Sketch The Parkway Central Library with Urban Sketchers Philadelphia
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Sketch The Parkway Central Library with Urban Sketchers Philadelphia
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1901 Vine Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103
(between 19th and 20th Streets on the Parkway)
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Saturday, November 14, 2026
Start at 10 AM*
Meet at Noon at the Art Department on the second floor Room 208 to share sketches and take a group photo.
End at Noon
Please join us for lunch afterwards at a nearby restaurant.
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*The building opens at 9 AM so if you want, you can start sketching earlier. Whenever you start you don’t need to check in with anyone. Just find a suitable location and start sketching. And please say hello and introduce yourself to other sketchers you see. We're easy to spot and we're friendly.
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We continue to conduct our meetings as hybrid events, so if you don't join us in person you can join us virtually online by finding photos and sketching with us during our meeting time. See "Tips for Virtual Sketching" below.
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Parking
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Street parking is available and there is a Philadelphia Parking Authority lot behind the library: Callowhill Street between 19th and 20th Streets.
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Public Transit
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Many SEPTA buses are within short walks of the location.
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Background
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“A grand Beaux-Arts building, an important part of Philadelphia's past and present. Designed by Julian Abele, a prominent African American architect from Philadelphia, first opened in 1927. An anchor cultural and educational institution on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, they welcome over 1 million visitors each year.”
Some highlights:
* The lobby stairs, with statue of Free Library founder Dr William Pepper
* The dome and skylight above the stairs
* Marble hallways with walls and display cases filled with art
* Original internal building details
* Winding staircases leading to extensive book stacks
* 41,000 square feet of public space with multilevel views
* Panoramic views of the the city skyline in several different directions
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Take care and stay safe,
Urban Sketchers Philadelphia Administration
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Tips for Virtual Sketching
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If you will be sketching virtually, here are several ways you can proceed (and please let us know if you have suggestions for other ways to do this):
1. Google Maps. google.com/maps.
a. Type in the name and/or address of your destination. A search list will appear below. Click on the best match for your location. A street map will appear with a pin identifying the location of the place on the map.
b. For outside views, find Pegman in the lower right corner. Drag him to the location and drop him on the street in front of your destination. Then adjust the view by navigating with the compass and the street arrows.
c. For other views, outside and inside, there will be many photos in the column to the left of the map. Scroll through them and find one you would like to sketch.
2. Google Search: google.com.
a. Type in the name of the place and find the appropriate links in the search list. Select the official website (if there is one).
b. If there is no official website, there will probably be many other entries - Yelp, Visit Philly, etc. - with photos of your destination.
c. The search screen will show you “All" entries, but you can select “Images” or “Videos” to find even more possibilities for sketching. (I prefer sketching from videos over images because they are a bit closer to real-life sketching.)
3. Facebook: Search for the name of the location to see their page. They should have lots of photos and other ideas for sketching.
4. We are not recommending you go outside, but if you are going out, mask in place, you may be able to find a spot that affords appropriate social distancing, and sketch in person. Or while you are out, take your own photos for sketching. (One problem sketching from photos is that you’re looking at someone else’s view, the way they see the world. Taking your own photo is at least closer to the way you see the world and the way you would like to sketch it from your particular view or angle. That’s a big difference.)
————————————————-
1901 Vine Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103
(between 19th and 20th Streets on the Parkway)
————————————————-
Saturday, November 14, 2026
Start at 10 AM*
Meet at Noon at the Art Department on the second floor Room 208 to share sketches and take a group photo.
End at Noon
Please join us for lunch afterwards at a nearby restaurant.
————————————————-
*The building opens at 9 AM so if you want, you can start sketching earlier. Whenever you start you don’t need to check in with anyone. Just find a suitable location and start sketching. And please say hello and introduce yourself to other sketchers you see. We're easy to spot and we're friendly.
————————————————-
We continue to conduct our meetings as hybrid events, so if you don't join us in person you can join us virtually online by finding photos and sketching with us during our meeting time. See "Tips for Virtual Sketching" below.
————————————————-
Parking
————————————————-
Street parking is available and there is a Philadelphia Parking Authority lot behind the library: Callowhill Street between 19th and 20th Streets.
————————————————-
Public Transit
————————————————-
Many SEPTA buses are within short walks of the location.
————————————————-
Background
————————————————-
“A grand Beaux-Arts building, an important part of Philadelphia's past and present. Designed by Julian Abele, a prominent African American architect from Philadelphia, first opened in 1927. An anchor cultural and educational institution on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, they welcome over 1 million visitors each year.”
Some highlights:
* The lobby stairs, with statue of Free Library founder Dr William Pepper
* The dome and skylight above the stairs
* Marble hallways with walls and display cases filled with art
* Original internal building details
* Winding staircases leading to extensive book stacks
* 41,000 square feet of public space with multilevel views
* Panoramic views of the the city skyline in several different directions
————————————————-
Take care and stay safe,
Urban Sketchers Philadelphia Administration
————————————————-
Tips for Virtual Sketching
————————————————-
If you will be sketching virtually, here are several ways you can proceed (and please let us know if you have suggestions for other ways to do this):
1. Google Maps. google.com/maps.
a. Type in the name and/or address of your destination. A search list will appear below. Click on the best match for your location. A street map will appear with a pin identifying the location of the place on the map.
b. For outside views, find Pegman in the lower right corner. Drag him to the location and drop him on the street in front of your destination. Then adjust the view by navigating with the compass and the street arrows.
c. For other views, outside and inside, there will be many photos in the column to the left of the map. Scroll through them and find one you would like to sketch.
2. Google Search: google.com.
a. Type in the name of the place and find the appropriate links in the search list. Select the official website (if there is one).
b. If there is no official website, there will probably be many other entries - Yelp, Visit Philly, etc. - with photos of your destination.
c. The search screen will show you “All" entries, but you can select “Images” or “Videos” to find even more possibilities for sketching. (I prefer sketching from videos over images because they are a bit closer to real-life sketching.)
3. Facebook: Search for the name of the location to see their page. They should have lots of photos and other ideas for sketching.
4. We are not recommending you go outside, but if you are going out, mask in place, you may be able to find a spot that affords appropriate social distancing, and sketch in person. Or while you are out, take your own photos for sketching. (One problem sketching from photos is that you’re looking at someone else’s view, the way they see the world. Taking your own photo is at least closer to the way you see the world and the way you would like to sketch it from your particular view or angle. That’s a big difference.)
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Where is it happening?
Parkway Central Library - Free Library of Philadelphia, 1950 Wood St, Philadelphia, PA 19103-11ND, United States
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.
Host or PublisherMichael Boshes
