Philadelphia Art Tour: Explore Murals and Mosaics

Discover the hidden gems of Philadelphia’s South Philly neighborhood on an art walk. Explore stunning murals, mind-bending mosaics, and the incredible Magic Gardens.

Duration: 2 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Theater of Living Arts - Meet your guide outside this iconic local concert venue and hear how it has played such a huge role in the counterculture spirit of South Street

  • South Street - A vital commercial and artistic artery of South Philly, South Street has been at the forefront of this city’s counterculture scene for generations. Your guide will lead you past an array of locally-owned art galleries and shops, pointing out decorative facades and giving you fascinating morsels of history along the way

  • Da Vinci Art Alliance (DVAA) - This community-based art organization has been a staple in this neighborhood since the 1930’s. Today it supports local artists in the LGBTQ and BIPOC communities by offering exhibit space and grant funding. Guests can view its current exhibits while learning about its past efforts and future goals. Proceeds of your ticket will be donated to DVAA

  • Bella Vista - Throughout your tour, you’ll weave in and out of the streets and alleys of Bella Vista, the neighborhood surrounding the Italian Market and Magic Gardens. Here, you’ll see how Philadelphia’s first suburb has changed in the last 200+ years, including beautiful homes, gardens, and public art.

  • Queen Village - Queen Village is a charming neighborhood in Philadelphia known for its historic charm, cobblestone streets, and quaint atmosphere. Located just south of Center City, it offers a mix of historic row houses, trendy shops, cozy cafes, and vibrant community parks, making it a beloved destination for locals and visitors alike.

  • Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens - Zagar’s masterpiece, a once-barren abandoned lot on South Street transformed it into a mind-bending labyrinth of glass, tile, paint and almost everything else under the sun. This is something that must be seen to be believed, and you will be granted free admission into the Gardens at the end of this tour.

What's Included
  • View breathtaking hidden gems, and hear the story behind the art and the artists
  • A local expert guide who will lead you to iconic pieces of public art
  • Admission to the Philadelphia Magic Gardens after tour
  • A visit to the Davinci Art Alliance, a community-based art organization
  • A pleasant walk through one of Philly’s most diverse and eclectic communities
  • A donation to a local community art organization
What's Not Included
  • Gratuities
  • Additional food and drink
  • Not all locations listed are guaranteed stops
Additional Information

Philadelphia isn’t merely renowned for its role in American history - it also boasts an awe-inspiring array of public art, particularly in its vibrant South Philly area! This excursion will take you into the essence of the Queen Village and Bella Vista districts where you can discover remarkable and unexpected artworks, such as awe-inducing murals and perplexing mosaics. As you learn about the history behind the art you discover, you’ll comprehend how local art creators and their work are embraced and cherished by the communities they inhabit, and appreciate the amazing accessibility to art across a grand city like Philadelphia. After wandering through the street art and possibly a gallery, you’ll finish the tour at the extraordinary Magic Gardens, which hosts some of the most awe-inspiring art sculptures you’ll ever encounter. A portion from your ticket fee contributes to a regional organization that endorses city artists, enabling you to make a direct influence on the wonderful community highlighted in your tour!

Location
Theatre of The Living Arts
South Street
Meet outside the entrance of the Theatre of the Living Arts (TLA); 334 South St., Philadelphia, PA 19147
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.9
(108 Ratings)
5 stars
4 stars
3 stars
2 stars
1 star
Eileen_t
Oct 6, 2024
Carla was a very good... - Carla was a very good tour guide. We enjoyed her wealth of knowledge, her calm demeanor and her skills as a guide. It was so pleasant to be able to be shown these interesting parts of the city and hear the history behind them. Thank you!
Review provided by Viator
P7901vkmatth
Oct 5, 2024
Great tour! - Carla was great. Really showed us some things I’d never seen and explained them well. Lots of surprises. I was unfamiliar with Zagar’s work and his son even made an appearance. Garden was fabulous.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Ssu0912
Sep 26, 2024
Incredible street murals & mosiacs - We loved the art murals and seeing the incredible work by Isaiah Zagar. The only way to truly appreciate The Magic Gardens. Heather was fantastic, highly recommend!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Callum_w
Sep 13, 2024
The Wildest Experience You Can Get In Philadelphia - I went on this tour with my parents. They were skeptical. They would have much rather gone to a regular museum. The first stop our guide took us to was a mural. Our guide explained that the house next to us used to belong to Isaiah Zagar, the artist responsible for most of the outdoor mosaics we would be seeing. Suddenly this guy walks up to us. He looked how you'd expect the first image of a google search for South Philly Hippy to look. Our tour guide says hello to him. He explains that this guy is Ezekiel Zagar, the son of the artist we were going to be talking about for most of our tour. So our guide asks "Zeke" to tell us a bit about his father and about the house with all of the mosaics on the outside. So he tells us that this was the house he grew up in and that he bought the house off his father when Isaiah Zagar was about to be arrested for unpaid taxes. And while this guy is telling this story, he pulls out a little plastic baggie of grass and he rolls himself a splif as he is telling us about his father and about the street art scene in South Philly. I guarantee you... this was a tour my parents will never forget!
Review provided by Viator
S512rwjanineb
Sep 8, 2024
Small group, great experience - This walking tour was just awesome. Super knowledgeable guide has shown us great venues I would have not found myself..
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Bbiebl
Sep 5, 2024
Fun, educational, interesting tour - Dick Furstein was an amazing guide! He was so knowledgeable not only about the art we discovered in hidden places but also about American history, art history and local politics over the years. We learned so much and enjoyed the tour immensely.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Rebeccafe4339uv
Aug 30, 2024
South Philly Art Yay!!! - I’m visiting Philly to scope the city out to see if I’d like to live here one day so I scheduled this tour to check out the local art scene! My guide was Nina and she was so great! Very knowledgeable and go with the flow, rather than sticking to a script, which I loved! Highly recommend.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Annabr4079cc
Aug 16, 2024
I love Marty - Amazing! So informative and fun! Highly recommend!! Marty was great and kept the mood light and was quite funny as well. Bonus points for knowing ed Sheeran songs!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Rosarq8473hz
Aug 16, 2024
Beautiful! - Our tour guide Heather was awesome! We see Philly through New eyes now. We enjoyed walking through South Philly and ultimately landing at the wonderful magic gardens.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
72sarunim
Aug 15, 2024
A Deeper View into Art’s Meaning to Philadelphia - Heather was super warm and friendly. She has an authentic connection to the art community which makes her a dope tour guide and fellow explorer. I felt like I learned more about art and South Philly’s deep connection to it. Personal favorite was the art gallery at DVAA. Very informative and inspiring. Come curious and ready to learn. Time very well spent.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Select Date and Tickets
up to 12 guests
1 Adult
October 2024
Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
Today