20 July 2012

Out on the Town - Museums After Dark

Museums After Dark
When living in a city, it is easy to be overwhelmed by the amount of great experiences. Often it is difficult to keep track of all the goings-on associated with city living. We here at The What Magazine pride ourselves on finding colorful ideas for making the most of your urban experience with Out on the Town, a feature highlighting the latest and greatest in your city.

In recent years, many museums have moved beyond your typical programming to offer a variety of cool events and happenings after regular operating hours. These evening events are often intended to attract the 21-35 crowds, and therefore usually include food, tasty adult beverages, and a main attraction that the type of people who are reading this would enjoy.

Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts
PAFA After Dark goes down on six Thursdays throughout the year from 6-9PM. Visitors are able to peruse the galleries while enjoying a variety of entertainment. In May, the entertainment included the West Philadelphia Orchestra and the Spiral Q Puppet Theater. Last night's event featured life-sized versions of popular board games and a screening of Clue.
  • Free for members, $10 advance, $15 door
  • Six Thursdays annually, 6-9PM
  • Cash bar
  • Buying tickets in advance recommended
 Academy of Natural Sciences
Mega-Bad Movie Night is a celebration of the ridiculous that occurs on four evenings throughout year. Think of it as a live version of Mystery Science Theater 3000 with some of the awesomely terrible sci-fi films you can imagine. While Mega-Bad usually focuses on creature features like Sharktopus, this week they will branch out into one Mega-Bad Batman movie, 1997's Batman & Robin. In October, the Academy will welcome the Berserker Residents for a live edition of Mega-Bad, the Theater of the Mega-Rad. Each Mega event includes admission to the museum, snacks, and drinks.
  •  $15 advance/door
  • 6:30 doors, 8:00 movie
  • Open bar
  • Buying tickets in advance highly recommended
The Museum of Elfreth's Alley
The Museum of Elfreth's Alley is preparing to beef up its evening programming. Currently the museum opens for free on the First Friday of each month from 5-8PM. In the coming months, the Museum plans to reveal a new line of programming under the Nocturn Alley banner. This includes live theater performances, art and craft demonstrations, paranormal nights, and more. Perhaps the most exciting event the museum has on tap is Brew Fest. While last year's Brew Fest was a smaller affair, this year's event will be a Prohibition-Era costume party a much larger venue, which is yet to be determined. The staff are releasing "passwords" that will not only get you in the door, but give you a discount on tickets.
  • Prices vary
  • 6PM start for most events, First Friday openings begin at 5PM
  • Open bar
  • Buying tickets in advance highly recommended
Philadelphia Museum of Art
Art After 5 happens each Friday evening throughout the year in the main building of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Guests are welcome to peruse galleries and enjoy music, with live jazz on most evenings and international music on First Fridays. Food and drink are provided by Starr Events. Guests can also take advantage of guided gallery tours at no additional charge.
  • Included in regular 2-day admission ($20)
  • Every Friday, 5:00-8:45
  • Cash bar
  • Buying tickets in advance not necessary
Once you have whetted your appetite with the above events, branch out and look to see what other museums are offering. Museums such as the Penn Museum in University City and the Philadelphia History Museum in Old City occasionally offer pretty good evening programs. These events are a great way to experience some great Philadelphia culture, and often make for affordable, yet classy, dates. For more information, keep tabs with the museums on Twitter and Facebook and keep an eye out for more cool events.

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