July 19: Morning Field Trips

Beyond the (Liberty) Bell Tour 
10:00 AM-12:00 PM
Location: This tour will begin at the Athenaeum of Philadelphia at 219 S. 6th St, Philadelphia, PA 19106 and conclude at Independence Visitor Center, 599 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106.

Beyond the Bell Tours is an inclusive historical tour company in Philadelphia that aims to put the people back in people’s history. On this walking tour of Old City, visit the sites of Independence National Historical Park, but hear it all from perspectives often minimized by mainstream tourism. Linger in the lore of Philadelphia. Hear stories of the incredible women, people of color, LGBTQ+ folks, and Indigenous peoples who have shaped the city of brotherly love and sisterly affection. The tour includes foundational myths of our American city: statues, monuments, and forgotten founders; the Liberty Bell, Abolitionist symbol and beyond; the controversy of the President's House: Ona Judge and her escape from George Washington; the legend of the Penn Treaty Elm: William Penn and the Lenape; Chief Tamanend, the Affable; and Barbara Gittings, LGBTQ pioneer. This field trip will be led by Joey Leroux, co-founder of Beyond the Bell Tours.

Transportation & Accessibility Notes: Attendees will assemble at 9:45 AM in the lobby of the Athenaeum of Philadelphia at 219 S. 6th St, Philadelphia, PA 19106 and locate their guide holding a sign with the name of their Field Trip. Tour is approximately 2 miles long. There are restrooms and benches along the route if needed. The tour aims to take the pace of a casual stroll, as opposed to a workout. We will traverse concrete & brick sidewalks and cobblestone streets. There are no steps to climb along the route, and we will follow curb cuts on and off sidewalks. Please come wearing weather-appropriate clothing and comfortable shoes, and bring water to stay hydrated. This field trip will run rain or shine.

Field Trip Partners include: The Athenaeum of Philadelphia and Beyond the Bell Tours


ConsenSIS Poetry Walkshop—Sisterly History in Old City
10:00 AM-12:00 PM
Location: This tour will begin at Independence Visitor Center, 599 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106 and conclude at the African American Museum in Philadelphia at 701 Arch Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106.

Guided by local literary collective ConsenSIS, visit sites in Old City important to Black women poets of Philadelphia, past and present, while composing your own lines and verses. Take a poetic walking tour through the vibrant historic Philadelphia cityscape while reflecting on the lives and legacies of Black women writers and literary giants who laid the city’s foundation for abolition, arts, and education. Participants will be guided to reflect on their own stories of voice and freedom while participating in poetry exercises and prompts in a gentle walking format. Part of Monument Lab's inaugural Re:Generation cohort, ConsenSIS summons and preserves “sisterly history” to spark new traditions that commemorate Black women’s literary contributions. This tour will be led by ConsenSIS co-founder Trapeta B. Mayson and team member Julie Rainbow.

Transportation & Accessibility Notes: Attendees will assemble at 9:45 AM at the entrance to Independence Visitor Center at 599 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106 and locate their guide holding a sign with the name of their Field Trip. This tour will involve slow-paced walking on sidewalks and grass interspersed with brief periods for rest, reflection, writing, and conversation in the shade. Comfortable walking shoes, a hat for sun, and water are recommended. We will make a restroom stop during the walkshop. In case of inclement weather, this walkshop will take place indoors at Twelve Gates Arts, 106 N. 2nd Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106.

Field Trip Partners include: ConsenSIS


Declaration House
10:00 AM-12:00 PM
Location: This tour will begin at Independence Visitor Center, 599 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106. The destination is Declaration House, 700 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106. The tour will conclude at Independence Visitor Center.

Explore Monument Lab’s Declaration House, a public art and history exhibition at Independence National Historical Park that explores the site where Thomas Jefferson and Robert Hemmings spent several months in Philadelphia during the summer of 1776. The project poses a central question—What does the Declaration of Independence mean to us today? This field trip features an exclusive tour of Sonya Clark’s The Descendants of Monticello, a public artwork that brings the historic house to life through a monumental montage of blinking eyes of descendants of Robert Hemmings and others who descend from the over 400 people enslaved at Monticello, including those biologically related to Jefferson. By moving Hemmings to the center of this moment in history, the project seeks to illuminate the entangled legacies of freedom and enslavement at the core of our nation. The field trip will be led by Declaration House curators Anna Arabindan-Kesson, Paul Farber, and Yolanda Wisher.

