Attractions in Philadelphia
Address: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Camden, New Jersey
The Benjamin Franklin Bridge, also called just the Ben Franklin Bridge, spans the Delaware River from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Camden, New Jersey. There are three other bridges which connect Philadelphia with New Jersey. This suspension bridge was completed in 1926 and was originally called simply the Delaware River Bridge. When it was first constructed, it held the distinction of being the longest suspension bridge in the world with its 533-meter span. That title lasted only three years, however, as a longer suspension bridge in Detroit was built in 1929.
Highways I-676 and US 30 run across the Ben Franklin Bridge, as well as a rain line. At each end of the bridge there are what are called "phantom railway stations," where stations were built for trolley lines which were planned but never built. There are elevated pedestrian walkways (strictly for people who don't have vertigo) which run along both sides of the bridge, although only one is open at any given time, and the walkway is closed after snow falls.
Hours: Pedestrian walkway - Daily, 06:00-18:00 (19:00 during daylight savings time); bridge is always open for auto traffic
Admission: $3.00 toll for passenger cars (westbound only)
Address: 1 Penn Square, Philadelphia, PA 19107
Philadelphia City Hall has been home to Philadelphia's government since it was built in 1871. It's actually the country's largest municipal building - larger than the U.S. Capitol - and was the tallest habitable building on earth from 1901 until 1908.
The clock tower on Philadelphia City Hall is topped by a statue of William Penn, the founder of the city and the colony which became the state of Pennsylvania. The statue itself is 37 feet tall, which makes the tower a full 548 feet high, and is hollow - a narrow tunnel leads to a small door on top of Penn's hat. There is an observation deck just below the statue which affords excellent city views.
The Tour Information Center for City Hall is located in Room 121 in the East Portal. This is where you'll begin tours of both City Hall and the Tower, and you can also look through an historic exhibit and browse the gift shop, too.
Hours: Tour Information Center - Monday-Friday, 09:30-16:30; City Hall Tours - Monday-Friday, begin at 12:30 (tours last 1.5-2 hours); Public Tower Tours - Monday-Friday, 12:00-16:15
Admission: Free, but timed tour tickets are advised in busy season
Address: Independence National Historical Park, 143 S. Third Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106
Philadelphia's Independence Hall might look like just another brick building from the outside, but it is one of the more important places in the story of the beginning of the United States. It's the place where the Declaration of Independence was discussed and agreed upon on July 4, 1776. In addition, it was in this building that the Articles of Confederation and the United States Constitution were signed, and where the Second Continental Congress met during the American Revolution. So while Independence Hall might originally have been built to house the Pennsylvania colonial legislature, in the late 1770s it saw the birth of a nation.
The bell tower which sits atop Independence Hall once was home to the Liberty Bell - the original bell now sits, with its famous crack, across the street from the Hall in the Liberty Bell Center. Both the Liberty Bell Center and Independence Hall are part of Independence National Historic Park, overseen by the National Park Service, and covering some 45 acres. Other historic buildings included in the Park are National Constitution Center, Congress Hall and City Tavern. As Independence Hall is one of the most popular sights in the Park, it's advised that you buy tour tickets in advance of your visit.
Hours: Independence National Historic Park is open daily (except Christmas Day) and most Park sites are open from 09:00-17:00. Summer hours are longer.
Admission: All Park sites are free except for Independence Hall, where you need a timed tour ticket from March 1-December 31 (except for July 4 and Thanksgiving). Walk-up tickets for same-day visits are free, but during the busy season tickets are often gone by lunchtime. If you make tour reservations, you'll pay a $1.50 reservation fee per ticket.
Address: 1601 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia
Philadelphia's Liberty Place is more accurately called the Liberty Place Complex, which is an office complex with two major skyscrapers - One Liberty Place, and Two Liberty Place.
One Liberty Place is the country's 18th tallest skyscraper with 61 floors and a height of 945 feet, and was completed in 1987. It is also the second-tallest building in both the city of Philadelphia and the state of Pennsylvania - only the Comcast Center (also in Philadelphia) stands taller. One Liberty Place was the first building to surpass the height of the William Penn statue on top of Philadelphia City Hall.
After One Liberty Place was complete, a smaller sister building, Two Liberty Place, was constructed in 1990. It is Philadelphia's third-tallest skyscraper and the 33rd tallest in the United States. Two Liberty Place is home to a nice shopping mall - The Shops at Liberty Place - at its base. Both buildings were designed by Helmut Jahn of Murphy/Jahn Architects.
Hours: If you just want some skyscraper photos, the streets around Liberty Place are open all the time. Shops at Liberty Place - Monday-Saturday, 09:30-19:00; Sunday, 12:00-18:00
Admission: Free
Address: Benjamin Franklin Parkway at 26th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19130
The Philadelphia Museum of Art dates from the 1920s, and is now one of the biggest and most important art museums in the country with more than 225,000 objects in its collections. Addtionally, the main building itself has become an iconic symbol of the city.
Among the permanent collections at the Philadelphia Museum of Art are the Asian collections with works from China, Japan, India, Korea and Persia. The American collections are understandably heavy on 18th and 19th century furniture and silver from Philadelphia and greater Pennsylvania. The European collections date from the Medieval period and include many Italian, French and Flemish masterpieces, and sculptor Auguste Rodin's works are featured prominently. There are also modern artists represented, from Picasso to Brancusi, and the museum hosts more than 15 special exhibits every year.
In terms of popular culture, the Philadelphia Museum of Art will always be associated with the first "Rocky" film, where Sylvester Stallone runs up the grand steps of the museum on a training run. For many years, there has been a Rocky Balboa statue near the museum, despite some controversy.
Hours: Tuesday-Sunday, 10:00-17:00; Friday evening, open until 20:45 (museum closed on Mondays, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, New Year's Day, Fourth of July)
Admission: $14 adults, $12 seniors (age 62 & over), $10 students (with valid ID), $10 children age 13-18 (12 and under free); Sunday - pay what you wish all day (donation-based fee); fees listed do not include special exhibits
