This has to be the most beautiful museum in the country. The Art Deco architecture has been meticulously restored and almost overpowers all of the wonderful kids exhibits. Don't miss the duck pond when you walk in and the carousel tucked all the way back behind it. My son especially enjoys the music show on the lower levee.

There is so much to see and do at the Franklin Institue. But somehow we end up spending the majority of time at the heart. My son loves climbing through the different chambers and hearing the ebb and flow of the heart beating. We enjoy the planetarium and always try to catch a star show when we visit.

Bring your hiking shoes, bring a picnic. Enjoy the rolling hills and amazing gardens any time of year. My son enjoys getting to run free and also really likes the train display. Afterwards if you have worked up an appetite for desert, head into nearby Chestnut Hill for an ice cream.

We enjoy boathouse row both day and night. For a day trip you can combine a walk down Kelly Drive and boathouse row with a trip to the Art Museum. At night it is beautiful to see each boathouse lit up with colorful lights and reflecting on the Schuykill.

This is a nice museum. The facilities are a bit old and the bathroom is inconvenient down in the basement. We enjoy the dinosaur exhibit and the taxidermy animals; however the live butterfly conservatory is not worth the extra money. Try for the metered street parking on the side street next to the museum.