Philadelphia is hosting a ‘National Treasure’ weekend
The three-day event will celebrate one of the best and most absurd films ever partially filmed in Philly.
Historic Philadelphia institutions better ramp up security around their copies of the Declaration of Independence because a National Treasure weekend is coming to Philly.
The three-day event, from Aug. 20 to 22, will celebrate one of the best and most absurd films ever partially filmed in Philadelphia with screenings on Independence Mall, an appearance by director Jon Turteltaub, a guided tour, and interactive puzzle adventures.
Alas, a news release about “Philadelphia’s National Treasure Weekend“ made no mention of appearances by any cast members, despite my well-documented and repeated requests to have Nic Cage recreate the scene where he free-solo climbs Independence Hall (undetected!) for the nation’s Semiquincentennial celebrations this year.
Of course, organizers could just be keeping mum on the matter, believing that Silence Dogood.
The event is hosted by the Philadelphia Visitor Center, Independence Historical Trust, and the National Treasure Hunt podcast. Yes, there is a podcast devoted to the National Treasure franchise and it has 121 episodes.
The creators of the podcast, Aubrey Paris and Emily Black, will kick off the festivities at 6 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 20, with a “HEIST NIGHT” at Carpenter’s Hall. The immersive adventure will require participants to team up and crack clues, solve ciphers, and figure out escape room-style puzzles “as you race against foes to find the missing piece in a nearly 20-year-old treasure hunt,” according to the event site. The experience is recommended for adventurers 18 and older and tickets are $50 per person.
On Friday, Aug. 21, games will be hosted on Independence Mall by the Historic District Partners, a live episode of the National Treasure Hunt podcast featuring Turteltaub will be recorded at Independence Visitor Center (tickets are $10), and a screening of National Treasure will be held on Independence Mall. Turteltaub will introduce the film and free popcorn will be provided by Liberty Garden.
The final day of events will begin at 10 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 22, with a National Treasure Hunt tour of Philadelphia, led by Paris and Black. The podcast hosts will take participants to local sites in the movie (you could end up at the Franklin Institute, Reading Terminal Market, or the Old Pine Street Presbyterian Church cemetery), as they share stories behind the film and the landmarks that inspired it. Registration is required and tickets are $60.
Early that evening, Paris and Black will re-host their HEIST NIGHT at Carpenter’s Hall and activations from the Historic District Partners will be set up along Independence Mall. An 8 p.m. screening of National Treasure: Book of Secrets, the sequel to the original film, will be held on the mall. Turteltaub will once again introduce the film and free popcorn will be provided.
The weekend of events was inspired by “Movies on the Mall,” an annual summer series of movie screenings on Independence Mall put on by the Visitor Center and Historical Trust. The series has featured National Treasure the last few years.
While Rocky may get top billing when movies set in Philly come to mind, National Treasure has legit Philly street cred, with several iconic scenes shot here. More importantly, it has Philly fans, who are notoriously difficult to please.
Philadelphians love a good history mystery and we respect a man named Benjamin Franklin Gates who says things like “I’m gonna to steal the Declaration of Independence” and then does it.
More than two decades after its 2004 release, the film and its star are still inspiring media and society today. A made-for-TV Hallmark movie released for the nation’s 250th anniversary this year called To Philly With Love was almost definitely inspired by National Treasure and just last month, a Nic Cage bar crawl was held in Jenkintown.
