From the city guide, checked October 28, 2026.
Independence Hall
The former Pennsylvania State House at 520 Chestnut Street, between 5th and 6th Streets; construction began in 1732. The Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution were both debated and signed here, and the building is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A no-ticket open house runs from 9 to 10:30 am; tours every 20 minutes from 10:40 am need tickets from recreation.gov, with a $1 handling fee per ticket (NPS page for Independence Hall). Enter through security on the south side, from 5th Street.
Liberty Bell
The bell is in the Liberty Bell Center at 526 Market Street, in the same park. Pennsylvania Assembly Speaker Isaac Norris ordered it in 1751; it carries the year 1753 and the inscription "Proclaim Liberty Throughout All the Land Unto All the Inhabitants thereof." The crack likely appeared in the early 1840s, and an 1846 repair widened it. The center is open daily from 9 am to 5 pm, free, no tickets, first come first served (NPS).
Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Rocky Steps
The museum at 2600 Benjamin Franklin Parkway holds art and objects spanning more than 4,000 years. The famous Rocky Steps climb to its East Terrace, with wide views of the skyline, and the spot is a common site for public celebrations. Hours: Monday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday 10 am to 5 pm, Friday to 8:45 pm, closed Tuesday and Wednesday.
Reading Terminal Market
One of America's largest and oldest public markets, at 1136 Arch Street in Center City, housed since 1893 in a National Historic Landmark building. Merchants sell produce, meats, seafood, cheese, baked goods and sweets, there are many places to eat, and the merchant directory has a Pennsylvania Dutch section. Open daily from 8 am to 6 pm.
Eastern State Penitentiary
At 2027 Fairmount Avenue. It opened in 1829 as America's first penitentiary and closed in 1971; the building then stood empty until 1988, and hard-hat tours began in 1994. Admission includes Al Capone's cell. Open daily from 10 am to 5 pm; online tickets are $2 cheaper than at the door, and the site recommends buying ahead. Halloween Nights in the fall is a separate event with nonrefundable tickets.
Elfreth's Alley
A street in Old City described as one of the oldest continuously inhabited residential streets in the US. It began in 1703 as a cart path between the properties of Arthur Wells and John Gilbert; the surviving houses date from 1720 to 1836, and most are still private homes. The museum at Nos. 124 and 126 is open Friday to Sunday, noon to 4 pm, $3 for adults. A guided tour costs $10 at 2:30 pm on weekends, and tickets are sold in person only.
The Franklin Institute
A science museum at 222 North 20th Street, run in the spirit of inquiry associated with Benjamin Franklin. Highlights are the Giant Heart at the center of the Body Odyssey exhibit and the Fels Planetarium, with a 60-foot dome. Open daily from 9:30 am to 5 pm; school groups crowd weekday mornings, so the museum suggests coming after 2 pm. Day tickets start at $23, and PA ACCESS cardholders pay $2 each for up to four people.
Barnes Foundation
At 2025 Benjamin Franklin Parkway. Albert C. Barnes, who made his fortune in pharmaceuticals, began collecting in 1912 and chartered the foundation as an educational institution in 1922. It holds 179 Renoirs, 69 Cezannes and significant works by Matisse, hung in dense ensembles that Barnes arranged as teaching tools. Open Thursday to Monday, 11 am to 5 pm; adult tickets are $30 and valid two consecutive days, children 12 and under are free, and ACCESS and EBT cardholders get in free.
Fairmount Park and Boathouse Row
Fairmount Park's best-known view is Boathouse Row on the Schuylkill River, where most of the boathouses date to the 19th century. Ten of them carry lights with 6,400 LEDs, run by Fairmount Park Conservancy with Philadelphia Parks & Recreation. Wheel Fun Rentals rents bikes seven days a week in front of Lloyd Hall on Kelly Drive. The park also has historic mansions (Lemon Hill, Strawberry Mansion, Belmont) and an interpretive center in the Water Works building.
Pennypack Park
The Northeast's big green space has a creekside trail for walking, running and biking. As of August 2026 the city reported the footbridge south of Pine Road closed; trail access is from the Veree Road, Krewstown Road, Benton Avenue and Winchester Avenue trailheads (phila.gov notice). In total, Philadelphia Parks & Recreation says on phila.gov that it protects over 10,200 acres of public land and waterways.