Events Advisory: Visitor health and safety is a top priority for the entire Philadelphia region. In an effort to limit the impact and spread of COVID-19, many events have been suspended or rescheduled. For information on COVID-19, click here.
Philadelphia was named one of the 25 must-visit destinations in the world in 2020 by National Geographic Traveler — and with all the awesome events, major celebrations and new openings coming this year, it’s easy to see why.
The Philadelphia Museum of Art completes a phase one of its dramatic renovation in the fall — and unveil its new spaces in concert with an exhibition of works by Jasper Johns, which will occur alongside a complementary mirror exhibition of Johns’ work at the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York City.
Throughout the whole year, the entire region hosts events and programs that celebrate American women and spark new ideas about the path to gender equality for Women 100, the largest centennial celebration in the United States honoring the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
Read on for all of Philadelphia’s can’t-miss new experiences for 2020.
All Year Long
A number of local attractions and cultural institutions celebrate the 100th anniversary of the passage of the 19th Amendment with exhibitions, concerts and programs highlighting the women’s suffrage movement and pioneering women in many different fields. Highlights include Votes for Women: A Visual History at the Brandywine River Museum of Art (February 1 – June 7, 2020), the Philadelphia Orchestra’s WomenNOW concert series (through May 31, 2020), new programming and History Maker performances focused on influential women in Historic Philadelphia (spring and summer), and a National Constitution Center exhibit that explores constitutional arguments for and against women’s rights, spotlighting multiple generations of advocates and diving into the complex debates surrounding rights for African Americans versus rights for women (Summer 2020).
Where: Various locations including the Brandywine River Museum of Art, 1 Hoffmans Mill Road, Chadds Ford
This series of programs and events celebrates American women and sparks new ideas about the path to gender equality. Presented by Drexel University’s Vision2020, Women 100 is the largest centennial celebration in the United States honoring the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Programs include Seat at the Table, a free, seven-day-a-week, interactive art exhibition that invites the public to experience women’s representation in places of power (March 1 – September 30, 2020); and a 2,500-person celebration of American women that features a salute to 100 women who have blazed trails for others to follow in a multitude of fields (September 16, 2020).
Where: The Kimmel Center, 300 S. Broad Street
Philly is home to many awesome restaurants offering unforgettable dining experiences, and dozens of exciting new eateries are slated to open in 2020. Make plans to check out buzzy new eateries helmed by award-winning chefs like Fiorella from Marc Vetri in the Italian Market (opening January 2020), Laser Wolf from Mike Solomonov and Steve Cook in Fishtown (opening February 2020) and Fabrika from Konstantinos Pitsillides in Fishtown (opening February 2020).
The Philadelphia Dance Company (PHILADANCO) continues its 50th anniversary celebration by hosting the 32nd International Conference and Festival of Blacks in Dance. The event features ticketed performances, conference sessions and lessons — including a midnight hip-hop class. Later this year, PHILADANCO’s season culminates with Fast-Forward, a look at the future of choreography in a co-commission with Toronto’s Dance Immersion, Vietnam’s Thang Dao, Broadway’s Ray Mercer and choreographer Kathy Smith (April 17-19, 2020).
Opens Friday, January 24
Wonderspaces aims to bring art to new audiences — including visitors to the Fashion District, which is its first permanent location in the center of a metropolitan area. The 24,000 square-foot gallery space features a series of stunning immersive exhibitions — including two virtual reality experiences — created by multiple artists. Guests can find Wonderspaces on the third level of the destination near 11th and Market streets.
Where: Fashion District, 11th and Market streets
The Barnes Foundation is the first major American institution to examine entrepreneur and art collector Marie Cuttoli’s approach to art and business. The exhibition follows Cuttoli’s career and her role in reviving the French tapestry industry by commissioning tapestry works by famous artists like Man Ray, Joan Miró and Pablo Picasso. These works, alongside paintings and drawings, are on display in the museum’s Roberts Gallery.
Where: Barnes Foundation, 2025 Benjamin Franklin Parkway
May 2020
Bumper cars take on a whole new meaning when Bumper Cars on Ice opens in Philadelphia this spring. Grab a friend (or several) and hop into one of these “cars” for some fun on the ice!
Spring 2020
The Canopy by Hilton Philadelphia Center City — which is expected to open this spring — promises 236 rooms with gel memory foam beds, ample work spaces and free Wi-Fi. The hotel’s modern interior design is inspired by the area’s rich local history.
Where: Canopy by Hilton Philadelphia Center City, 1180 Ludlow Street
This spring, the Please Touch Museum debuts an all-new, 5,000-square-foot permanent gallery that seeks to inspire creativity by telling the story of the innovation at the Centennial of 1876, which took place in Fairmount Park right outside of the museum. The gallery’s centerpiece is a scale model of the Centennial exposition created by dozens of artisans in 1889 that depicts exactly how it looked on July 4, 1876.
