Built between 1906-1908, the George Sharswood School is a Colonial Revival style structure. The brick and stone institute has been an esteemed elementary school in the neighborhood of Whitman for several decades now. A part of the Philadelphia Public Schools, it has been a designated historic site since 1988.
The Arden Craft Shop Museum is housed in a historic building in the small art village of Arden. Exuding a quaint, rustic charm, the museum explores the rich and intriguing history of Arden. Here, visitors can walk through a variety of exhibits, which include artifacts from the villages of Arden, Ardencroft and Ardentown, along with old photographs, art pieces, the role of theater, and the overall development of the Ardens. The gift shop at the museum offers local souvenirs, gift cards, bags, and more.
Although not used for any commerce or trade today, The Merchants' Exchange Building is a city landmark that is hard to miss. Situated between Dock Street and Third Street, this Greek-revival building is an architectural treasure of the city and is now a national historic landmark. In its heyday, the exchange building was used for real-estate dealings, business transactions, auctions and as a post-office after it was built in the mid 1800's. The architect, William Strickland, used Athenian structures as a model for the Merchants' Exchange Building and later went on to design other national landmarks like the U.S. Mint and the U.S. Naval Asylum. Today, the stately building is run and occupied by the Independence National Historic Park and houses a small exhibition room to display the building's history.
The Pennsylvania Hospital stands stern as one of the finer hospital in the entire Pennsylvania region. It has been caring for patients since its inception in 1751, and apart from medical services, the hospital is a major learning, research and training center for the University of Pennsylvania Health System.
The Goldie Paley Gallery at Moore College here exhibit student and faculty work, plus curated shows of textile and fine art influences. Moore's founder, Sarah Worthington Peter, saw the profound social and economic implications of the Industrial Revolution and realized the enormous potential for women in the work place. Peter felt that women should be trained to meet the highest standards of production in textiles, wallpapers, floor coverings, upholstery materials, lithography, bookmaking and illustration, and wood engraving. Today, women in ten professional and fine arts programs at Moore College continue to forge a unique niche in the design industry.
Houston Hall at the University of Pennsylvania is the countries first student union, which is still in order to this day. Besides being a student union quarters, Houston also provides facilities for the social and recreational use of students and features The Hall of Flags which is available for evening events. The Hall also has a cafe, study lounge, music room and a campus eatery. The upper floors of this historical building contain performance spaces for students.