Philadelphia Scores Free Transit for 2026 World Cup Fans

Philadelphia is already proving why it’s a world-class host city. While other 2026 FIFA World Cup hubs are making headlines for record-high transit prices, Philadelphia has announced a game-changing partnership to keep the tournament accessible.

Thanks to a new collaboration between SEPTA, Airbnb, and Philadelphia Soccer 2026, fans attending matches at Lincoln Financial Field will enjoy free return rides home.

How the Free Rides Work

Navigating the city after a massive sporting event can be stressful, but this partnership aims to remove that friction. Here are the specifics for the "Free Rides Home" program:
The Route: The offer applies specifically to the Broad Street Line (B Line).

Pick-up Point: Fans must board at NRG Station, the stop directly serving the South Philadelphia Sports Complex.

The Timing: Free service begins at halftime of each match and continues for two hours after the final whistle.

The Cost: While a regular one-way fare to the stadium is $2.90, your trip back to Center City or North Philly will cost exactly $0.

Why This is a Big Deal

To understand why Philly fans are cheering, you have to look at what’s happening in other host cities. While Philadelphia is prioritizing affordability, neighboring hubs have taken a different approach:

Host City-Transit -Cost (Round Trip)-Partnership

Philadelphia $2.90 (Return is Free)SEPTA + Airbnb

New Jersey (MetLife) $150.00 NJ Transit

Boston (Gillette) $80.00 - $95.00M BTA / Private Bus

As SEPTA General Manager Scott Sauer noted, the Broad Street Line is the "best way to get to and from the Sports Complex," and this sponsorship ensures that international visitors and locals alike aren't priced out of the celebration.
Philadelphia's 2026 Match Schedule

Mark your calendars! The free transit service will be active for all six matches hosted at the stadium:

June 14: Côte d'Ivoire vs. Ecuador

June 19: Brazil vs. Haiti

June 22: Group Stage

June 25: Group Stage

June 27: Group Stage

July 4: Round of 16 (Independence Day in the birthplace of America!)

Tips for World Cup Commuters

If you’re planning to head down to the matches, keep these tips in mind to ensure a smooth trip:

Download the SEPTA App: Even though the ride home is free, you’ll still need a SEPTA Key card or the app to pay your $2.90 fare to the stadium.

Look for "Sports Express": SEPTA will be running extra trains every 10 minutes or less during match days to handle the crowds.

Tailgate Like a Local: Unlike New York or Boston, Philly is keeping its tailgating traditions alive for the World Cup. Grab some food, enjoy the atmosphere, and then hop on the subway for your free ride home.

Note: This initiative is part of Governor Josh Shapiro's broader effort to showcase Pennsylvania as the "Great American Getaway" during this historic year of sports.

2026 is shaping up to be a historic year for sports in Philadelphia. Beyond the FIFA World Cup, the city is hosting several other "once-in-a-generation" events to celebrate the nation's 250th anniversary.

Major Events in 2026

MLB All-Star Game & All-Star Week: The "Midsummer Classic" returns to Citizens Bank Park in July 2026. This includes the Home Run Derby and a week of fan festivities across the city.

PGA Championship: One of golf’s four major championships will be held at the Aronimink Golf Club from May 11–17, 2026.

NCAA March Madness: Philadelphia will host early-round games of the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship at Xfinity Mobile Arena in March 2026.

U.S. Amateur Championship: Top amateur golfers will compete at the prestigious Merion Golf Club from August 10–16, 2026.

Philadelphia Cycling Classic: After a decade-long hiatus, this iconic race returns on August 30, 2026, featuring the famous "Wall"

The Midsummer Classic Returns: MLB All-Star Week 2026 In Philadelphia

For the first time since 1996, the eyes of the baseball world will be fixed on the birthplace of America. As part of the massive Semiquincentennial (250th Anniversary) celebrations, Major League Baseball's All-Star Week is taking over the city in July 2026.

From high-stakes home runs to fan festivals that span the city, here is everything you need to know about the most anticipated baseball event of the decade.

The Main Events at Citizens Bank Park

The heart of the action will be at Citizens Bank Park, which will be celebrating its own milestone as it hosts its first-ever All-Star Game.

The 96th MLB All-Star Game: The centerpiece of the week, where the best of the American League and National League face off for bragging rights.

Home Run Derby: Expect the "Bank" to play small as the league's most powerful sluggers take aim at the Ashburn Alley seats.

All-Star Futures Game: See the stars of tomorrow before they hit the big leagues.

Beyond the Ballpark: All-Star Village

Philadelphia is transforming its historic and modern spaces into a baseball wonderland. All-Star Village (the modern evolution of FanFest) will likely be centered around the Pennsylvania Convention Center and the surrounding blocks, offering:

Interactive Exhibits: Test your pitching speed or try to rob a home run in virtual reality.

Legend Appearances: Meet Phillies icons from the 1980 and 2008 World Series teams for autographs and Q&A sessions.

The All-Star Red Carpet Show: Watch the players parade through the city’s streets in a high-fashion procession before the big game.

Why 2026 is Different

This isn't just another All-Star Game. Because it coincides with the U.S. 250th Anniversary, MLB is working closely with the city to weave baseball into the national celebration.

"Philadelphia is the perfect stage for the 2026 All-Star Game. The intersection of baseball's history and our nation's history will make this an unforgettable experience for fans," — MLB Commissioner's Office.

Visitors can expect unique mashups between the All-Star festivities and historic sites like Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell, which are just a short subway ride away on the Broad Street Line.

Survival Tips for Fans

Book Lodging Now: With the FIFA World Cup matches and the All-Star Game happening in the same summer, hotels are filling up fast. Check the Michelin Guide’s top Philly hotels for the best places to stay.

Use Public Transit: Traffic in South Philly will be intense. Stick to SEPTA—it's the fastest way to get to the Sports Complex.

Explore the Food: While the stadium has great eats, don't miss out on the local All-Star specials at Reading Terminal Market and Philly's world-class food scene.

Philadelphia Museums Revisit How America Was Built On Botany

The Academy of Natural Sciences and the Mütter Museum have exhibitions about the role of plants in nation building.

When Founding Father Thomas Jefferson arrived in Philadelphia to draft the Declaration of Independence, he was not impressed by the city. Jefferson, a Virginian farmer, rented a room far from the urban bustle, on what is now Seventh Street.

“I view great cities as pestilential to the morals, the health and the liberties of man,” Jefferson wrote to Benjamin Rush in 1800. “True, they nourish some of the elegant arts; but the useful ones can thrive elsewhere.”

Jefferson saw North America’s flora and fauna as its greatest asset.

“The greatest service which can be rendered any country is to add a useful plant to its culture,” Jefferson wrote in “Summary of Public Service” in 1800.

As Philadelphia celebrates the country’s 250th birthday, exhibitions at the Academy of Natural Sciences and the Mütter Museum, and an academic symposium at the University of Pennsylvania make the case for Philadelphia’s central role in establishing American botany as a pillar of nation-building.

“Botany of Nations,” at The Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University, explores how plants helped shape the nation and explains why Jefferson sent Meriwether Lewis and William Clark on the 1803 Corps of Discovery expedition through the Louisiana Purchase. To build a great nation, Jefferson needed to know what grew here.

“The object of the Corps of Discovery, the aims of it, were complicated,” said curator Marina McDougall. “He asked Lewis and Clark, in meeting with Native Americans, to explore trade. There was diplomatic interest. And, of course, the native nations came to it with their complex trade histories and their own interests.”

Why ‘Botany of Nations’?

The title reflects Lewis and Clark’s exploration of lands occupied by 50 distinct native nations, each with thousands of years of botanical knowledge.

“Many Americans look to the Lewis and Clark Corps of Discovery as a way to think about national identity. Our identities as Americans come from that,” McDougall said. “But it was much more complex than the story of these two heroic figures.”

American natural sciences were largely concerned with identifying and categorizing plant and animal types. Before heading west in 1804, Lewis learned botany in Philadelphia from Benjamin Smith Barton, a member of the College of Physicians of Philadelphia.

Barton argued in 1798 for the creation of an American encyclopedia of medicinal plants, i.e. a pharmacopeia, so the United States would not be solely reliant on European knowledge.

“They brought a pharmacopeia over with them on the Mayflower,” said Meredith Sellers, a curator at the Mütter Museum at the College of Physicians of Philadelphia. “This is like WebMD in the colonial era.”