Where: Please Touch Museum, 4231 Avenue of the Republic
Mid-2020
This public art partnership between Mural Arts Philadelphia and Visit Philadelphia transforms the gateway to the Historic District with an 8,500-square-foot installation between Franklin Square and the Benjamin Franklin Bridge underpass that dazzles with color by day and illuminated lights by night.
Where: North Sixth Street, Benjamin Franklin Bridge Underpass
The Women’s Professional Golf Association (PGA)’s second-longest running tournament — and one of five majors on the tour — brings 156 of the world’s best golfers to Delaware County’s circa 1896 Aronimink Golf Club for the first time. Aronimink’s course was designed in 1926 by renowned Scottish architect Donald Ross.
Where: Aronimink Golf Club, 3600 Saint Davids Road, Newtown Square
June 2020
Center City welcomes two 52-story, side-by-side Marriott properties in June. The vibrant, modern W Philadelphia (the city’s first W hotel) offers 295 luxurious rooms, along with a bar terrace, Living Room lounge, lap pool and 22 meeting rooms. Philadelphia’s rapidly expanding, wellness-focused Element (another first for the region) brings 460 rooms, a high-quality fitness center and spa-inspired bathrooms.
Where: 1441 Chestnut St, 1441 Chestnut Street
Philadelphia firm DAS Architects is behind the rustic modern design — and targeting LEED Silver certification — for 13-story, 332-room new construction one block from Rittenhouse Square. The Hyatt Centric will offer a second-floor restaurant and onsite underground parking.
Where: Hyatt Centric Center City Philadelphia, 1634 Chancellor Street
The site of a beloved Bucks County cabaret meets a 38-room boutique hotel overlooking the Delaware River this summer. Cabaret queen Odette Myrtil’s legacy remains in the vaulted-ceilinged Piano Lounge, luxurious textiles, amazing views, a members-only rooftop bar, spectacular river view ballroom for weddings and events of up to 200 guests, and a resurrected Odette’s, known for whiskey cocktails and local fare.
Where: River House at Odette’s, 274 S. River Road, New Hope
October 20, 2020 – February 2021
The Philadelphia Museum of Art partners with the Whitney Museum of American Art on simultaneous exhibitions of the work of Jasper Johns, considered the country’s most significant living artist. The unprecedented collaboration chronologically shows paintings, sculptures, drawings, prints, books and costumes that mirror the other’s display, creating an immersive exhibition that itself, is a study in Johns’ fascination with reflections.
Where: Philadelphia Museum of Art, 2600 Benjamin Franklin Parkway
December 2020
A brand-new, 1.5 million-square-foot hotel and casino opens in South Philadelphia in late 2020. Conveniently located within walking distance to Lincoln Financial Field, Wells Fargo Center and Citizens Bank Park, Live! Casino & Hotel Philadelphia houses more than 200 upscale hotel rooms, plus slots, electronic and live table games, a sportsbook, and dining and entertainment venues.
Where: Live! Casino & Hotel Philadelphia, 900 Packer Avenue
Fall 2020
The Philadelphia Museum of Art unveils the completion of its Core Project, a major redesign by architect Frank Gehry. The last phase of the project welcomes 23,000 square feet of new gallery space, reclaiming space beneath the East Terrace (site of the Rocky steps) for galleries of early American, modern and contemporary art. It will also reveal the renovation of the West Entrance and Lenfest Hall, create a major gathering space called the Forum (replacing Van Pelt Auditorium) and reopen the southern portion of the Vaulted Walkway.
Late 2020
The American Bible Society (ABS) debuts a $60 million, 40,000-square-foot museum on Independence Mall to explore and share the role of biblical principles and messages in the founding of the United States. The space includes interactive galleries, a 3D theater and an education center that highlights the work of Americans like civil rights and Baptist leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Catholic anti-war activist Dorothy Day and Quaker William Penn, founder of colonial Philadelphia. ABS also encourages visitors to explore a Faith and Liberty Heritage Trail of some of the nation’s early religious institutions, including Mother Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church (A.M.E.), home to the denomination’s founding congregation, and Mikveh Israel, home to Philadelphia’s oldest and the nation’s second-oldest Jewish congregation.
Where: Faith and Liberty Discovery Center, 101 N. Independence Mall East
The Visit Philly Overnight Package — booked more than 190,000 times since 2001 — comes with free hotel parking (worth up to $100 in Center City Philadelphia), overnight hotel accommodations and choose-your-own-adventure perks.