162 Best Sights in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

In Philadelphia's main public library building, the grand entrance hall, marble staircase, and enormous reading rooms make the 1927 Greek Revival building look the way libraries should, but it also serves people with facilities such as an area for community gatherings and a Culinary Literacy Center with a kitchen. The children's department houses the city's largest collection of children's books in a made-for-kids setting, and there's a special area for teens. The rare-book department is a beautiful suite of rooms with first editions of Dickens, ancient Sumerian clay tablets, and medieval and other manuscripts, including the only known handwritten copy of Poe's "The Raven." Also here is a taxidermied Grip, Dickens's pet raven. Another treasure, the Edwin S. Fleisher Collection (visitors welcome, but researchers must make appointments), has more than 22,000 circulating orchestral performance sets (a full score and other parts) and is the largest of its kind in the world.   Check the website for events such as author readings, timely special exhibits, and tours of parts of the library.

This 24-acre park stretches along the western side of the Schuylkill River and is managed by the University of Pennsylvania. The park has natural grass and turf playing fields, 12 tennis courts for public use, and bike and walking trails; its most striking feature is an elevated walk offering pedestrians panoramic views of the Philadelphia skyline. A friendly culture of pickup soccer exists here on the weekends, with small nets to accommodate games.

Covering 20 acres of central Philadelphia, the convention center is big, and it's beautiful. The 2.3 million square feet of space is punctuated by the largest permanent collection of contemporary art in a building of its kind. Many city and state artists are represented in the niches, nooks, and galleries built to house their multimedia works. To see the architectural highlight of the building—the Reading Terminal's magnificently restored four-story-high Victorian train shed, which has been transformed into the Convention Center's Grand Hall—enter the building through the century-old Italian Renaissance Headhouse structure on Market Street between 11th and 12th streets and ride up the escalator.

Inside the fine 18th-century original buildings of the oldest hospital in the United States are the nation's first medical library and first surgical amphitheater (an 1804 innovation, with a skylight). The hospital also has a portrait gallery, early medical instruments, art objects, and a rare-book library with items dating from 1762. The artwork includes the 1817 Benjamin West painting Christ Healing the Sick in the Temple. Today Pennsylvania Hospital is a full-service modern medical center four blocks southwest of the Athenaeum. Guided tours are available on weekdays and by appointment (via phone) 48 hours in advance only.

Built in 1885, the brewery building originally housed the Weisbrod & Hess Oriental Brewing Company.  Since 2001, the brewery has been the headquarters of the Philadelphia Brewing Company, which produces year-round beers like Pennsylvania Pale Ale and Newbold IPA, as well as seasonal and specialty brews. For non-beer drinkers, there's the Phizzie hard seltzer. Free brewery tours are offered every third Saturday at noon and 2 pm; reservations are recommended. 

The Contributionship, the nation's oldest fire insurance company, was founded by Benjamin Franklin in 1752; the present Greek Revival building with fluted marble Corinthian columns dates from 1836 and has some magnificently elegant salons (particularly the boardroom, where a seating plan on the wall lists Benjamin Franklin as the first incumbent of seat Number One). The architect, Thomas U. Walter, was also responsible for the dome and House and Senate wings of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. This is still an active business, but a small museum is open to the public by appointment.

Erected in 2003 to honor the victims of the Irish Famine (1845–1849), the memorial features 35 life-size bronze figures that depict the famine in Ireland, as well as people moving to and arriving in America; more than 1 million people died in the famine and more than 1 million people left the country. The memorial was designed by Glenna Goodacre. (Note: the statue is currently in a temporary location at 109 Spruce Street, until the construction project at Penn's Landing is completed). 

Designed by the well-known Philadelphia architect William Strickland and built in 1832, this impressive Greek Revival building served as the city's commercial center for 50 years. It was both the stock exchange and a place where merchants met to trade goods. In the tower a watchman scanned the Delaware River and notified merchants of arriving ships. The exchange stands behind Dock Street, a cobblestone thoroughfare. The building houses a small exhibit on its history and now serves as the headquarters for Independence National Park.

