Independence Hall: Known as the birthplace of the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution, Independence Hall is one of the most recognizable historical landmarks not only in Philadelphia, but the entire nation. The hall is the centerpiece of a 45-acre national park consisting of 20 buildings of historical significance.
Liberty Bell: In 1751, William Penn asked that the new bell being cast for the Pennsylvania Statehouse be engraved with the words, "Proclaim LIBERTY throughout all the Land unto all the inhabitants thereof." The bell rang to call citizens to the first reading of the Declaration of Independence, and was later dubbed The Liberty Bell by abolitionists, who adopted the bell as a symbol of their fight for freedom for all Americans.
Congress Hall: These chambers are where the Congress of the fledgling United States held sessions until relocating to Washington, D.C. in 1801. The Bill of Rights ratification and the inaugurations of George Washington and John Adams occurred within these walls. Mahogany desks and studded leather chairs fill the first floor meeting room. The carpeting is a reproduction of the one used in the early 1790s. Upstairs, 28 of the 32 chairs and the Secretary's desk are authentic. Impressive images in the hall include the 19th-century fresco of an eagle holding an olive branch, signifying peace, and the oval sunburst design commemorating the thirteen original states with thirteen stars.
Carpenter’s Hall: Built and owned by America’s oldest trade guild, Carpenters’ Hall in 1774 hosted the First Continental Congress.
US Mint: Witness the currency making process at the US Mint. The entire mechanized coinage operation is visible from an enclosed gallery designed to accommodate 2,500 visitors an hour. The David Rittenhouse Room, named after a well-known colonial merchant, contains a montage of historic artifacts, coins and medals detailing the evolution of American currency.
Elfreth’s Alley: Known as the oldest residential street in the country, Elfreth's Alley boasts nearly 30 houses dating from the early 18th to 19th centuries, most generally middle-class homes of merchants and small businessmen. The colonial lodgings give visitors an appreciation of the endurance of the craftsmanship of the American forefathers. The rustic edifices inspire the flavor of the Revolutionary Days. Families who pledge to preserve the look of the structures currently occupy the houses. Home #126 features period furniture and other changing exhibits.
Old City Hall: Part of the Independence Hall group of buildings, this was supposed to be the Philadelphia City Hall, but by the time it was completed in 1791 it had been reassigned as the home of the newly established Supreme Court of the United States. The Supreme Court met here until the nation's capitol moved to Washington D.C. in 1800. After that, it finally became the City Hall, and eventually a national museum in the late 19th century.
National Constitution Center: The National Constitution Center explores and explains the Constitution through high-tech exhibits, artifacts, and interactive displays. In the star-shaped Kimmel Theater, powerful music, a live actor and 360 degrees multi-media images tell the story of We the People. Don judicial robes to render your opinion on key Supreme Court cases. Take the Presidential oath of the office. E-mail your congressperson from the Citizens Café. In Signers’ Hall, where life-size bronze figures of the Constitution’s signers and dissenters are displayed, visitors can choose to sign or dissent. One of the original public copies of the Constitution is on display.
Betsy Ross House: American schoolchildren have all heard the story: The first American flag was made by Betsy Ross. It's not true, but it's a great story. This house is still worth a visit as an example of Colonial living conditions. Betsy Ross mainly used this colonial abode to rent rooms to travelers and wayfarers. According to the Philadelphia Historic Society, more people visit the Ross house than any other historical attraction.
Franklin Court: Seven museums located on the former site of Ben Franklin's home trace his life as publisher, politician, postmaster, printer, and inventor. There are his inventions: Bifocals, the Franklin Stove, and the glass harmonium, which the park rangers will play at your request. This museum was built for the American Bicentennial (1976), and is a fascinating example of what was considered good design in the 1970s. On one hand, there is an exact—and completely functional—reproduction of Franklin's post office (he was also the first Postmaster General). On the other hand, there is an underground museum that has as much neon and as many mirrors as any disco hall of the period. Yet the sense of exuberance and celebration seems to be something Dr. Franklin would have approved.
Christ Church: Known as "The Nation's Church" because of the famous Revolutionary-era leaders who worshiped here, Christ Church was founded in 1695. It was the first parish of the Church of England (Anglican) in Pennsylvania. It is also the church where the American Episcopal Church was born.
Christ Church Burial Ground: Christ Church Burial Ground is one of America’s most interesting Colonial and Revolution-era graveyards, with 1,400 markers on two beautiful acres right in the heart of historic Philadelphia. The Burial Ground is the final resting place for some of our most prominent leaders including Benjamin Franklin and four other signers of the Declaration of Independence.
Declaration House: In June of 1776, Thomas Jefferson was part of a Virginia delegation that planned to ask the Second Continental Congress to sever its ties from Great Britain. Jefferson decided to rent a room in the three-story, Georgian home of well-known bricklayer Jacob Graff, where he drafted The Declaration of Independence in three weeks. Unfortunately the original Graff House structure was torn down in 1883. It was recreated by the National Park Service in 1975. The only authentic item known to have survived is a key to a desk in the bedroom.
Edgar Allan Poe National Historic Site: Poe’s 6 years in Philadelphia, 1838-1844, were his most productive. Not only did Poe edit and provide critical reviews for very successful magazines, but he also invented the modern detective story. While in Philadelphia; Poe penned such classics as “The Tell-Tale Heart”, “The Fall of the House of Usher” as well as poems like “The Haunted Palace” and “To Helen”.
While living in Philadelphia, Poe went from the high of being a popular lecturer to the despair of learning that his wife Virginia was ill with tuberculosis. The brief and tragic life of the author, his times, and literary legacy are interpreted in the building that once sheltered Poe and his family.
