Shop Penn

It’s cold out there, but we have some ideas for ways to play while you stay warm this winter.  If you are looking for something to do while you wait out the chilly temps, #ShopPenn is here to help with all the best things to do and see throughout University City. Find out highlights of happenings around the district with the latest edition of the “Shop Penn Playlist,” a snapshot of the top events being offered by institutions, organizations, and venues on and around campus all month.

Mind and Mood Recharge – Penn Museum
February 4

Unwind in the galleries with an uplifting array of health-centric happenings during our popular after-hours wellness series, now in its third year. Get centered with all-levels yoga, sound bath, and meditation from local practitioners. Slow down and savor a mindful gallery exploration or spark creativity by dropping in to an artmaking session. Explore a rotating lineup of curated artisans in our wellness marketplace and enjoy light bites and botanical refreshments at our botanical bar.

Blind Summit Theatre: The Sex Lives of Puppets – Penn Live Arts
February 4-7

A “hilarious” hit at Edinburgh Festival Fringe (The Guardian), The Sex Lives of Puppets makes its Philadelphia premiere with a cheeky, honest and slightly shocking dive under the sheets. Inspired by real-life responses from the UK’s National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles, Blind Summit Theatre’s impish cast of puppeteers and their delightfully frank senior citizen puppets explore the tangled world of sex, intimacy and modern human desire. 

Fair Warning: This is one puppet show you definitely CAN’T bring your kids to.

Pre-Valentine’s Day Flea Market – The Rotunda
February 7

Have a heart for animals this February at the flea market and indulge in free vegan snacks, hot cocoa, a visit from Scary Cupid, and all to support a wonderful cause! Examples of new or gently used items that will be available include: vintage jewelry, games, collectibles, books, vinyl albums, cds and dvds, and many more that will steal your heart. Hosted by Animal ACTivists of Philly, all funds raised will be donated to an animal sanctuary that is chosen by volunteers.

Cirque Mechanics: TILT! – Penn Live Arts
February 14

Soar to new heights in the Philadelphia premiere of Tilt!, a behind-the-scenes adventure amidst the roller coaster, Ferris wheel and more favorites at the theme park. Known for "intelligently conceived and expertly executed" (The New York Times) creations, Cirque Mechanics’ new show offers breathtaking acrobatics, high-flying excitement and zany antics by the cast of characters who keep the rides running and the thrills coming. No long lines here, step right up and hold on tight, the fun’s about to begin! 

Johnny Gandelsman – Penn Live Arts
February 14-15

“A violinist who can do anything,” (The Philadelphia Inquirer) Johnny Gandelsman’s This is America is an ever-growing collection of commissioned works by U.S. composers that reflect on society’s rupture and disconnection. “Rich in diversity but united by interpretative beauty and belief,” (Gramophone) the works honor our country’s vibrant cultural tapestry and its myriad perspectives. Gandelsman, a 2024 MacArthur Fellow and Grammy® Award-winning member of the Silkroad Ensemble, will perform a solo violin program featuring the world premiere of a Penn Live Arts commission by Tyshawn Sorey, a Pulitzer Prize-winning composer, multi-instrumentalist and professor of music at Penn. 

Truth in Audio Storytelling – Kelly Writer’s House
February 18

Matt Katz, a journalist and the executive producer of the City Cast Podcast, and Yowei Shaw, an award-winning podcast host and journalist who formally produced NPR’s Invisibilia, discuss the vital importance of truth and integrity in audio storytelling. 

Wanted Laughter – The Rotunda
February 19

Get ready for an unforgettable evening of comedy as Kevin Rankins takes the stage to host a stellar lineup of stand-up performers. The night features rising talents Savion and Ayisha Henry, who'll warm up the crowd with their sharp wit and hilarious observations. Headliner Copy Jack brings his signature comedic style to close out the main show, guaranteed to leave you in stitches. Plus, don't miss a special performance by K3 Wave that adds an extra layer of entertainment to this must-see February event in the Shop Penn district.

Compagnie Virginie Brunelle – Penn Live Arts
February 20-21

Known for raw, intensely physical and cinematic choreography, Compagnie Virginie Brunelle performs in Philadelphia for the first time with the U.S. premiere of Fables. This full-length work for 10 dancers and a pianist offers a poetic yet sometimes harsh vision of women’s ongoing struggle. Against the backdrop of a world in chaos, a series of evocative tableaux show female archetypes becoming larger than life in their grandeur, strength and resilience as they pave the way through invisible, yet very real barriers.

Hands on History: What’s in a Collection – Penn Museum
February 21

Hands-on History is a series of free workshops for high school students. Meet professionals, gain experience in STEAM-focused workshops, and engage with resources at the Penn Museum. The Penn Cultural Heritage Center invites high school students to spend a day exploring the legal and ethical questions behind how museums build their collections. Look at why major museums have collected cultural objects from around the world, why they are sometimes required—or choose—to return these pieces to their countries of origin or past owners, and how collecting practices have changed over time as laws and professional standards evolve.

Ancient Egypt in Watercolors – Penn Museum
Exhibit Opens February 28

Century-old watercolor paintings, never exhibited in the U.S., reveal the critical—but often underappreciated—role of art within the field of archaeology. Blending art and archaeology, this special exhibition reveals how collaboration and documentation shape our understanding of the past. On view for the first time in the U.S., this exhibition brings together exquisite, century-old watercolors documenting Egyptian tomb paintings. Created by Egyptian artist Ahmed Yousef during Penn Museum excavations in the early 1920s, these paintings vividly record elaborately decorated funerary chapels from Dra Abu el-Naga, a key burial ground of elite officials and priests during Egypt’s New Kingdom (ca. 1550–1070 BCE).