Reading, Pennsylvania

Reading is located in southeast Pennsylvania, 63 miles (101 kilometers) northwest of Philadelphia. It is the county seat of Berks County and home to 81,207 residents.

Remember taking a "ride aboard the Reading Railroad" when you played Monopoly? Now you can explore the history of the real railroad and view original artifacts at the Reading Company Technical and Historical Society. Also be sure to visit the Reading Public Museum, which features fine exhibits on art, science, and civilization, as well as a planetarium and a park and arboretum. Other museums in the city include the Mid Atlantic Air Museum, the Reading Area Firefighters Museum, and the Central Pennsylvania African American Museum.

Take a stroll through the Centre Park Historic District to see beautiful period buildings in the Queen Anne, Gothic Revival, and Victorian styles. Reading also offers an unexpected architectural delight: a Japanese Shogun-style pagoda. The seven-story structure was built by William Abott Witman in 1908, and although his plans to turn it into a luxury inn never materialized, the pagoda has become a historic landmark and a popular attraction.

Shop-a-holics will be glad to know that Reading is the "Original Outlet Capital of the World," and home to six factory outlet complexes. These stores carry everything from designer clothing to baked goods, and attract thousands of visitors each year. Another great shopping area is Penn Square, which features a landscaped pedestrian mall and many boutiques housed in historic buildings.

Reading is home to a lively arts and cultural scene. For a great evening's entertainment, check out the latest production by Genesius Theatre or the Reading Community Players. The city is also home to a philharmonic orchestra, pops orchestra, symphony orchestra, and the Berks Classical Children's Chorus. Feeling artistic? Then head to the Goggleworks Center for the Arts, "a whole city block where art happens." Opened in 2005, the center offers 34 artist studios, four galleries, facilities for glass blowing, ceramics, and jewelry making, film exhibits, dance and music studios, and more.

Historic, artistic, and a haven for shoppers, Reading offers something for everyone!

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