40 Best Sights in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Once grazing ground for cows and sheep, Philadelphia's most elegant square is reminiscent of a Parisian park. One of William Penn's original five city squares, the park was named in 1825 to honor David Rittenhouse, 18th-century astronomer, clockmaker, and the first director of the United States Mint. Many of Philadelphia's celebrities have lived here. Extra paths were made for Dr. William White, a leader in beautifying the square, so he could walk directly from his home to the exclusive Rittenhouse Club across the square and lunch with author Henry James. Until 1950, town houses bordered the square, but they have now been replaced on three sides by luxury apartment buildings and hotels. Some great houses remain, including the former residence of Henry P. McIlhenny on the southwest corner. If you want to join the office workers who have lunch-hour picnics in the park, you can find many eateries along Walnut, Sansom, and Chestnut streets east of the square. Or you can dine alfresco at one of several upscale open-air cafés across from the square on 18th Street between Locust and Walnut. The term "Rittenhouse Row" describes the greater Rittenhouse Square area, bordered by Pine, Market, 21st, and Broad streets.

There are many great sections of Fairmount Park, but the 1,800 acres around Valley Green known as Wissahickon Valley Park may be the most stunning. Miles and miles of trails running along and above the river lead to covered bridges, a statue of a Lenape chief (rife with inaccuracies but created with good intentions), caves used by a 17th-century free-love cult, large boulders that drip water, and mallards quacking for bread bits. Forbidden Drive, on which cars are forbidden, runs from Northwestern Avenue (the westernmost part of Chestnut Hill) all the way to Lincoln Drive, where it connects to a bike and walking path that leads one way to Historic Rittenhouse Town (where you can also park and enter) and the other way to Manayunk and Kelly Drive, with additional bike/walking paths that take you to the city or out along the Schuylkill to Valley Forge. There are also many miles of surprisingly difficult mountain-bike trails. The Valley Green Inn is a very attractive restaurant with decent food at Forbidden Drive and Valley Green Road. Other recommended spots to hike to include Hudson and Andorra Meadows, Thomas Mill Covered Bridge, and Toleration Statue.

Part of the appeal of this refuge is its truly strange location for a nature preserve: it's between the airport and an oil refinery, and visitors seem to really enjoy the oddity of it. More than 280 species of hawks, swallows, herons, egrets, geese, gallinules, eagles, orioles, ducks, and other birds have been spotted at this 1,200-acre preserve, the largest remaining freshwater tidal marsh in Pennsylvania. There are 10 miles of foot trails, an observation deck, and boardwalks through the wet areas. The refuge is also home to fox, deer, muskrat, turtles, and frogs, and you'll likely see large carp and catfish flopping about the lilies. An environmental education center has some explanatory exhibits on wetlands and regional wildlife. There are many guided tours. You can even canoe, kayak, and mountain bike, but there are no rentals here. Binoculars and fishing rods are available for loan, free of charge. The refuge is convenient to I–95, which you can pick up from Penn's Landing.

One of the city's most scenic byways for a drive, woodsy Kelly Drive also has a popular walking, running, and biking path that parallels the road as it stretches more than 4 miles along the eastern side of the Schuylkill River from behind the Philadelphia Art Museum to City Avenue. You can make an almost 9-mile loop on bike or foot by crossing Falls Bridge and returning on the path parallel to the west side's Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive. MLK Drive closes to cars on weekends late March–November and has great Boathouse Row views. (The MLK Bridge has ongoing construction so check ahead to see if it's open.) 

Sights, as well as river views, can distract you as you head north from the museum: Boathouse Row (rent a bike at Wheel Fun Rentals by Lloyd Hall); the Ellen Phillips Samuel Memorial Sculpture Garden with 17 statues on three terraces (and other park artworks; see  associationforpublicart.org/tours), and nearby Laurel Hill Cemetery. Kelly Drive is named for John B. Kelly Jr., a city councilman and Olympic rower who was the brother of actress Grace Kelly. Parts of Kelly Drive sometimes close to cars for events, mostly on weekends, including rowing regattas (fun to watch; schedule on  boathouserow.org) on the Schuylkill, mostly spring through fall. 

Penn's official art gallery contains treasures from the university's collections—especially prints and drawings—and special exhibitions that have had a modern/contemporary bent in recent years. The gallery shares its historical-landmark building, designed by Frank Furness, with the Fisher Fine Arts Library.

Literally the high point of a visit to Fairmount Park, the plateau has a stunning view from 243 feet above river level that takes in sweeping park vistas, recreation areas, and, 4 miles away, the Philadelphia skyline. This area is busy on weekends but may be empty during the week, depending on the weather. The large Palladian house on the plateau, Belmont Mansion, dates to 1745 and is an event space. It's also home to the small, rather dated but moving Underground Railroad Museum at Belmont Mansion ( belmontmansion.org  215/878–8844 or 267/736–0007  $15  closed Fri.–Wed. ), which has an introductory room with panels of historical information to read and some artifacts, a film with information about the Underground Railroad and the mansion's role as a stop on it, and additional displays seen on a tour in some of the mansion's rooms. 

