Photo courtesy of Penn Museum

Philadelphia libraries and museums have closed their doors again due to the COVID-19 pandemic until at least January 1, 2021, but it doesn’t mean that all events and activities are cancelled. The Free Library of Philadelphia is offering many programs virtually and maintains digital resources – ebooks, audiobooks, movies, TV, music, and more – that you can access anywhere with your library card.

Several Free Library locations, including Walnut Street West Library, have also started offering contactless material pickups and returns. Please visit this page for more details.

Many museums, including the Penn Museum, continue to hold events online, many of them free, for adults and children alike. Check out the Penn Museum’s events calendar for upcoming virtual events and programs. 

The Penn Museum Shop, where you can buy holiday gifts for the whole family, is also operating online. Holiday shoppers can purchase one-of-a-kind accessories, jewelry, and other pieces inspired by the diverse cultures represented in the Museum’s galleries.

This holiday season, the museum has partnered with local artisans to create a new line of “DIY” craft kits (see photo). In collaboration with Bethany Rusen of Stanley Chester & Albert Ceramics in West Philadelphia, plus Erika and Pete Gustavson of A Toy Garden in Bucks County, the Museum Shop is offering Handmade History kits, which include all of the materials, assembly instructions, and a 30-minue live program with a museum expert who will share more info about the craft’s origins.

For more information and to purchase a “DIY” craft kit, go here.