Philadelphia Flower Show 2016

If you have an opportunity I would suggest you go. We always enjoy the day. This year's theme is National Parks. Lots of walking so were comfy shoes. They also have a ton of pop up shops. You can purchase almost anything related to gardening, jewelry, loose flowers. The Reading Mkt is across the street for another experience.

It can get crowded. Patience is needed at times.


Have a great time.

tidy
Feb '16

Thanks for the input. Would you suggest weekday over weekend or there isn't much of a difference, crowd wise? Would it be worth it to make it a 2 day thing, or not really?

behappydaily ✉
Feb '16

It is a great experience and if you have an interest in horticulture worth your time. Does take patience with the crowds. I have only been on weekdays. The market is worth stopping in and walking around and grabbing a bite. I have always loved it. I've taken students many times on a bus and had such a great time. Never did more than one day. Don't think the show itself warrants more than one day unless there are 'classes' and talks you'd like to see on different days and spend time in the city.
Hope you go and have fun.

peacful wishes ✉
Feb '16

I want to go, friends have said it's fantastic.

Great museums to combine trip with. There's the art museum with the Rocky steps... Eh, pretty standard fare. There's the Ben Franklin, best kids museum in the world. I always dare folks to stand in front of the train engine as it moves two feet forward. Cool. If you have kids but not with, you can check it out for future kid visit. One of my favorites are the Rodin Museum on the Parkway. That's not the Japanese Rodan horror flick monster, but Auguste Rodin, sculptor and painter whose study of anatomy was combined with the first mass production of art. Great hands and feet, very large. The Thinker which most are familiar with is actually the centerpiece of The Gates of Hell has been produced as a stand alone in many sizes. You may even find it in someone's back yard. I think The Kiss was also part of The Gates but replaced with another set of lovers.

They have a copy of The Gate of Hell and it is something to behold. A very scary piece depicting the horrors of Hell with The Thinker brooding over all. I think there's three copies of this in the world.

There's also The Barnes Museum just off the Parkway. Barnes built this next to his house in Lower Merion where he collected various works from the early 1900's. He then put them in rooms with his own supposed "themes" and connections to stir young artists in search of education and appreciation. He would often move things around in the night to meet his fancy. Also collected a huge amount of metal work which he frankly bastardized with a zinc coating, often marrying multiple pieces to make a new one. Nice furniture too. So here's a bunch of rooms of art, furniture, and metalwork in salon style (chock a block paintings on the wall floor to ceiling) with a supposed theme. But Barnes never told anyone was that was, it was up to the mind of the observer. And Barnes was his own guy: he arranged everything the way he saw it, not the way the art world pundits thought it should be done.

They moved the Barnes from Merion to Philly but it's an EXACT duplication of the original. While there may be no stellar pieces, the amount from this small set or artists from a very compressed period of time is truly amazing and world class. Take the guided tour --- it's the only way to really appreciate the art and the story. There's a cell phone tour too. Take the guided though, if you appreciate art and funny strange artists and the millionaires who collected, you will love this.

And while you are there, picture that this museum used to be behind the guy's house so he could walk over, turn on the lights, and move the pictures around in the middle of the night. Funny. A bit of an arty restaurant there as well but the outdoor part which is the best part will probably be closed.

Each can be done in half a day or forever.

strangerdanger ✉
Feb '16