Although students tend to spend most of their time on and around the campus, we are only ten minutes by public transportation from the heart of Philadelphia. One of the largest cities in the nation, Philadelphia needs no introduction. It is a contemporary city, a hub for business and industry, particularly chemically related industries. However, its strong ethnic and cultural traditions and its place in history make this city a special place.

The Penn Quad

There are many museums in and around the city including the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Rodin Museum, the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, and of course Penn's own fine Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology. The world-famous Philadelphia Orchestra and the Pennsylvania Ballet are less than half a block away from each other on Broad Street, in the heart of the downtown area only 20 blocks from the campus.

A day can be spent around the Society Hill-Head House Square area, including the numerous attractions of the Independence Hall area and the nearby Delaware River waterfront. Close by on South Street is a 5-10 block area, which is a noted setting for night life, The Italian Market, a large open-air market in South Philadelphia, is a colorful place to find food bargains. Or, adjacent to Center City is Chinatown with its markets and restaurants. Close to Chinatown and the Convention Center is the 100-year-old Reading Terminal Market, a large indoor market, located at 12th and Filbert Streets in Center City.  It entices passersby with an array of culinary delights including fare from the Pennsylvania Dutch, Italian and Chinese cuisines. Aside from its many eateries, the market is home to a myriad of specialty shops.

Philadelphia is a great sports city as well, with seven professional sports teams, including the Eagles, Phillies, 76ers, Flyers, Phantoms, KiXX and Wings. The sports complex is only a short car ride from the University. The city is also a center for Collegiate sports. Penn's own Palestra, across the street from Chemistry, is a basketball Mecca, hosting rivalries among many local teams.

Most of the city can be easily reached by public transportation. The system of buses, subways, and trains provides travel to almost any area, including many area colleges, and makes Philadelphia one of the most accessible cities of its size.

It is also very easy to take a break from "city" life. Philadelphia is particularly fortunate in having within the city limits the largest urban park in the nation. The 4,000-acre section of Fairmount Park close to downtown brings the country to the city. Crowned at its southern end by the Art Museum, overlooking the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, the park changes mood constantly from large open areas to riverside walks to a seven-mile-long ravine beside the Wissahickon Creek, with its many miles of nature walks. At the top end of the Park, more than ten miles away from downtown, is the University's own Morris Arboretum, covering more than 90 acres. Thousands of Philadelphians enjoy the convenience of the river drives, starting near the Art Museum, which provide plenty of space for jogging, blading and cycling alongside the Schuylkill River to the Falls Bridge, more than 3 miles upstream. Aside from its diverse recreational possibilities, Kelly Drive is the scene of the annual Dad Vail and Stotesbury regattas. There is also the internationally renowed annual bike race, which ranges from the open boulevard of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway to the challenging Manayunk "Wall". Boat House Row, located along Kelly Drive, has been a Philadelphia landmark since the 1870s. The boathouses erected in different styles are now privately owned and provide a well recognized recreational use of the river.

Philadelphia is of course a major seaport, and tall ships dock at Penn's Landing, right next to the Old City. To the east lies Camden NJ, with the New Jersey State Aquarium and the Battleship New Jersey, accessible by ferry across the Delaware River from Penn's Landing. Outside the city to the west lies southeastern Pennsylvania, one of the most beautiful suburban and farming areas in the East. In addition, the Delaware Water Gap, the New Jersey Shore, Chesapeake Bay, the Pennsylvania Dutch country, Pocono Mountains ski areas, and the Appalachian Trail are all within easy driving distance.

Philadelphia lies in the Delaware Valley at the confluence of the Delaware and Schuylkill Rivers, about equidistant from New York and Washington, DC. The city can be reached overland via Interstate 95 from the South, the New Jersey Turnpike from the Northeast, and the Pennsylvania Turnpike from the North and West. In addition to the airlines, there are frequent trains up and down the Northeast Corridor. The traveling time by train to either New York or Washington is less than two hours from 30^th Street Station, which is a short walk from campus.

There are numerous housing alternatives for graduate students at the University, which maintains web sites for on and off-campus living. In addition, International House provides accommodations for both American and foreign students. Apart from University housing, many students live in convenient off-campus apartments in West Philadelphia, Center City, or suburban areas in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

Athletic facilities at the University reflect the success of its varsity teams. The annual Penn Relays is but one of the many major sports events held at the University. In addition to Franklin Field and the running track, there is a fully equipped gymnasium with ample facilities for tennis, squash, basketball, softball, and soccer, across the street from the Chemistry Department. There is a large indoor swimming pool in the Gimbel gymnasium on campus. The Penn Athletics web site can provide more information about these facilities.

Aside from athletics, other activities that welcome graduate student participation include the Glee Club band, theater groups, and the Penn Cinema, a movie-making group.

For more general information about life in the city, please follow the link to Philly.com