The Mütter Museum currently has a small exhibition, “Revolutionary Botany,” featuring manuscripts and artifacts tracing the origins of modern medicine to Philadelphia botanists.

“Revolutionary Botany” features figures such as Barton, who consulted with area indigenous people for their knowledge of native plants, John Bartram of Bartram’s Garden and the creation of America’s first pharmacy school, the Philadelphia College of Apothecaries — later the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy, now part of St. Joseph’s University.

The first American pharmacopeia was created in 1820 to establish the validity of American medicine.

“That’s really what the American pharmacopeia reflects,” Sellers said. “It’s a compendium of both the European known curatives and then adding to it these new American plants within a European understanding of what’s new.”

The European understanding of botany collided with an indigenous perspective of plants. Nakia Williamson-Cloud of the Nez Perce nation said naming species and categorizing them into taxonomic groups is antithetical to indigenous practice.

The story of the humble camas root

Williamson-Cloud is one of several ethnobotanists consulted for “Botany of Nations.” He appears in a section about the camas plant, a grass with a thick root bulb that grows in Western North America.

“It was one of the main food staples, probably contributed to almost 50% of our diet,” he said. “It was a root that was very important to our life and our subsistence, but it’s also intertwined within our spirituality.”

The camas, often called “Grandmother” by the Nez Perce, is part of native creation myths: The plant was born from the tears of a grandmother who cried herself to death over her children’s hunger. Camas also appeared in the wake of the coyote figure who battled a great monster to death.

“As travelers on a schedule, [Lewis and Clark] may have missed important elements of the Nez Perce system for producing annual crops of big camas bulbs,” said Sarah Walker, a Forest Service botanist featured in “Botany of Nations. “This was a system planned and carried out by women, whose horticultural skills were not investigated by Lewis and Clark.”

Williamson-Cloud contributed to the exhibition a traditional tú·kes digging stick, a long, thin hardwood branch hardened by fire with a bone crosspiece on top. Women who harvested camas would plunge the stick several inches into the ground and lever up the camas bulb, cleanly uprooting it without damaging surrounding grasses.

“Lewis and Clark probably didn’t realize the degree to which the lands of North America were being gardened,” McDougall said. “Through cultural fire, through the practices of weeding things out as you dug the camus using the digging sticks that don’t disturb things around it, these were cultivated landscapes that were entering into.”

Lewis and Clark observed Nez Perce women picking camas in the wild and likely assumed they were foraging. But the Nez Perce were farmers cultivating plants for harvest. Like many indigenous farming practices, it did not look like European farming with rows of monoculture crops; plants were carefully sown and later gathered without disturbing surrounding plant life.

“We don’t go to discover a place. We go to a place and seek connection with it,” he said. “They are what gives us identity. We don’t give it identity.”

The myth of the American wilderness

The idea that Lewis and Clark entered and discovered untouched wilderness is an American myth, according to Rosalyn LaPier, professor of History at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, who spoke at a recent Penn symposium, Adventive America, about the role of plants in American nationhood.

“We have this longstanding philosophy that this was a place untouched by humans, a place that was a Garden of Eden touched by god and untouched by humans,” she said in her presentation. “We have carried that philosophy forward to this day.”

LaPier, who is a member of the Blackfeet tribe, pointed to the 1964 U.S. Wilderness Act, which codifies in federal law the definition of wilderness as an area “untrammeled by man, where man himself is a visitor who does not remain.”

“The idea of the wilderness is so embedded in U.S. culture, we need to have I-don’t-know-what kind of surgery to pull that apart,” she said.

In 1805, Lewis and Clark encountered the indigenous Salish people of what is now Western Montana. The meeting is the subject of a large painted mural by Charles Russell, “Lewis and Clark Meeting Indians at Ross’ Hole” (1912), that now hangs in the Montana House of Representatives building.

In 2019, the Salish people published their own account of the historic meeting of the Salish and the Lewis and Clark expedition, describing it as “less an innocent Corps of Discovery than a reconnaissance for invasion.”

“They did not understand that what they saw in western Montana in 1805 was not the product of human absence, but more the product of human presence,” the Salish wrote in “The Salish People and the Lewis and Clark Expedition,” “Or more precisely, a particular kind of human presence.”

Updating the historic record

Lewis and Clark shipped 222 plant samples back to Philadelphia, pressed and annotated on paper sheets, which remain at the Academy of Natural Sciences as the Lewis and Clark Herbarium. Several sheets are on view in “Botany of Nations,” alongside updated sheets that include additional information about the plants, provided by indigenous ethnobotanists. When the exhibition wraps up next year, the new sheets will be permanently included in the historic herbarium collection.

“The academy’s been around for 200-plus years. What are researchers going to want in 50, 100, 200 years beyond that?” said Kaitlyn O’Brian, the Academy’s director of development. “They’re going to want the full view of what a plant can tell us. How can we weave indigenous science and indigenous knowledge into our collections so that future researchers and generations can really understand the full history of a plant?”

“Botany of Nations” will be on view at the Academy of Natural Science at Drexel University until February 14, 2027. “Revolutionary Botany” at the Mütter Museum will be on view through 2026. The “Adventive America” symposium at the University of Pennsylvania occurred in March 2026.

https://whyy.org/person/peter-crimmins/

Philadelphia’s Weitzman Museum Tells The Forgotten Story Of Caribbean Jews Who Supplied The American Revolution

“The First Salute” pulls artifacts from Sint Eustatius to tell the “hidden” story of the colonies’ crucial island allies.

The governor of Sint Eustatius, a tiny Caribbean island about 100 miles east of Puerto Rico, came to Philadelphia to inaugurate a semiquincentennial exhibition that shows how the island played a critical role in the American Revolution.

Gov. Alida Frances said a person can stand at one point on St. Eustatius and see the ocean in every direction.

“We, as a small island, always felt that our story was hidden,” she said. “But we did everything ourselves to keep the story alive. When we tell people of the world that we played this important role in American history, especially in the independence of America, it seems farfetched to most people.”

“The First Salute” at the Weitzman Museum of American Jewish History pulled about 100 objects and manuscripts, many directly from St. Eustatius and its neighboring islands, which tell the story of smuggling, trade, weapons and international networking that was crucial to supply the War of Independence.

St. Eustatius, or Statia as it is known on the island, was and still is a territory of The Netherlands. The first ships of the newly minted U.S. Navy arrived in the island port in 1776 to pick up supplies, including critically needed gunpowder, just a few months after the Declaration of Independence was signed.

The island greeted the incoming navy ships with a 13-cannon salute, representing the 13 colonies. It was the first foreign entity to officially recognize the sovereignty of the United States.

The first artifact seen in “The First Salute” is a thoroughly rusted 18th-century cannon from St. Eustatius. Its provenance is murky, but the cannon may have been one of those fired in the titular salute.

“I don’t know if a cannon from St. Eustatius has ever been exhibited in the United States,” curator Josh Perelman said.

The ‘First Salute’ is a Jewish story

In 1777, St. Eustatius, like many Caribbean islands, had large Jewish populations. Many Jews fleeing European countries, particularly antisemitic oppression in Spain, Portugal and Eastern European countries, migrated to more favorable countries, such as Holland.

Many continued onto Caribbean territories to take advantage of trading opportunities. Positioned along favorable Atlantic trade winds between Europe and Africa and the Americas, the Caribbean islands were essential and lucrative shipping ports.

St. Eustatius became a strategic military position for shipping military support from European allies to the American revolutionary effort, including weapons and gunpowder.

“There have been books written about St. Eustatius and its role in the Revolution,” said Laura Arnold Leibman, professor of American Jewish Studies at Princeton University, who consulted on the Weitzman exhibition.

“Those books, weirdly, have not told much about Jews,” she said, “which we think was a huge missed opportunity.”

In the late 18th century, St. Eustatius had a population of about a tenth of Philadelphia’s, but its Jewish population was larger than that of any North American city. In all of the colonies, there were only two established synagogues — in New York City and Newport, Rhode Island.

“Many people don’t know, but before 1825 the largest Jewish communities in the Americas were all in the Caribbean,” Leibman said. “St. Eustatius, a relatively small island geographically, had about twice the Jewish population of either Philadelphia or New York at the time.”

American Jews were not unanimous in their support of the American Revolution. One of Leibman’s favorite objects in the exhibition is a piece of needlework by a 15-year-old Jewish girl in New York, Rebecca Hendricks, depicting the 10 Commandments. Leibman said Hendrix’s father signed a loyalty oath to King George III, seen right next to the sampler.