Opened in 1874, the 42 acres of America's first zoo are home to more than 1,900 animals representing six continents. Small and well landscaped, it has naturalistic habitats that allow you to get close enough to hear the animals breathe, though it's easy to feel some animals might like more space. Remember to look up: some animals travel around the grounds via see-through overhead trails called Zoo360. Conservation information boards and talks by keepers are excellent. At this writing, a major Bear Country exhibit will open in spring 2026. There's plenty to see, with some areas, such as the interactive Flamingo Cove habitat, more modern than others. The Reptile and Amphibian House houses species from 15-foot-long snakes to seven Western Santa Cruz Galápagos tortoise hatchlings (born in 2025), and the 2½-acre Primate Reserve is home to species such as gorillas and orangutans. Other attractions include the McNeil Avian Center, a state-of-the-art nest for birds; and African Plains, with giraffes, rhinoceroses, and zebras. The children's zoo, KidZooU, has indoor and outdoor learning areas. The Wild Explorer VR experience (extra charge) takes visitors from the depths of the ocean to the African plains.   It takes two or three hours to explore the exhibits. Advance online ticket purchase (timed entrance) recommended for general admission.  

This is the headquarters of the American Philosophical Society, founded by Benjamin Franklin in 1743 to promote "useful knowledge." The members of the oldest learned society in America have included Washington, Jefferson, Lafayette, Emerson, Darwin, Edison, Churchill, and Einstein. Erected between 1785 and 1789 in what has been called a "restrained Federal style" (designed to complement, not outshine, adjacent Independence Hall), Philosophical Hall is brick with marble trim, has a handsome arched entrance, and houses the Society's museum, open to the public Friday to Sunday. The society's library is across the street in Library Hall.

This site commemorates the location of the home of U.S. presidents George Washington and John Adams from 1790 to 1800, as well as nine enslaved Africans who worked as household staff. This outdoor monument, which is open 24 hours a day, shows video clips that bring the house's history alive. Inside, take note of the bow window, which is thought to have inspired the shape of the Oval Office at the White House, as well as the remains of a passage torn down in 1832 that connected the main house to the slave quarters.

The first in a planned series of parks along the Delaware River, this green space offers dramatic views of the overhead Benjamin Franklin Bridge and allows for up-close views of the river itself. Designed by the same firm behind New York's popular High Line, the terraced promenade features lush plantings, including some three dozen trees and many perennials, as well as amphitheater-style seating near the river's edge, plenty of benches and green lawns for relaxing, and regular donation-based yoga classes during the summer months. 

The first phase of The Rail Park is a quarter-mile trail that turned an abandoned, elevated train line into a public park lined with greenery and offering stunning views of the city. The project is envisioned to eventually span 3 miles from near the Art Museum into Northern Liberties. While the open part of the park is small, it's a lovely way to understand the future of the city's unused spaces. There are swings for children, bike racks, and lots of native plants.

Created by artist A. Thomas Schomberg for the 1982 film Rocky III, the life-size statue was donated by the film’s director and star, Sylvester Stallone, to the City of Philadelphia after filming. The statue has moved around, but since 2006 it has stood at the bottom of the Philadelphia Art Museum’s steps. It continues to be one of the city’s most popular destinations, with visitors lining up patiently to get their selfie with the bronze version of the “Italian Stallion.” The city celebrates Rocky Day annually on December 3, and in 2026 celebrations around town will mark the 50th anniversary of the release of the first Rocky film. Steps from the Rocky statue, the Parkway Visitor Center kiosk sells Rocky merch among its offerings and services.  

This 1863 three-floor town house and an adjoining building are filled with Persian rugs and 18th-century British, French, and American antiques (plus an entire living room that once belonged to poet Marianne Moore), but the real treasures are the artworks, books, and manuscripts here. Amassed by Philadelphia collectors Philip H. and A. S. W. Rosenbach, the collection includes paintings by Canaletto, Sully, and Lawrence; drawings by Daumier, Fragonard, and Blake; book illustrations ranging from medieval illuminations to the works of Maurice Sendak, author of Where the Wild Things Are; the only known copy of the first issue of Benjamin Franklin's Poor Richard's Almanack; and the library's most famous treasure, the original manuscript of James Joyce's Ulysses. The Rosenbach celebrates "Bloomsday" on June 16 with readings from Ulysses by notable Philadelphians. The library has more than 130,000 manuscripts and 30,000 rare books.

