Explore Philadelphia’s rich heritage from Independence Hall to Eastern State Penitentiary, where plaques, museums and stories collide in dramatic fashion.
After half an hour in downtown Philadelphia, you get the impression that plaque-making has long been the city’s boom industry. Every handsome red brick building – and there’s no shortage of them – seems to have a story behind it. Plaques tell of where Thomas Jefferson drafted the Declaration of Independence in 1776, where the US Supreme Court was first housed, and where revolutionary heroes lived as they petitioned for their back pay.
Historic plaques and house museums in Philadelphia
Many of these buildings have little museums inside, covering everything from Benjamin Franklin’s inventions to the slaves who ran the house of the early Presidents. But one is at a higher level of importance than the others. Independence Hall is where the country was born. It’s also where the two foundational documents of the US – the Declaration of Independence in 1776, then the US Constitution in 1788 – were squabbled over and signed.
The Assembly Room, with its uncomfortable-looking wooden chairs and bogey green tablecloths, has been restored to how it would have looked at the time. In 1776, it was the logical meeting point – Philadelphia was the largest city in the 13 colonies. And, indeed, it served as national capital between 1790 and 1800 while Washington DC was a concept rather than a real life city.
The Liberty Bell and iconography of freedom
Philly may have soul, a fantastic bar scene and world class art museums, but heritage will always be its strong suit. Sometimes this is about iconography. The Liberty Bell, a 940kg monster with a crack down the side, has become a symbol of both Philadelphia and freedom. Housed next to Independence Hall, Americans queue patiently to see it. Outsiders may be a little more perplexed about why it’s worth the wait, but the displays en route make a decent fist of explaining the reverence shown towards what, by any reasonable standards, is a poorly-made bell.
But a Philly heritage geek-out doesn’t just mean looking at things that have been around for a couple of centuries. The Museum of the American Revolution is a modern, big budget affair that opened in 2017. It employs video and audio recreations extensively, showing aspects such as the statue of the British king being pulled down in New York and privateer soldiers explaining life in the field.
5 great things to do in Philadelphia
- 🥖 Taste the best of Philly on a food tour – including historic Reading Market.
- 🏛️ Get to know Philadelphia’s heritage sites – on a guided walking tour.
- 🍻 Go on a pub crawl – but learn the history between beers.
- 🎨 Let a guide show you Philadelphia’s best murals and street art – including Magic Gardens.
- 🌙 Discover Philly’s dark side – on an adults-only night tour.
Revolution, constitution and integral stories
There’s as much emphasis on why it happened – covering disgruntlement with taxation as well as the reluctance of key, British-identifying figures, such as George Washington, to fight what they saw as their own country. For those casually acquainted with how American independence played out, it is full of fascinating revelations. The name ‘USA’, for example, was first spotted marking gunpowder casks. And the last naval battle of the war took place between British and French ships off the coast of India – an indication that the conflict was more global in nature than many assume.
When the war was over, the ragtag band of colonies still had their own navies and issued their own money. It was clearly unsustainable, and a new country had to be forged. The National Constitution Center tells the tale of how that was formally done via a written constitution.
The National Constitution Center’s immersive exhibits
In the manner of most major American museums, the subject is handled with portentous seriousness, but undeniably impressively. The main hall is surrounded by glass plaques spelling out the Constitution’s seven articles and 27 amendments. In the middle are displays on how difficult it was to come to an agreement – slavery simply wasn’t mentioned in the end, to avoid antagonising the southern colonies – and thought-provoking interactive screens.
The most impressive of these is the ‘American National Tree’, which features 100 faces that have influenced constitutional history. Press on the face, and you get to learn more, whether it’s about Thaddeus Stevens, the Congressional abolitionist leader who persuaded Abraham Lincoln to change the purpose of the Civil War from restoring the Union to ending slavery, or Mickey Mouse, who was the centre of a major copyright expiry fight.
Eastern State Penitentiary – haunting history in Philadelphia
It’s also full of quirky detail that still has resonance today. For example, before the 1812 state senate election, Massachusetts Governor Elbridge Gerry approved a salamander-shaped district to help his party win seats. This is where the term ‘gerrymandering’ comes from.
It’s another dubious American contribution to the world – the archetypally-designed prison – that proves to be Philadelphia’s surprise historic hit. The chills kick in as soon as you walk into the first cell block. Even the most ghost-sceptic of visitors instinctively knows that Philadelphia’s Eastern State Penitentiary is haunted.
Architecture and stories inside Eastern State
Opened in 1829 and finally closed in 1971, this hulking great prison was designed to look as intimidating as possible. The battlements and arrow-slit windows are unusable fakes, but it still looks like an impregnable castle with 30ft walls from the outside. It’s what was on the inside, now in a state of semi-ruin, that was revolutionary, however.
Cell blocks were lined like spokes around a central hub, from where all could be monitored. Cells were designed to keep prisoners – who included Al Capone – alone, and quiet. They had thick walls between them, and the only way out was into a tiny, private exercise yard.
The legacy, escape tales and haunted reputation
It’s a genuinely beautiful building, with the barrel-vaulted ceilings making the blocks seem like long tunnels. And if it seems familiar from TV shows and movies, it’s probably because this prison that spawned around 300 imitations all over the world.
More importantly, it has stories – of escape attempts, of ‘the Birdman’ who fashioned daggers and strapped them to his hands, and of the hideous US prison system today. And this is what Philadelphia’s good at. For all the plaques, preservation orders and heritage buildings, the city is a barrage of tales about both past and present.
Visitor information for Philadelphia historic attractions
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| What are the opening hours of Independence Hall? | Independence Hall is open daily from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, with guided tours every 20 minutes. Timed tickets are required outside the 9:00–10:30 am self-guided window. |
| How much do tickets cost at Independence Hall? | Tickets are free (plus a small handling fee) and must be reserved in advance via the recreation.gov system. |
| What are the hours for Eastern State Penitentiary? | Eastern State Penitentiary is open daily from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. |
| How much is admission to Eastern State? | Standard admission includes guided tours, exhibits and special installations. Buying tickets online is slightly cheaper than at the door. |
| Where is parking near Independence Hall? | The AutoPark at Independence Mall (entrances on 5th & 6th Streets between Market and Arch) offers convenient onsite parking for visitors. |
| Where is Eastern State Penitentiary located? | 2027 Fairmount Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19130. |
More Philadelphia travel
Other Philadelphia travel articles on Planet Whitley include:
- Review of the Benjamin Franklin Museum in Philadelphia.
- A practical guide to visiting the Barnes Foundation in Philadelphia.
- Review of the Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia.
- Learning how Australia’s highest mountain got its name at the Thaddeus Kosciuszko National Memorial.
- Tips and practical information for visiting the Liberty Bell Center.
