Final Weeks: Visit our Witness to Revolution special exhibit before it closes Sunday, Jan. 5. Info & Tickets

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Mar Winterweekends Am

Enjoy Harps, Handbells, and Other Seasonal Holiday Performances

A Silhouette Artist Will Capture Your Likeness – a Perfect Keepsake or Gift!

Celebrate the season with Winter Weekends at the Museum of the American Revolution on the first three weekends in December (Dec. 3-4, 10-11 and 17-18) with cozy offerings for the whole family. From handbells to harps and more, enjoy festive musical performances in the Museum’s atrium twice daily on Saturdays and Sundays. Plus, deck the halls with your own handmade ornament craft, warm up in Cross Keys Café with a spiked hot cocoa or fresh pressed apple cider, and shop for the perfect gift in the Museum Shop.

From 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. on Winter Weekends, silhouette artist Ted Stuessy of Shadow Cuts will be onsite to capture your likeness in a free silhouette to take home. Stuessy cuts traditional freehand silhouettes for a meaningful keepsake or gift. Winter Weekend activities are included with regular Museum admission.

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Musical Performance Schedule:

  • The Lyra Society Harp Ensemble | Saturday, Dec. 3 at Noon and 2 p.m.
    Founded in 2005, The Lyra Society Harp Ensemble promotes cultural equity through access to harp education. The Lyra Society Harp Ensemble leverages the harp to connect students with life-long mentors and friends, identify students' distinctive voices, and strengthen their confidence to lead.
  • Harpist Gloria Galante | Sunday, Dec. 4 at 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.
    Harpist Gloria Galante studied the harp with the Philadelphia Orchestra’s premiere female harpist, Edna Phillips, and won the matinee musical award at age 18. Gloria has toured internationally as a solo artist, chamber musician, and as a member of ensembles and orchestras.
  • Philadelphia Handbell Ensemble | Saturday, Dec. 10 at 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.
    Established in 2003, the Philadelphia Handbell Ensemble is a community ensemble comprised of auditioned, advanced-level handbell ringers from Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware.
  • Pennsylvania Girlchoir | Sunday, Dec. 11 at 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.
    Pennsylvania Girlchoir (PG) is a Commonwealth Youthchoirs program that fosters a profound love of singing in a nurturing, diverse community. Commonwealth Youthchoirs (CY) is a Philadelphia-based nonprofit organization that provides outstanding choral music education and unique performance opportunities to children they won’t find anywhere else - including international travel! CY also includes Keystone State Boychoir and Find Your Instrument. Visit cychoirs.org for more information.
  • The A Capella Project - Philadelphia | Saturday, Dec. 17 at 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.
    The A Cappella Project - Philadelphia is a social and charitable non-profit organization dedicated to the education and promotion of a cappella music in the Philadelphia area. They bring together adult singers who love performing a wide range of music, including showtunes and pop, while creating an inclusive community of people from different musical backgrounds.
  • PhilHarmonia | Sunday, Dec. 18 at 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.
    PhilHarmonia is a 40-voice community choir that sings classical and contemporary choral music. It is committed to musical excellence and a diverse range of choral programs.


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Lyra Society harpists will perform holiday music on Dec. 3.

Other Winter Weekend Highlights:

  • Silhouette Artist Ted Stuessy | Saturdays and Sundays, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.
    Silhouette artist Ted Stuessy will be onsite to capture your likeness in a silhouette to take home. Stuessy cuts out silhouettes in a traditional freehand manner, making a meaningful keepsake or the perfect gift.
  • Make Your Own Ornaments | Saturdays & Sundays, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
    Kids can color and bedazzle their own ornament inspired by objects from the Museum's collection, including a teapot, a six-pointed star, a tent, and more.
  • Revolution Place | Saturdays & Sundays, 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
    Explore the Museum’s family-friendly discovery center, Revolution Place, which will transform into the winter of 1778! Walk amidst frost-covered windows, logs piled by the fire, and 18th-century coats and cloaks as you learn about what Philadelphia would have been like in the snowy winter months and how they celebrated the winter holidays. Plus, you can make and take home festive crafts like tin-punch lanterns, cookie mold ornaments, cut-paper snowflakes, and “illuminations” inspired by Charles Willson Peale’s window displays.
  • Holiday Shopping at the Museum Shop | Daily, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. and Online, Anytime
    Shop for the perfect holiday gift in the Museum Shop onsite or online, with unique gifts, including books, jewelry, toys, and decorative items, at all price points. Plus, purchase Any Time Tickets to the Museum, which make the the perfect gift this holiday season. Visit our full Holiday Gift Guide here. Museum Members will receive 25% off in the Museum Shop (not online) during Winter Weekends.
  • Book Donations for Treehouse Books | Daily, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
    The Museum is collecting new or gently used books to donate to Treehouse Books. Headquartered in North Philadelphia, Treehouse Books provides free books to children and families as well as Out of School Time (OST) programs that increase literacy skills and promote a lifelong love of reading and writing.

Winter Weekend activities are included with regular Museum admission. Tickets to the Museum can be purchased by calling 215.253.6731, at AmRevMuseum.org, or at the front desk. Save $3 per adult ticket by purchasing online. Kids ages 5 and under are always free. Tickets are valid for two consecutive days. The Museum is currently open to the public daily from 10 a.m.–5 p.m. 

About Museum of the American Revolution
The Museum of the American Revolution uncovers and shares compelling stories about the diverse people and complex events that sparked America’s ongoing experiment in liberty, equality, and self-government. Through the Museum’s unmatched collection, immersive galleries, powerful theater experiences, and interactive elements, visitors gain a deeper appreciation for how this nation came to be and feel inspired to consider their role in ensuring that the promise of the American Revolution endures. Located just steps away from Independence Hall, the Museum serves as a portal to the region’s many Revolutionary sites, sparking interest, providing context, and encouraging exploration. The Museum, which opened on April 19, 2017, is a private, non-profit, and non-partisan organization. For more information, visit www.AmRevMuseum.org or call 877.740.1776.