“This is a good example of us trying to make sure we are not just saying ‘Rah! Rah! Rah! Patriots!’ all the time,” she said. “Jews, like every other group of people, were on both sides of the conflict.”

The downfall of the Jews on St. Eustatius

Regardless of which side of the War of Independence they aligned on, Jews on St. Eustatius ultimately suffered. Many were financially wiped out by the war.

The British Admiral George Rodney captured the island in 1781 to suffocate American supply lines. There, he discovered the merchants of St. Eustatius were fabulously wealthy. Targeting the Jews in particular, Rodney systematically plundered anything and everything of value on the island for his personal benefit.

“They were robbed blind,” Francis said. “Their ships were intercepted, robbed of all of the cargo that they brought in for trade. Their shops were robbed. They were exiled. Gradually, they started to move away from the island because they felt no longer safe. The whole economy of the islands went downhill.”

Frances said there is no longer a Jewish community on St. Eustatius. Nevertheless, the residents have preserved the island’s Jewish legacy. The walls of the original synagogue, now in ruins, still stand. Artifacts such as Dutch Delft plateware and sundry Judaica objects have been preserved.

“We know that it was there at the time of The First Salute, at the time of the Revolution,” Perelman said. “It’s incredible to have it here in Philadelphia and to give visitors the opportunity to see this remarkable object that is humble but tells such a massive story.”

“The First Salute” will be on view at the Weitzman Museum of American Jewish History through April 2027.

https://whyy.org/person/peter-crimmins/ “The First Salute” includes a Hanukkah oil lamp, believed to be the only 18th-century object of Jewish ritual from St. Eustatius to survive.

Rare Declarations On Display At American Philosophical Society Museum In Philadelphia

Inside the American Philosophical Society's Museum, 19 rare copies of the Declaration of Independence from the nation's first 50 years are on public view.

The exhibition traces how the document evolved-from early newspaper printings to a politicized symbol and later a memorialized national treasure.

Alongside the Declarations are about 30 related objects, including a massive 18thcentury map of North America and items connected to Thomas Jefferson.

Founded by Benjamin Franklin in 1743, the APS houses one of the nation's oldest and most extensive scholarly collections.

Curator David Gary hopes the exhibit encourages visitors to read, reflect on, and thoughtfully discuss the Declaration today.

American Philosophical Society |

Museum at Philosophical Hall, 104 S 5th Street, Philadelphia, Pa. 19106

By Wendy Daughenbaugh

'Once Upon A Nation' In Philadelphia Puts Actors In The Spotlight Of History For America 250 And Beyond

Historic Philadelphia, Inc. is the non-profit behind 'Once Upon A Nation' - a program that brings history to life using actors who train at The Benstitute.

Two types of actors appear in public performances throughout the historic district. History makers stay in character of the people they portray, and are dressed in colonial costume. Storytellers dress in contemporary green shirts and khakis, and can be found at storytelling benches in the historic district.

The benches are semicircular and noted by lime green signs that say 'Once Upon A Nation'. The non-profit has been auditioning actors for these roles for 30 years now, but this year their work takes on special significance. You can find out all the events planned for this summer in the current issue of The Historic Philadelphia Gazette, found either online, or in hard copy at the Independence Visitor Center.

By Natalie Jason

American Airlines Returns To The Dominican Republic from PHL After 4-Year Hiatus

Pack your swimsuits and find your sunglasses – a much-missed travel connection is back. After a four-year hiatus, American Airlines is officially relaunching nonstop service from Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) to the stunning Dominican Republic.

Starting this May 2026, American Airlines will operate four weekly flights from PHL directly to Santiago, Dominican Republic (STI). This is fantastic news for anyone looking to ditch the layovers and dive straight into vacation mode in one of the Caribbean's most popular destinations.

Why the Dominican Republic from PHL is a Huge Win:

Nonstop Ease: For four long years, getting from Philly to the Dominican Republic meant adding hours to your travel time with connecting flights. The return of this nonstop route dramatically improves convenience for local travelers.

Access to a Cultural & Adventure Hub: Santiago itself is a vibrant city rich in culture and history, known for its friendly atmosphere and bustling markets. It’s also an excellent gateway for exploring the dramatic landscapes of the Cibao Valley and is within reasonable driving distance of some of the country’s spectacular northern beaches.

More Choice for Caribbean Travel: This service expansion adds significant capacity and choice for Philadelphia travelers looking for a tropical escape. Whether you're planning a romantic getaway, a family vacation, or an adventure trip, this new option opens up a wealth of possibilities.

Planning Your Dominican Republic Adventure:

As you start dreaming about your getaway, keep in mind that these new American Airlines flights are scheduled to begin in May, just in time to enjoy the start of the summer season. Now is the perfect time to:

Check Flights: Monitor aa.com and your favorite travel search engines for the specific flight schedules and pricing that works best for you.

Explore Santiago & Beyond: Look into accommodations and activities in Santiago itself, or plan your journey onward to nearby coastal areas or mountain regions.

Review Travel Requirements: As always when traveling internationally, double-check the current entry requirements for the Dominican Republic to ensure a smooth and hassle-free trip.

Get ready to experience the warmth of the Dominican Republic, conveniently accessible once again from PHL.

Penn Museum Unveils Native North America Gallery: Rooted in Resilience. Resisting Erasure.

The new 2,000 sq. ft. multisensory Native North America Gallery explores the political, religious, linguistic, and artistic self-determination of Native peoples across the United States who are thriving—despite attempts to erase Indigenous identities, cultures, and languages. At its center are interactive stations where visitors can listen to Native languages and try their hand at traditional weaving techniques.

A rendering of the Penn Museum’s Native North America Gallery

Among the 250 cultural items and contemporary Native art pieces on view is an empty display case, prompting repatriation as an essential point of discussion and offering a moment of reflection for guests.

"Updating this gallery has taken two years and is a continuation of the Museum’s long-standing commitment to amplify Native voices, honor their perspectives, and ensure their stories are represented with integrity," explains Dr. Lucy Fowler Williams, Co-Curator of the Native North America Gallery, Associate Curator-in-Charge, and Sabloff Keeper of the North American Section at the Penn Museum.

The new gallery showcases compelling Indigenous-led perspectives from four regions that have especially strong representation in the Penn Museum's collections:

Northeast: Longevity of Lënapehòkink (Delaware/Lenape) Spanning 13,000 years, this section honors the Lenape as the first people in the Delaware Valley and chronicles the creativity and resilience of Lenape communities as they survived forced removal.

Southeast: Persistent Places and Traditions (Eastern Band Cherokee, Muscogee (Creek)) Introducing the long history of Native traditions across the rivers and woodlands of the American South, this section spotlights under-recognized Indigenous technologies in engineering, agriculture, and art.

Southwest: Connecting with a Sacred Landscape (Pueblo) Accentuating the resilience of Pueblo peoples in the arid Southwest, this section outlineshistories of communities who have thrived for centuries in communal settings such asMesa Verde.

Northwest: Stewardship around the Gulf of Alaska (Lingít, Alutiiq) Exploring lifeways in the Gulf of Alaska and the Southeast region, this section exploreshow Alutiiq and Tlingit peoples have upheld traditions anchored in stewardship ofabundant natural resources.

"Consent is everything, and this is a change from how museums have worked in the past. We are now working collaboratively to include the people who are still here and give them a voice in how they are represented—this is paramount," says Jeremy Johnson, Cultural Education Director, Delaware Tribe of Indians and a Consulting Curator for the Native North America Gallery. "It is important for the people trained in the museum side of things to take what we’re saying and make it make sense to a wider audience. This work empowers communities; it gives us back agency over who we are and how we are presented."

In the U.S.'s 250th year, the Native North America Gallery offers nuance and complexity in telling the nation’s story.

"Indigenous representation in museums is a complex part of America’s painful colonial history and relationships continue to evolve," says Dr. Megan C. Kassabaum, Weingarten Associate Curator at the Penn Museum and Co-Curator of the Native North America Gallery. "We are committed to making sure this necessary, collaborative work continues."

The Native North America Gallery is generously supported by a lead gift from Ina and Lewis Heafitz, W’58 and is included with Penn Museum admission.

Please visit: https://www.penn.museum/

Why American Airlines Is Doubling Down On Its Philadelphia Gateway

US-based legacy carrier American Airlines is increasingly treating its hub at Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) as its primary gateway for flights to secondary European cities, with routes to destinations like Budapest, Prague, and now Porto becoming an increasingly important part of the airline's strategy. The airport's geography, network connectivity, and fleet strategy line up better there than at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) and Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT).