Transportation & Accessibility Notes: Attendees will assemble at 9:45 AM at the entrance to Independence Visitor Center at 599 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106, locate their guide holding a sign with the name of their Field Trip, and will split into two groups. Group A will travel approximately 0.1 miles (3 minutes) to 700 Market Street, Philadelphia PA, 19106 to Declaration House. The route will follow curb cuts on and off all sidewalks. Group B will head upstairs to the Independence Visitor Center ballroom for an interactive presentation about the makings of the Declaration House project. After 45 minutes, the groups will switch sites. After 45 minutes at the second site, both groups will head to the African American Museum in Philadelphia at 701 Arch Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Accessible public restrooms are available at Independence Visitor Center and Independence Library at 18 S 7th St, Philadelphia, PA 19106, adjacent to Declaration House.

Field Trip Partners include: Independence National Historical Park and Thomas Jefferson Foundation at Monticello


History Unveiled: Exploring Old City's Public Art and Monuments 
10:00 AM-12:00 PM
Location: This tour will begin at Independence Visitor Center, 599 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106 and conclude at the African American Museum in Philadelphia at 701 Arch Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106.

Join us for a walking tour through Old City, where every cobblestone street echoes with the whispers of history and the spirit of freedom. Guided by the Association for Public Art (aPA), embark on a tour to learn about site-specific sculptures, monuments, and landmarks. Each stop on this tour offers a glimpse into the intertwined narratives that define this historic city. Inviting reflection on the intersection of public art and history, the tour will begin outside of the Independence Visitor Center, continue through the streets of Old City, and end at the African American Museum in Philadelphia. This tour will be led by Ashley Lippolis and Crishana Manigan of the aPA.

Transportation & Accessibility Notes: Attendees will assemble at 9:45 AM at the entrance to Independence Visitor Center at 599 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106 and locate their guide holding a sign with the name of their Field Trip. This tour will span approximately one mile along sidewalks and city streets. Comfortable shoes and water are strongly recommended. Participants will be given audio headsets to wear, which will allow them to hear the tour guides clearly. While on the tour, participants will briefly enter one building for a security check-in; however, all other stops will be outdoors. Public restrooms are accessible at the Independence Visitor Center and Bourse Food Hall, both located along the tour route. This field trip will run rain or shine.

Field Trip Partners include: Association for Public Art


Imprint: Dox Thrash—Black Life and American Culture 
10:00 AM-12:00 PM
Location: This tour will start and conclude at the African American Museum in Philadelphia at 701 Arch Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106.

Visit the new exhibition Imprint: Dox Thrash—Black Life and American Culture at the African American Museum in Philadelphia (AAMP) and learn about the life and legacy of a trailblazing printmaker who developed his artistic practice in Philadelphia. Dox Thrash's experiences as a Buffalo Soldier, a performer on the Black Vaudeville circuit, and an art student in Chicago all left an indelible mark on his work. This tour also includes access to AAMP’s permanent exhibition Audacious Freedom: African Americans in Philadelphia 1776-1876. Guests are welcome to explore the museum galleries and visit the gift shop on their own after the tour. This tour will be led by Morgan Lloyd, Public Programming and Docent Coordinator at AAMP. 

Transportation & Accessibility Notes: Attendees will assemble at 9:45 AM at the entrance to the African American Museum in Philadelphia at 701 Arch Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106. The museum offers barrier-free access for the physically disabled. All galleries and the auditorium are accessible via ramps, with wheelchair-friendly restrooms on the first level. The Imprint: Dox Thrash exhibition does not include audio or Braille items. The Audacious Freedom exhibition includes audio recordings and closed captioning. 

Field Trip Partners include: African American Museum in Philadelphia


Masterpieces West Mural Tour 
10:00 AM-12:00 PM
Location: This tour will begin at Independence Visitor Center, 599 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106 and conclude at the African American Museum in Philadelphia at 701 Arch Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106.

In celebration of its 40th anniversary, Mural Arts Philadelphia invites you to explore a curated collection of masterpieces that reflect the organization’s artistic expression over the past 40 years. Guests will travel via minibus through the historic neighborhoods of Strawberry Mansion and West Philadelphia, and learn the stories behind each mural. The tour will include one extended mural visit that will explore the community involvement embedded into Mural Arts Philadelphia’s mural-making process. This tour will be led by a Mural Arts Philadelphia tour guide and a community partner.

