Historic Buildings & Monuments

The Last Piece of Penn

Most people don't know that the University of Pennsylvania was once across the river in Center City. It was, and although almost all of it has moved, one part stayed. Tucked on tiny Quince Street, the Mask & Wig Clubhouse, 310 S. Quince St. (tel. 215/923-4229; www.maskandwig.com) belongs to a nearly 120-year-old all-male original theater group. The original musical comedies the boys write and perform in each winter are a hoot, but the building itself is definitely worth a look-see. It predates the club itself, and was probably used as a barn and then a medical lab in the early 19th century. Today, it resembles a rathskeller, with antler chandeliers and beer steins hanging from wooden walls painted with caricatures of club members. Look around, and you might recognize some of the art. Maxfield Parrish painted a few of the club's playbills, the house's murals, and some caricatures. The clubhouse plans to close for renovations in the spring of 2007 and will reopen in early 2008.