PHILADELPHIA, May 4, 2001 -- Mingle with a mob of wallabies, delve into the world of darkness, see how science influences daily living or travel back in time to the American Revolution. This summer families can do all this and more in the Philadelphia region, where interactive experiences not only reside, they rule.

Get ready to be part of the action as local museums and attractions unveil a summer full of hands-on fun with lots of new events, exhibits and programs:

• The Philadelphia Zoo’s Wallaby Walkout, open through October 31, 2001, features nearly 20 wallabies roaming around a barrier-free habitat in which guests can mingle side-by-side with the Australian marsupials. On Saturdays, visitors can make a wallaby souvenir at the craft table, participate in an Australian scavenger hunt or play a wallabygame. (215) 243-4375, www.philadelphiazoo.org.

• Elmo’s World Live! is the newest interactive stage show at Sesame Place, the nation’s only theme park based on the award-winning television series. Debuting on May 12 (when the park officially opens for the 2001 season), the show explores the world of dance. Audience members, some of whom will be invited on stage, are encouraged to sing and dance along with Elmo and his pals. (215) 752-7070, www.sesameplace.org.

• A journey to the "Island of the Elements" is in store for visitors to the Franklin Institute’s newest display, KidScience. Intended for five- to eight-year-old children, the long-term exhibit, which opens on May 18, combines more than 25 interactive components to illustrate the scientific principals of sound, movement, geology and reflection. Once on the island, kids are challenged to keep the evil Lord Chaos from disrupting nature’s balance. (215) 448-1208, www.fi.edu.

• At the Please Touch Museum beginning on June 22 is Whirligigs: An American Backyard. The display, featuring four interactive areas, is an art exhibit, a lesson in mechanics and a reflection of American folk art and social history all rolled into one. Visitors learn the mechanics of motion by pedaling, pumping and cranking to activate whirligigs that normally run on windpower. (215) 963-0667, www.pleasetouchmuseum.org.

• Historic Philadelphia, Inc. kicks off its summer season on May 6 when more than 100 colonial re-enactors tour the streets in and around Independence National Historical Park to perform for and interact with visitors to the country’s most historic square mile. Particularly popular with children is the Call to Arms program, where George Washington and Benjamin Franklin induct kids into the Continental Army. As recruits, the children learn how to present arms, about face and, of course, defend Philadelphia in case of an attack by the British. (800) 76-HISTORY, historic.philly.com.

• The history lesson continues after dark with Lights of Liberty, a sound and light spectacular that enables participants to experience the American Revolution as it happened, where it happened. Once equipped with headsets, visitors are led to five sites throughout Independence National Historical Park where they see and hear images and sounds that depict the events leading up to the signing of the Declaration of Independence. (215) LIBERTY, www.lightsofliberty.org.

• May 25 marks the debut of Giggleberry Fair at Peddler’s Village. The 10,000 square-foot attraction is comprised of four elements: The Grand Carousel, an old-fashioned merry-go-round built in 1922; Giggleberry Mountain, an obstacle course and maze with side-by-side racing slides and a three-story spiral tube slide; Discovery Land, featuring a moon bounce, rock climbing stations and an interactive waterway; and The Painted Pony, a restaurant offering kid-friendly items. (215) 794-4000, www.peddlersvillage.com.

• A 1,200-square-foot Butterfly House is being erected with the help of the Philadelphia Eagles at the Camden Children’s Garden this summer. Opening in July, the new facility has been developed around the Noah’s Ark theme. As visitors interact with insects in natural habitats, they learn the importance of both pollinators and tropical rain forest plants in the environment. (856) 365-TREE, www.camdenchildrensgarden.org.

• Two new interactive exhibits – one temporary, one permanent – are on display at the Academy of Natural Sciences this summer. The permanent installation, Living Downstream, shows how people’s daily actions affect water quality and what they can do to help the environment. Designed for visitors ages eight and up, the exhibit features an interactive watershed model and multimedia kiosks. On June 23, the museum debuts In the Dark, a temporary display that explores what creatures of the night do after hours. Interactive exhibits, mechanical displays and computer games allow visitors to travel to the Great Smokey Mountains, venture into a dark cave or transform themselves into a jellyfish and plummet to the depths of the sea. (215) 299-1000, www.acnatsci.org.

• America’s biggest birthday party kicks off in Philadelphia on June 27 with the Sunoco Welcome America!, an eight-day festival featuring more than 50 free events. Among the highlights are: Parkway Night Out, June 27, allowing families free admission to all Parkway museums where loads of interactive fun awaits them; Kid’s Day, July 2, featuring miniature golf and basketball activities, arts and crafts, a ball pit, fire truck exploration and carnival games for the 12 and under set; and Fit, Fun and Free Fest, July 3, offering health screenings, aerobics classes, Philly Sports Zone with local athletes, Kids Zone and Extreme Sports Zone. (800) 770-5883, www.americasbirthday.com.

• Kids are the focus of fun on Sundays throughout July and August at Penn’s Landing when the Festival Pier is converted into a child’s wonderland for Children’s Special Sundays. Strolling entertainers like magicians, jugglers and musicians are on hand to amuse as children partake in face painting, arts and crafts projects and other hands-on activities. (215) 922-2FUN, www.pennslandingcorp.com.

Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation is a non-profit organization dedicated to generating awareness of and visitation to Philadelphia, Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery Counties. For more information about travel to Philadelphia visit www.gophila.com or call (877) GO-PHILA.

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