Here at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania (HSP), we care for more than 21 million documents. Our collections include books, letters, diaries, business records, photographs, newspapers, and large maps and graphics—like the beautiful illustration of Philadelphia’s eastern waterfront found in our newest diplay, "Make History Yours." This very rare graphic was once tattered, torn, and disintegrating.
 Friday, 2/3/17 Exhibit/Display |
 Tuesday, 12/13/16 Exhibit/Display The 1763 Conestoga Massacre was the brutal murder of 21 Susquehannock men, women, and children by a vigilante group of Scotch-Irish frontiersmen from central Pennsylvania known as the Paxton Boys. These frontiersmen and their families had settled on American Indian lands in violation of established agreements between the Quakers and various tribes. Several tribes raided frontier settlements in response to this encroachment and, in retaliation, the Paxton Boys attacked the Susquehannock, who they claimed had passed “secrets” to hostile groups. |
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Wednesday, 11/30/16 Special Event Explore the complex – and changing – notions surrounding the concepts of “citizen,” “immigrant,” and “refugee,” with leaders from various ethnic backgrounds as they discuss ways immigrants maintain cultural identities within a diverse culture. |
Saturday, 11/19/16 Teacher Workshop Partnering with the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts (PAFA), HSP is excited to host a teacher workshop that will focus on the impact of the First World War and the visual culture that the conflict inspired. |
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Wednesday, 11/16/16 Delve into the historical background of the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor and discuss the event’s continuing impact on American public memory with West Chester University's Dr. Robert Kodosky, Ph.D. |
Saturday, 11/12/16 Teacher Workshop The Second World War was about patriotism, community, and sacrifice for both the men and women abroad and those at home. With the 75th anniversary of Pearl Harbor this December, this workshop will discuss ways to incorporate the stories of Philadelphians during the war into classroom lesson plans. |
 Thursday, 11/10/16 Join the Young Friends of HSP as they throwback Philadelphia's proud sports history! |
Tuesday, 11/8/16 Exhibit/Display To commemorate the 75th anniversary of the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, HSP will display a selection of letters, photographs, ephemera, and printed materials documenting Philadelphians’ varied reactions to the event. |
 Wednesday, 10/26/16 Genealogy Workshop Google Earth is only one example of geographic information available online. The internet contains several projects featuring spatial and historical data which can assist with genealogical research. |
 Thursday, 10/20/16 One of the prevalent themes found in early literature that focuses on the immigrant experience is that of assimilation and identity. Often, the reader is introduced to a main protagonist, who in his metaphorical journey from youth to adulthood, struggles with the beliefs and traditions of the old world, contradicting those of the new. However, the struggle of identity is no longer limited to assimilation as it also highlights themes of race, gender, and sexuality. |
 Monday, 10/17/16 Teacher Workshop National History Day (NHD) is a great program to help students in grades 6-12 practice research and critical thinking skills, elements important to their future in the workplace and school. This workshop is for teachers who have worked with the NHD program before as well as those who would like to learn about it for the first time. |
 Thursday, 10/6/16 Teacher Workshop The two-hour workshop will provide teachers with in-depth background on the rich history of Germantown, as represented by five exceptional historic and cultural museums. It will provide for teachers and students to explore this multicultural study of community history throughout the school year. |