There are many ways to experience Monastery Stables & Community Grounds. The land, the horses, and the history are here for everyone.

This place has always been here. And it has always been open.

Monastery Stables & Community Grounds welcomes visitors seven days a week. Walk the historic grounds. Spend time near the horses. Take in the stone buildings, the open land, and the quiet of the Wissahickon Valley. There is nothing you need to bring, nothing you need to know, and no reason required.

Just come.

We welcome nonprofits, community organizations, corporate groups, and schools. Whether you are looking to organize a volunteer day on the grounds, a guided tour of our historic structures, or a meaningful outing for the people you serve — we will work with you to make it happen.

Volunteer days at Monastery Stables are a chance to do real, meaningful work — caring for the horses, tending the land, and contributing to the preservation of a nearly 300-year-old Philadelphia landmark. We welcome both individuals and groups, and we are always glad to connect with organizations looking for something a little different for their teams or their communities.

Throughout the year, Monastery Stables & Community Grounds hosts a rotating calendar of community events — open to all, rooted in the land, and designed to bring people together in this remarkable place.

Monthly Meditation Walks — Guided walks on the historic grounds, led by our Executive Director. Free and open to all. A chance to slow down, breathe, and let the Wissahickon do what it does.

Historic Tours — Guided tours of our five historic structures, including the 1747 Monastery Mansion. An extraordinary window into nearly three centuries of Philadelphia history.

Barn Tours — A behind-the-scenes look at our working barn and the horses who call it home.

Seasonal Gatherings — Special events throughout the year that bring our community together on the grounds. Including Lantern Night, our beloved annual fall gathering for Friends members.

Our full event calendar is updated regularly. Sign up for our newsletter to be the first to know what is coming up — including stories and learnings from our programs that we share each month.

Some people need this place most — and face the greatest barriers to reaching it.

Our special access programs exist because we believe access to restoration, nature, and belonging should never be determined by income, circumstance, or history. These programs are not an afterthought. They are the point.

In 2025–2026, we piloted our first special access programs — including a restorative visit series for formerly incarcerated women, in partnership with Why Not Prosper. Participants visited the stables for structured sessions involving horse interaction, guided walks, and quiet time on the grounds. No clinical framework. Simply a restorative environment where connection and calm could naturally occur.

These early programs have been a quiet but meaningful beginning. In our July newsletter, we will be sharing learnings and reflections from our work with Why Not Prosper — what we observed, what participants experienced, and what it confirmed about the power of this place.

In the year ahead, we are deepening and expanding this work — developing partnerships with Philadelphia organizations serving people experiencing poverty, veterans, youth from underserved communities, and others for whom a place like this could be genuinely life-changing.

If your organization serves people who could benefit from access to Monastery Stables & Community Grounds, we would love to hear from you.

Some people don't just visit this place. They belong to it.

Friends of Monastery Stables is our membership community — the people who support the work, deepen their connection to the horses and the land, and help keep this sanctuary open and accessible to all. Friends members receive exclusive access to events, behind-the-scenes experiences, and Lantern Night, our annual fall gathering.

We are stewards of six acres of land within the Wissahickon corridor — one of Philadelphia's most beloved natural landscapes. Every decision we make about the land, the horses, and the grounds is made with the long-term health of this ecosystem in mind. The wildlife, the watershed, the soil, and the trees are as much a part of this place as the stone buildings and the horses. We take that seriously.