Philadelphia & Charles Dickens
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Yesterday, my family and I took the trip to Philadelphia. Our first stop included touring Independence Hall and stopping by to see The Liberty Bell. It was the first time my children had visited, and I was so pleased that they enjoyed seeing perhaps the most historic room in all of America—the place where our Founding Fathers signed the Declaration of Independence. It’s difficult not to get chills in that room.
After lunch at Campo’s, where we ate some noteworthy Philadelphia cheesesteaks, we made our way to the Philadelphia Free Library on Vine Street.
It was a gorgeous day and I was particularly excited to see the exhibition on Dickens, commemorating the bicentenary of his birthday. Manuscripts are on display, books and letters from Dickens’s private collections, as well as his pen tray and paper knife that were given to him by his sister, Mary.
Just a fair warning: I was disappointed and I don’t want you to be if you make the trip, like I did, from a distance. Some of these items were not available and open to the public on the weekend. They are only on display Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. until 4:30 p.m., which I found slightly inconvenient, as I had cut the article on the exhibit out of the paper weeks ago and had carried it around with me, hoping we would make the trip. There was no mention that these items were not available for public viewing on the weekends.
Nonetheless, I did get to see some of Dickens’s things, just not the whole collection, and the display that the Library has put together on the main level is well done and worth the stop.
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“Great Expectations” is probably one of my favorite books, along with “A Christmas Carol,” so just taking the time to pay respect to the “Inimitable,” as he liked to be called, was a tribute in itself.
Incidentally, I christened my new camera yesterday, as well. I wanted to personally thank all of my kind Facebook friends for their recommendation of the camera I chose: a Nikon DS3100. I hope you’ll enjoy the shots I took with it and I look forward to learning how to use my new camera to bring you great photography on my blog.
7 Comments
Elizabeth
You are rocking that red carpet pose! Kimora would be very proud!
Steph's Scribe/Stephanie Verni
Awww…thanks! I hate looking at myself in photos, but this one I can stand…
Jack
Thank you for the beautiful pictures! I absolutely adore Dickens! I wish I had that opportunity too, to visit a Dickens festival as such! You made your visit come to life for your readers!
Steph's Scribe/Stephanie Verni
I appreciate the support, Jack! I enjoy keeping up with your blog as well (as I’m linked to it on the right). I like hearing what you’re up to with your writing. It’s nice to share stories and feel akin to other writers. 🙂
Rachel Rodgers
hey,
sounds awesome that you went here, i love going to exhibitions in philly and baltimore.
I’ll have to check it out next time i go home.
did you know that during the fall every year when they have the book fair at Mount Vernon, they also have a literary tour where they talk to you/show you where authors once lived in Baltimore, like F Scott fitzgerald, Gertrude Stein, Upton Sinclair, John Waters and others. I went to it last semester, it was pretty cool.
-Rachel
MetcalfeArchDesign (@metarch_design)
Great piece on the Dickens exhibit. Metcalfe Architecture & Design helped design the exhibit. Would love to link to your blog in my next email!
Steph's Scribe/Stephanie Verni
It would be a pleasure! Please do! I enjoyed it and will have to go back to see the “good stuff!”
Have a great day!
-Stephanie