Address
611 Spring Garden Street
Philadelphia, PA 19123
Website
www.germansociety.org
Description
The German Society of Pennsylvania, founded in 1764, is the oldest German-American cultural institution in the United States. It was founded with the primary purpose of aiding immigrants who came to our shores for a better life. It was especially important to the early founders that these immigrants did not become indentured workers. The service aspect remained a key component through the 19th century. With fewer immigrants coming to our country in the 20th century, the Society became a membership driven organization with an emphasis on German cultural activities.
The Society has been in possession of its home since its construction in 1888. The building is on the National Register of Historic Places. In it, there is a concert hall with world-renowned acoustics, the largest, private German-American Library and Archives with 70,000 volumes, two language classrooms/conference rooms and an old-world-style Ratskeller.
Category
Arts & Culture, Other
