The City of Brotherly Love and the Delaware Valley Society for Radiation Safety invite you to join us at the 44th Annual Health Physics Society Meeting. Philadelphia and the surrounding region abound in historic, cultural, and leisure activities. Center City restaurants, music and theater venues are within walking distance of the convention hotels. The Phillies at Veterans Stadium and popular music concerts at the First Union Center are a subway ride away. The historic district and the museums of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway are nearby. Come experience the "city that loves you back."

From June 25th until July 4th Philadelphia will host the 7th annual Welcome America Festival celebrating our nation's independence. A large format movie about Philadelphia will be showing at the IMAX Theater at the Franklin Institute, a summer Mummers Parade will be presented, and there will be historic area open houses. There will be "Jazz on the Avenue" not far from City Hall on Tuesday; a gala on the Parkway is scheduled for Wednesday night with fireworks to follow. There will be fireworks: on the Delaware River on Friday night, at Veterans Stadium following the Phillies games on Friday and Saturday nights, and at the Art Museum on Sunday the Fourth. The Fourth of July will be a day of events, which include a parade, concerts, and the "Photo of the Century." Philadelphia hopes to have a person born on July Fourth for every year of our century present for this photo. Some events have yet to be scheduled. Prior festivals have included a "Best of Philadelphia" food and cooking contest, neighborhood arts festivals, and a family day at Penn's Landing. Stay and celebrate with us!

The weather in Philadelphia in late June is typically warm and pleasant. The average daytime highs are in the mid 80's, with evenings in the mid 60's. The temperatures can range from the nighttime lows in the 50's to afternoon highs in the 90's. A jacket or sweater is advisable for evenings and air-conditioned meeting rooms.

Transportation

The Philadelphia International Airport is eight miles from Center City and is served by all major domestic carriers with flights from 100 cities. It features the Philadelphia Marketplace with 33 shops and eateries. The SEPTA Airport Rail Line connects the airport with Center City. Trains run every half-hour and cost five dollars. Commuters should go to Market East Station between 10th and 12th Sts. near the Marriott Hotel. For information call 215-937-6800 or stop in at one of the information booths at the terminals. Shuttle bus service to the hotels costs eight to ten dollars and taxi service is a flat rate of twenty dollars. Automobile access from the airport is direct: take I-95 north. Follow the signs for Central Phila./I-676. Follow I-676 to Broad Street exit. This places you within blocks of all the hotels. Rail access to Philadelphia along the Northeast Corridor is provided by Amtrak (800-USA-RAIL). Those staying in Philadelphia should disembark at 30th St. Station then taxi to your hotel.

Transportation around center city can be accomplished via the Philadelphia Phlash, a one fare ($3.00) loop-bus that runs every ten minutes, or by the route 76 bus which runs along Market St. The Phlash makes continuous loops (approx. 45 min.) from Logan Circle through Center City to the waterfront and South St.

Hertz is providing meeting attendees with discounted group rates, available from June 20- July 8.

USAirways is providing meeting attendees with the following discounted fares, available from June 19-July 4.

The Philadelphia Marriott, the headquarters hotel for the Meeting, is connected to the Convention Center via indoor walkway. The Saturday AAHP courses, Sunday PEP courses, various committee meetings and the Tuesday night Awards Dinner will be held at the Marriott. The 4 year old hotel features 1,200 beautifully appointed guest rooms and 24 hour room service, indoor lap pool, fitness center, whirlpool, massage service and health club and 4 restaurants. Room amenities include a remote TV, iron and ironing board, hair dryer, 2 telephones with dataports, 2 easily accessible outlets and individual climate control. Available bedding is either one king or 2 doubles. Restaurants, museums and historic sites are all only a short walk away.

The Doubletree Hotel Philadelphia offers 425 luxurious guestrooms with the following amenities in each room: 2 line telephones with dataports and voice mail, individual climate controls, color TV, am/fm clock radio, iron and ironing boards, coffee makers, hair dryers and a welcome packet featuring their famous chocolate chip cookies. Available bedding is either one king, one queen or two queens. A complete health and racquetball facility, indoor heated pool, jogging track, sun deck and steam room is complimentary to guests staying at the DoubleTree. There are 2 restaurants on property. The hotel is located in the heart of the city's cultural center. A variety of restaurants, shops, theaters, museums and historic attractions are within easy walking distance.

