APT History
The Association of Philadelphia Tour Guides (APT) was founded in 2008 to bring professional and volunteer guides together, to act as a voice for our membership, and to ensure a high quality experience for every visitor in our city. APT conducts a robust education program and certifies Philadelphia city guides. APT, with a membership of over 230 individual and corporate members in early 2026, is a Pennsylvania 501(c)6 nonprofit organization.
Philadelphia tour guides take great pride in the services they provide to visitors and local residents exploring the rich historical, architectural, and cultural resources of Philadelphia.
ABOUT THE APT LOGO
Our logo, designed by APT member and artist Del Conner, was adopted in 2009. It features one of the many inventions of Philadelphia’s most illustrious citizen, Ben Franklin. The street lamps in Franklin’s day were not very efficient, and the glass globes tended to become dark with soot from the oil burned inside, requiring almost daily cleaning. Franklin thought that the problem had to do with a lack of airflow within the globe.
In his Autobiography, Franklin says: “I therefore suggested composing them of four flat panes, with a long funnel above to draw up the smoke, and crevices admitting air below, to facilitate the ascent of the smoke; by this means they were kept clean, and did not grow dark in a few hours, as the London lamps do, but continu’d bright till morning.”
Franklin’s lamp on our logo sheds its light over a geographical and historical panorama of Philadelphia’s skyline, from the masts of the ships in the Delaware River, past the tops of Christ Church, City Hall and the Comcast Center, to the spectacular Philadelphia Museum of Art on the banks of the Schuylkill and beyond.
APT BOARD 2026 AND 2027
Marianne Ruane
PRESIDENT
president@phillyguides.org
All of my professional life I’ve been in communications – with degrees in Russian and film production and my work as a writer and tour guide, I like to say I‘m a storyteller in every medium and two languages! I’ve lived overseas in Moscow and Novosibirsk as well as in Washington DC, Miami, and Los Angeles. Living in Philly brings me closer to my roots in NEPA. I have been working as a tour guide since 2012, joined APT in 2015, and have served on the Board since 2018. Currently most of my tours are in the historic district with Free Tours by Foot and my own company, Travel Echoes LLC. As 2026 approaches, an important goal of mine is to ensure that guides get the most accurate, nuanced, and inclusive information possible as well as the tools they need to make the most of the business opportunities these next few years. I earned my meditation teacher certification last year and will be expanding my offerings – hit me up if you need a little more zen while you’re working – it’s helped me immensely!
Alexandra Morigi
VICE PRESIDENT
vicepresident@phillyguides.org
After 30 years working for local non-profit organizations, I wanted to switch things up a bit and learn something new. While browsing online, I saw that the Association of Philadelphia Tour Guides (APT) was holding a training for tour guides. Having led tours for the the Mural Arts Program, I was not new to guiding, but it had been a while. The training was very informative and the APT members very welcoming.
I have enjoyed meeting local residents and tourists through history and mural tours, with the added benefit of learning more about Philadelphia and all it has to offer. I still have one foot in the non-profit world as an event planning consultant, but I am grateful for the camaraderie, enthusiasm, field trips, and learning opportunities through APT and its members. Join us!
Antoinette Langeveld
TREASURER
treasurer@phillyguides.org
Pam Covey
SECRETARY
phillyguides@gmail.org
I have been a lifelong “History Hound.” It started when I was a preschooler always asking my grandmother what things were like in the “olden days.” By the time I was in first grade, the Civil War Centennial was upon us. That became an area of interest that has never left me. That interest was further cemented when we moved to a house on the road that Confederate General Jubal Early took from York, PA to Gettysburg (about 20 miles away). Once I graduated from college, I moved here to Philadelphia and began a habit of “playing tourist” in my hometown. My best friend lived in northern Virginia and we spent many days touring plantations and historic sites there. Spending 12 years in Connecticut for graduate school and work gave me the opportunity to “play tourist” in a new hometown and learn about different periods and cultures in American history. I became familiar with some of the earliest European settlements in America as a result of living and traveling there. That helped to broaden my perspective. Now, by becoming a member of APT, I am able to combine all of that learning and experience and help to make our guests’ time here memorable and fun.
Graham Brent
DIRECTOR-AT-LARGE
jttw4000@gmail.com
I have been proud to call Philadelphia home for 10 years. My retirement three years ago after a career, first in journalism, and later in non-profit management, has allowed me to pursue other interests including my passion for history, music, and art. For 26 years I ran a national non-profit (and later its charitable foundation offshoot) responsible for the governance and development of more than a dozen accredited certification programs dedicated to improving construction workplace safety. I’ve also served on the boards of more than 20 professional organizations including standards-setting and regulatory bodies both in the U.S. and internationally. I’ve found APT to be an incredible resource for learning about this city and the creation and development of this country, and I’m excited about contributing in any way that I can as we engage the country and the world in celebrating our nation’s birth.
Vince McCafferty
DIRECTOR-AT-LARGE
vpmccafferty@msn.com
Born in West Philadelphia and raised in the Northeast, I am proud to be a lifelong “Philly Guy”. I have always been proud to show off our great, underappreciated city, often acting as the family tour guide for out-of-town guests. My unique connection to Philadelphia history is that, as a young Construction Manager, I was awarded a work exchange scholarship by the Carpenters Company to work in London England for one year as a guest of the London Company. Fast forward 34 years and I am now proud to be a docent at Carpenters Hall. In addition, I am a docent at the Powel House, a guide at Elfreth’s Alley and a Twilight Tour Guide with the Independence Historic Trust. I consider it an honor to be a board member of APT and am eager to work to raise the prestige of our organization as we look forward to a very exciting time for Philadelphia tourism.
Jim Murphy
DIRECTOR-AT-LARGE
murfman1@comcast.net
I first learned about APT in 2012, when I read a Philadelphia Inquirer story about APT’s Handbook. I joined soon afterward, was certified in 2013, and served on the Board from 2016 to 2018. Along the way I also guided several parts of two River-to-River Tours, organized two Billy Penn Birthday Parties for APT, proofed the handbook twice and added tour copy to the latest edition. A long-time direct marketing copywriter, I have run my own marketing communications business since 2004. Today, I have my own website that I use to promote my unique tours, presentations on “The Amazing Success of William Penn” and more … plus my book Real Philly History, Real Fast published by Temple University Press when I was already in my upper 70s (and took 11 years to write). Since my book came out in 2021, I have also written over 40 free blogs on Philadelphia history. I’m happy to help Marianne and the rest of the Board work toward making APT an ever-better, more diversified, and more prominent organization.
General Information
phillyguides@gmail.com
As of 2020, APT Board officers and directors-at-large serve two-year terms.