Transportation & Accessibility Notes: Attendees will assemble at 9:45 AM at the entrance to Independence Visitor Center at 599 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106, locate their guide holding a sign with the name of their Field Trip, and board a minibus for the tour. There are approximately four steps in and out of the vehicle. There will be no access to restrooms during the tour.

Field Trip Partners include: Mural Arts Philadelphia


Phillis’ Librarie—A Liberatory Literary Tour 
10:00 AM-12:00 PM
Location: This tour will begin at Independence Visitor Center, 599 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Destinations will include Bower Cafe (1213 Walnut Street, Suite 152 Philadelphia, PA 19107), Harriett’s Bookshop (258 E Girard Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19125), and Seger Park (1020 Lombard St, Philadelphia, PA 19147). The tour will return to the African American Museum in Philadelphia at 701 Arch Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106.

This citywide bus tour is an extension of the Monument Lab Summit’s Phillis’ Librarie exhibit at Independence Visitor Center designed by Jeannine A. Cook. The customized tour, created by the team behind the Sisterhood Sit-In Trolley Tours and Trailblazer Trolley Tours, aims to celebrate the legacy of Phillis Wheatley and promote liberatory literary spaces in Philadelphia. Participants will embark on a journey to five of Philadelphia’s distinct literary spaces and experience performances by local artists and storytellers along the way, creating an unforgettable experience that showcases the richness of Philadelphia’s literary scene. This tour will be led by artist ⭐️STARFIRE🔥.

Transportation & Accessibility Notes: Attendees will assemble at 9:30 AM at the entrance to Independence Visitor Center at 599 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106, locate their guide holding a sign with the name of their Field Trip, and board a Philly PHLASH vehicle for convenient travel between locations. All PHLASH vehicles are wheelchair accessible. Participants are invited to get off the vehicle to visit each site on the tour for approximately 15-20 minutes and also have the option to remain on board. Each of the sites has an accessible restroom. There is a small step up to enter Harriett’s Bookshop, a key stop on the tour. 

Field Trip Partners include: Bower Cafe, Harriet’s Bookshop, and Independence Visitor Center


The Henry Ossawa Tanner House
10:00 AM-12:00 PM
Location: This tour will begin at Independence Visitor Center, 599 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106. The destination is The Henry Ossawa Tanner House at 2908 W. Diamond Street, Philadelphia, PA 19121. The tour will return to Independence Visitor Center at 599 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106.

Take a behind-the-scenes “hard hat” tour with members of the Friends of Tanner House, a group in the process of preserving and revitalizing the home of the renowned Black painter Henry Ossawa Tanner in North Philadelphia. Offered in partnership with the Strawberry Mansion CDC, learn how the project is situated within a wider neighborhood-led effort of cultural heritage preservation and reparative spatial justice. This tour will be led by Christopher R. Rogers, a founding member of and co-coordinator at Friends of the Tanner House. 

Transportation & Accessibility Notes: A round-trip shuttle will be provided for this outing. Attendees will assemble at 9:30 AM at the entrance to Independence Visitor Center at 599 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106, locate their guide holding a sign with the name of their Field Trip, and board the shuttle for Tanner House, 3.5 miles or 21 minutes away. Once at Tanner House, the group will tour the first floor of the house and engage in a conversation/activity directly outside of the house. There are 4 steps into the House. The Tanner House is an in-progress construction site. For safety reasons, attendees should wear comfortable, flat, and closed-toe shoes, preferably sneakers or boots. Hard hats will be provided. A restroom is available one block away at the Strawberry Mansion Community Development Corporation (CDC), 2829 Diamond, Philadelphia, PA 19121. There are 6 steps into the CDC building. When the tour concludes at 11:30 AM, the group will board the shuttle and return to the African American Museum in Philadelphia for lunch (approximately 4.1 miles or 18 minutes away).

Field Trip Partners include: Friends of the Tanner House and Strawberry Mansion CDC

July 19: Afternoon Workshops

Collaborating With the Public in Public Artmaking 
2:00 PM-4:00 PM
Location: The Science History Institute, 315 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106

Monuments are a way of remembering the past, reflecting on the present, and posing questions for the future in dialogue with the public. Join practitioners from Mural Arts Philadelphia to examine case studies of projects that interpret Philadelphia history, while also centering community engagement in the design, decision-making, and outcomes. Afterwards, take part in a collaborative role-play exercise with the Mural Arts Institute team to plan for a public monument inspired by a figure, movement, or moment. This workshop will be led by Joseph Iacona, Netanel Portier, and Accra Zuberi of Mural Arts Institute. 

