Opened in 1993 and expanded in 2011, this massive convention center hosts a busy program of events from the mayor's masked ball and annual horticultural shows to tattoo conventions and travel shows. Enter from Market St and you'll see that it incorporates the old terminal shed of the Reading Railroad. This is the only surviving single-span arched train shed in the US and was the largest single-span structure in the world when completed in the 1890s.

The artwork Cirque, by Judy Pfaff, hangs in space beneath this impressive arch, which you can view at the top of the escalators from the street. To get an idea of what the station used to look like, check out the mural as you head down into the basement to Jefferson train station.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby attractions

1. Reading Terminal Market

0.09 MILES

Getting the balance just right between food shopping hub and dining destination, Reading Terminal Market opened way back in 1893 and it's been a…

2. Fabric Workshop & Museum

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The only such organization of its kind in the US is a wonderful place to discover how creative artists and craftspeople can be with textiles and fabrics…

3. Center / Architecture + Design

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Run by the American Institute of Architects, there's an exhibition space here with regularly changing exhibits about local architecture projects. Check…

4. Chinese Friendship Gate

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At the junction with Arch St and marking the entrance to Chinatown, this 40ft structure was built in 1984 in part by artisans from Philadelphia's sister…

5. Colors of Light: Gateway to Chinatown

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6. Masonic Temple

0.23 MILES

Although the fortress-like exterior of this 1873 building is pretty impressive, it's the spectacular interiors – which took a further 15 years to complete…

7. Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts

0.24 MILES

This prestigious arts school, founded in 1805, occupies two buildings including a masterwork of Victorian Gothic architecture designed by Frank Furness…

8. Paint Torch

0.24 MILES

This 51ft fiberglass paintbrush with an accompanying giant blob of paint is a 2011 work by Claes Oldenburg. At night the orange paint-coated bristles of…