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Thursday, August 18, 2011

This cool, and free, museum gets special addition


Hey, Day Trippers. Check this one out.
The Air Mobility Command Museum welcomes Air Force 2 ...
According to NewsWorks at http://bit.ly/pnrOiu: "After 39 years of ferrying Vice Presidents, and sometimes even Presidents and First Ladies, the VC-9 jet, often referred to as Air Force Two, will take up permanent residence at the Air Mobility Command Museum outside Dover Air Force Base."

The Douglas VC-9 Nightingale, tail number 73-1682 was part of the presidential fleet since 1975.

For details, visitor information and more check:
http://amcmuseum.org/visit/

From the museum's website: Admission is free.

The museum is open Tuesday through Sunday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

If you are thinking of one more trip to Philly before school starts .....

Before summers' up ....


LESS THAN THREE WEEKS REMAIN TO EXPERIENCE THE
MUST-SEE EXHIBITION OF THE SUMMER AT
THE NATIONAL CONSTITUTION CENTER
Kids 12 and under are FREE through September 5
Philadelphia, – More than 200 years after his unanimous election as the first president of the United States, George Washington still remains one of the most popular figures in American history. Visitors to the National Constitution Center overwhelmingly agree that Discover the Real George Washington: New Views from Mount Vernon is the “can’t miss” exhibition of the summer. Only a short time remains to learn more about the man behind the iconic face on the dollar bill. As summer draws to a close, Washington, too, will bid farewell to Philadelphia on September 5, 2011. Plus, families won’t want to miss the incredible opportunity to save a “pocketful of Washingtons” when they visit – the Center’s first ever Kids Free Summer promotion also concludes on September 5.
“Washington’s legacy is evident throughout the Philadelphia region, but the truth between fact and fiction is often debated,” said National Constitution Center President and CEO David Eisner. “In Discover the Real George Washington, visitors follow the ‘Father of Our Country’ as a young boy trying to find his place in society to the man whose unfaltering leadership led him on a path to become the first president of the United States. This exhibition is a must see for every audience, from families to history aficionados – who may even be surprised to learn a thing or two.”
Discover the Real George Washington: New Views from Mount Vernon made its Philadelphia debut at the National Constitution Center on July 1. The exhibition was organized by the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association and funded by the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation, a philanthropic organization founded in 1954 by the late media entrepreneur for whom it is named.
The Center has paired the exhibition with its first-ever Kids Free Summer promotion: free admission to the Center for up to four children (ages 12 and under) with one paying adult. The promotion applies to both general admission and group reservations.
Discover the Real George Washington gives visitors a behind-the-scenes look at our nation’s first president through his achievements, legacies, family, intellectual pursuits, and entrepreneurial ventures. The 6,500-square-foot exhibition is organized into eleven sections, each focusing on a specific aspect of Washington’s life, including:
· An Ambitious Youth
· A Dauntless Warrior
· A Troubled Slaveholder
· Uneasy in the Mouth
· Beloved Hero
Nearly 100 objects from Mount Vernon’s world-class collection, including full-scale figures of Washington, architectural models, decorative and fine art items, maps, manuscripts, and paintings reveal the personal side of Washington and uncover his roles as an entrepreneur, farmer, and businessman. Highlights include:
  • An original set of Washington’s dentures
  • Several original works of art, including Gilbert Stuart’s classic Washington portrait
  • Three full-size, life-like figures of Washington based on the latest forensic research showing him:
    • As a teenaged, red-haired surveyor from Virginia just prior to the French and Indian War
    • As a Revolutionary War hero atop his horse, Blueskin, in a snow-covered forest at Valley Forge
    • During his presidential inauguration ceremony at Federal Hall in New York City
  • The Washington family Bible
  • Original pieces of Martha Washington’s jewelry
Visitors also will have the opportunity to view videos by The History Channel, focusing on religion, slavery, espionage, Washington’s dentures, his state-of-the-art gristmill, and the creation of the life-like Washington figures seen in the exhibition.
In addition, interactive touch screens and immersive environments will bring stories to life for visitors of all ages. Guests can sit on a full-size replica of Washington’s pew at Pohick Church, as well as explore detailed models of Fort Necessity and Washington’s Mansion and estate, gristmill, and 16-sided treading barn.
