Step back in time to the birth of the nation...
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Philadelphia is the city where the nation began 225 years ago. It remains one of America’s most historic cities.
The Sheraton Society Hill is located in historic Society Hill, which is between the Delaware River and 5th Street, bounded by Walnut Street to the North and Lombard Street to the South. Take a walk through Society Hill to see some of the more than 600 historic houses that have been renovated and restored to resemble the neighborhood during Colonial times. Wander over to South Street to eat and explore the unique shops of Philadelphia's most eclectic street. |
Major sites in and around the historic Old City area:
(most are shown on the official map of the historical area)
S. 10th St. and Pine Street
(Along Pine Street between 9th and 13th)
Philadelphia, PA
Just six blocks from the Pennsylvania Convention Center , antique-lovers can hunt for treasures in the shops along Pine Street (from 10th to 18th). It has long been a favorite spot to search for antique books, stained glass and furniture, much of it museum quality.
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239 Arch Street (between Second and Third Streets) Philadelphia, PA 19106-1915 215-627-5343 Admission Fee: Suggested Donation, $2 adults, $1 children Learn about how Betsy Ross risked her life to stitch of Old Glory. |
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320 Chestnut Street (between Third and Fourth Streets) Philadelphia, PA 19106-2708 215-925-0167 Admission: Free Carpenters' Hall was built in 1770. The delegates to the First Continental Congress met there in September 1774 to air their grievances against King George III. During the Revolutionary War, the Hall served as a hospital and an arsenal for American forces. The building is still owned and maintained by the Carpenters' Company. |
| Chinatown
N. 10th St. and Race Street (8th to 12th Streets Between Filbert and Vine Streets) Philadelphia, PA 19107 Chinatown is a residential and commercial hub for the local Asian community. More than 50 restaurants co-exist with grocery stores, bakeries, souvenir shops, martial arts studios, and a fortune cookie store. |
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2nd Street above Market Street Philadelphia PA 19106 215-922-1695 Admission: Free – but donations are welcome. Christ Church is one of America's most historic churches. The church was built between 1727 and 1754 in the reign of George II. Many of the founding fathers worshiped there including Benjamin Franklin, Francis Hopkinson, Robert Morris and George Washington. |
Edgar Allen Poe National Historic Site
532 North Seventh St.
Philadelphia, PA 19123
215-597-8780
Admission: Free
Operated by the National Park Service, this historic site consists of three buildings and a park area. Visitors can enjoy a number of exhibits about Poe's life, including an audio-visual presentation, as well as a tour of the house, though it is not furnished. Poe resided in the house from 1838-1844 and it was here that he wrote many of his most famous works including: "Murders in the Rue Morgue", "The Pit and the Pendulum", “The Tell-Tale Heart" and "The Cask of Amontillado."
(off Second Street between Arch and Race Streets)
Philadelphia, PA
215-574-0560
Admission: Maximum $5 per family; $2 for adults; $1 for children age 5-18; under age 5 free; school groups free.
Elfreth's Alley is a National Historic Landmark. It is the oldest continually inhabited street in the United States. Many of the Alley's 33 houses were built prior to the nation's birth, some dating back to 1702. Most of the homes remain private residences today.
316-322 Market Street (between 3rd and 4th Street)
Philadelphia, PA
215-597-8974
Admission: Free
One of the most interesting and unique places in Philadelphia, especially for those interested in archeology. The court itself features a steel "ghost structure" frame of where Benjamin Franklin's house once stood. You can look through portals in the ground to see into Franklin's privy pits, wells, and foundation. There is an underground museum which is filled with paintings, objects, and inventions associated with Benjamin Franklin. The museum also features an excellent film about Franklin's life.
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222 North 20th Street Philadelphia, PA 19103 215.448.1200 Admission: $14.75 An innovator in designing hands-on exhibits before “interactive” became a buzzword, The Franklin Institute is as clever as its namesake. Its eminently touchable attractions explore science in disciplines ranging from sports to space.
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Chestnut Street between 5th and 6th Streets Philadelphia, PA 215 597-8974 Admission: Free - by tour only Built between 1732 and 1756 as the State House of the Province of Pennsylvania , Independence Hall is considered a fine example of Georgian architecture. From 1775 to 1783 this was the meeting place for the Second Continental Congress. It was here that George Washington was appointed commander in chief of the Continental Army in 1775 and the Declaration of Independence was adopted on July 4, 1776. In the Assembly Room the design of the American flag was agreed upon in 1777, the Articles of Confederation were adopted in 1781, and the U. S. Constitution was drafted in 1787. |
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Market Street between 5th and 6th Streets Philadelphia, PA 215 597-8974 Admission: Free As the official bell of the Pennsylvania State House (today called Independence Hall) the bell rang many times for public announcements, but its most famous ringing occurred on July 8, 1776 when it rang to announce the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence. |
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Independence Mall, 525 Arch Street Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19106 215-409-6600 Admission: $12 The National Constitution Center in historic Philadelphia is America's most interactive history museum. Located just two blocks from the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall, it is the only museum devoted to the U.S. Constitution and the story of “We, The People.”
