Ben Franklin Parkway Plans Centennial Celebration
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- What we know as the Ben Franklin Parkway was once populated by homes, factories and businesses. Today, institutions along the Parkway are announcing more than a year of events to mark its 100th anniversary.
The Parkway's birthday celebration starts in September, with 14 months of events and exhibitions.
All of the Parkway museums will present exhibitions with a common centennial theme. The Philadelphia Museum of Art will have the collection of a local attorney, says President Gail Harrity.
"John G. Johnson was a preeminent lawyer, and gave this magnificent gift to the city of Philadelphia in 1917," she said.
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In December, a nighttime focal point will be a constellation of five 35-foot illuminated and video-animated mounds, says Parkway Council executive director Judi Rogers.
"Each of the domes that are being created will be unique. So what we're really hoping is that people come out and see them and maybe come multiple evenings," she said.
The centennial is supported by a $1.25 million grant from the William Penn Foundation.