Admission to Discover the Real George Washington is $15 for adults and $14 for seniors (ages 65 and up) and students. Children ages 12 and under and active military are FREE. Group rates also are available. Admission to the Center’s main exhibition, The Story of We the People, including the award-winning theater production Freedom Rising, is included. iPod audio tours cost an additional $5. For ticket information, call 215.409.6700 or visit www.constitutioncenter.org.
6abc is the official media partner of Discover the Real George Washington: New Views from Mount Vernon. 6abc is the home of Action News – the #1 local news brand in the tri-state, and the undisputed news leader for the past 35 years. 6abc.com, the official website of Action News, also is the #1 local TV news website in the market. 6abc/WPVI-TV is the ABC-owned station serving the Delaware and Lehigh Valleys.
The exhibition was designed by MFM Design, Inc. and fabricated by Explus, Inc. The forensic figures of George Washington were created by StudioEIS.
To coincide with Discover the Real George Washington and the President’s House at Independence National Historical Park, the Center also is hosting The President’s House: Their Untold Stories in Quilts in Posterity Hall through September 5, 2011. This collection of art quilts celebrates the humanity, dignity, and courage of the nine enslaved persons owned by George and Martha Washington at the President’s House.
Created by a multiracial and multicultural group of both internationally acclaimed and novice quilt artists, the quilts are intended to stimulate dialogue about slavery and freedom in the paradigm of democracy. Admission to The President’s House: Their Untold Stories in Quilts is FREE with regular museum admission. Additional quilts are on display at the Independence Visitor Center and the African American Museum in Philadelphia.
In addition to the exhibitions, the Center has created a special map and brochure featuring locations in the greater Philadelphia region that have significant connections to George Washington’s story. For the complete “Summer of Washington” experience, guests are encouraged to visit sites such as Independence National Historical Park, Valley Forge National Historical Park, Washington Crossing Historic Park, President’s House Site, Brandywine Battle Historic Site, and Historic Germantown, among others. “Summer of Washington” maps will be available at each partner location. The Center is pleased to partner on this initiative with the Chester County Conference and Visitors Bureau, the City of Philadelphia, the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation, Historic Philadelphia, Inc., Independence National Historical Park, the Independence Visitor Center, the Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau, and Visit Bucks County.
The Center also is offering a web-based application for iPhone, iPad and Android called the GEOrge Tracker, which allows users to see where Washington slept, dined, spoke, met, and planned his adventures throughout Philadelphia and the surrounding countryside.
About Mount Vernon
Since 1860, over 80 million visitors have made George Washington’s Mount Vernon Estate & Gardens the most popular historic home in America. Through thought-provoking tours, entertaining events, and stimulating educational programs on the Estate and in classrooms across the nation, Mount Vernon strives to preserve George Washington’s place in history as “First in War, First in Peace, and First in the Hearts of His Countrymen.” Mount Vernon is owned and operated by the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association, America’s oldest national preservation organization, founded in 1853. A picturesque drive to the southern end of the scenic George Washington Memorial Parkway, Mount Vernon is located just 16 miles from the nation’s capital. For more information, visit
www.MountVernon.org.
About the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation
The Donald W Reynolds foundation is a national philanthropic organization founded by the late media entrepreneur for whom it was named. Headquartered in Las Vegas, the Reynolds Foundation is one of the largest private foundations in the United States. For more information, visit
www.DWReynolds.org.
About the National Constitution Center
The National Constitution Center, located at 525 Arch St. on Philadelphia’s Independence Mall, is an independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing public understanding of the U.S. Constitution and the ideas and values it represents. The Center serves as a museum, an education center, and a forum for debate on constitutional issues. The museum dramatically tells the story of the
Constitution from Revolutionary times to the present through more than 100 interactive, multimedia exhibits, film, photographs, text, sculpture and artifacts, and features a powerful, award-winning theatrical performance, “Freedom Rising.” The Center also houses the Annenberg Center for Education and Outreach, which serves as the hub for national constitutional education. Also, as a nonpartisan forum for constitutional discourse, the Center presents – without endorsement – programs that contain diverse viewpoints on a broad range of issues. For more information, call 215.409.6700 or visit www.constitutioncenter.org.

