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Philadelphia Museums & exhibitions

Our most recommended Philadelphia Museums & exhibitions

Philadelphia: Museum of Illusions Timed Entrance Ticket

1. Philadelphia: Museum of Illusions Timed Entrance Ticket

Experience the impossible with an entry ticket to the Museum of Illusions Philadelphia. Immerse yourself in a world where your eyes will be in a constant battle with your brain. Located in the heart of Philadelphia, this brain-boggling museum is a one-of-a-kind destination for optical illusions.  Challenge yourself in more than 60 visual and educational exhibits featuring holograms, stereograms, optical illusions, and immersive rooms designed to tease the senses and trick the mind. Defy gravity, grow and shrink, walk on the ceiling, experience infinite space, and much more. Spend some time in the Smart Playroom with games that will stimulate and challenge your mind. Enjoy some friendly competition with friends and family while simultaneously improving your cognition, problem-solving skills, and memory.  Have fun while learning the mechanics behind each and every illusion you experience. And don't forget your camera or smartphone when you visit as there are eye-fooling photo-ops around every corner.

Philadelphia: Eastern State Penitentiary Night Tour

2. Philadelphia: Eastern State Penitentiary Night Tour

Discover the historic building of the Eastern State Penitentiary, a haunting world of crumbling cellblocks and empty guard towers. Learn about the penitentiary's fascinating history on an audio tour at night. After, head to the Fair Chance Beer Garden for a drink (at your own expense). Upon arrival, receive an MP3 player and headset that will guide you through the penitentiary complex and explain the prison's history. “The Voices of Eastern State” Audio Tour is narrated by actor Steve Buscemi and features the voices of former prisoners and correctional staff. On the tour, learn how the Eastern State Penitentiary changed the world when it opened more than 180 years ago, though it stands in ruin today. Hear how the prison's strict discipline made it the world's first true "penitentiary" — a prison designed to inspire penitence or real regret. Find out how the building itself was an architectural wonder: it had running water and central heating before the White House. Marvel at the vaulted, sky-lit cells that once held many of America's most notorious lawbreakers, including "Scarface" Al Capone and bank robber "Slick Willie" Sutton. See Al Capone’s cell, Death Row, and the award-winning exhibit Prisons Today: Questions in the Age of Mass Incarceration. Take the tour at your own pace and make stops based on your interests. Discover interactive experiences, history exhibits, and a critically acclaimed series of art installations. Enjoy the exclusive offerings of a night tour, such as the Fair Chance Beer Garden, which creates meaningful, living-wage jobs for people who may otherwise be excluded from the mainstream economy, including people who have experienced homelessness or incarceration. Presented by Eastern State Penitentiary and Triple Bottom Brewing Company, two organizations committed to fair chance hiring and social justice storytelling, the beer garden is located outdoors on the penitentiary’s baseball field and offers a selection of Triple Bottom beer for purchase. As well as grabbing a drink, take part in hands-on activities as you reflect on the Eastern State’s history and legacy of criminal justice reform. Activities focus on art, writing, and music, and prompt conversation on issues of justice today.

Philadelphia: Museum of the American Revolution Entry

3. Philadelphia: Museum of the American Revolution Entry

Discover the dramatic story of the American Revolution at one of Philadelphia’s lead attractions. Step into the Museum of the American Revolution, then watch an introductory movie before making your own way through the exhibitions. Marvel at the museum’s vast collection of Revolutionary-era weapons, personal items, documents, and works of art that bring history back to life. Learn about this fascinating period of time as you explore immersive galleries, engage in powerful theater experiences, and take part in interactive features. Located just steps from the famous Independence Hall, the museum serves as a portal to the region’s Revolutionary history, which sparks interest, provides context, and encourages exploration. Printed museum guides are available in English, Spanish, French, German, Mandarin and Japanese, to elevate your learning experience.

Philadelphia: History, Highlights & Revolution Walking Tour

4. Philadelphia: History, Highlights & Revolution Walking Tour

Immerse yourself in the vibrant and varied past of Philadelphia, one of the US' most historically significant cities, on this walking tour. Learn more about America's former capital and how it helped to shape the United States of America. Take a guided stroll through Independence National Park, along the cobblestone streets of Old City, past buildings, statues, and monuments, and through the history you think you know. Be amazed by Philadelphia’s remarkable past as your local guide separates the fact from the fiction. Get the chance to give back with a donation to a local non-profit included in the cost of your tour. You will also visit the Museum of the American Revolution and enjoy a live demonstration about George Washington’s war tent and the important role it played during the Revolution.

Philadelphia: Independence Seaport Museum and USS Olympia

5. Philadelphia: Independence Seaport Museum and USS Olympia

Dive into "River Alive!", a new exhibit that describes the wildlife, science, and wonder of the Delaware River, where 5% of Americans get their drinking water. Raise the sails and discover the history of the U.S. Navy aboard the National Historic Landmark Ship Cruiser USS Olympia. Discover Philadelphia’s connection to the founding of the United States Navy. The Patriots & Pirates exhibition features curated objects never, or rarely, seen by the public, highlighting the little-told story of America’s conflict with pirates. Uncover the past with one of the largest maritime art and artifact collections in North America. With so much to explore, Independence Seaport Museum is the premier, family-friendly destination on the Penn's Landing waterfront.

