Philadelphia: Things To Do

Philadelphia is the most historically significant city in the USA — the Declaration of Independence was signed here, the Constitution was drafted here, and the city served as the nation’s capital for a decade. Beyond the history, it has a credible arts and food scene, a revitalized waterfront, and some of the northeast’s most interesting neighborhoods. This guide covers the best of it with entry costs and logistics.

The Historic District

The core of Philadelphia’s history is concentrated in a six-block area between Market and Walnut Streets, roughly from 2nd to 6th. Most major sites are free or low cost.

Independence Hall — Chestnut St between 5th and 6th. The building where the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776 and the Constitution was drafted in 1787. Free entry; timed passes required March through December (book via recreation.gov up to 30 days in advance — they sell out on summer weekends). Walk-in access January and February. Tours run every 15–20 minutes and last 35 minutes; a ranger guide leads each group through the Assembly Room where both documents were signed.

Liberty Bell Center — 526 Market St. Houses the original Liberty Bell, cracked and on display in a glass pavilion. Free; no reservation needed. Open daily 9am–5pm (extended hours in summer). The site puts the bell in historical context with good interpretive panels.

National Constitution Center — 525 Arch St. An interactive museum covering American constitutional history, with more than 100 exhibits including “Signers’ Hall,” where life-size bronze statues of the 39 delegates who signed the Constitution are displayed. Entry approximately $16 for adults, $13 for children (ages 4–12). Open Monday–Saturday 9:30am–5pm, Sunday noon–5pm.

Christ Church — 20 N. American St. An active Episcopal church (founded 1695) where George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, and Betsy Ross all worshipped. The burial ground at 5th and Arch holds Franklin’s grave, which visitors traditionally throw pennies onto — a long-standing local tradition. Church admission free; suggested donation $3. Burial ground entry approximately $3.

Art Museums

Philadelphia Museum of Art — 2600 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy. The main building holds a collection of 240,000 objects spanning antiquities through the contemporary. The Rocky Balboa statue and the famous steps (run by visitors year-round) are at the main entrance. Entry approximately $25 for adults; free the first Sunday of each month and Friday evenings after 5pm. Open Tuesday–Sunday 10am–5pm (Fridays until 8:45pm). The Perelman Building (around the corner) covers modern and contemporary art on a separate ticket.

Barnes Foundation — 2025 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy. 181 Renoirs, 69 Cézannes, 59 Matisses, and thousands of other works in an arrangement that hasn’t changed since Albert C. Barnes designed it in 1922. No conventional gallery labels — the display is about relationships between objects, not chronology. Entry approximately $30 for adults. Book tickets in advance; capacity is strictly limited. Open Wednesday–Monday 11am–5pm.

Rodin Museum — 2151 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy. The largest collection of Auguste Rodin’s work outside France, set in a small museum and garden on the Parkway. Entry approximately $10 (suggested donation). The Thinker sits outside the entrance gates. Open Tuesday–Sunday 10am–5pm.

Institute of Contemporary Art — 118 S. 36th St (Penn campus, West Philadelphia). Free entry. Changing exhibitions focused on emerging artists. Open Tuesday–Sunday noon–6pm (Friday until 8pm).

Neighborhoods to Explore

Fishtown — A former working-class fishing neighborhood north of Center City that has become Philadelphia’s most dynamic food and arts district. The stretch of Frankford Avenue between Girard and York Avenues is the main corridor. No specific entry fee — it’s a neighborhood to walk through and eat in. The Johnny Brenda’s music venue, La Colombe’s flagship café, and Wm. Mulherin’s Sons are anchors. Reachable by the Market-Frankford El to Girard Station.

Old City — East of the historic district, a walkable area of galleries, independent boutiques, and restaurants in Federal-era brick buildings. First Friday (the first Friday evening of each month) opens galleries to walk-in visitors. No charge.

South Philadelphia (South Philly) — The traditional Italian-American and, increasingly, Vietnamese neighborhood south of South Street. The Italian Market on 9th Street (open Tuesday–Sunday, roughly 8am–5pm) is the oldest open-air market in the USA, and the Pho and banh mi shops on Washington Ave are among the city’s best for Vietnamese food.

Rittenhouse Square — A formal European-style park surrounded by upscale apartment buildings and one of the city’s best concentrations of restaurants and shops. The square itself is free and is a popular warm-weather destination for picnics.

Eastern State Penitentiary

2027 Fairmount Ave. This 1829 Gothic prison held Al Capone, Willie Sutton, and bank robber Slick Willie Sutton and operated until 1971. Now preserved as a historic site with artist installations throughout the deteriorating cell blocks. Entry approximately $19 for adults, $14 for seniors, $12 for children (ages 7–12). Open daily 10am–5pm May through August; reduced schedule in winter — check the website. Allow two hours. The annual Terror Behind the Walls Halloween event (late September through November) is one of the most popular in the region; tickets from approximately $35–65.

Reading Terminal Market

51 N. 12th St, Center City. Open since 1893, Philadelphia’s most important public market has more than 80 vendors including Amish farmers, fishmongers, butchers, and prepared food counters. Free entry. Open Monday–Saturday 8am–6pm; limited Sunday hours. DiNic’s Roast Pork (stand 936) draws a consistent queue for its Italian roast pork sandwich with broccoli rabe and sharp provolone (approximately $12–14). The Pennsylvania Dutch baked goods vendors — Market Soft Pretzels, Beiler’s Donuts — are in the rear of the market and typically sell out by mid-afternoon.

Mural Arts Philadelphia

Philadelphia has more than 4,000 outdoor murals, the largest collection of public murals in the USA. Mural Arts Philadelphia runs walking tours (approximately $25 per person) and trolley tours (approximately $35 per person) departing from various locations. Many of the most significant murals are in North Philadelphia and accessible on a self-guided walk using the Mural Arts app (free). The murals along Broad Street, the main north-south corridor, include several large-scale works visible from the subway.

Sports

Philadelphia has franchises in all four major leagues and one of the USA’s most intensely partisan fan bases.

• Philadelphia Eagles (NFL) — Lincoln Financial Field, September through January. Tickets approximately $80–250 for regular season games as of 2026.
• Philadelphia Phillies (MLB) — Citizens Bank Park, April through September. Tickets approximately $18–80.
• Philadelphia 76ers (NBA) — Wells Fargo Center, October through April. Tickets approximately $40–150.
• Philadelphia Flyers (NHL) — Wells Fargo Center, October through April. Tickets approximately $30–120.

All major stadiums are clustered in South Philadelphia near the Pattison SEPTA stop on the Broad Street Line.

Day Trips

Valley Forge National Historical Park — 25 miles northwest by car (approximately 35 minutes). The 1777–1778 Continental Army encampment site. Free entry to the park grounds; the visitor center has exhibits and a film for context. Washington’s headquarters charges a small fee.

New Hope and Lambertville — 40 miles north along the Delaware River, about 55 minutes by car. Two small river towns with galleries, antique shops, and restaurants facing each other across the river from Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Pleasant half-day trip.