History
Remastered
21st-century technology leads
to 18th-century immersion
The Founding Fathers could never have
imagined a spectacle like Lights of Liberty.
For years, the light-and-sound show has had
groups of tourists treading over cobblestones
at nightfall to watch images projected onto
buildings and listen to an account of events
leading up to the signing of the Declaration of
Independence. Two years ago, Historic Philadelphia Inc. brought in Niles Creative Group,
the company responsible for the enormously
entertaining 10-million-pixel LED video wall
in the lobby of Philly’s newest skyscraper,
the Comcast Center, to refresh the show.
The newly overhauled Lights, which debuted
earlier this summer, uses similar digital
ave
Date
SCHUYLKILL BANKS
the
Kayak Tours
and River
Cruises
Ongoing
Kayak or take a leisurely cruise down the
Schuylkill for a unique
view of Philly’s skyline,
Fairmount Water Works,
Bartram’s Garden and
the 12 bridges that arch
over the tidal river.
schuylkillbanks.org
LOGAN SQUARE
Creatures of the
Abyss
Ongoing
Full-scale models,
preserved specimens,
exploration vehicles
and a bioluminescence
theater shed light on the
mysteries of the deep
sea and the incredible
creatures that live there.
Academy of Natural
Sciences. 215-299-1000;
ansp.org
CITY GUIDE
Philadelphia
technology to tell the story from a different
angle: The program now transports visitors to
the evening of July 7, 1776, when Philadelphia
was buzzing about the just-drafted Declaration, and ends with the first public reading of
the document the following morning.
The goal of the new Lights is total immersion. Because it’s in 3-D, you’ll experience just
what it was like to be greeted by Benjamin
Franklin as he emerged from Carpenters’
Hall. The effect is so realistic you’ll have to
avoid the impulse to tell him how far we’ve
come since he discovered electricity. Liberty
Center, Sixth and Chestnut streets.
877-462-1776; historicphiladelphia.org.
The Last Laugh
Five years after
opening Helium
Comedy Club,
owner Marc Gross-
man quit his day
job as an energy-
industry trader to
make his second
act his first prior-
ity. Ticket sales
have grown by 20
percent annually
at the club on the
short Sansom
Street, which also
has undergone a
restaurant mini-
renaissance of late
with the opening
of instant favorites
such as Noble and
Village Whiskey.
Grossman credits
his success to
Helium’s con-
sistently smart
comedy. Although
he describes
himself as “only
a little witty,” he
personally vets
the club’s roster
of unknowns and
very well knowns
to ensure they’ll
deliver.
FAIRMOUNT PARK
Creatures
of Habitat:
A Gazillion-
Piece Animal
Adventure
Ongoing
An exhibit by one of only
nine LEGO-sanctioned
sculptors in the world.
Endangered animals,
built using the blocks,
roam the zoo. Philadel-
phia Zoo. 215-243-1100;
philadelphiazoo.org
AROUND TOWN
Welcome
America
Through July 4
The annual Welcome
America festival
features fireworks,
ice cream festivals,
parades, concerts and
a full cast of historic
characters walking
around Independence
Mall to share their
stories with visitors.
welcomeamerica.com
FAIRMOUNT PARK
Bringing Out
the Dead
July 10
Phil Lesh and Bob Weir,
surviving members of
the Grateful Dead, bust
out classic tunes for a
few nostalgic sets, the
likes of which their fans
haven’t seen or heard
since 1995. Mann Cen-
ter. 215-893-1999;
manncenter.org