Philadelphia Private Driving Tour - Half or Full-Day

6. Philadelphia Private Driving Tour - Half or Full-Day

Explore the city of Philadelphia on a private driving tour, customized to suit your preferences, and available as either a half-day or full-day option. The former capital of the Pennsylvania Colony, Philadelphia is intimately connected to the history of Amercia. You will see all the highlights, including Elfreth’s Alley and the Liberty Bell. Go to Independence Hall, where the Declaration of Independence was first debated. Pass Christ Church to see the birthplace of the American Episcopal Church, and Penn's Landing, where William Penn docked in 1682. Drive down the Avenue of the Arts and see Love Park (JFK Plaza), dominated by Robert Indiana's “Love” sculpture. Continue the arts theme at the Rodin Museum or Philadelphia Museum of Art, complete with Rocky’s statue and the steps used in the blockbuster movie. See where Al Capone was incarcerated at the Eastern State Penitentiary, admire the boat houses on the Schuylkill River, and visit Memorial Hall in Centennial Park. You’ll almost certainly get out to Belmont Plateau for a great view before coming back through Rittenhouse Square. There will be time to get out and take pictures or enjoy a short walk, perhaps down Elfreth’s Alley, or to the gazebo next to the boat houses on the Schuylkill. It’s your tour and your choice, but your guide will give some great suggestions. Take detours into Society Hill and out to the 9th Street Italian Market, home of the great Philly Cheese Steak. The full-day tour can be customized to include nearby neighborhoods or the beautifully situated Laurel Hill Cemetery and Historic Rittenhouse Town. Suggestions will also be given for lunch, whether you fancy a snack or full-blown meal.

Philadelphia: Penn Museum Admission Ticket

7. Philadelphia: Penn Museum Admission Ticket

Connect with the cultures of Africa, Asia, the Americas, and the Mediterranean with a visit to the Penn Museum. Learn about history from the very first cities of the Middle East to the pharaohs of ancient Egypt and from early Mexico to the lives of Native American communities today. Open to all, the Penn Museum is home to remarkable objects and powerful stories that emerge from its excavations and research across the world. Experience the richness of the ancient past, gain an understanding of humanity, and find your own place in the arc of human history.

Philadelphia: Revolutionary Founders & Patriots Walking Tour

8. Philadelphia: Revolutionary Founders & Patriots Walking Tour

Get a behind-the-scenes look at the brave, dramatic, and sometimes messy founding of the United States on this history-packed walking tour of historic Philadelphia. You’ll meet your professional guide at The President’s House — a humble building that served as the first White House. From there, you’ll wind through seven other iconic sites, delving into a new, captivating story at each one. Plant your feet where the Declaration of Independence was read aloud for the first time. Get a glimpse into the scandalous private lives of icons like Betsy Ross and Benjamin Franklin. Stand between Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson as they argue over a national bank and the placement of the capital. Peer behind the curtain and pick up a few stories your history teacher left out. Book a tour today.

Philadelphia: National Liberty Museum Entrance Ticket

9. Philadelphia: National Liberty Museum Entrance Ticket

Discover the stories of heroes who have contributed to the preservation of liberty around the world with this entry ticket to the National Liberty Museum in Philadelphia. Explore everything from art exhibitions to replicas of famous symbols of freedom throughout the museum. Your visit begins in the renovated Welcome to Liberty gallery, which greets you with a mural-size display of real-life heroes. Here you can also admire an exact replica of the Liberty Bell. Next, the Flame Gallery features the 21ft Flame of Liberty by renowned glass artist, Dale Chihuly. It provides a 360° experience of inspirational words, images, sounds, and voices using a glass flame. Look inside replicas of Nelson Mandela’s jail cell or Anne Frank's Secret Annex. Enjoy the Museum’s unique collection of glass and other contemporary art, including life-size Jellybean Children.

Museum of the American Revolution: Early Access Guided Tour

10. Museum of the American Revolution: Early Access Guided Tour

This early access tour offers visitors a unique opportunity to see the Museum of the American Revolution’s exhibits before they’re open to the public. Learn about the museum’s artifacts alongside museum experts with room to explore. Skip the crowds and distractions. The American Revolution was dramatic, gritty, and full of uncertainty. It was an era of unparalleled political and social upheaval, even by today’s standards. Explore this era as your guide enhances your experience with additional insight into the artifacts and exhibits and behind-the-scenes details of the museum’s creation. Get inspired to dig deeper into the stories behind objects on display. At the end of the guided tour, choose to explore the galleries further on your own.

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What people are saying about Philadelphia

The tour was well-paced, with a real breadth of content, delivered in an engaging way. I learned so much (without feeling mentally drained), and the balance of exhibits mixed in with the walking made for a really enjoyable couple of hours. I’d highly recommend this tour to anybody looking to explore Philadelphia and learn some cool history at the same time!

This place was so much fun. The pictures alone are worth it. Since I got back I've shared those pictures with others so many times. I went by myself and the staff were so helpful in taking my picture and helping me to get the best shots!

Steve was awesome! Very knowledgeable and friendly. Would have been cool to see more sights up close in person, but I suppose that would require waiting in long lines for the major attractions. All in all, a great time

The entire museum was fun and unbelievable we can’t wait to go back.

It was fun and interesting. We didn’t want to leave.