The Porto route launch is emblematic of the carrier's plan to expand into new long-and-thin transatlantic markets that would become viable with the Airbus A321XLR. This jet will be paired with a premium ground experience at Philadelphia International (PHL) to support higher yields. In short, PHL is where American Airlines can add European breadth without overloading the airline's larger hubs.

American Airlines' latest network strategy adjustment is for the planned launch of its route from Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) to Porto Airport (OPO), a service set to launch in summer 2027, subject to the applicable government approvals. This route will be operated daily during the summer season using the dynamic Airbus A321XLR and its premium-heavy Flagship Suite product. Leadership framed Porto as exactly the kind of new city-pair that the A321XLR unlocks, all while explicitly tying the move to the carrier's new Central Europe additions.

These additions include nonstop flights to Budapest (BUD) and Prague (PRG), both of which are set to start on May 21, 2026, as summer-seasonal Boeing 787-8 services. This reinforces a pattern, as the carrier is routing new European growth through Philadelphia rather than forcing it into more traditional banked hubs. A statement from American's Senior Vice President of Network and Schedule Planning, Brian Znotins, makes this strategy fairly clear:

"While we’ll have even more new routes to share later this year for summer 2027, we’re eager to continue growing our long-haul network that features service to new destinations, including Budapest, Hungary, and Prague that will start this summer.”

Philadelphia International Airport is strategically valuable to American Airlines because it serves as a purpose-built transatlantic hub point for passengers heading across the Atlantic from all parts of the United States. The carrier is planning on pulling domestic feed directly into PHL, and then distributing it across a growing set of spokes in Europe and the Middle East. This matters for Central Europe and secondary leisure markets, both places where local demand alone is often not enough.

Philadelphia International Airport also gives American Airlines a clean, competitive narrative, and both American and the airport have repeatedly positioned PHL as the carrier's principal transatlantic gateway, with a large roster of transatlantic destinations and high-frequency summer flying, all of which support connection utility and customer confidence when one is launching flights to brand-new cities.

Lastly, American Airlines is investing in the premium experience at PHL (most notably in its Flagship lounge), which helps sell higher-yield itineraries on routes that might not justify widebody scale outside DFW. This is also true for heavily banked, connection-dense operations out of Charlotte Douglas Airport.

The financial logic behind this decision is grounded in the fact that Philadelphia is fairly cheap to operate out of and is thus an ideal base for these route launches. Cities in Europe like Porto, Budapest, and Prague are demand-volatile and see large seasonal surges, so it makes sense for American to pair them with an aircraft and hub structure that significantly reduces its downside risk.

The Boeing 787-8 on routes to Budapest and Prague provides widebody economics without oversupplying seats, all while the Airbus A321XLR makes long-and-thin markets like Porto workable at a lower trip cost. This is exactly the rationale that American cited for choosing Porto as an A321XLR-supporting market.

Concentrating these kinds of route launches at PHL also limits overall opportunity cost. DFW's widebody fleet and long-haul banks are often better deployed on routes with thicker, year-round demand, all while CLT's strength is high-volume domestic connecting. This is ultimately less ideal for repeatedly introducing niche transatlantic services. Once you factor in premium economics, including a stronger lounge proposition, a PHL transatlantic hub makes more and more sense.

https://simpleflying.com/author/alexander-mitchell/

The PHS Philadelphia Flower Show Returns To The Pennsylvania Convention Center February 28th To March 8th, This Year's Theme, "Rooted: Origins Of American Gardening,"

The 2026 Philadelphia Flower Show is back, transforming the Pennsylvania Convention Center into a floral wonderland! This year's theme, "Rooted: Origins of American Gardening," explores the traditions and cultural influences that have shaped gardening in our country. You'll see breathtaking exhibits, attend workshops, and learn from experts at the Pennsylvania Convention Center from February 28th to March 8th.

For more information, please visit: https://phsonline.org/the-flower-show

Pennsylvania Horticultural Society Unveils First Look At The 2026 PHS Philadelphia Flower Show, Rooted: Origins Of American Gardening

Philadelphia’s world-renowned Flower Show returns to the Pennsylvania Convention Center on February 28 - March 8, 2026, with stunning blooms, international exhibitors, and a celebration of America’s gardening heritage

"Rooted: Origins of American Gardening reflects the heart of PHS’s mission connecting people and plants to transform lives and communities,” said Matt Rader, President of the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society. “Every plant and garden tells a story. The Flower Show celebrates those stories while serving as a fundraiser to support PHS’s year-round work in the Philadelphia region to create green spaces, expand access to fresh food, and foster neighborhood resilience and community health. Just as gardens grow from strong roots, so does the impact we can have together in our community."

Now in its 197th year, the award-winning PHS Philadelphia Flower Show is a world-renowned gardening event and PHS’s main fundraiser for its acclaimed greening work throughout the Philadelphia region that aims to advance health and well-being for all.

“The 2026 Philadelphia Flower Show celebrates the rich stories, bold creativity, and enduring inspiration that gardens bring to our lives,” said Seth Pearsoll, VP and Creative Director of the Philadelphia Flower Show. “Every element is designed to inspire so visitors will find themselves marveling at the creativity and discovering something new around every corner."

As the Pennsylvania Convention Center will host an additional event during the Flower Show’s run, PHS has refreshed the Show’s footprint to ensure a smooth, intuitive, and engaging experience for all visitors. Over the years, PHS has consistently heard that the Flower Show is more than a place to view beautiful exhibits; it is a hub for discovery, creativity, and shared experiences. To support this multi-dimensional experience, PHS will debut a thoughtfully reimagined layout supported by a new wayfinding framework that helps guests easily navigate the Show through five core experiences: SEE, SHOP, MAKE, LEARN, and PLAY.

PHS will continue to utilize its primary exhibition spaces for the Show’s gardens, exhibits, and experiences. The beloved Marketplace shopping destination will move to a new street-level home directly below the main exhibition space, giving vendors a highly visible location enhanced with floral moments and seating areas that invite guests to linger and explore.

Below are select highlights that visitors can expect in 2026.

SEE: Bold Floral and Landscape Creations and Award-Winning Displays

The Flower Show brings together an extraordinary range of floral, landscape, and botanical artistry, showcasing lush gardens and plants, innovative design, and world-class creative talent from across the globe. These exhibits invite visitors to experience the power of storytelling through plants, honoring history, culture, and imagination while pushing the boundaries of what gardening can be.

The PHS Entrance Garden – “The Forest Floor”

This wondrous, sprawling creation draws on global influences that have shaped American gardening traditions over generations, taking inspiration from the calm of a Japanese Zen garden and the misty, magical ambiance of a Scottish forest. Bold, organic stonework, textural plantings, and water features are crowned by a sweeping, twisting root structure, creating a striking focal point that illustrates how American gardening has long evolved through the weaving together of diverse cultural inspirations. This immersive entryway sparks imagination and guides visitors through the garden’s intricate and surprising floral details.

Competitive Classes – Long considered the beating heart of the Flower Show, these competitions celebrate the tradition of gardeners proudly presenting their most extraordinary and curious plants. Today, the Hamilton Horticourt, Design Gallery, and Artistic Gallery carry that legacy forward, inviting competitors to showcase exceptional plants, floral artistry, and botanical craftsmanship that reflect the depth, discipline, and creativity at the core of gardening.

The Hamilton Horticourt, the world’s largest plant competition, brings together thousands of amateur and expert-grown plants.

The Design Gallery presents floral arrangements crafted for themed challenges, highlighting designers’ skill, creativity, and the artistic power of flowers.

The Artistic Gallery showcases pressed plants, botanical art, photography, and handcrafted works, celebrating botanical creativity across mediums.

Curated Exhibitors – PHS selects dozens of exceptional floral and landscape designers whose creativity and expertise shape the Flower Show’s most anticipated visual experiences. Together, these designers bring Rooted: Origins of American Gardening to life through deeply personal interpretations of the theme, drawing from their own experiences, cultural heritage, and creative perspectives.

The “American Landscape Showcase," a special exhibition celebrating America’s 250th anniversary, features four gardens, each crafted by a world-renowned designer to interpret the roots, traditions, and resilience of American gardening. Etta Studio, Unknown Studio, Design Under Sky, and Kelly D. Norris highlight how gardening has shaped communities over 250 years. The Showcase is made possible by the City of Philadelphia and the Philadelphia Funder Collaborative for the Semiquincentennial.

