Celebrate Women's History Month in Philadelphia

Visit museums and attractions celebrating women’s history

Several Philadelphia museums have exhibitions on view featuring work by female artists and profiling key moments throughout women’s history the United States.

The story of Betsy Ross — who, according to legend, stitched the first American flag — and Colonial-era women of the American Revolution are told at the Betsy Ross House. Step into the 18^th Century to hear from a woman playing Betsy about her life as a businesswoman and working mother in early America. The more than 250-year-old house is where Betsy lived and tells the story behind the first Stars and Stripes, which Congress adopted as the country’s official national flag in 1777.

Photo courtesy of Historic Philadelphia.

The story of Revolutionary women is on full display at the Museum of the American Revolution. Explore the “When Women Lost the Vote” exhibit and check out special talks, tours and performances throughout March.

The National Constitution Center features “The 19th Amendment: How Women Won the Vote.” This exhibit recounts the women’s suffrage movement and the ratification of the 19th Amendment, which granted women the right to vote. It features nearly 100 artifacts throughout the 3,000-square-foot gallery to tell the stories of Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Alice Paul, Ida B. Wells, and others. Be sure to check out Pennsylvania’s ratification copy of the amendment.

The Constitution Center is celebrating women’s history with daily and special programming, including trivia, a self-guided artifact tour, and by exploring the life of Harriet Tubman and other women who confronted American slavery.

Love fashion? Oscar-winner Ruth E. Carter’s “Black Panther” designs are on display at the African American Museum in Philadelphia. Become immersed in Wakanda and beyond as Ruth E. Carter: Afrofuturism in Costume Design showcases the designer’s life through hand-drawn sketches and Hollywood artifacts.

Ruth E Carter Exhibit at African American Museum

There is more art to behold. The Philadelphia Museum of Art features one of the most impressive art collections in the world, including works by women artists. All month the museum will feature women during daily Women in Art tours.

Discover the legacy of Marian Anderson at the Marian Anderson Historical Residence Museum, a National Historic Landmark where the groundbreaking artist and United Nations delegate lived and entertained fellow musicians. Explore rare photos, memorabilia, and annual rotating exhibits that bring her story to life.

Walk over to the Avenue of the Arts on Broad Street to see Marian Anderson Hall at the Kimmel Center that honors the legendary Contralto and civil rights icon. As the first major concert venue named for her, it stands as a lasting tribute to her artistry, legacy, and impact on music and social progress. Get tickets to concerts and events along the Avenue of the Arts, including Philadelphia Ballet’s “The Merry Widow” and “TINA: The Tina Turner Musical.”

Stay in luxury at Philly’s women-inspired hotels

Female-owned The Guild House brings luxury to the former home of the New Century Guild, one of the USA’s oldest women’s empowerment organizations. A favorite of the editors at Travel + Leisure, the MICHELIN Key-rated hotel features 12 stylish suites, each named for a woman, close to Washington Square West’s vibrant restaurants, stores, and many theaters. The leaders of the New Century Guild inspired Philadelphia-based ROHE Creative’s all-women team to craft each room. During your stay relax with products from women-owned businesses like Minorya coffee and Fork & Melon.

Guild House Hotel. Photo by J. Lehman.

Luxury extends to Fishtown at the MICHELIN Key-rated Anna & Bel, where 50 curated rooms await. “Nestled within a meticulously restored 18th-century former women’s asylum,” the hotel sits at the heart of Fishtown’s award-winning dining and business district. Guests needn’t wander far for world-class flavors: Bastia serves Corsican and Sardinian-inspired coastal cuisine right on-site, while Caletta offers sophisticated cocktails and Italian bites.

Support Philadelphia’s women-owned restaurants, businesses

Philadelphia’s culinary scene is bursting with women-owned and women-led eateries. James Beard Award-winning restaurateur Ellen Yin operates many must-try restaurants in Philadelphia within walking distance of, or a short ride from, the Convention Center. Her portfolio includes Rittenhouse’s a.kitchen + bar, Washington Square West’s High Street Restaurant, and Old City staple Fork.