The Holiday Inn Express, located on restaurant row, features a complimentary deluxe breakfast bar, outdoor swimming pool and access to a nearby Bally's Fitness Center. In room amenities including a hair dryer, iron and ironing board, Nintendo games, 25" color TV and 2 double line speaker phones with a modem. The hotel is 85% non smoking. Available bedding: king, queen, or 2 doubles. Children 19 years and younger are free using the existing bedding in the room when staying with an adult; cribs are offered at no charge.

The Philadelphia Nanny Network 215-546-3002

Rates: $25/day referral fee (for hotel sitting) and $6-$10 per hour (depending on experience of the nanny).

Future Stars Camp 610-783-6336

The Pennsylvania Convention Center was developed around the historically certified Reading Terminal Train Shed, the largest single span structure in the country, which has become the center’s Grand Hall. It features a spectacular skylit roof and marble floor with inlaid metal strips reminiscent of the rails that occupied it during its former life. Natural light illuminates an impressive collection of contemporary art on permanent display. The Gallery, the largest downtown mall in the country, is one block to the southeast; Chinatown is across the street to the east; and the colorful Reading Terminal Market is across the street to the south.

As you wake up at the crack of dawn, lace up your running or walking shoes and board the bus for a short trip (approximately 5 to 10 minutes/15 city blocks) to the Philadelphia Museum of Art. You will enjoy an early morning 2 mile walk or 5K run as you view William Penn's Faire Mount (the hill overlooking the Schuylkill River to the west) and Center Square to the east. With a panoramic view across the spectacular Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Faire Mount is the royal throne for its own temple, the world-famous Philadelphia Museum of Art, which dominates the hill. Participants will assemble on the Museum's west pavilion. The event will begin with the sharp sound of the starting pistol; racers will follow the marked path along Kelly Drive on the east bank of the picturesque Schuylkill River. Participants may ascend the majestic flight of stairs known worldwide as "The Rocky Steps," made internationally famous by Sylvester Stallone in his Rocky movies, filmed on site at The Museum in the 1970s. Once everyone has made it back to the bus and is feeling refreshed, you will be taken back to your hotel to get ready for the rest of the day!

Before the dinner and awards presentations, we will be entertained by one of the finest Mummer String Bands in Philadelphia, the Ferko String Band. The Mummers are a unique Philadelphia tradition of elaborately costumed musicians and entertainers from all walks of life. The Mummers main event is the New Years Day parade. The Mummers originated from the Philadelphia tradition of New Years Day costumed celebrations in neighborhood streets during the 1800's. In 1902 the Mummers Parade was formalized. The Ferko String Band was founded in 1922 in the Broad Street neighborhood and has won numerous awards in Mummers competition. Attendees will be encouraged to learn the Mummers Strut. A cash bar will also be open after the awards presentations.

University of Pennsylvania Animal Treatment Center

Monday, June 28 12:30 p.m.-5:00 p.m.

Begin with a ride along the Delaware River, the site of Penn’s landing in 1682. Your first stop is Independence National Historical Park, home of the Liberty Bell. Your tour continues on foot to "America’s most historic square mile", passing Independence Hall, Congress Hall, Old City Hall, the Second Bank of the United States and Carpenters’ Hall.

Returning to your coach you will tour Old City, Philadelphia’s first neighborhood where you will see Elfreth’s Alley, the oldest residential street in America, Christ’s Church, the Betsy Ross House, the Free Quakers Meeting House, Franklin’s Grave and the Philadelphia Mint.

Outside of Old City, you will see the historic Walnut Street Theatre, City Hall, and Rittenhouse Square (Penn’s original southwest park). You will ride along the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, home to the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Rodin Museum, the Free Library, the Franklin Institute and the Academy of Natural Sciences. From there you will ride down "The Avenue of the Arts", on your way to Washington Square West, Antique Row, Pennsylvania Hospital, and Society Hill. This area of the city has more 18^th century homes than any other city in the U.S. Throughout the tour, your guide will provide interesting trivia about Philadelphia’s past, present, and future. The guide will also point out important recreational, cultural, and social sites.

Longwood Gardens is America's ultimate garden treasure. Early summer at Longwood Gardens is overwhelming because of the sheer scope, size and variety of flowers on display. Indoors, visit the special orchid room to see the rare specimens. The conservatories also have some unusual plants like the insect-eating plant, the air plant, and 400 year old bonsai. Following your hour-long tour, you will have time to visit the Shop, and the historic Pierce duPont House.

