Silk Road Summer Nights: a Pay-What-You-Want Wednesday Evening Music Series at the Penn Museum
Posted by Samantha Lazar on July 7, 2010
What’s there to do on a sultry Wednesday evening this summer? You could venture eastward across to the bridge for Center City Sips special happy hour deals, but you’d work up quite a sweat just getting there, and then fighting for space at a bar. You could catch a Metropolitan Opera performance at the Rave University City 6 movie theater (formerly The Bridge) – more on that in an upcoming post! Or, seeing as we’ve been spotlighting the fabulous programs of the Penn Museum lately, how about checking out their Silk Roads Summer Nights music series?
Step out of your over air conditioned office or classroom at 5 o’clock tonight – or any Wednesday night this summer – and head over to the museum’s beautiful Warden Garden. A different ensemble will be playing each week, and all have exotic, eastern-inspired sounds. You won’t even have to forgo that obligatory happy hour cocktail, as they’ll be serving up drinks and light fare to nibble on while listening to music inspired by different stops along the ancient Silk Road, which connected the east and west.
In addition to the music, the pay-what-you-want program (that’s almost as good as free!) also opens up select museum galleries for perusing. It takes place every Wednesday from 5 to 8 all summer long, rain or shine. There’s even wifi in the garden, creating an environment that’s perfect for any type of person: bust out the laptop and do some work while enjoying beautiful weather, lovely live music, and sipping a cocktail. Or duck inside for a respite from the heat and check out the museum’s collections before heading back to the festive concert.
Tonight’s event will feature an ensemble from Al-Bustan Seeds of Culture playing Egyptian music. Click here for the full schedule of who’s playing each week, along with more info on the events. You can always count on the Penn Museum for programming that’s fun, cultural, and a great way to break your dull routine!
Silk Road Summer Nights Music Series
Wednesdays through August 25th, 5pm - 8pm
University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology
3260 South Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104
(215) 898-4000
www.museum.upenn.edu
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Penn Museum Teams Up with The Franklin Institute for the Ultimate Egyptian Experience
Posted by Samantha Lazar on June 29, 2010
The University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology is a world-renowned history museum known for, among other things, its ancient Egyptian collections.
The Egyptian galleries contain crowd-pleasing and awe-inspiring artifacts like the third largest sphinx in the world, giant columns from ancient temples, and, of course, those desiccated organ-less bodies that everyone loves so much: mummies. It’s not just the archaeologists at the museum who love the ancient world – it seems all of Philadelphia has caught Egyptian fever recently. Hot off the heels of its recent King Tut exhibit, the Franklin Institute has opened a brand new exhibit that offers an intriguing glimpse into the ancient dessert empire, Cleopatra: The Search for the Last Queen of Egypt. Luckily for Egyptophiles, The Penn Museum and the Franklin Institute have teamed up to create a double ticket that offers visitors the ultimate Egyptian experience.
The discounted double ticket, which can be purchased by calling 1-877-TFI-TIXS or in person at the Franklin Institute, will save museum-goers money off of the price of two separate tickets. It will be available as long as the exhibits are – that means until January 2011. ...
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Secundum Artem: the Nexus of Art, Design, and Pharmaceutical Function
Posted by Samantha Lazar on May 17, 2010
The history of pharmacy isn’t something that your average person knows too much about. Nor is it something that most people are likely to suddenly scratch their heads and wonder about. But just because you never thought about it before doesn’t mean it’s not a cool and interesting thing worth learning a bit about. (Maybe it can replace the multiplication tables that’ve been crammed into your head since second grade. Who needs those, anyway?)
The University of the Sciences has compiled a neat little exhibit to give you a glimpse into the past of science, medicine, and what people used to do to cure what ailed them. What makes it really special is that we just don’t make things like we used to anymore. Sure, now we have electronic scales and high-tech lasers, but they’re not much to look at. Back then (the objects are from the past 300 years), everything was a work of art, made for aesthetics as well as function. Over 100 objects are on display in the small gallery space, each one created by scientists who were also skilled artists, craftsmen, and designers. Each piece was created for a specific pharmaceutical function, be it pulverizing crystals, instructing students, or storing elixirs....
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New Production of “Romeo and Juliet” at the Annenberg Center
Posted by Samantha Lazar on April 22, 2010
A special touring production of Shakespeare’s classic “Romeo and Juliet” is at The Annenberg Center this weekend. The Acting Company and The Guthrie Theatre have teamed up for the production, which is running for just six performances. After hitting 26 cities on around the country, the Annenberg Center will be the critically-acclaimed production’s last stop.