Transportation & Accessibility Notes: The Science History Institute is 0.5 mile (12 minute) walk or 4 minute car ride from the African American Museum in Philadelphia. A wheelchair-accessible pedestrian gate is available at the parking lot entrance on 3rd Street between Chestnut and Market Streets. Elevators are located throughout the building, and wheelchair-accessible restrooms and water fountains are available on each floor. Service animals are welcome.

Workshop Partners include: Mural Arts Institute and The Science History Institute


Conducting Oral Histories
2:00 PM-4:00 PM
Location: PhillyCAM, 699 Ranstead Street, #1, Philadelphia, PA 19106

Gain practical guidance and tools for conducting oral histories from historians at the Getting Word African American Oral History Project, which preserves the histories of Monticello’s enslaved families and their descendants. This workshop will be led by Jenna Owens and Auriana Woods of Getting Word.

Transportation & Accessibility Notes: PhillyCAM is 0.2 mile (5 minute) walk by sidewalk or a 5 minute car ride from the African American Museum in Philadelphia. PhillyCAM’s main entrance is equipped with automatic door openers to facilitate easy access. There are no steps into the building. There is a wheelchair-accessible and gender-neutral bathroom on the first floor of the building.

Workshop Partners include: Getting Word African American Oral History Project at Monticello and PhillyCAM


Introduction to the National Audit
2:00 PM-4:00 PM
Location: Independence Visitor Center (2nd floor), 599 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106

Explore and discuss the findings from Monument Lab’s study of approximately 50,000 conventional monuments representing data collected from every US state and territory. Produced in partnership with the Mellon Foundation, the National Monument Audit allows us to better understand the dynamics and trends that have shaped our monument landscape, to pose questions about common knowledge about monuments, and to debunk falsehoods and misperceptions within public memory. Workshop participants will receive a free print copy of the Audit. This workshop will be led by Monument Lab’s Project Specialist Yannick Trapman-O’Brien and Assistant Project Manager Tina Villadolid.

Transportation & Accessibility Notes: Independence Visitor Center is a 0.2 mile (4 minute) walk or 3 minute car ride from the African American Museum in Philadelphia. Independence Visitor Center offers the following accessibility options: Wheelchair Access, Service Animals Welcome, Mother's Room, and a Gender-Neutral/Family Restroom.  

Workshop Partners include: Independence Visitor Center


Monumental Lessons: Building new monuments in the deep south
2:00 PM-4:00 PM
Location: Pentimenti Gallery, 145 N. 2nd St, Philadelphia, PA 19106

In 2022, Prospect New Orleans, a non-profit contemporary arts organization, launched the Artists of Public Memory Commission, a new initiative that invites Louisiana-based contemporary artists to share their visions of how symbols, monuments, and collective memories can appear and function in our landscape, society, and public space. The Commission was developed with transparency as a keystone so that Prospect might offer partners in this work (organizations, municipalities, and artists) both inspiration and lessons, as they create public art following the removal of racist insignia from their own landscapes. Using the Artists of Public Memory Commission as a case study, participants will share and discuss their own processes, what they have learned, what they wish they had known, and how institutions and individuals doing this work can better support each other and the communities they mean to serve, represent, and empower. This workshop will be led by Taylor Holloway of Prospect New Orleans.

Transportation & Accessibility Notes: Pentimenti Gallery is a 0.5 mile (13 minute) mostly flat walk via Arch Street or 4 minute car ride from the African American Museum in Philadelphia. The route will follow curb cuts on and off all sidewalks. Pentimenti has one step up into the front door of the building. The restroom is gender-neutral and not wheelchair accessible. The workshop will take place on the first floor in the main gallery space. 

Workshop Partners include: Pentimenti Gallery and Prospect New Orleans 


Performance as Monument
2:00 PM-4:00 PM
Location: Arch Street Meetinghouse, 320 Arch Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106

Learn from artist Marisa Williamson about her ongoing performance work inspired by historical personas at historical sites and the development of collaborative digital and performance projects such as “Sweet Chariot,” which leads visitors on a journey to freedom throughout Philadelphia using a smart app. This workshop will be led by Marisa Williamson.

