Learn more with this project!
Travel Kit: Pencil, colored pencils, paper and eraser
Your Destination: Visit a historic religious institution in Philadelphia, a city founded on religious freedom, and observe its architecture, symbols, and role in the community.
On the Path: After your visit, choose one aspect—such as the stained glass of Calvary United Methodist Church, famous gravestones, carvings, or a cultural tradition—that inspires you.
Step 1: Fold a paper into thirds and design a brochure celebrating the institution’s story and values.
Step 2: Add color and details.
Group Tour: Share your artwork with us at #ArtSphereInc and tell us which building(s) inspired you!
Extend the Journey: Explain how your experience deepened your understanding of Philadelphia’s founding ideals and cultural diversity.
Vocabulary: Symbols, values
Resources and Visual Aids: (And more interesting Philadelphia religious institutions)
- Arch Street Meetinghouse: Built in 1811 and serves as the oldest surviving Quaker meetinghouse in Philadelphia. The building is an important site because it represents the Quaker commitment to peaceful worship, equality, and simplicity. Notable Quaker leaders, including those involved in the abolition of slavery and the promotion of social justice, gathered and made decisions here. It is also a museum that showcases Quaker history, including artifacts, historical documents, and exhibits related to the Quaker community’s impact on American society.
- Calvary United Methodist Church: (West Philadelphia) Has 3 of the 10 largest Tiffany stained glass windows of the world.
- Christ Church: Founded in 1695, Christ Church is one of the most important and historically significant churches in Philadelphia, serving as a center for early American religious and political life.
- Congregation Mikveh Israel: Founded in 1740, Mikveh Israel is the oldest synagogue in Philadelphia and the longest-running in the United States. The congregation follows the rite of the Amsterdam esnoga and offers services, adult education, and cultural programming.
- Congregation Rodeph Shalom: Founded in 1795, Rodeph Shalom is the oldest Ashkenazic synagogue in the Western Hemisphere, renowned for its leadership in the Reform movement and its unique 1927 Byzantine and Moorish Revival building.
- Divine Lorraine Hotel: Built in 1894 as the Lorraine Apartments, the Divine Lorraine became a symbol of progress when it was purchased in the 1940s by Father Divine, leader of the International Peace Mission Movement. It was one of the first racially integrated hotels in the U.S. Known for its iconic rooftop sign and Beaux-Arts architecture, it was restored and reopened in the late 2010’s as a luxury mixed-use building.
- Gloria Dei (Old Swedes’) Episcopal Church: This church is the oldest surviving brick building in Philadelphia and the oldest church building in Pennsylvania. It was founded by Swedish settlers in the Delaware Valley in 1638.
- Historic Congregation B’nai Abraham: Founded in 1874, B’nai Abraham is the oldest synagogue in Philadelphia built specifically as a synagogue and still in continuous use. Its current building, completed in 1910, showcases a Byzantine Revival style.
- Independence Hall Church (Old First Reformed Church): Located just a short walk from Independence Hall, this church was founded in 1727 and is one of the oldest Protestant congregations in Philadelphia.
- Masjid Al-Jamia: Originally built as the Commodore Theatre in 1928 and converted into a mosque in the 1970s, Masjid Al-Jamia features Spanish Revival architecture and serves as a vibrant community center for local Muslims.
- Masonic Temple of Philadelphia: Completed in 1873, the Masonic Temple is a stunning architectural landmark across from City Hall, serving as the headquarters of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania. Its Norman-style exterior contrasts with elaborately decorated lodge rooms in styles ranging from Egyptian to Corinthian. It is one of the most ornate and historically significant Masonic temples in the world.
- Mikveh Israel Synagogue: Founded in 1740, Mikveh Israel is one of the oldest Jewish congregations in America and is often referred to as the “Synagogue of the American Revolution.”
- Mosque No. 12 (Masjid Makkah): Founded in 1962, Mosque No. 12 gained prominence under the leadership of Malcolm X. Originally a trade school, it was converted into a mosque and became a major center for the Nation of Islam in Philadelphia.
- Mother Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church: Established in 1794 by Richard Allen, this church is a pivotal site in African American history and the oldest African Methodist Episcopal congregation in the U.S.
- Philadelphia Pennsylvania Temple, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints: This temple is the 152nd dedicated temple in operation of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
- St. Joseph’s Church (Old St. Joseph’s Church): Established in 1733, this church is the oldest Catholic church in Philadelphia, with a rich history of serving both European settlers and African American communities.
- St. Peter’s Episcopal Church: Founded in 1758, this church is one of the oldest Episcopal congregations in Philadelphia and played a significant role in the American Revolution.
- The First Unitarian Church of Philadelphia: Founded in 1796, this church is the oldest Unitarian congregation in Philadelphia and one of the oldest in the United States.
- Wat Mongkoltepmunee: Founded in the 1980s in Bensalem, PA, this Thai Buddhist temple features gilded traditional architecture and serves as a cultural and spiritual home for the Southeast Asian community.