I assume I don’t need to repeat the plot of the greatest love story of all time – everyone knows the tale of the young star-crossed lovers, their family feud, their drastic measures, and their tragic ends. What makes the play so brilliant isn’t the story itself (Shakespeare actually ripped it off from an earlier Italian author!), but the way it’s told. Part of the magic comes from the bard himself, what with his flowery Elizabethan language, world-famous soliloquies, and quotable truisms. But another part – and the part that makes it worth seeing multiple times over the years – comes from the performance itself.
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The Penn Relays are Coming!
Posted by Samantha Lazar on April 19, 2010
When Ben Franklin wasn’t busy toiling at his printing press, discovering electricity, inventing bifocals, and running the fire department, he was gathering all the founding fathers and the swiftest Revolutionary soldiers to compete in foot races. Well… not exactly. But he’d certainly be proud of The Penn Relays, a century-plus tradition at his namesake field and the oldest and largest track meet in the country. Taking place every year since 1895 at the University of Pennsylvania, over 15,000 high school, college, and professional athletes gather for five days of competition in over 425 events (that averages out to about one race every five minutes and more athletes than compete in the Olympic Games!). ...
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Three Exciting Events at the Penn Museum
Posted by Samantha Lazar on March 17, 2010
Here’s a question you don’t get every day: What to belly dancing, sexuality, and helping the needy all have in common? If you’re smart enough to read the headline you might have guessed already – they’re all upcoming events at the Penn Museum (aka The University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, one of the greatest history museums in the world)!
The museum regularly hosts workshops, lectures, performances, and other events in addition to its regular exhibits and programming (check out my previous profile of the museum ). There are three great events coming up in the next week....
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Welcome to Campus: The Northside Dining Terrace at Drexel
Posted by Samantha Lazar on February 8, 2010
After construction that lasted through the summer and fall, the Northside Dining Terrace is officially open at Drexel. The 5,000 square foot modern building is on Race St. between 33rd and 34th, right in the heart of the residential northern part of campus. It’s a welcome addition for students with late-night cravings (most of its retailers are open until 1 a.m.) or for those simply sick of cafeteria food.
The metal and glass structure was built with environmental sustainability in mind, and the interior feels sunny and open. Once warmer weather comes through you’ll also be able to take advantage of outdoor dining space. It houses franchises selected by a campus-wide vote. There’s the ever-popular Subway and Chik-fil-A, as well as a Currito (delicious burritos) and Southern Tsunami, which makes fresh sushi on site. There’s also a small market to pick up essentials like milk, cereal, and toilet paper. ...
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The Penn Bookstore: Books, Gadgets, Apparel, Accessories, Coffee, Events…
Posted by Samantha Lazar on November 30, 2009
The Penn Bookstore, as anyone who’s walked by the mammoth building on the corner of 36th and Walnut knows, is a lot more than just a bookstore. Sure, it has books – lots and lots of them. Anything that an ordinary Barnes & Noble carries can be found on the first floor, including a cute kids’ book nook. Since this is a university bookstore, head upstairs and you’ll find shelves upon shelves of neatly organized course books.
But the store is filled with tons of other less bookish goodies, too. The first floor houses the Penn apparel section, which is filled with Red & Blue paraphernalia for proud Penn students, alums, and families. The hoodie selection alone will make you swoon as winter approaches. If sweats aren’t your thing, there’s a seemingly endless assortment of t-shirts, cashmere sweaters, water bottles, bags, bumper stickers, and cold weather gear of all sorts – hats, gloves, scarves, you name it. There’s also more expensive keepsake merchandise, like watches, glassware and chairs all emblazoned with the Penn logo. Next to the apparel, running through the center of the store, are tables overflowing with note cards, beautiful appointment books and diaries, hot items, and gift ideas. Upstairs you’ll find the well-appointed café (hot and cold beverages, snacks and energy boosters to keep you well-fueled while browsing), comfy chairs for reading, and dorm essentials, electronics, notebooks, binders, ink, paper… you get the idea....
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A Treasure Trove of History at The Penn Museum
Posted by Samantha Lazar on July 20, 2009
When was the last time you came face to face with a 12-ton sphinx? I bet I’ve got you beat on this one: I did yesterday. The giant sphinx of Pharaoh Ramsses II, dating from around 1200 BC, is one of the most-visited residents of 3260 South Street, also known as the Penn Museum.
The University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology is one of the greatest history museums in the world. Unfortunately, far too few people seem to know this! ...
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Drexel Park: Best View in Philly
Posted by Samantha Lazar on July 13, 2009
If you’re a Drexel student or hang out in the area much, you’ve probably noticed a distinct lack of places to chill, escape the traffic, sunbathe, or toss a Frisbee. Well, despair no longer! Drexel Park is a cool new green space that was just created at 32nd Street and Powelton Avenue, just a stone’s throw from the Drexel campus....
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