November 24, 2023
Black Friday (and its online twin, Cyber Monday) isn't all about soundbar deals. Though the post-Thanksgiving shopping bonanza is best known for offering electronics, toys and clothing at deeply discounted prices, cultural institutions also participate through sales on less tangible perks — like memberships and tickets to some of their shows.
Philadelphia's museums and theaters are offering some of those sales now. Deals include cheaper tickets at Kimmel, memberships at the Philadelphia Film Society or Academy of Natural Sciences and classes at the Barnes Foundation. (In more traditional Black Friday fashion, a few museums also are rolling back prices at their gift shops.) Promotions run through Sunday or Monday, so check out the codes while they're still live:
From Black Friday through Cyber Monday, tickets to select performances at the Kimmel Cultural Campus are 35% off with the code CYBER35. The deal applies to shows in Kimmel's Broadway series — including "Frozen," "Mrs. Doubtfire" and "Hadestown" — as well as Philadelphia Orchestra concerts. Upcoming sets from comedians Matt Rogers and Fortune Feimster also are included in the flash sale.
All memberships at the Philadelphia Film Society are 15% off through the weekend. PFS offers eight different tiers, starting at the $60 "grip" and scaling up to the $800 "dual assistant director." While benefits increase at each level, all memberships include $5 off adult general admission tickets and 10% off concessions at any PFS location. Use the code BLACKFRIDAY23 at checkout.
The Barnes Foundation is offering art-lovers an opportunity to brush up on their history. Now through Sunday, any four-week online class is 15% off with the code BLACKFRIDAY15. Topics include specific artists such as Henri Matisse or El Greco, as well as broader themes like the Bauhaus movement or the French Revolution's impact on art.
Family memberships at Drexel's Academy of Natural Sciences are cheaper for the next week. The discounts apply to the $135 family tier, which offers unlimited free general admission to two adults and five children, or the $165 family-plus tier, which includes an additional free admission for two guests with every visit. Use the code JOURNEY35 to take $35 off the family membership or JOURNEY45 to take $45 off the family-plus membership.
Need a holiday gift for a colonial history nerd? All items at the Museum of the American Revolution gift shop are 15% off with the code BLACKFRIDAY15 until Sunday. The store features hats, shirts and mugs stamped with Benjamin Franklin's famous "Join or Die" cartoon or Abigail Adams quotes. Books on museum topics and exhibits also are available, including one on James Forten and his family.
The Independence Seaport Museum also is knocking 15% off its online gift shop. Grab a pirate Santa mug, or a historic canvas print of the USS Olympia, on the museum's website through Monday. Shoppers can head to the brick-and-mortar location at 211 S. Christopher Columbus Blvd. on Sunday for 20% off all branded merch and other select items.
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