In Center City, experience the premier vegan fine dining of Vedge. South Street’s family-owned Bridget Foy’s serves epic brunch and tasty sandwiches. In South Philadelphia’s Passyunk Square, seek out River Twice, where sustainable design and local authenticity guide the Modern American menu. In Fishtown, don’t miss James Beard Award–winning chef Chutatip “Nok” Suntaranon’s Kalaya for world-class Thai food. Other essential women-owned and women-led destinations known for incredible food and unique ambiance include Ambra, La Chinesca, Little Nonna’s, REX at the Royal, Sor Ynéz, and Suraya.

[There must be photos of one of these restaurants that can go here. I searched and came up short outside of a dated High Street photo.]

For drinks, check out woman-owned breweries, including Love City Brewing — just a few blocks north of the Pennsylvania Convention Center — Dock Street South, and Triple Bottom Brewing. Wine lovers should toast the season at South Street’s Jet Wine Bar, where you can find a Women’s History Month tasting event. Then, make your way to the Reading Terminal Market, a powerhouse of female entrepreneurship where roughly 40 of the market’s businesses are women-owned.

 

 

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Shop women-owned boutiques, shops

Did you know? Most clothing in Philly is tax free. An impressive collection of women-owned businesses, including many boutiques and storefronts worth supporting all year round, call Philly home.

Philadelphia Independents Co-Founders Tiffica Benza, Ashley Peel and Jennifer Provost. Photo by M. Grudzinski.

Get your souvenirs at Old City’s Philadelphia Independents, which sells Philly-centric, locally-made items, such as pillows, candles, cards, and more. For even more gifts and home essentials, visit Occasionette or The Little Apple. Aspiring chefs can stock up on quality kitchen utensils in the historic Italian Market at the century old Fante’s Kitchen Shop.

Shop fashion-forward styles at Rittenhouse Square’s Joan Shepp. Browse quirky gifts, home goods, and more at Center City’s Open House. Or shop jewelry and accessories at its sister shop, Verde.  Find a good read at Fishtown’s Harriett’s Bookshop, the bookstore named for Underground Railroad heroine Harriet Tubman that celebrates women writers, activists, and artists.

Explore murals created by and honoring women

Philadelphia is one big free public art museum, home to thousands of murals, many by female artists or honoring influential women throughout history.

On the side of the New Century Guild building — home of the Guild House Hotel along the Mural Mile —Progress of Women serves as a tribute to Eliza Turner and the social development of women.

Philadelphia-born singer, songwriter, and Godmother of Soul, Patti LaBelle, is honored with a large mural called Timeless Journey: Patti LaBelle in West Philadelphia. In South Philadelphia, Peace is a Haiku Song honors poet and activist, Sonia Sanchez, and includes poetry by Sanchez, Maya Angelou, Tony Morrison, Alice Walker, and others.

Peace is a Haiku Song © 2012 City of Philadelphia Mural Arts Program / Josh Sarantitis & Parris Stancell, 1425 Christian Street. Photo by S. Weinik.

There are also plenty of colorful murals created by women on display in Philadelphia, including Philadelphia Muses by Meg Saligman, Convergence by Rebecca Rutstein, Untitled by Amy Sherald, and Folding the Prism by creative duo Jessie and Katey, to name a few.

Tour women’s history in Philadelphia

Learn more about influential women of Philadelphia’s past on Beyond the Bell Tours’ Badass Women’s History Tour of Philadelphia. During the tour, you’ll discover interesting details of pioneering women throughout Philadelphia history, including William Penn’s wife, Hannah Callowhill Penn, who governed over Pennsylvania for 14 years following her husband’s sickness and death, making her the commonwealth’s first woman leader. The tour spotlights women artists, LGBTQ activists, doctors, politicians, and more, who left legacies on the city, and beyond.

Beyond the Bell Tours’ Badass Women of Philadelphia walking tour highlights influential women in Philadelphia history, including several artists, such as Ann Northrup who created the Pride and Progress mural in Washington Square West. Photo by L. Hill (image from 2019).

There are also plenty of sights to see on the self-guided Philadelphia Women’s History Trail. Visit the home influential jazz singer Billie Holiday lived in. Across from the Philadelphia Museum of Art, marvel at Joan of Arc Statue, a gilded bronze equestrian sculpture by Emmanuel Frémiet.

Discover more things to do while celebrating women’s history and exploring Philadelphia.