What we’re about
The Association of Philadelphia Tour Guides holds monthly meetings which feature a guest speaker on a topic of historical significance in Philadelphia or a field trip for a behind-the-scenes tour of a local historic site. Meetings are open to aspiring and working tour guides as well as anyone with an interest in Philadelphia-focused history. Attend one meeting for free and then it is $60 to join the association for the year or $10 per monthly meeting event. If you love and want to learn more about this amazing, vibrant city of 'firsts' - the birthplace of the United States - please join us!
Upcoming events
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January Book Club
Location not specified yetThe Association of Philadelphia Tour Guides (APT) will hold its next Zoom book club meeting on Tuesday, January 20 at 7 pm. All are welcome to attend.
The January 2026 Book Club selection will be Complicity: How the North Promoted, Prolonged, and Profited from Slavery by Anne Farrow, Joel Lang, and Jenifer Frank of The Hartford Courant. The North's profit from and dependence on slavery has been a well-kept and shameful secret. Complicity reveals the cruel truth about the lucrative "Triangle Trade" of molasses, rum, and slaves that linked the North to the West Indies and Africa. It also discloses the reality of Northern empires built on tainted profits -- run in some cases by abolitionists -- and exposes northern plantations as well.
Culled from long-ignored documents and reports—and bolstered by rarely seen photos, publications, maps, and period drawings—Complicity is a fascinating and sobering work that actually does what so many books pretend to do: shed light on America’s past.
APT members will find Zoom details in the Tour Talk newsletter the week of the meeting. Non-APT members who would like to participate in the January book club should email APT Secretary Pam Covey at secretary@phillyguides.org no later than 5 pm the day of the meeting to receive the Zoom link. Please join us!6 attendees
Tour Guide & Docent Job Fair
Parkway Central Library (Free Library of Philadelphia), 1901 Vine Street, Philadelphia, PA, USJoin the Association of Philadelphia Tour Guides (APT) for the 2026 Philadelphia Tour Guide & Docent Job Fair
Whether you are a veteran or just beginning your journey, the APT Tour Guide & Docent Job Fair is the year’s must-attend event for Philly’s tourism community. Explore diverse roles including seasonal, year-round, paid, and volunteer positions. THANK YOU to the Free Library of Philadelphia for generously donating the space at Parkway Central Library, 1901 Vine Street!
Brand new to guiding and love Philly? We need you in 2026! We don’t just need workers - we need ambassadors. If you know your way around a cheesesteak and can explain the significance of 1776 (or 1976!), we want to meet you. Most companies and cultural sites provide training for their guides and volunteers.
###### Already a guide or docent?
- Maximize Your Efficiency: Skip the cold calls. Meet face-to-face with over 20 top tour operators and cultural institutions in a single afternoon.
- Future-Proof Your Schedule: Tourism trends shift. Use this time to explore new niches or find reliable backup opportunities for your busy season.
- Grow Your Network: This is APT's most-attended event of the year. Connect with fellow guides, share stories, and expand your professional circle.
- Discover the APT Community: Not a member of APT yet? Come experience the energy and support that make our organization the heart of Philadelphia tourism.
###### Registration & Pricing
For Job Applicants: Admission is FREE, but pre-registration is required by Wednesday, January 21.
For Vendors: Space is limited! Reserve your table today by emailing treasurer@phillyguides.org.
- Corporate APT Members: Free
- Non-Members (tour companies offering paid positions or for-profits): $150
- Non-Members (nonprofits offering volunteer positions): $50
All payments are in the APT Store. Please join us!
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