PhilaPhile

The Battle of Germantown Reenactment

My children and I went to see the Battle of Germantown reenactment this past Saturday. It's the first time we arrived on time and saw the entire battle reenacted. We started by walking around the grounds of Cliveden and watching the troops prepare for battle. When you talk with the soldiers they stay in character. We started a tour of Benjamin Chew's house but had to cut it short when the troops started to muster.

Outside the house there was a running lecture about the battle by someone who authored a book about the Battle of Germantown. He later narrated the reenactment over a loudspeaker that was often difficult to hear because of the firing of guns and cannons. The bagpipes began to play and volunteers began to ask people to move to the areas roped off for spectators. We decided to go outside the gates of Cliveden and watch the troops battle on Germantown avenue and then follow them through the gates of Cliveden.

Basically, the Brits were able to repel repeated attacks by locking themselves inside the home of Benjamin Chew which proved to be sturdily built. There are several pockmarks on the building where cannonballs struck and bounced off. The British shot and killed the bearer of a white flag who was there to offer a negotiated surrender. The British knew that if they surrendered they would be killed because of what happened weeks earlier at what is now known as the Paoli Massacre.

We had a great time. Everyone learned something new about the battle and its place in the formative years of our country's history.

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Insectarium

We went to the Insectarium today. It located at 8046 Frankford Avenue. It costs $6.00 per person. I first went to this museum about 8 years ago when I took my daughter to a birthday party. I thought it was a cool place for a kid to have a birthday party. We've gone back many times since then.

On the 2nd floor are insects that are not alive except for those in the kitchen exhibit. Here they have a mock-up of a kitchen on one side and a bathroom on the other that is filled with american cockroaches. When the attendant sprays water into the kitchen the roaches emerge from their hiding places in the cabinets and cracks in the wall. The first time I saw this I remember pcking up my coat and shaking it out. It's kind of creepy.

On the third floor all of the insects are alive. Some of them, like the millipede and tarantula, are allowed to be held. It's a great way to show kids how to properly handle insects. Some kids like to hold them, some like to pet them, some like to just look. There's a small store on the first floor with insect-like items. Evidently now is the slow time for the museum. Things usually pick up again in March when the schools begin bringing in classes for tours.

tags: Insectarium museum Philadelphia Frankford insects bugs

Mutter Museum

My son, who is 9 yrs. old, and I went to the Mutter Museum a couple of days ago. It's located in Center City at 19 S. 22nd Street. It's housed in the College of Physicians of Philadelphia. They currently have a Lewis and Clark Exhibition exhibit that details some of the medical problems that they had to overcome. My son especially liked the sweat tent that they built as a result of an illness by one of the troops. Evidently sweating cures many different ailments.

Before entering I was somewhat worried about how my son would respond to seeing some of the body parts that I knew that they housed. He's somewhat interested in anatomy, at least the gross stuff, so I thought this woud be a good trip. The museum really did hold his interest for at least 45 minutes but he was grossed out by some of the exhibit. The cost for the two of us was $17.00. I found it fascinating and wanted to take a little more time examining the exhibits. It's definitely a unique and interesting museum.

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