Tour of Philadelphia

Visitor Ticket Information.

Independence Hall is situated in the centre of Philadelphia, one of the most historic buildings in the U.S.

Independence Hall is known primarily as the location where the Declaration of Independence, and the United States Constitution were debated and adopted.

The building was completed in 1753 as the Pennsylvania State House for the Province of Pennsylvania. It became the principal meeting place of the Second Continental Congress from 1775 to 1783. The building is part of Independence National Historical Park, listed as a World Heritage Site.

Google Map . More Information . Website . Bus Tours . Duck Tour.

The Liberty Bell Center is situated next to the Independence Hall in the centre of Philadelphia.

The Liberty Bell is one of the most prominent symbols of the American Revolutionary War. The bell had been rung to announce the opening of the First Continental Congress in 1774, and after the Battle of Lexington and Concord in 1775. The Liberty Bell was known as the "Independence Bell" or the "Old Yankee's Bell" until 1837, when it was adopted by the American Anti-Slavery Society as a symbol of the abolitionist movement.

No tickets are required to visit the Liberty Bell Center; however all visitors will be required to process through security screening.

More Information . Website . Google Map.

The National Constitution Center is situated about 0.3 miles north of the Independence Hall.

A visit to the National Constitution Center starts with a spectacular theater presentation called Freedom Rising. This presentation features an actor with multimedia elements explaining the history of the Constitution, and how the definition of "we the people" has expanded over time.

The main exhibit hall is circular, presenting three concentric rings of exhibits. The outermost ring is an arrangement of events of the Constitutional history, featuring artifacts and original documents.

Betsy Ross House is situated about 0.6 miles northeast of the Independence Hall.

The Betsy Ross House is generally recognized as the place where Betsy Ross lived when she may have made the first American Flag. Several of her surviving family members, including daughters, grandchildren and a niece, stated this was the site of the legendary event.

Open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, with a small entrance fee.

More Information . Website . Google Map.

Franklin Square is situated about 0.6 miles north of the Independence Hall.

Franklin Square is one of five public squares laid out by William Penn in his original plan for the city. The square has recently undergone a dramatic renovation.

The park now boasts several all new, family-friendly attractions, including a miniature golf course, a classic carousel, storytelling benches, a picnic area and more.

More Information . Google Map.

The Independence Seaport Museum is situated about 0.7 miles southeast of the Independence Hall.

The museum was founded in 1961 as the Philadelphia Maritime Museum by J. Welles Henderson. The museum moved to its current location at Penn's Landing in 1995, when it was renamed the Independence Seaport Museum.

There are many maritime artifacts, ship models, and full-sized boats in the exhibitions. There are two historic ships displayed near the museum. They are the USS Olympia, one of the United States' first steel warships, and the World War II submarine USS Becuna.

About 1 mile south, is the liner SS United States, fastest liner ever built, moored in port while awaiting a decision on its future. You can view the liner from the gates only.

Directly across the river is the Battleship New Jersey, now serving as a museum. This was one of the largest battleships ever built during WWII, a must visit historic museum. Taxis are the best way to cross the Benjamin Frankline Bridge into Camden / New Jesrey to visit the battleship. USS New Jersey Google Map.

More Information . Website . Google Map.

The Spirit of Philadelphia, small cruise ship, is situated about 0.7 miles southeast of the Independence Hall, next to the Seaport Museum.

The Spirit of Philadelphia delivers the city's most vibrant and unique combination of dining, dancing, entertainment and waterfront views. Cruising year-round from Philadelphia's Penns Landing, Spirit Cruises offers Lunch, Brunch, Dinner, Cocktail, Moonlight Cruises and much more!

Also at Penns Landing is the Moshulu Restaurant, onboard the four-masted steel barque, the Moshulu.

The Chart House Restaurant is also situated at Penns Landing, next to where the Spirit of Philadelphia docks.

The Philadelphia City Hall is situated about 1 mile northwest of the Independence Hall.

The City Hall is the seat of government for the city of Philadelphia. At 548 feet, including the statue, it is the world's second-tallest masonry building, only 1.6 feet shorter than Mole Antonelliana in Turin. The weight of the building is borne by granite and brick walls up to 22 feet thick. The principal exterior materials are limestone, granite, and marble.

City hall tours are 12:30 pm Monday-Friday, and take 1.5 to 2 hours. Tower Tours are given from 9:30 am to 4:15 pm. You get to stand directly under the William Penn statue atop City Hall. Be aware that during the school year, the tours are reserved for school groups until noon. Timed tickets are available at the Tour Information Center.

More Information . Website . Google Map.

Philadelphia Cathedral (Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul) is situated about 1.5 miles northwest of the Independence Hall.

With its majestic facade, vaulted dome, ornate main altar, eight side chapels and main sanctuary that comfortably holds 2,000 worshipers, the Cathedral-Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul is the largest brownstone structure, and one of the most architecturally eminent structures in the city of Philadelphia.

Under the main altar of the Cathedral is a crypt with the remains of most of the Bishops and Archbishops, and of several other clergymen of Philadelphia.

You can explore the inside of the cathedral when mass is not being conducted. Check the website for mass information.

The Barnes Foundation new building will be situated about 1.6 miles north of the Independence Hall at the south end of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway.

The Barnes Foundation is an educational art institution in founded in 1922 by Albert C. Barnes, who collected art after making a fortune by co-developing an early antimicrobial drug marketed as Argyrol.

Today, the Foundation possesses more than 2500 objects, including 800 paintings estimated to be worth about $25 billion. There is also a variety of African artworks, ancient Egyptian, Greek, and Roman art, and American and European decorative arts and metalwork.

Google Map of current centre.

The Franklin Institute is situated about 1.7 miles northwest of the Independence Hall, at the south end of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, in front of the Swann Memorial Fountain as seen in the image. The Philadelphia Museum of Art can be seen in the distance at the north end of the Parkway.

The Franklin Institute is one of the oldest centers of science education and development in the United States. The Institute itself comprises three centers - The Science Center, The Franklin Center, and The Center for Innovation in Science Learning. It also houses the Benjamin Franklin National Memorial .

More Information . Website . Google Map.

The Philadelphia Museum of Art is situated about 2.5 miles northwest of the Independence Hall, in Fairmount Park, north end of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway.

The institution describes itself as "one of the largest museums in the United States". Its collections comprise more than 225,000 objects. Though the Museum houses over 200 galleries spanning 2,000 years, it does not have any galleries devoted to Egyptian, Roman, or Pre-Columbian art. This is because a partnership between the Museum and the University of Pennsylvania had been enacted early in the Museum's history.

More information . Website . Google Map.

The University of Pennsylvania Museum is situated about 2.5 miles west of the Independence Hall.

The Museum is housed in a Beaux Arts building, one of the landmarks of the University of Pennsylvania campus.

Penn Museum's extensive collections fall into two main divisions: archaeology and ethnology. More than 30 galleries feature materials from around the world and throughout the ages including: China, Egypt, Iraq & Mesoamerica.

More Information . Website . Google Map.

30th Street Station is the city's main train station, situated about 2 miles west of the Independence Hall.

This impressive building, designed by Chicago-based architectural firm of Graham, Anderson, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Even if you are not traveling by train, the station is worth a visit just to experience the building itself.

From the station, you can board trains to Baltimore, New York & Washington, all just a couple of hours travel, as well as many other U.S cities

The Acela Express also runs on these routes, although more expensive than the commuter trains.

Tour of New York . Tour of Washington.