Next, you will travel to Winterthur and have lunch on your own in the pavilion overlooking the gardens at this country home of Henry Francis duPont. Winterthur houses 89,000 objects in 196 period rooms. Following your hour-long guided tour of some of the period rooms, you will have time to study pieces from the collection up-close in the new Galleries, and visit the Shop that features beautiful reproductions from this collection.

Cover more than 300 years of American history in just three hours as you accompany your guide on a walking tour of Independence National Historical Park, "America's most historic square mile." Your guide will introduce you to the fascinating parallels between the growth of the City of Philadelphia and of the United States. For almost a century before becoming the Birthplace of American Independence, Philadelphia was the hub of the English colonies in the New World, a sophisticated city of volunteer fire and town watch companies; paved and lighted streets; a multicultural populace; and a representative, elected government. Follow your guide along the same streets walked by George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and others whose names are familiar to us all. Visit The Liberty Bell; see Independence Hall, Congress Hall, Old City Hall (the first home of the US Supreme Court), Franklin Court, The Betsy Ross House, Friends Meeting, and much more.

For over 100 years, Atlantic City has been a major playground resort; the casinos have added a new dimension to entertainment at the South Jersey shore. Aboard your deluxe coach, your excursion coordinator will give you a brochure detailing information on the locations of shops, casinos, eateries, and entertainment options along the world famous Boardwalk. Enjoy one or more of the exciting entertainment spots along the Boardwalk; take your chances on the gaming floors, browse through the shops along the Boards, or in Ocean One (a unique triple decked shopping mall), and grab a bite to eat in one of the resort's many restaurants. Walk the Boards from casino to casino, from slot machines to the gaming tables. Or just stroll along the Boardwalk, enjoying the varied ambiance of Jersey's most famous resort city.

Founded in 1755, by Benjamin Franklin and Dr. Thomas Bond primarily to provide medical care for Philadelphia's poor and working classes, Pennsylvania Hospital houses the Historical Library, the oldest collection of medical books in the U.S., as well as an outstanding collection of herbal and horticultural volumes. You will visit the oldest clinical amphitheater in the nation, where colonial physicians like Dr. Philip Syng Physick performed the first surgeries. Just a few blocks from the Hospital, you will visit the home of Dr. Physick, "The Father of American Surgery." Built in 1786, the Hill-Physick-Keith House is the only Federal house in Philadelphia that has been restored with Federal period furniture. You will visit the Mutter Museum of the College of Physicians, where truth really is stranger than fiction. Established in 1787, the College of Physicians is the oldest independent and private medical society in the U.S. The College's world-famous Mutter Museum, founded in 1849, has a fantastic collection of medical lore. The Collections include more than 20,000 objects: fluid-preserved anatomical and pathological specimens; bones and dried preparations; medical instruments and other equipment dating from 1750 to the present; and memorabilia of famous scientists and physicians. Of particular interest to HPS members is a laboratory balance that Madame Curie used.

Between 1824 and 1904, Philadelphia witnessed the construction of some of the finest architecture in the U.S. along Broad Street from Cherry to Pine Streets. During your walking tour of "The Avenue of the Arts," you will see the magnificent buildings that have enhanced the quality of urban life for more than a hundred years. William Penn's 1680s design for Philadelphia included a Centre Square on which City Hall would one day be built. Two hundred years later, Philadelphia's City Hall, the largest municipal building in the U.S. and the nation's finest example of Second Empire design, was erected on Centre Square. During your walking tour, you will see the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (1876), the Masonic Temple of Philadelphia (1873), the Union League (1865), the Bellevue Stratford (1904), the Academy of Music (1855), and the University of the Arts (1824). Your walking tour will end at historic Reading Terminal Market. There you can have lunch or a snack on your own, a tradition enjoyed by Philadelphians since 1850.

Your visit to the Keystone State will be complete when you spend time in Lancaster County. Aboard your coach, you will view an award-winning film, "The Amish: A People of Preservation," that explores the lifestyles, beliefs and heritage of Lancaster County's people. Your first stop will be Kitchen Kettle Village in Intercourse, Pennsylvania. Spend a little time in the People's Place Museum, browse through the extensive Book Shop, and visit some of the Village's thirty shops.