Six Hours in Philly With my 7 year old
 

I am going to have six hours in Philadelphia with my 7 year old daughter -- I'd appreciate ideas on how to best spend it. The PBS show "Liberty's kids" has given her some sense of history.

The best museum is the Franklin Institute. (I used to live nextdoor to it when I was in college.) Where else can you walk thru a beating heart? Perfect for a 7 year old. Great exhibits with a nifty giftshop.

http://sln.fi.edu/

I second the Franklin Institute.

http://www.theinsider.com/Philly/Museums/museums.htm

Check out this website. All museums listed. The Pretzel Museum might be a fun trip.

Another museunm in addition to the Franklin Institute that your child would like is the Academy of Natural Sciences.

The Franklin Institute and the Museum of Natural Sciences are next door to each other on the Parkway and it's a nice location for being inside *and* outside. In addition to the fountain that marks that end of the boulevard, there's a playground on the F.I. property. In addition to the regular exhbits, the F.I. also has an IMAX theater.

I don't know what 6 hours you're here for, but I hear that little girls like the afternoon tea served at the Four Seasons at 3 o'clock. The hotel is a couple of walkable blocks from the museums.

If you're looking for something historical, check out the Liberty Bell and maybe the Betsy Ross house. There is also a penny statue of Ben Franklin. I always loved those things when I was young.

The Constitution Center just opened this past summer if you really want a sense of history. You can easily spend more than three hours there.

For someone with six hours in Philly, and going there MAINLY because of "Liberty's Kids," then you ABSOLUTELY must go to Independence Hall (I'm shocked nobody has mentioned this yet). Then go over to Franklin Court, Christ Church, and Ben Franklin's grave.

The story that Betsy Ross sewed the first U.S. flag is an obvious hoax created by her social climbing grandson. She never lived at the house described as the "Betsy Ross House."

For a seven year old with an interest in history, Paul has the right advice.

Philadelphia's historic area is compact and easily walkable...and almost all of the sites are free. Maps are available at the visitors' center at Sixth and Market. From that corner it's a short block's walk to Independence Hall and the new location of the Liberty Bell. Franklin Court, print shop and post office are maybe a block and a half away.

For more (briefly) on Franklin in Philly--
http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/liv...ns/5851734.htm