If you’re a big American history buff, there are few cities that can compare to Philadelphia. As one of the first major cities in the country and the site for many of the most important developments in the formation of the United States, this town is overflowing with historical sites, museums, and other educational destinations. If your family is sightseeing in Philadelphia’s historic district, our Philadelphia adoption agents highly recommend checking out some of the Once Upon A Nation Storytelling benches. Scattered throughout Old City, these 13 benches are watched over by professional storytellers who can teach you and your kids about Philadelphia history through short, entertaining historical tales.
Where Are The Storytelling Benches?
The 13 signature storytelling benches are found throughout Historic Philadelphia at some of the most famous sites in this section of the city:
- Independence Visitor Center
- Independence Square
- Signer’s Garden
- Carpenter’s Hall
- Museum of the American Revolution
- The Powel House
- Elfreth’s Alley
- Franklin Court
- Christ Church
- Betsy Ross House
- Arch Street Meeting House
- National Constitution Center
- Franklin Square
When visiting these historical sites, the talented storytellers at these benches do a great job of making learning fun and helping visitors better understand what life was like during Philadelphia’s colonial days.
A Fun Learning Experience For Kids
Children have an incentive to visit all 13 benches. Your kids can pick up a Story Flag at any of the Once Upon A Nation Storytelling benches and collect one star from each storyteller. Once all 13 stars have been collected, the completed flag can be redeemed for a History Hero Certificate and a free carousel ride at Franklin Square. We think this is a great learning device and helps make a fun game out of learning American history.
Once Upon A Nation: Valley Forge
If you’re extending your historical journey and taking a drive to nearby Valley Forge, you can find Storytelling Benches here as well. These benches tell the story of the Valley Forge encampment and how this changed the trajectory of the American Revolution.
Storytelling Benches can be found at the following locations in Valley Forge:
- Visitor Center
- Train Station at Washington’s Headquarters
- Muhlenberg Brigade
Historical Performances
In the Historic District, your family can enjoy a rotating schedule of live reenactments, complete with costumed characters played by experts in early American history. You and your kids can even participate in some of the reenactments, which is always an entertaining and engaging way to learn.
Historic reenactments currently on the schedule include:
- Military Muster – Kids can participate in marching and musket etiquette drills
- Declaration Readings – Meet some of the signers and hear live readings of the Declaration of Independence
