The Founding Fathers get a lot of love in this city, and rightly so. But when it comes to finding the monuments, landmarks and destinations that honor and celebrate the women who have shaped this city and country, well … that’s not always quite as easy as it should be. But we can help: We here at Guild House Hotel—a historic boutique hotel in the heart of Philadelphia— have rounded up a list of 8 great destinations and activities in Philly that focus on the female stories—the great Philly landmarks that highlight fascinating and important women artists, activists, founding mothers, feminists, singers, thinkers, revolutionaries, and more. Here’s to the city of sisterly affection.
Photo by Jenna Tshudy for Historic Philadelphia, Inc.
Well, obviously, we’d be remiss if we didn’t start here. In terms of things to see and places to stay in Philadelphia, our historic hotel—housed in the former headquarters of the New Century Guild, the first club for working women in late 19th-century America—is, in our humble opinion, one of the greats. (Also: A National Historic Landmark!) The Guild was founded by and populated with women who were ahead of their time, not just because they supported (and were!) women in the workforce at a time when much of the country still didn’t welcome or approve of women working outside the home, but also because they fought for labor rights, for women’s suffrage, for children’s welfare, and much more. In the stately Victorian rowhome that today houses our Guild House, these women—artists, activists, writers, philanthropists, professionals, educators, reformers—once gathered for classes, camaraderie, entertainment, and much more. You can read the whole story of the Guild (and of Philly’s Guild House boutique hotel!) here. If you visit our historic hotel, be sure to check out the book found in your room, which details the different stories of some of the women of the Guild—the Philadelphia women for whom our rooms are named. Washington Square West.
Photo of Guild House by ROHE Creative
One of the most famous Philadelphia women of all time, Betsy Ross was much more than just the seamstress behind the nation’s flag. On the self-guided audio tour of her circa-1740 (tiny!) house, you learn about the role she played in the American Revolution beyond the flag, as well as a bit about her life (thrice-widowed, seamstress, mom to seven children) and life in general in that time. You can “meet” Betsy, as well as—occasionally—other characters from 18th-century Philadelphia. Or, if you’re so inclined, go for an after-hours tour and then stay for the outdoor movies the house plays in its lovely courtyard. Old City.
This small, special, three-story Germantown home-turned-museum honors the “stories, experiences and history of Colored Girls,” with a vast array of art forms, artifacts, pictures, and literature by and featuring Black women to honor and celebrate their everyday experiences. One current exhibit? The One Room SchoolHouse, which is inspired by the histories of the one-room school, a model for education dating back to the 1800s. Museum founder and executive director Vashti DuBois says the place and its exhibitions aim to celebrate the stories of “ordinary and extraordinary” Black girls and women. As she notes: “If you don’t know everybody’s story, you don’t know anybody’s story.” Germantown.
Photo of the Colored Girls Museum by C. Smyth for VISIT PHILADELPHIA®
4. Badass Women’s History Tour
The fabulous Beyond the Bell Tours is known for its series of cool, off-the-beaten-path tours (e.g. Philly LGTBQ+; Philly medical history), including its female-focused “badass women’s history” tour that focuses on some deeply influential and interesting characters who helped shape Philadelphia and the nation. These walking tours cover all sorts of landmarks commemorating Philly heroines, from forgotten founding mother Hannah Callowhill Penn to Ona Judge (the woman enslaved to George Washington who eventually escaped the Washingtons’ Philly estate) to the lesbian activist Barbara Gittings, and many more.
The Barbara Gittings wheatpaste created by @marisa.vr; photo by J. Miczek for VISIT PHILADELPHIA®
5. Marian Anderson Historical Residence and Museum
This humble little abode at 762 South Martin Street was once the home of the great Marian Anderson, the legendary contralto and civil rights icon whose voice was, for a time, the most beloved in the world. (Hers was a talent seen only “once in a hundred years,” conductor Arturo Toscanini famously said.) The museum contains some of the singer’s possessions from when she lived in the house, as well as photos, books, memorabilia, collectibles and more. The place is currently temporarily closed for repairs, but you can walk by and see the home on its quiet residential street. (You might also visit the nearby rec center named for the singer, complete with a mural dedicated to her). Meantime, until the museum reopens, another good alternative to an in-person visit are the virtual exhibits on the website. Graduate Hospital.
Photo of Marian Anderson via Library of Congress
6. National Constitution Center
The exhibit The 19th Amendment: How Women Won the Vote is about the American struggle for women’s suffrage and the women who ultimately transformed the country by fighting for the vote (Alice Paul, Ida B. Wells, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and more). Visitors can wander through collections of artifacts (including, for instance, Pennsylvania’s ratification copy of the 19th Amendment, as well as a handwritten letter from one Philadelphia suffragist imprisoned for her activism), interactive displays, and other explorations of the constitutional arguments, historical context and strategies involved in the push for suffrage. Bonus: it’s also just a short walk from our boutique Philly hotel. Old City.
Photo of the 19th Amendment Exhibit, courtesy of the National Constitution Center
7. Women in Art
Thanks to Visit Philly for this awesome guide to public art in Philadelphia by women, which includes Sabrina Soong’s Chinatown Friendship Gate, Jodi Pinto’s Land Buoy on Washington Avenue Pier, loads of murals, and many more pieces worth seeing. Through July 24th, you can also still catch the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts Exhibition, Women in Motion: 150 Years of Artistic Networks at PAFA, which explores the connections of women artists exhibiting, teaching and studying at the renowned artistic institution from its start in 1805 through the end of WWII. You might also make a pilgrimage to see the three (yes, just three, sigh) permanent Philly monuments dedicated to women: one for Joan of Arc; one for labor reformer Karen Silkwood; and one for the Quaker martyr Mary Dyer. Note: There are at least two more pieces in the works—plans for new Philly monuments include a statue of Marian Anderson, to live just outside the Academy of Music, and another of Harriet Tubman, whose temporary monument outside City Hall made a big impression while it was here in late 2021 and early 2022.
Photo of the Chinatown Friendship Gate by G. Widman for VISIT PHILADELPHIA®
8. More Historic Landmarks Where Women Take the Stage
More than two centuries ago, the stately and beautiful Powel House belonged to Samuel and Elizabeth (a.k.a. Eliza) Powel, bigtime movers and shakers in Revolutionary-era Philadelphia. Samuel was the mayor of the city before, during and after the war, but Eliza was the truly intriguing half of that duo—a famously elegant entertainer who welcomed just about every luminary of the time; confidant and advisor of President George Washington; smart, resolute and opinionated patriot. Today, you can visit her home and learn more about both her and the couples’ lives. Another site where historic women gathered? The Arch Street Meeting House, a Quaker house of worship wherein the Philadelphia Female Anti-Slavery Society met, including famed founders Lucretia Mott and Harriet Forten Purvis, along with noted abolitionists Sarah and Angelina Grimke.
Photo of the Arch Street Meeting House by M. Fischetti for VISIT PHILADELPHIA®
