Old City / Historic District
Old City is where the republic was founded — and where its founding contradictions are most visible. The President's House, AAMP, and Independence Hall are within a four-block radius. This is where you bring visitors who need to understand what Philadelphia means.
How to walk this neighborhood
Begin at the President's House (6th & Market) — read the names of the nine enslaved Africans inscribed there. Walk three blocks to the African American Museum in Philadelphia (701 Arch St). Then walk fifteen minutes south to Mother Bethel AME (419 Richard Allen Way) — the oldest parcel of land continuously owned by Black Americans in the United States. The sequence matters: the contradiction first, then the institution Black Philadelphia built in answer to it.
Where to go
Restaurants, historic sites, makers, music — every entry FunTimes documented in this neighborhood.
Reef Restaurant and Lounge
Caribbean dining with bars, live music, and hookah in Old City. Live DJ Fri & Sat. Dress to match the energy.
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The Philadelphia Tribune
Established 1884 — the oldest continuously published African American newspaper in the country.
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African American Museum in Philadelphia (AAMP)
The first museum built by a major American city specifically to preserve and interpret the African American experience. 2026 feature: 'Borrowed Time'.
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Mother Bethel AME Church
The oldest parcel of land continuously owned by Black Americans in the United States. A living institution since 1791.
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The President’s House
Open-air memorial on the actual footprint of the house where Washington and Adams lived as president — and where nine enslaved Africans were held.
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