In what is technically Roxborough but feels very removed from the dense row houses, visitors can explore more than 355 acres of woods and trails in what is part nature center, part education center, and part art exhibition and performance location (usually in connection with nature). Trails are free and open dusk till dawn every day, while most events and workshops have a fee. There is also access via a trail that connects to the Schuylkill River Trail.

On any given day, runners, cyclists, walkers, dog walkers, and loungers can be found at the expansive Schuylkill River Park. The park runs along the river from Lombard Street to Manning Street, spanning more than three city blocks on the edge of Center City before University City. Even during the coldest months, the park is packed with people and their dogs in the on-site dog parks, children on the playground, athletes shooting hoops at the basketball courts, and people enjoying the skyline vantage points.

Housed in a former grand bank building, this free museum in the heart of Old City features two floors of science-focused displays that tell the interesting "stories" behind the science of everyday items like dresses and batteries. A variety of fascinating exhibits feature science instruments, art, photos, videos, rare books, product packaging, and various displays such as their collection of microscopes and chemistry sets through the years. There's always a rotating temporary exhibit as well as educational programming and a gift shop. The museum produces a popular podcast called "Distillations" that does a deep dive on many scientific topics.  This small museum is a great place to visit in between the larger historical sites.

When Second Bank president Nicholas Biddle held a design competition for a new building, he required all architects to use the Greek style; William Strickland, one of the foremost architects of the 19th century, won. Built in 1824, the bank, with its Doric columns, was based on the design of the Parthenon and helped establish the popularity of Greek Revival architecture in the United States. The interior hall, though, was Roman, with a dramatic barrel-vault ceiling. Housed here are portraits of prominent Colonial Americans by noted artists such as Charles Willson Peale, William Rush, and Gilbert Stuart. Don't miss Peale's portraits of Jefferson and Lewis and Clark: the former is the only one that shows the third president with red hair, and the latter is the only known portrait of the famous explorers. The permanent exhibition, "The People of Independence," has a life-size wooden statue of George Washington by William Rush; a mural of Philadelphia in the 1830s by John A. Woodside Jr.; and the only known likeness of William Floyd, a lesser-known signer of the Declaration of Independence.

A nondescript hangar five minutes from the Philadelphia International Airport is home to what's been dubbed the most impressive racing car collection on the planet. Dr. Fred Simeone spent half a century amassing a fleet of more than 75 vehicles that tell the sweeping story of racing history. You can see them in action during regular “demo days,” which happen once a month on Saturdays when staffers fire up a selection of the antique roadsters and take them out for some air.

Marking the city's connections with eleven global "sister cities" such as Kobe, Japan, this small, family-focused park has a prime location near Logan Circle, the Logan Philadelphia hotel, and the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul. A play area for kids features a rocky area to explore and a toy-boat and wading pond, and kids can cool off in a fountain with water jets, April through October. Sister Cities is also home to Robert Indiana's AMOR (Spanish and Latin for "love") sculpture, a companion to nearby LOVE Park's famous LOVE. The handy seasonal café (closed mid-December to early March), in a modern building with floor-to-ceiling windows, has light fare including kid-friendly items.

Built between 1897 and 1912 with funds donated by foundry owner Richard Smith, this memorial to Pennsylvania heroes of the Civil War marks a major entrance to West Fairmout Park. Among those immortalized in bronze are Generals George Meade and Winfield Scott Hancock (both on horseback), and Smith himself.  At the base of each tower is a curved wall with a bench. If you sit at one end and listen to a person whispering at the other end, you learn why they're called the Whispering Benches. For information about the memorial's 14 statues and busts, see  associationforpublicart.org.

