A historic bank in Old City will become the setting for a new holiday light show this November, with colorful projections, music and interactive artwork that lets people become part of the experience.
Philadelphia’s Ministry of Awe will introduce Miracle on 3rd on Friday, Nov. 20, transforming its three-story atrium with holiday decorations, light installations and a recurring show shaped by audience participation.
Every 30 minutes, the museum’s Heavens gallery will feature a light-and-sound spectacle combining projections, music and contributions from the audience. People’s voices and interactions will help shape what happens, meaning the experience could change from one showing to the next.
Elsewhere in the atrium, old ornaments, broken holiday decorations, paper and repurposed gift boxes will be turned into new displays filled with lights, lanterns and movement.
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One of the more unusual attractions involves a giant puppet that uses projection technology to display the faces of people standing in front of it. The installation will let participants see themselves become part of a much larger work of art.
The holiday additions build on Ministry of Awe’s existing attractions, which opened in March inside a former 19th-century bank at 27 N. 3rd St. The six-story museum features winding passageways, interactive sculptures and former bank vaults incorporated into the artwork. PhillyVoice previously took a look inside the museum ahead of its opening.
Miracle on 3rd also arrives during a holiday season without Philadelphia’s traditional Wanamaker light show, which is on hiatus in 2026 and 2027 while the Center City building undergoes renovations.
Tickets for Ministry of Awe start at $29.99 and are available through its official ticketing site. Advance timed-entry reservations are recommended.
Miracle on 3rd at Ministry of Awe
Opening date: Friday, Nov. 20, 2026
Location: Ministry of Awe, 27 N. 3rd St., Philadelphia, PA 19106
Admission: Tickets start at $29.99
Activities: Interactive holiday light-and-sound show every 30 minutes, decorations made from repurposed materials and a giant puppet featuring projected faces
Hours: Regular Friday hours are 11 a.m.-10 p.m.; a separate holiday schedule has not been announced
Tickets and information: Ministry of Awe tickets
Find more upcoming events here.
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