Four acclaimed international florists will exhibit “First Bloom – Rooted in Memory,” where designers share the origin moments that sparked their passion for flowers. Gábor Nagy, Alex Segura, Chantal Post, and Conny van der Westerlaken showcase world-class artistry and innovative design, giving visitors a glimpse of the artist’s life and cutting-edge creativity. Their participation underscores the Flower Show’s reputation as a premier destination for inspiration, craftsmanship, and international, horticultural collaboration.

Local educational exhibitors are showing how the next generation of horticultural professionals is shaping the future of gardening. Designed and built by students, these exhibits combine traditional gardening practices with modern approaches to sustainability, plant science, and design. Visitors will see heirloom seeds and culturally significant plants celebrated, discover how historic gardens and planting methods continue to inspire new ideas, and experience creative floral designs that connect art and horticulture. Each exhibit demonstrates how students are learning, experimenting, and passing knowledge forward, offering a fresh perspective on the skills and creativity that will guide American gardening for years to come.

This year’s Show is being put on with the support of the Philadelphia Funder Collaborative for the Semiquincentennial, the City of Philadelphia 250th Fund and Michael Newmuis, and the Commonwealth of PA including The Honorable Jordan A. Harris, Majority Chairman of the Pennsylvania House Appropriations Committee and Senator Vincent Hughes.

SHOP: Explore & Discover Unique Finds

This year’s refreshed layout has been thoughtfully designed to make shopping more visible, accessible, and engaging for all guests.

This year, the Flower Show’s Marketplace moves to street-level below the main exhibit halls, creating a dedicated shopping area where visitors can easily browse and discover unique finds. Guests will explore a curated selection of vendors featuring live plants, florals, garden tools, decorative wares, jewelry, and home accents, all designed for an engaging and seamless shopping experience.

The Makers Market, featuring 39 talented regional artisans selling handmade jewelry, décor, apparel, and artwork will be located next to Artisan’s Row, the crafting hub for the Flower Show.

Don’t miss the PHS Shop for must-have Flower Show memorabilia located in the main exhibition space. This year, merchandise options include apparel, mugs, totes, and other keepsakes to treasure long after the Show ends.

Bloom Bar gives visitors a chance to adorn themselves with fresh floral crowns right on the Show floor. Each crown is a wearable piece of floral artistry, perfect for capturing stunning photos or simply enjoying the beauty of flowers up close. Purchase required.

MAKE: Create and Craft with Hands-On Workshops

The Flower Show offers hands-on workshops, botanical crafts, and expert-led demonstrations.

Artisan Row is the Flower Show’s experiential hub where guests can create an elevated floral or gardening-inspired craft working side-by-side with artisans. Now expanded due to popular demand, Artisan Row will expand to an additional footprint and add three new creative experiences to the Convention Center’s concourse level. This year’s lineup will feature 7 artisans teaching guests how to create fresh floral crowns, floral candles, custom scents, fresh and dried bouquets, terrariums, hand painted vases, floral handbags, custom hats, tote bags and more. Purchase required.

Dive into the art of container gardening with Potting Parties, interactive workshops led by designer Tu Bloom, the Official Botanical Artist of the Grammy® Awards. These sessions are fun for all skill levels, giving participants hands-on experience and ending with a personalized creation to take home. New this year, select Potting Party sessions will be offered as a special floral arrangement class, introducing guests to the fundamentals of floral design using seasonal botanicals and natural elements. Purchase required.

LEARN: Expert Tips, Garden Insights & Tours

Visitors looking to deepen their gardening knowledge will find expert insight throughout the Flower Show. From engaging lectures and one-on-one advice to behind-the-scenes tours, these learning experiences offer inspiration and practical takeaways for gardeners at every level.

The Know to Grow speaker series returns this year, featuring leading horticultural experts sharing insights, traditions, and practical advice to help attendees cultivate their own gardens and deepen their connection to the natural world. This year’s Know to Grow lineup explores topics including heirloom and early American gardens, native bees and pollinator habitats, resilient ecological design, orchid cultivation, intensive vegetable gardening, and the cultural histories that have shaped American gardening traditions. All lectures are included with admission.

Plant People Place is your go-to destination for gardening advice and expert insight. This interactive area connects visitors with passionate plant society members, expert gardeners, and industry specialists, including experts in cacti, bonsai, begonias, and violets, as well as seed specialists from Burpee and tree experts from Bartlett Tree Experts. Whether you’re troubleshooting a plant problem, exploring something new, or looking to deepen your gardening knowledge, these experts are on hand to answer questions, share practical tips, and help you grow with confidence.

Early Morning Tours offer an exclusive way to experience the Flower Show before public hours. Led by knowledgeable guides, guests enjoy behind-the-scenes insights into exhibitors, garden design, the Hamilton Horticourt, and signature floral displays. PHS also offers Early Morning Photography Tours, giving guests the opportunity to photograph the Flower Show alongside a professional photographer before public hours. Tour tickets include full-day admission to the Show. Tours run daily from February 28 to March 8, from 8 to 10 am. Purchase required.

PLAY: Special Events and Activities

The Flower Show’s special events and activities invite guests to connect with flowers in fun, unexpected, and memorable ways. From immersive attractions and family-friendly programming to signature parties and after-hours events, this lineup brings added energy, interaction, and celebration to the Flower Show’s stunning exhibits.

Butterflies Live! gives attendees the opportunity to encounter hundreds of native and exotic butterflies with spectacular color in a serene setting. This is an all-ages activity, perfect for both kids and kids at heart! Purchase required. Recommended for all ages.

Families are invited to hang out at the Kids Cocoon, where young visitors can dig into interactive activities, explore the wonders of plant life, and spark a lifelong curiosity for gardening. Free with admission, Recommended for children ages 18 and under.

Tickets for the 2026 PHS Philadelphia Flower Show, Rooted: Origins of American Gardening, are on sale now!

There are two ways to experience the Flower Show:

Become a PHS Member and enjoy exclusive perks like free or discounted tickets, early access on Members’ Preview Day or during weekend preview hours, lounge access, and year-round savings.

Purchase a single or multi-day ticket.

Either way, you’ll step into a spectacular celebration of gardens, creativity, and community while supporting PHS’s vital greening work.

Tickets

Tickets for the 2026 PHS Philadelphia Flower Show are on sale at tickets.phsonline.org. To stay up to date with the latest information on the 2026 Flower Show, please visit phsonline.org/the-flower-show. For questions, please email flowershowtickets@pennhort.org.

The Port of Philadelphia Announces Groundbreaking of New PhilaPort Cruise Terminal

PhilaPort has announced the start of construction of the future PhilaPort Cruise Terminal, a 16-acre site adjacent to Philadelphia International Airport that will serve as the region’s newest gateway for cruise travel beginning in April 2026.

The terminal’s inaugural season will begin during a historic year. As the United States celebrates its 250th anniversary in 2026, Philadelphia will host a wide range of nationally significant events and tourism experiences. Launching Norwegian Cruise Line’s seasonal sailings to Bermuda and other destinations during this commemorative year will give travelers a new way to experience both the city’s deep maritime heritage and its vibrant modern culture.

“This is a unique opportunity, and we are fortunate to have two outstanding partners in Energy Transfer and Norwegian Cruise Line, both of whom see tremendous potential in Philadelphia,” said Jeff Theobald, PhilaPort Executive Director and CEO. “It took a lot of hard work to bring this agreement together, and Energy Transfer and Norwegian Cruise Line were committed every step of the way. We have a lot of hard work ahead of us, but we are ready and excited to welcome cruise passengers this spring.”

The new terminal is the result of coordinated efforts and partnership among PhilaPort, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, and Energy Transfer Marketing and Terminals (ETMT). PhilaPort and ETMT have finalized the agreement of sale of property for the site in Tinicum Township, formerly known as the Hog Island Dock Terminal Facility, clearing the way for its redevelopment. PhilaPort will manage all marine-side improvements, while NCLH will lead the land-side construction and development of the terminal. Under a seven-year berthing agreement running from April 15, 2026 through March 31, 2033, NCLH’s cruise brands will operate as Philadelphia’s exclusive homeport with an initial commitment of 41 sailings per year.

Cruise operations at the new terminal are projected to generate 2,185 direct and indirect jobs and approximately $300 million in annual economic output throughout the Commonwealth, supporting labor-intensive services that contribute to regional economic well-being.