Founded in 1899, this beloved facility has more than 50 pieces of age-specific equipment for children 10 and younger. An outdoor favorite on the 6½-acre site in East Fairmount Park is the Ann Newman Giant Wooden Slide, measuring 39 feet long, 12 feet wide, and 10 feet tall. The playground, run by a nonprofit organization, includes the 16,000-square-foot Playhouse, a mansion-like building with areas such as Smithville (a miniature town), a library, and a climb-on train. Everyone using Smith must register and get a wristband to enter the site. 

“Where do all the hippies (or "hippest," depending on your source) meet? South Street.” So goes a 1963 song by Philadelphia R&B group the Orlons, helping this west-to-east strip of pavement develop a reputation as a gathering place for counterculture types. In its day, the immediate street was populated by artists and musicians and their left-of-center bars, galleries, and stores. Nowadays, this bohemian energy is far less palpable, but the section between Broad and Front streets still hosts many gems amid duller holdings like chain pharmacies and cell phone stores. Peruse the various antiques and vintage stores, clothing boutiques, bookstores, and record sellers between people-watching. There’s a vast range of culinary options, too, from classic cheesesteak shops (Jim’s and Ishkabibble’s) to Peruvian chicken at Braza’s and vegan-friendly eats at Tattooed Moms.

This seasonal oasis—referred to by some as an urban beach—is a combination of three landscaped barges, a hammock lounge, and floating gardens that hug the Delaware River. More than 50 hammocks are strung throughout the park, and there's an award-winning beer garden that pours more than 15 local brews. You can get food from the Franklin Fountain and Chickie's & Pete's as well as pizza, classic boardwalk foods, and more. There's even a boardwalk that's lined with swings, hammocks, bocce courts, Ping-Pong, shuffleboard, and shipping containers that have been converted into an arcade with skeeball, air hockey, and other classic games.

St. Peter's Church has been in continuous use since its first service on September 4, 1761. The brick Palladian-style building was designed by Scottish architect Robert Smith, also responsible for Carpenters' Hall and the steeple on Christ Church. William Strickland's simple steeple, a Philadelphia landmark, was added in 1842. Notable features include the grand Palladian window on the chancel wall, high-back box pews that were raised off the floor to eliminate drafts, and the unusual arrangement of altar and pulpit at either end of the main aisle. The design has been called "restrained," but what is palpable on a visit is the silence and grace of the stark white interior. In the churchyard lie Commodore John Hazelwood, a Revolutionary War hero; painter Charles Willson Peale; and seven Native American chiefs who died of smallpox on a visit to Philadelphia in 1793. A guide may be on hand Saturday from 11 to 1 and on Sunday from 1 to 3. Tours available on weekdays by appointment. 

James Logan may not be a household name, but he was a seminal figure in pre-Revolutionary America. Equal parts visionary, opportunist, and rogue, he was secretary to William Penn and managed the daily affairs of the colony. Logan, who went on to hold almost every important public office in the colonies, designed this 1730 Georgian manor himself and named it for his father's birthplace in Scotland. He used it to entertain local luminaries and Native American tribal delegates. It was also where he kept one of the area's first libraries, at a time when books were looked upon with suspicion. British General Howe claimed Stenton for his headquarters during the Battle of Germantown. The Stenton mansion is a well-curated, stately affair filled with family and period pieces; the site also includes a kitchen wing, barn, and Colonial-style garden. Starting on the hour at 1 pm, 2 pm, and 3 pm, the guided 45-minute tour interprets the life of three generations of the Logan family and the life of the region from the 1720s through the American Revolution. Stenton has one of the best interiors of any of the Germantown homes.  Tours are offered April to late December, Tuesday–Saturday, noon–4.

A Polish general who later became a national hero in his homeland, Kosciuszko came to the United States in 1776 to fight in the Revolution, one of the first foreign volunteers in the war. The plain three-story brick house, built around 1776, features a series of exhibits that display artifacts from six Polish museums, depicting Kosciuszko's life in his homeland as well as some of his original possessions. An eight-minute film (in English and Polish) portrays the general's activities during the Revolution.

A craft brewery with a social mission, Triple Bottom strives to be a positive community partner. They pour lagers, pale ales, IPAs, and seasonal and special releases. Happy hour is offered Wednesday through Friday and Sunday, 3--6 pm, and there are trivia nights and drag shows.