Washington Square: Originally known as Congo Square, is one of William Penn's original five city squares. In colonial times, Black men and women were brought to this area before they were sold into bondage and transported to their new homes. The square later served as a burial ground for both American and British Revolutionary War soldiers and ironically, white and Black victims of the 1793 yellow fever epidemic were also buried together here. These days it's the location of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
Masonic Temple: The Masonic Temple is the home of the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of Pennsylvania. The current building, dedicated in 1873, now houses the Masonic Library and Museum of Pennsylvania. The library contains the most extensive collection of Masonic literature in America. The museum houses a diversified collection of Masonic treasures that is unequaled and international in scope.
Philadelphia Zoo: Established in the early 1800s, the Philadelphia Zoo is the oldest of its kind in America. Today it is home to nearly 2,000 creatures, great and small, from the top of the food chain to the bottom. Rare species from around the world are on hand, such as white lions, pandas, polar bears and the country's only giant river otters.
Valley Forge: It was here that General George Washington forged his Continental Army into a fighting force, during the difficult winter encampment of 1777-78. Of all places associated with America's War for Independence, none conveys the suffering, sacrifice and ultimate triumph more than Valley Forge. No battles were fought, no bayonet charges or artillery bombardments took place. Nonetheless, some 2,000 soldiers died - more Americans than were killed at the battles of Brandywine and Germantown combined. Valley Forge is the story of an army's epic struggle to survive against terrible odds, hunger, disease and the unrelenting forces of nature. Today, the park is a lush, 3,600-acre expanse of rolling hillsides dotted with flowering dogwood trees. Washington's original stone headquarters has been restored and furnished; log huts have been reconstructed; and statues and monuments throughout the park remind visitors of our national heritage. Among them are statues of General "Mad Anthony" Wayne and Baron Friedrich von Steuben; and the Monument to Patriots of African Descent.
Fort Mifflin: Fort Mifflin remained an active U.S. military stronghold from the Revolutionary War until it was decommissioned in 1959. The fort was the site of a 1775 battle of paramount importance between British and Colonial solders. In the U.S. Civil War, the installation was used to contain Confederate prisoners of war. Daily programs and guided tours are offered. Period uniform and weapons demonstrations are also performed regularly.
Ghost Tour: What better time to explore the haunts of this famous city than at night? On this candlelight walking tour you’ll listen to tales of the unknown as you walk in the footsteps of famous men and women.
Independence Seaport Museum: Climb aboard Admiral Dewey’s 1892 cruiser, the USS Olympia, and the World War II submarine USS Becuna, or watch a wooden boat being assembled. The waterfront museum, near Independence Hall, also has interactive exhibits.
Philadelphia Museum of Art: This museum features over 200 galleries filled with treasures spanning continents and cultures, drawn from a collection of more than 400,000 works of art. The huge stone edifice of the museum, supported by majestic Doric columns, looks over the Schuylkill River. Scale the steps made famous in the "Rocky" movies.
Academy of Natural Science: The Academy of Natural Sciences boasts one of the most extensive collections of dinosaur remains and fossils in the country. Visitors can view the 40-foot frame of a Tyrannosaurus Rex, the vanquished rulers of the Earth. In addition to the permanent displays, the academy often puts emphasis on ecological exhibits and their relevance to today's environment.
Civil War Library & Museum: The uniform General George Meade wore while commanding the Union army at the battle of Gettysburg is displayed at this museum. Other artifacts on display cover the issues of the black soldier, military tactics and the role of women during the War Between the States. Educational programs involving discussion and lecture are open to the public.
Fireman’s Hall: Ben Franklin founded the first volunteer fire company here. This old firehouse tells the tale of firefighting: leather buckets for water, miniature engines, nozzles, fire marks from old houses, parade hats (the kind children wear that are often associated with firemen), early fire insurance policies, medals, and the brass pole that had been used from 1803. A hand pump is on display that is purported to have been used by Franklin himself.
Museum of Jewish American History: Founded in 1976, the National Museum of Jewish American History explores the cultural, economic, political, and social evolution of Judaism in America. Exhibits like Creating American Jews examine the creation of Jewish identity in the U.S. by investigating the forces, positive and negative, that have resulted the proud Jewish-American tradition. Other displays include notable Jewish-Americans, the explanation and roots of holidays, as well as monuments to the festive and lighthearted side of the faith.
New Hall Military Museum: This museum has two floors of exhibits commemorating the Army, Navy, and Marines in early American history. A permanent display called "Marines in the Revolution" documents the role of leathernecks from the years 1775-1781. Also in the collection, a scale model of the man-of-war Raleigh merits inspection. It was the first ship to hoist "Old Glory"(the American flag) in battle. Six other scale models of frigates (including the USS Constitution) are also on display. The Army exhibit contains sabers, muskets, and uniforms from the Colonial Era. Other displays educate visitors about the plight of the common solder, and military tactics of the time.
Franklin Institute: One of America's best science museums, The Franklin Institute is filled with hundreds of hands-on exhibits, live demonstrations, high-tech theaters and special programs designed to open the world of science. Walk through a heart, age yourself with a special computer, get lost in the 360° screen of an Omnimax film or explore the stars in the Fels Planetarium.
Lancaster County / Amish Country: Lancaster County's old-fashioned charm and homespun warmth stems from our Amish population -- the families, farmers and craftsmen who follow a deeply religious, family-centered lifestyle that has maintained this tradition through a simple way of life that has not adopted the mainstream culture, yet has adapted in many necessary ways throughout the last 300 years. Forgoing "outside world" luxuries, the Amish who grace our small towns and farmlands present a fascinating and authentic horse-and-buggy contrast to the hustle and bustle of the 21st century.