Philadelphia 250

A newly independent America needed international trading partners. China was the big fish.

A “Firstival” in Old City on Saturday celebrates the historic innovation with storytelling and family activities.

A “Firstival” event at Drexel University on Saturday honors the pioneering school, doctors, and successor institutions.

“What Now: 2026” will feature over 100 art events, including 35 commissioned works, examining the nation’s 250th birthday.

The invasive Hessian fly spurred suspicions of biological warfare, threatened the new nation’s economy and inspired the nation’s first citizen science project.

A new city controller report states the events could contribute between $1.3 to $2.5 billion to the city’s economy.

The nation’s largest and oldest horticulture show features fantasy tableaus about the origins and evolution of American gardening.

Pennsylvania Hospital, founded in 1751, treated patients in the Pine Building. The museum will feature the original surgical theater and other exhibits.

Historic Philadelphia has hired more performers to populate Old City for the semiquincentennial.

“Burlington County Joins the Revolution” features artifacts, including a letter demanding payment from the British for chickens and razors.

Chief White Eyes toggled between British and American leadership to secure land for the Lenape.

As the semiquincentennial nears, Philadelphia’s cultural institutions are examining the country’s founding through the lens of local Black history.

Organizers say highlighting Philly’s African American history and its future takes on more urgency.

The center opens a new interactive gallery featuring rare founding-era artifacts and everyday stories ahead of America’s 250th birthday.

Philly’s oval-shaped landmark and former visitors center has been shuttered for a decade. It could reopen in time for the semiquincentennial.