Transportation & Accessibility Notes: Arch Street Meetinghouse is 0.3 mile (7 minute) walk or 4 minute car ride from the African American Museum in Philadelphia. All relevant spaces and restroom facilities are accessible to people with disabilities. Gender-neutral restrooms are available on each floor of the building.

Workshop Partners include: Arch Street Meetinghouse


Street Renaming and the Municipal Politics of History
2:00 PM-4:00 PM
Location: Arch Street Meetinghouse (Biddle Room), 320 Arch Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106

Are your city’s streets crawling with Confederate generals? Do your natural features have names that make people flinch? All over the country efforts are underway to reconsider place names and honor local histories, from national parks to neighborhood roads, and those efforts draw on longer legacies of naming and renaming practices that we should learn from together. So, if you have an infestation of insurrectionists, we've got the tools you need! Come learn about the New Orleans Confederate Streets Renaming Commission, the challenges of changing place names, and strategies for building institutional and political support to clean up your streets. This workshop will be led by Monument Lab’s Director of Research Sue Mobley and Monument Lab’s Senior Research and Historical Advisor, Thomas J. Adams.

Transportation & Accessibility Notes: Arch Street Meetinghouse is 0.3 mile (7 minute walk) or 4 minute car ride from the African American Museum in Philadelphia. All relevant spaces and restroom facilities are accessible to people with disabilities. Gender-neutral restrooms are available on each floor of the building. 

Workshop Partners include: Arch Street Meetinghouse


The Shape of Your Mind—Making an Art Installation
2:00 PM-4:00 PM
Location: African American Museum in Philadelphia, 701 Arch Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106

Write poetry and create silhouettes of your profile with projected light and tracing techniques to make a paper-based art installation. At the end of the session, participants will share their poems and display their artwork on the wall as a collective piece. Participants will also be able to take their pieces home as a memento. This workshop will be led by Monument Lab Artists-in-Residence Miguel Horn and Symone Salib.

Transportation & Accessibility Notes: The African American Museum in Philadelphia is a 0.2 mile (4 minute) walk or 3 minute car ride from Independence Visitor Center. The museum offers barrier-free access for people with disabilities. All galleries and the auditorium are accessible via ramps, with wheelchair-friendly restrooms on level one. 

Workshop Partners include: African American Museum in Philadelphia


Time Traveling with Artificial Intelligence
2:00 PM-4:00 PM
Location: Twelve Gates Arts, 106 N. 2nd Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106

Learn how to use generative AI tools to envision and imagine the future and to re-imagine and re-contextualize the past. This workshop will be led by artist Rashid Zakat. 

Transportation & Accessibility Notes: Twelve Gates Arts is a 0.5 mile (11 minute) mostly flat walk via Arch Street or 3 minute car ride from the African American Museum in Philadelphia. The route will follow curb cuts on and off all sidewalks. Twelve Gates Arts has two steps up in front of the door to the building. There is also a ramp for wheelchair access into the building. The restroom is gender-neutral and not wheelchair accessible. The workshop will take place on the first floor in the main gallery space. 

Workshop Partners include: Twelve Gates Arts

Field Trip and Workshop FAQ’s: 
I have an accessibility need. Will accommodations be available?
All afternoon workshop venues are ADA-accessible, with accessible restrooms at all locations (except Pentimenti Gallery and Twelve Gates Arts). The morning Field Trips include sites that are ADA accessible and others that may pose challenges for mobility; please see individual venue information for restroom accessibility. To request ASL support, please reach out to us at least 3 weeks before the event. We will be glad to work with registrants for options that best suit you. Please don’t hesitate to be in touch with us at [email protected] with questions or to request additional accommodations.  

Where can I find public restrooms?
Public restrooms are available along all Field Trip routes and at all Workshop locations. Public restrooms are also available at main Summit venues, including Independence Visitor Center at 599 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106, and the African American Museum of Philadelphia at 701 Arch Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Public restrooms can also be found at The Bourse, 111 S. Independence Mall East, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Please see individual Field Trip and Workshop venue information for restroom accessibility. 

Is there an inclement weather plan? 
Field Trips that are exclusively outdoors will have alternate sites available in case of inclement weather. For Field Trips that are mostly indoors but involve indoor/outdoor transitions; in the event of inclement weather umbrellas or ponchos are recommended.