Must-see attractions in Philadelphia

  • Carpenters' Hall, Independence National Historical Park.

    Independence National Historical Park

    Philadelphia

    This L-shaped Philadelphia park, bound by 6th, 2nd, Walnut and Arch Sts, protects and honors the institutions that formed the foundation of the United…

  • Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
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    Independence Hall

    Philadelphia

    The 'birthplace of American government', this modest, early 18th-century Georgian building is where delegates from the 13 colonies met to approve the…

  • Philadelphia City Hall

    City Hall

    Philadelphia

    Completed in 1901 following 30 years of construction, City Hall takes up a whole block, and at 548ft is the world's tallest structure without a steel…

  • Museum of the American Revolution

    Philadelphia

    This impressive, multimedia-rich museum will have you virtually participating in the American Revolution; interactive dioramas and 3-D experiences take…

  • Rail Park

    Philadelphia

    The old Reading Viaduct is the location of the first phase of this ambitious project to reuse 3 miles of decommissioned rail lines between Fairmount Park…

  • Benjamin Franklin Museum

    Philadelphia

    This underground museum is dedicated to Franklin's storied life as a printer (he started the nation's first newspaper), inventor (Bifocals! Lightning rods…

  • 15-ton Sphinx and its surrounding pillars and gateways at the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology.

    Penn Museum

    Philadelphia

    U Penn's magical museum, the largest of its type in the US, contains archaeological treasures from ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, the Mayan world and more…

  • Exterior of the Mütter Museum at The College of Physicians of Philadelphia.

    Mütter Museum

    Philadelphia

    Maintained by the College of Physicians, this unique, only-in-Philadelphia attraction is a museum dedicated to rare, odd or disturbing medical conditions…

  • Wissahickon Creek in Wissahickon Valley Park.

    Wissahickon Valley Park

    Philadelphia

    Covering 2042 acres, this beautiful, wooded park follows the Wissahickon Creek from its confluence with the Schuylkill River up to the city's northwest…

  • National Constitution Center

    National Constitution Center

    Philadelphia

    This whiz-bang museum makes the US Constitution jump off the page, starting with a dramatic theater-in-the-round presentation by a single actor relating…

  • Independence Seaport Museum

    Philadelphia

    This kid-friendly museum honors Philadelphia's history of shipbuilding. In the main building you can sound foghorns and steam whistles, gaze upon nautical…

  • 30th St Station

    Philadelphia

    The grandness of Graham, Anderson, Probst and White's 1930s design for this station makes it worth a visit even if you're not catching a train. The…

  • Mother Bethel AME Church

    Philadelphia

    This major historical building is the birthplace of the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) church and is the oldest piece of real estate continually owned…

  • Franklin Square

    Philadelphia

    Ringed by busy roads, this square – one of the originals from William Penn's masterplan for his new city – feels somewhat cut off from the other sights of…

  • Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts

    Philadelphia

    This prestigious arts school, founded in 1805, occupies two buildings including a masterwork of Victorian Gothic architecture designed by Frank Furness…

  • Bartram's Garden

    Philadelphia

    North America's oldest botanic garden dates back to 1728 when it was founded by Quaker farmer John Bartram. The lovely 45-acre National Historic Landmark,…

  • Liberty Bell Center

    Philadelphia

    A glass-walled building protects this icon of Philadelphia history from the elements. You can peek from outside, or join the line to file past, reading…

  • Rodeph Shalom Synagogue

    Philadelphia

    Home to the oldest Jewish Ashkenazi congregation in the US, Rodeph Shalom is one of the most beautiful pieces of religious architecture in Philadelphia…

  • Church of the Advocate

    Philadelphia

    A fine example of Gothic Revival architecture, this 1897 Episcopal church was a center of activism during the Civil Rights movement and the site of the…

  • Comcast Center

    Philadelphia

    This glass-clad 58-story tower is one of the tallest 'green' buildings in the US. It's 140ft-tall atrium lobby is the location of Humanity in Motion, a…

  • Anne & Jerome Fisher Fine Arts Building

    Philadelphia

    U Penn's magnificent library, completed in 1891, is one of the finest examples of the work of Frank Furness – hence it is also known as the Furness…

  • Christ Church Burial Ground

    Philadelphia

    Hard to believe, but back in the early 18th century this was the outskirts of town, thus the ideal location for a burial ground. The cemetery is the final…

  • First Bank of the US

    Philadelphia

    Although closed to the public, it's impossible to ignore the grand neoclassical architecture of this 1797 building that housed the First Bank of the US…

  • Physick House

    Philadelphia

    Home to the 'Father of American Surgery,' Philip Syng Physick, this stately house has been well preserved. Physick is credited with inventing the stomach…

  • Germantown White House

    Philadelphia

    George Washington lived here twice making this the oldest presidential residence in the US. In 1793 the first US president sought refuge here from the…

  • Woodlands

    Philadelphia

    This National Historic Landmark is a 54-acre cemetery that was once the country seat of William Hamilton, who hailed from a family of wealthy colonial…

  • Washington Square

    Philadelphia

    On the northwest edge of Society Hill, this attractive tree-planted square dates back to William Penn's original city plan. In the center is the Tomb of…

  • Athenaeum of Philadelphia

    Philadelphia

    Free exhibitions are held at this special collections library, occupying a National Historic Landmark brownstone building designed in 1845. Curiously,…

  • Clark Park

    Philadelphia

    Established in 1895, this 9-acre park is named after the former landowner Clarence H Clark, who was the first president of the First National Bank of…

  • Institute of Contemporary Art

    Philadelphia

    Worth a stop if you're in the area, this place usually hosts two exhibits at a time, from retrospectives to themed group shows. An impressive Virgil Marti…

  • Elfreth's Alley

    Philadelphia

    This picturesque, cobblestone lane has been occupied since the 1720s, making it America's oldest residential street. The 32 well-preserved Federal and…

  • Blanche P Levy Park

    Philadelphia

    This green space, ringed by mainly Gothic Revival structures, is dotted with public art including a 1899 bronze of Benjamin Franklin by John Boyle; Split…

  • Franklin Court

    Philadelphia

    This peaceful courtyard, which can be accessed from both Market and Chestnut St, is where Benjamin Franklin's home once stood. The house was demolished in…

  • Race St Pier

    Philadelphia

    In 2011, as part of the masterplan for transforming the central Delaware River waterfront, old municipal pier 11 was converted into this park with…

  • Grumblethorpe

    Philadelphia

    Built in 1744, this colonial stone home exemplifies Germantown's residential architecture of the time. It was constructed for the prominent Wister family…

  • Rosenbach Museum & Library

    Philadelphia

    The list of famous authors in the collection here could fill a book itself: Edgar Allan Poe, James Joyce, Maurice Sendak, George Washington, Lewis Carroll…

  • Benjamin Franklin Bridge

    Philadelphia

    For breathtaking views of the city and Delaware River it's possible to walk or cycle across this 1.8-mile, 800,000-ton suspension bride, which was the…

  • Powel House

    Philadelphia

    This elegant Georgian brick mansion was home to Samuel Powel, a mayor of Philadelphia in the colonial era, thus a focal point of the city's social life in…

  • Manayunk Canal Towpath

    Philadelphia

    In commercial use from 1818 until the early 20th century, the 2-mile towpath along the Manayunk Canal has been revived as part of the Schuylkill River…

  • Franklin Court Printing Museum

    Philadelphia

    These rooms are set up as a recreation of an 18th-century printing press operation similar to that used by Ben Franklin. A costumed park ranger will take…

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