“Philadelphia’s debut as our newest homeport marks a strategic milestone for Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings and our three award-winning brands, Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises, and Regent Seven Seas Cruises,” said Daniel S. Farkas, Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Chief Development Officer at Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings. “Together with PhilaPort, we’re expanding access to exceptional cruise experiences, connecting guests to world-class destinations with the convenience of sailing from a city rich in American history. As we prepare to launch in 2026, this terminal represents the next wave in our commitment to innovation, regional growth, and delivering an unmatched guest experience from ship to shore.”

Additional information regarding construction schedules, project milestones, and terminal amenities will be shared as development progresses. PhilaPort will release further details to keep the public, cruise passengers, and the travel industry informed as the terminal takes shape.

“The PhilaPort Cruise Terminal will help fulfill a key commitment in our strategic plan, Destination 2040, to make PhilaPort a multi-faceted port rather than one focused solely on cargo. This facility reflects the broader vision for both the city and the port, opening the door to a new chapter of tourism and leisure in Philadelphia,” said Michael Pearson, Chairman of the PhilaPort Board of Directors.

The establishment of the PhilaPort Cruise Terminal underscores the authority’s commitment to driving regional economic development and creating new opportunities for travelers. As the city prepares for America’s 250th anniversary, anticipation is building for a cruising experience that highlights Philadelphia’s maritime past and future. With unique facilities, convenient airport access, and an exciting lineup of destinations, the PhilaPort Cruise Terminal is positioned to become one of the East Coast’s most convenient and compelling places to begin a voyage. Passengers can expect more updates soon, along with an unforgettable new way to Cruise Philly First in 2026.

Art Festival Launching In Philadelphia In 2026

ArtPhilly will showcase Philly culture, past and present.

A five-week, citywide festival of the arts is planned in Philadelphia next summer to coincide with the nation’s 250th birthday. ArtPhilly, starting May 27, will feature over 30 performances and installations by artists from around the region.

ArtPhilly is intended to be a recurring event. The inaugural event is titled “What Now: 2026.”

One of its headlining works will be a new piece of documentary theater by Anna Deveare Smith, who was once a student at Arcadia College. “The Basil Biggs Project” will be about her own ancestor who was once hired to disinter and rebury dead Civil War soldiers at the Gettysburg battlefield.

Other projects include a music exploration of Black electronic music by DJ King Britt, a giant pop-up book about the history of Chinatown by artist Collete Fu and a music and poetry project about the cultural history of pepperpot soup conceived by the late Philadelphia artist Homer Jackson.

More events will be announced for designated Festival Districts across the city. According to an ArtPhilly statement, the festival involves 17 curators.

“For so much of its history Philadelphia has been at the forefront of art and culture in the United States,” said ArtPhilly co-founder Katherine Sachs. “By spotlighting the incredible artists and vital communities of our city, we hope that ArtPhilly reminds people how exciting and dynamic Philadelphia has been and continues to be.”

Editor’s note: ArtPhilly will be a “recurring” event, rather than a triennial event as organizers had initially indicated.

https://whyy.org/person/peter-crimmins/

Sebastian Errazuriz: Double Take November 22, 2025 – August 16, 2026 - At The Philadelphia Art Museum

The Philadelphia Art Museum is pleased to announce Sebastian Errazuriz: Double Take, a mid-career survey by artist and designer Sebastian Errazuriz (b. 1977, Chile). Running from November 22, 2025 – August 16, 2026, the exhibition will explore Errazuriz’s multi-hyphenate practice spanning art, craft, design, and technology, from antiquity-inspired furniture to multimedia work informed by artificial intelligence.

Bust Shelf Green Marble, 2018, designed by Sebastian Errazuriz

Alongside the exhibition, Errazuriz will be honored with the 39th Collab Design Excellence Award. Collab is the museum's affinity group for modern and contemporary design and has celebrated diverse international designers who have made important contributions that advance all disciplines of design. Collab was established in 1986 and presents the award annually. Previous awardees have included Florence Knoll Bassett, Naoto Fukasawa, Zaha Hadid, Ingo Maurer, George Nakashima, Gaetano Pesce, Patricia Urquiola, and Marcel Wanders, among others.

Errazuriz’s creative imagination challenges upheld ideas of what design should be and, moreover, asks what it could be. Embracing humor and appropriation, his limited-edition and unique pieces often have a subtext that goes beyond form or function to include personal narratives, political messages, and cultural commentary. While many of Errazuriz’s pieces are functional, his work upends a number of conventions established within the design industry, including the notions that form should follow function, or that materials should be used where most appropriate.

Sebastian Errazuriz: Double Take will present over 20 years of making, including early conceptual works that take nature and existing found objects as sources of inspiration. The exhibition will feature furniture, mirrors, and other products that the designer creates from appropriated and digitally manipulated Greco-Roman antiquities from museum collections. Also on display will be a range of the designer’s “kinetic” cabinets, defined by their moveable elements. Errazuriz is interested in disrupting the idea that cabinets must consist of a box with two front doors, regardless of their design. Instead, objects in Double Take propose a dynamic way of living with furniture that rotates, spins, and fans out in different directions.

A final, monumental installation will feature a full-wall graphic made up of drawings that Errazuriz has created through the use of artificial intelligence. Imagine is a new work, which spells out the word “IMAGINE” in neon lights, the letters flashing in alternating patterns to alight only “AGI” at certain points. Unlike current AI models which are trained for specific tasks, the concept of AGI, or artificial general intelligence, involves systems possessing human-like cognitive abilities, allowing them to learn new skills, adapt to novel situations, and demonstrate common sense and creativity without explicit pre-programming. This focal point of the exhibition explores Errazuriz’s fascination with, and apprehension about, the potential impact of AI on artists, designers, and culture more broadly.

“The diverse body of work by Sebastian Errazuriz conveys imagination and cleverness, while also bewildering those who encounter it. The pieces are meant to be lived with, but, at the same time, are provocations. They have an air of mystery around their function and meaning,” said Tiffany Lambert, The Lisa Roberts and David Seltzer Curator of Modern and Contemporary Design. “This survey exemplifies one way to understand and challenge how design can impact our daily lives.”

The Philadelphia Art Museum is a national and international destination for art, but first, they are Philadelphia’s art museum—for all of the many diverse communities of the city. Through their collections, exhibitions, events, educational activities, celebrations, and more, the museum is a storyteller, and they welcome everyone to be part of the story—their doors are wide open. To learn more, visit www.visitpham.org

All The Stars And Bib Gourmands In The First MICHELIN Guide To Philadelphia 2025

The best restaurants in the City of Brotherly Love, according to their Inspectors.

There was a time when Philadelphia was overlooked by cities like New York and Washington, D.C. but anyone who knows this city can attest, nobody puts Philly in a corner. From its rebellion history to its enthusiastic sports fans, this is a city brimming with vitality, and its food scene is as exciting as Broad Street after an Eagles game.

The MICHELIN Inspectors discovered plenty to LOVE about Philly, with three restaurants earning a Star for the first time. Plus, in a city synonymous with cheesesteaks and casual eats, the Inspectors awarded Bib Gourmands to ten spots doling out everything from sandwiches to Mexican, pizza and hummus.

See all of their favorite spots around the City of Brotherly Love below.

One Star

Friday Saturday Sunday

Cuisine: American Contemporary

And Wednesday and Thursday. Chef Chad Williams and his wife Hanna, both Philadelphia natives, took over this veritable institution in 2016 and then pivoted to offering a set multicourse menu. It works well, as it allows the chef to provide a balanced, varied and consistent experience to all. Thanks to skilled technique, just the right amount of innovation and an innate understanding of the luxury ingredients he uses, his dishes fill the mouth with flavor and succulence. His delicious crispy sweetbreads will convert any skeptic; quail with pâte plays with texture, and the New York strip is a lesson in expert seasoning. Expect an atmosphere as spirited and enjoyable as the food; there’s also a great cocktail bar on the first floor.

©Clay Williams/Friday Saturday Sunday

Her Place Supper Club 


Cuisine: European Contemporary


The name says it all, as Chef Amanda Shulman’s cozy little spot was born out of her love for cooking for friends and has that warm and welcoming supper club vibe. Diners may get their own table but there’s a real communal feel at play here; everyone is served at the same time after each dish is explained to the room. Her multicourse set menu changes every two weeks, and the accomplished and balanced cooking comes with French and Italian accents. It also boasts a welcome lightness of touch, so you leave feeling sated rather than overwhelmed, although you can choose some extra dishes as add-ons if you wish. Saucing is a real strength, whether a barigoule served with brioche-crumbed trout, or the beurre blanc that accompanies the homemade chitarra pasta with clams.