Day Trippin' fans take note, mark your calendars

INDEPENDENCE SEAPORT MUSEUM LAUNCHES THE PHILADELPHIA SEAPORT FESTIVAL

Four Weeks of Tall Ships, Pirates and Maritime Fun on the Waterfront

Philadelphia, Independence Seaport Museum is launching the Philadelphia Seaport Festival, a month of events and activities taking place on and around the Delaware River. The Festival kicks off Thursday, September 8th with the arrival of the tall ship, Kalmar Nyckel, and ends with the Seaport Museum’s 4th annual Wooden Boat Festival on Saturday, October 8th.

“Through new and existing events, we hope to bring area residents and visitors out on the water with programs that are fun for all ages,” said John Brady, interim CEO. “The Philadelphia Seaport Festival is an opportunity to experience and enjoy the Delaware River aboard small crafts, ships representative of the region and visiting tall ships.”

The Philadelphia Seaport Festival is perfect for people back from the Shore or vacations but not quite ready to say goodbye to summer. The Seaport Museum and its Boat Shop, the Workshop on the Water will be the center of the Festival, with activities in the Museum as well as outside and on the river. Visitors can also experience one of the Museum’s new walking tours, the “Real Pirates of Philadelphia” during Pirate Week, September 17th – 24th. Most of the events are free or included with Museum admission. Sailboat rides and special tours are available for a separate fee.

B101 and Delaware River Waterfront Corporation are proud sponsors of the Philadelphia Seaport Festival.

Philadelphia Seaport Festival Events:

September 8th-16th, 18th-21st: Delaware’s Tall Ship Kalmar Nyckel docked at the Seaport Museum. Public sails daily.

September 10th: The 10th annual Southeastern Pennsylvania Coast Day, presented by the Partnership for the Delaware Estuary. Free events on Penn’s Landing. Seaport Museum admission is $5 all day.

September 14th-17th: New Jersey’s Tall Ship AJ Meerwald docked at the Seaport Museum. Public sails daily.

September 17th: Talk Like a Pirate Day. ARRRGH! See a pirate battle on the Delaware River, hear about real pirates of Philadelphia on a walking tour or lecture, or take a pirate sail aboard the Summer Wind. B-101 and Buzzbee will be on hand with music, games and giveaways.

September 17th-24th: Pirate Week. Pirate-themed sails on the Summer Wind.

September 18th: Pirate Battle on the Delaware River. Choose sides and board your ship.

September 23rd-27th: Danish Tall ship Danmark docked at Penn’s Landing. Free deck tours for the public.

October 1st: Philadelphia Cup Regatta. Watch sailboats from all over the region compete for the Philadelphia Cup. The races will conclude with the awarding of the Philadelphia Cup at the end of the day. The Philadelphia Cup trophy will be installed in the Seaport Museum and remain on permanent display.

October 7th- 8th: New Jersey’s Tall Ship AJ Meerwald docked at the Seaport Museum. Public sails daily.

October 8th: 4th Annual Wooden Boat Festival. This day-long, family-friendly event celebrates the tradition of boat building. See wooden boats, from small dinghies to the Barkentine Gazela in the basin and along the landing. Learn what makes boats float and discover the art of boat building in the Seaport Museum’s Workshop on the Water. See or ride along in a Parade of Sail on the Delaware River. B-101 and Buzzbee will be on hand with music, games and giveaways.