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Columbus Avenue between South and Vine Streets Philadelphia, PA Admission: Varies by attraction The Penn's Landing area of Philadelphia marks the area where William Penn first set ashore to found the City of Philadelphia . Located at Penn's Landing is the Independence Seaport Museum, which includes the S.S. Becuna, a World War II submarine as well as the U.S.S. Olympia, Commodore Dewey's flagship at the 1898 Battle of Manila Bay. |
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2600 Benjamin Franklin Parkway
Philadelphia, PA 19130
(215) 763-8100
Admission: $16 (Main Bldg)
Like Philadelphia's own Parthenon, the Philadelphia Museum of Art sits majestically on a rise at the end of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. The vast collections of this temple of art make it the third-largest art museum in the country, and an absolute must-see on the city's cultural circuit.
Sunlight Sightseeing:
AudioWalk & Tour
– At the IndependenceVisitor Center ,
visitors can pick up a portable CD player, a CD-ROM and map before embarking on
a tour of 20 historic sites. 6th & Market Streets, (215) 965-7676, www.independencevisitorcenter.com
The Big Bus Tours – Riders can see the sights from an outdoor seat atop these double-decker buses or ride inside in air-conditioned comfort. 5th & Market Streets, (215) 389-TOUR, www.phillytour.com
The Constitutional Walking Tour of Philadelphia – Maps for this free, self-guided walking tour of more than 30 historic sites are available at area attractions and hotels and online. Guided, audio, group and cell phone tours are also available. 6th & Market Streets, (215) 525-1776, www.theconstitutional.com
Mural Arts Tours – Aboard an open-air trolley, guides give the back story of each mural on this two-hour tour on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Independence Visitor Center , 6th & Market Streets, (215) 685-0754, www.muralarts.org
National Park Service Tours – Walking tours led by Independence National Historical Park rangers include “Turmoil and Treason: The Path to Independence” and “Franklin’s Footsteps.” Independence Visitor Center , 6th & Market Streets, (800) 537-7676, www.nps.gov/inde
Philadelphia Trolley Works – This Victorian-style trolley allows riders to hop on and off while visiting popular attractions throughout the nation’s most historic area. 5th & Chestnut Streets, (215) 389-TOUR, www.phillytour.com
Ride the Ducks – Visitors can get a duck’s eye view of Historic Philadelphia on this amphibious vehicle that splashes into the Delaware River. 6th & Market Streets, (877) 88-QUACK, www.phillyducks.com
Twilight Tours :
Tippler’s Tour – The over-21 set can learn 18th-century drinking songs, enjoy stories of the drinking traditions of Colonial times and sample a few beverages as they ramble through Historic Philadelphia. This year, tipplers will stop at Society Hill Restaurant, The Plough & the Stars, Old Original Bookbinders and City Tavern. Independence Living History Center , 3rd & Chestnut Streets, (215) 629-4026, www.onceuponanation.org
Lights of Liberty Show – Some of the nation’s most important historic sites take center stage—literally—during this moonlight journey through the past. As larger-than-life images flash onto Independence Hall, Carpenter’s Hall, Franklin Court and other landmarks, visitors don high-tech headsets and hear top Hollywood stars narrate key events from the nation’s history. 6th & Chestnut Streets, (877) GO-2-1776, http://historicphiladelphia.org/night/lights-of-liberty/
Independence After Hours – After a feast at City Tavern, guests follow their guide to Independence Hall, where they meet the Founding Fathers in person and eavesdrop on their late-night debates. Then, it’s off to the Lights of Liberty Show. Independence Living History Center, 3rd & Chestnut Streets, (215) 629-4026, www.onceuponanation.org
Ghost Tour of Philadelphia – Do spectral spirits really inhabit Independence Hall, St. Peter’s Cemetery and other historic landmarks? Visitors can find out during this guided walking tour—just spooky enough to be entertaining. 5th & Chestnut Streets, (215) 413-1997, www.ghosttour.com
For more information about things to do in Philadelphia, check out the Official Visitors Sites for Greater Philadelphia : www.gophila.com or http://www.independencevisitorcenter.com!