1976, The Philadelphia Please Touch Museum has thrilled children and their families through hands-on interactive exhibits, including assembling and launching rockets in the Rocket Room and getting behind the wheel of a variety of vehicles in the Roadside Attractions exhibit. The museum’s newest permanent gallery, Healthy Me, Healthy Family, Healthy Community, encourages children to don aprons at the Bimbo Bakeries USA Bistro and Boboli Pizza Kitchen and craft sandwiches and pizzas for their parents. General admission to the museum costs £14 ($19) for adults and children when purchased online. For more information, visit www.pleasetouchmuseum.org.

In Franklin’s Footsteps: 275 Years at the American Philosophical Society from April – 30 December 2018
The American Philosophical Society was founded in 1743 by Benjamin Franklin and its new exhibit celebrates the museum’s 275^th anniversary by displaying materials from the Society’s renowned collections. In Franklin’s Footsteps: 275 Years at the American Philosophical Society focuses on the work of its elected members and the contributions they have made in astronomy, exploration, palaeontology and many other fields. Ideal for older children and teenagers, items in the exhibit include Benjamin Franklin’s library chair and personal library books, Neil Armstrong’s signed copy of the moon landing transcript and Darwin’s handwritten draft of the title page for the Origin of Species. The exhibit is on display until 30 December 2018. For more information, visit www.amphilsoc.org.

For more information on Philadelphia, visit the Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau’s website,
www.discoverPHL.co.uk

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Photo Captions (From Left to Right):
Image 1: A giant Madagascar hissing cockroach at the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University’s newest exhibition. Image courtesy of Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University.
Image 2: Those with a head for heights can see Philadelphia’s West Fairmount Park from above thanks to the city’s new Treetop Quest. Image courtesy of Treetop Quest Philly.
Image 3: The Please Touch Museum in Philadelphia is a hands-on museum where adults and children can learn together. Photo courtesy of the Please Touch Museum

For Further Press Information, please contact:
Greg Evans – Philadelphia UK Office
Tel: 07768 341790 / 01633 480 754
Email: [email protected]

Sarah Salord – GEC PR
Tel: 07971 559942
Email: [email protected]

About Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau
The Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau (PHLCVB), a private nonprofit, membership corporation, is the official tourism promotion agency for the City of Philadelphia globally and the primary sales and marketing agency for the Pennsylvania Convention Center. The PHLCVB is an economic engine for the city—creating jobs and fueling economic growth by encouraging overseas visitation and by bringing ethnically diverse regional, national and international meetings, conventions and sporting events to Philadelphia.