©Bre Furlong/Her Place Supper Club

Provenance 


Cuisine: Contemporary


Chef Nicholas Bazik and his team know exactly what they’re doing in this historic row house. In full view of the counter, they deliver a high-wire, high-stakes performance defined by precision, harmony and, of course, taste. Korean and French influences come and go with this elaborate tasting menu where special soys, vibrant oils and glossy sauces give wonderful dimension to pristine seafood and dry-aged proteins. Think Japanese tuna with whipped tofu, puffed sorghum and chili oil or brown butter hollandaise with country ham, caviar and cauliflower. The ideas are original, the flavors bold. Such creativity hews closely to the seasons, and even a salad can arrive as a revelation. All the while, service is seamless and warmly choreographed.

©Nate Cluss/Provenance

Bib Gourmands

4th Street Deli

Cuisine: Deli

Angelo's

Cuisine: American

©Al Gamble/4th Street Deli

Dalessandro's


Cuisine: American

Del Rossi's


Cuisine: American

©Mike Prince/Del Rossi's

Dizengoff


Cuisine: Israeli

El Chingon


Cuisine: Mexican

©Nayla Polohovich/El Chingon

Fiorella


Cuisine: Italian

Pizzeria Beddia


Cuisine: Pizza

©John Troxell/Fiorella

Royal Sushi & Izakaya


Cuisine: Japanese

Sally


Cuisine: Pizza

©Jesse Ito/Royal Sushi & Izakaya

Green Star

Pietramala

Cuisine: Vegan

“Plants on a pedestal” is the tagline of this cozy vegan restaurant in Northern Liberties. Largely self-taught, Chef Ian Graye seeks out foragers and small local suppliers for those plants, herbs and fruits and also does his own fermenting and preserving. His menu offers a selection of around 10 dishes designed for sharing – around three per person should more than suffice when ordering – and his cooking comes with a slight Italian accent. "Golden beets" is a clever riff on a New York deli, while the pappardelle with morels impresses with its creaminess. The open kitchen takes up half the space of the main room, where greenery is juxtaposed with exposed bricks and ducts; there are also some tables in a smaller room at the back. The restaurant is always busy and the atmosphere contagiously convivial, so do book ahead – and remember it’s BYOB, with a corkage fee.

©Steve Boyle/Pietramala

Editor's note: There were a few interesting snubs including no recognition of Jean-Georges Philadelphia, when the New York location has two Michelin stars, and just recognizing Vetri Cucina.

Henri Rousseau: A Painter’s Secrets Opens At The Barnes Foundation In Philadelphia October 19-February 22, 2026

A once-in-a-generation exhibition. A visionary artist revealed.

Henri Rousseau. Scouts Attacked by a Tiger (detail), 1904. The Barnes Foundation, BF584. Public Domain.

Step into the lush, hypnotic world of Henri Rousseau, one of the boldest forces in modern art.

Born in 1844, and with no formal art training, Rousseau defied the odds to become a cult figure to avant-garde legends such as Pablo Picasso. His paintings—dreamlike, symbolic, and deeply strange—range from imaginative visions of the jungle to portraits that capture his neighbors and loved ones.

Henri Rousseau: A Painter’s Secrets is the first major US exhibition in decades dedicated to this pioneering French painter. Featuring more than 60 works—including world-famous highlights like The Sleeping Gypsy, The Snake Charmer, and Unpleasant Surprise—the exhibition invites you to see Rousseau in a whole new light.

Don’t miss this world-premiere exhibition that unveils new research discoveries—including hidden layers beneath some of Rousseau’s celebrated paintings—and brings together, for the first time, the two most important Rousseau collections in the world, those of the Barnes Foundation and the Musée de l’Orangerie, Paris.

Developed in partnership with the Musée de l’Orangerie, Paris, Henri Rousseau: A Painter's Secrets is curated by Christopher Green, consulting curator, Professor Emeritus at the Courtauld Institute of Art, London, and Nancy Ireson, Deputy Director for Collections and Exhibitions & Gund Family Chief Curator at the Barnes, with the support of Juliette Degennes, curator at the Musée de l’Orangerie.

For more details and timed tickets, please visit: https://www.barnesfoundation.org/

The Philadelphia Museum Of Art To Feature Dreamworld: Surrealism At 100, November 8, 2025–February 16, 2026

Soft Construction with Boiled Beans (Premonition of Civil War), 1936, Salvador Dalí (Spanish, 1904–1989), 1950-134-41

In his Manifesto of Surrealism of 1924, André Breton celebrated the unbridled imagination as the key to freedom in all aspects of life. Artists responded by inventing a wide variety of new expressive forms designed to stir up the human capacity for wonder and amazement. Dreamworld: Surrealism at 100 will feature approximately two hundred works by more than seventy artists associated with the international Surrealist movement.

The PMA will be the only U.S. venue for this traveling exhibition, following distinct iterations at the Centre Pompidou in Paris, which launched this project to celebrate Surrealism’s centenary, and three other European museums. PMA highlights will include Joan Miró’s Dog Barking at the Moon (1926), Salvador Dalí’s Soft Construction with Boiled Beans (Premonition of Civil War) (1936), and Dorothea Tanning’s Birthday (1942).

To learn more, please visit: https://philamuseum.org/visit

The Calder Mobile Returns To Pittsburgh International Airport

I think it looks sensational. It’s one of the largest and most important mobiles. So it’s such an incredible asset for Pittsburgh to have.”

THE ALEXANDER CALDER MOBILE IS NOW INSTALLED IN THE ATRIUM OF THE NEW LANDSIDE TERMINAL AT PITTSBURGH INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. | PHOTO BY VIRGINIA LINN

That’s the assessment of Alex J. Taylor, a renowned expert on the work of Alexander Calder upon seeing the artist’s 500-pound mobile called “Pittsburgh” now installed in the atrium area of the new landside terminal of Pittsburgh International Airport. Calder created the piece for the Carnegie International in 1958, and it’s been displayed now at three different Pittsburgh airport terminals since 1959.

“It looks much more delicate in this setting than it did in its prior space,” Taylor added.

The mobile, which carries an insurance value of $12 million, was the centerpiece of the airport’s media tour on Thursday that aimed to showcase much of the new artwork that graces the new terminal — even on the outside of the five-story parking garage.

“The idea from the beginning was not to build an airport in Pittsburgh, but to build Pittsburgh’s airport,” said Christina Cassotis, airport CEO. “It needed to reflect and serve this community by bringing in the assets of the community and putting them on display for the world to see. And we know Pittsburgh punches way above its weight when it comes to arts and culture and has a rich legacy of doing so.”

There are 15 artists who have contributed their work, 80% of whom are from Pittsburgh.

CHRISTINA CASSOTIS (FAR RIGHT), CEO OF PITTSBURGH INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, STANDS WITH SEVERAL OF THE ARTISTS WHO HAVE CONTRIBUTED WORKS TO THE NEW LANDSIDE TERMINAL AND OTHER AREAS. | PHOTO BY VIRGINIA LINN

Calder, a Pennsylvania native who died in 1976, had several of his mobiles displayed at airports around the country, with one of the largest still hanging at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City, Taylor said. “Some of those other airports, like Dallas and Chicago, lost them,” he added.

Still, the Calder mobile has a bit of a spotted history in Pittsburgh. After it was purchased by G. David Thompson and donated to Allegheny County, the county decided — without Calder’s permission — to paint the mobile yellow and green, the official colors of Allegheny County, said Taylor, an Australian who is associate professor in the Department of History of Art and Architecture at the University of Pittsburgh.

“He was very grumpy about it,” he said about Calder. Later, the mobile was painted red — an action that Calder approved — but the color came out more pink. Then, changes were made to prevent the mobile paddles from moving with the air currents. Another time, they put what Taylor called “a horrendous advertising booth” underneath the mobile.

“It was treated very poorly. It wasn’t until the 1970s that it was restored to its original colors” of black and white, like it is today.

“I think in the ’50s, airport officials probably didn’t quite understand what this thing was and the idea that they could repaint it probably didn’t seem so outrageous to them,” he said. “Of course now we understand it’s one of [Calder’s] greatest works.”

Keny Marshall, arts and culture manager at the airport, said the mobile, which had been removed from the current terminal a while ago, was in good shape and all it needed was a cleaning before they installed it last week.

Calder Gardens in Philadelphia will open to the public on September 21, 2025, following a celebratory week of special events, and you can now purchase memberships and advance tickets online. In the lead-up to its inauguration, Calder Gardens announced the September 2025 opening in January 2025, unveiled its new website and visual identity in May 2025, and in 2022, the design by Herzog & de Meuron was unveiled for the Philadelphia cultural destination. For more information, please visit: https://caldergardens.org/

https://www.pittsburghmagazine.com/author/virginia-linn/

Philadelphia To Throw "Once-In-A-Generation" Monthslong Celebration For U.S. Navy And Marines' 250th Birthday

Philadelphia is throwing a "once-in-a-generation" celebration to mark the 250th birthdays of the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps.

Starting in early October, both sides of the Delaware River will host events, attracting hundreds of thousands of people, including active-duty service members, veterans and tourists.

The parade of ships will kick off everything on Oct. 9.

About a dozen vessels and Navy ships will make their way down the Delaware and dock at four locations, some on the New Jersey side of the river and others on the Pennsylvania side.

Throughout the October celebrations, free ship tours will be offered to the public.

The celebration marks a full-circle moment. Philadelphia was the birthplace of both the U.S. Navy and the Marine Corps.

"We're not just commemorating history," Mayor Cherelle Parker said. "We're creating it, in essence, from daily tours of naval ships along the Delaware River to the nationally televised concert, a patriotic parade, and the thrilling Blue Angel flyovers. This will be a once-in-a-generation celebration."

"We want our nation's citizens to get to know their sea services and that this event is an opportunity for us to celebrate the history," U.S. Fleet Forces Vice Admiral John Gumbleton said, "the heritage and the legacy of the mighty warships and service members who sailed proudly at sea in times of peace, in times of uncertainty and when called upon in times of war."

Then, from Nov. 7-11, the celebrations continue with a focus on the U.S. Marine Corps' 250th anniversary.

https://www.cbsnews.com/philadelphia/search/author/nikki-dementri/

American Airlines Announces New International Routes For Next Summer

Keep the bags packed for summer vacation as American Airlines announces six new routes to Europe and South America for travelers to experience in summer 2026. American will debut new service to Prague (PRG) and the only nonstop service from the U.S. to Budapest, Hungary (BUD). The airline will also add new routes to popular destinations including Athens, Greece (ATH); Milan (MXP); and Zurich (ZRH), while expanding service in summer to Buenos Aires, Argentina (EZE).

“Customers continue to tell us that Europe is where they want to go each summer and these new routes make it even easier to cross the Atlantic in 2026,” said Brian Znotins, American’s Senior Vice President of Network and Schedule Planning. “We are excited to grow our network to new destinations like Prague and Budapest and offer even more premium travel experiences on our flights to Tokyo.”

Tickets will be available for purchase on these summer 2026 routes starting Aug. 11 at aa.com or through American’s mobile app.

Departure airport Arrival airport Service notes Aircraft type

Dallas Fort Worth (DFW) Athens, Greece (ATH) Summer seasonal service starts May 21, 2026 Boeing 787-8

DFW Buenos Aires, Argentina (EZE) Extended service from May 21 to Aug. 3, 2026 787-8

DFW Zurich (ZRH) Summer seasonal service from May 21 to Aug. 4, 2026 Boeing 777-200

Miami (MIA) Milan (MXP) Year-round service starts March 29, 2026 787-8

Philadelphia (PHL) Budapest, Hungary (BUD) Summer seasonal service starts May 21, 2026 787-8

PHL Prague (PRG) Summer seasonal service starts May 21, 2026 787-8

Central Europe is calling

Next May, American will launch service from Philadelphia (PHL) to BUD and PRG, demonstrating the airline’s commitment to offering customers convenient access from American’s industry-leading domestic network to two new and exciting European destinations. With charming medieval architecture, delightful thermal baths and dinner cruises on the Danube and Vltava rivers, these two new destinations complement American’s robust trans-Atlantic network as the airline will serve 19* trans-Atlantic destinations from its PHL hub in 2026.

Customers connecting to Europe at PHL can enjoy the newly opened Flagship® and Admirals Club® lounges in PHL — two stylish, calm and comfortable sanctuaries designed for travelers to relax during their journey. Flagship® lounge customers can sip on complimentary champagne and dine on unique-to-Philadelphia dishes while taking in the panoramic runway views while those in the Admirals Club® lounge can enjoy specialty coffee, curated self-serve offerings and a full-service bar.

New routes to European favorites

American is expanding its international service to ATH and MXP next year. Daily service from DFW to ATH will take off starting next May. One of Europe’s most popular destinations, Athens provides travelers looking to take in history and delectable cuisine the chance to do both while tagging on a quick trip to a must-see Greek island. DFW will be American’s fifth nonstop destination to Athens, providing nonstop flights from more U.S. cities to Greece than any other airline.

Known for incredible fashion, art and architecture, Milan is a traveler favorite. Next March, American will launch daily service from MIA to MXP, providing the only nonstop link connecting two vibrant cities. American is MIA’s largest airline, and this new service will complement flights to Rome that began in summer 2025.

American continues to grow its comprehensive global network by adding six new routes to Europe and expanding service to South America for summer 2026. For travelers awed by stunning architecture or wanting to dip into a thermal bath, American will be the only carrier offering nonstop service from the U.S. to Budapest, Hungary. Across other destinations in Europe, American will add new service to Prague, and offer new routes to Athens, Greece; Milan; and Zurich. FORT WORTH, Texas — Keep the bags packed for summer vacation as American Airlines announces six new routes to Europe and South America for travelers to experience in summer 2026. American will debut new service to Prague (PRG) and the only nonstop service from the U.S. to Budapest, Hungary (BUD). The airline will also add new routes to popular destinations including Athens, Greece (ATH); Milan (MXP); and Zurich (ZRH), while expanding service in summer to Buenos Aires, Argentina (EZE).

“Customers continue to tell us that Europe is where they want to go each summer and these new routes make it even easier to cross the Atlantic in 2026,” said Brian Znotins, American’s Senior Vice President of Network and Schedule Planning. “We are excited to grow our network to new destinations like Prague and Budapest and offer even more premium travel experiences on our flights to Tokyo.”

New routes to European favorites

American is expanding its international service to ATH and MXP next year. Daily service from DFW to ATH will take off starting next May. One of Europe’s most popular destinations, Athens provides travelers looking to take in history and delectable cuisine the chance to do both while tagging on a quick trip to a must-see Greek island. DFW will be American’s fifth nonstop destination to Athens, providing nonstop flights from more U.S. cities to Greece than any other airline.

Known for incredible fashion, art and architecture, Milan is a traveler favorite. Next March, American will launch daily service from MIA to MXP, providing the only nonstop link connecting two vibrant cities. American is MIA’s largest airline, and this new service will complement flights to Rome that began in summer 2025

Soccer fans get ready to cheer

Special for global soccer fans, American will launch limited-time service between DFW and ZRH and offer expanded summer service from DFW and MIA to EZE. Flights from Argentina and Switzerland will connect soccer fans to Dallas-Fort Worth for the world’s premier sporting event.

Between May 21 and Aug. 4, 2026, American will offer the only nonstop service connecting DFW and ZRH. Currently offered as winter-seasonal service, American will operate four weekly summer services from DFW to EZE and up to three daily flights in summer between MIA and EZE.

Expanded premium options to Tokyo

Travelers who have their eyes on a summer getaway to Asia next year will have more options to enhance their journey with increased premium cabin offerings. Compared to summer 2025, American will increase premium seating capacity to Tokyo (HND) from DFW and Los Angeles (LAX) by more than 45% next summer.

Departure airport Arrival airport Service notes

Dallas Fort Worth (DFW) Tokyo Haneda (HND) Daily Boeing 777-300 service begins March 29, 2026

Los Angeles (LAX) HND Twice-daily Boeing 777-200 service begins March 29, 2026

*This post has been updated to correct the number of trans-Atlantic destinations from American's PHL hub in 2026.

About American Airlines Group

As a leading global airline, American Airlines offers thousands of flights per day to more than 350 destinations in more than 60 countries. The airline is a founding member of the oneworld alliance, whose members serve more than 900 destinations around the globe. Shares of American Airlines Group Inc. trade on Nasdaq under the ticker symbol AAL. Learn more about what’s happening at American by visiting news.aa.com

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