When the bridge opened in 1926, its 1,750-foot main span made it the longest suspension bridge in the world. Paul Cret, architect of the Rodin Museum, was the designer. The bridge, which crosses the Delaware River, is mainly used by cars and the PATCO commuter train, which has several stops in Center City and South Jersey. The bridge is most impressive when it's lit at night. Start the 1¾-mile walk (one way) from either the Philadelphia side, two blocks north of the U.S. Mint, or the Camden, New Jersey, side, where there are metered parking lots. Enjoy stunning city views along the way, but know it's best to walk across on mornings or cooler days, as there's no shade.

This handsome, patterned red-and-black brick building dating from 1770 was the headquarters of the Carpenters' Company, a guild founded to support carpenters, who were both builders and architects in this era, and to aid their families. In September 1774 the First Continental Congress convened here and addressed a declaration of rights and grievances to King George III. The year 2024 marked the 300th anniversary of the Carpenters' Company and the 250th anniversary of the First Continental Congress. The Carpenters' Company still owns and operates the building. Today re-creations of Colonial settings include original Windsor chairs and candle sconces and displays of 18th-century carpentry tools.

The basilica of the archdiocese of Philadelphia is the spiritual center for the Philadelphia area's 1½ million Roman Catholics. Topped by a huge, distinctive copper dome, the large brownstone building was built between 1846 and 1864 in the Italian Renaissance style. Many of the interior decorations are by Constantino Brumidi, who painted the dome of the U.S. Capitol. Several Philadelphia bishops and archbishops are buried beneath the altar. Pick up a brochure for a self-guided tour by the entrance or gift shop, or see the website.

Spread out across 55,000 square feet, the multiuse Cherry Street Pier is among the newer gems of Philadelphia’s slow but gradual Delaware River revitalization efforts. It's a great place to explore and soak in views of the Ben Franklin Bridge, waterfront scenery, and beyond, especially during the warmer months. It's free to walk around, but there's plenty to purchase here, as it's home to artists’ studios, artisan craft fairs, and continually changing exhibits throughout the versatile space. There's a diversity of snacks, too. Popular concessions include a variety of sweets, local brews, and comfort foods.

Conceptualized by the late Sabrina Soong, a Chinese-American architect/artist and Philadelphia resident, the 40-foot-tall, 88-ton “China Gate” has welcomed visitors to historic Chinatown since its introduction in 1984. Designed in a manner reminiscent of China’s Qing dynasty, it features materials and cultural flourishes fabricated by artisans from Philadelphia’s sister city of Tianjin, China. The Chinese characters emblazoned on the “Friendship Arch” translate simply to “Philadelphia Chinatown,” a paean to the neighborhood’s historic importance and resilience.

Congress Hall was the meeting place of the U.S. Congress from 1790 to 1800, one of the most important decades in our nation's history. Here the Bill of Rights was added to the Constitution; Alexander Hamilton's proposals for a mint and a national bank were enacted; and Vermont, Kentucky, and Tennessee became the first new states after the original colonies. On the first floor you can find the House of Representatives, where President John Adams was inaugurated in 1797. On the second floor is the Senate chamber, where in 1793 George Washington was inaugurated for his second term. Both chambers have been authentically restored.

Cypress Street, north of Delancey Place, and Panama Street (especially the 1900 block, one block south of Delancey) are two of the many intimate streets lined with trees and town houses characteristic of the area. At No. 2010 is the Rosenbach Museum and Library.

Designed by Frederick Graff to look like a country estate, this National Historic Landmark completed in 1815 was the country's first steam-pumping station of its kind, and the assemblage of Greek Revival buildings is one of the city's most beautiful sights. The waterworks, down the hill behind the Philadelphia Art Museum, include a small interpretive center with historical features such as an 1851 turbine and family-friendly exhibits about the region's water and wildlife. A short film on the site's history, a mussel hatchery (seasonal progagation Mar.–Aug.), and changing exhibits are other attractions. Nearby paths provide good views of the waterworks.

Frederick Law Olmsted is best known as the designer of New York’s Central Park, and his sons followed in their father’s footsteps in founding the Olmsted Brothers firm, which created this high-profile park in deep South Philly. Originally called League Island Park, when it was designed in the decade leading up to the 1926 Sesquicentennial Exposition, it’s now colloquially known as “The Lakes” for its network of channels and lagoons. The park contains numerous historical structures, including a soaring granite gazebo ringed in Doric columns, the dramatically arched boathouse, and the castlelike American Swedish Historical Museum. April through October, it's also home to the Southeast Asian Market ( www.fdrseamarket.com), where talented cooks from Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Vietnam, and more cook street food from their cultures' cuisines.

This was the house of worship for the Free "Fighting" Quakers, a group that broke away from the Society of Friends to support the cause against the British during the Revolutionary War. The building was designed in 1783 by Samuel Wetherill, one of the original leaders of the group, after they were disowned by their pacifist flock. Among the 100 members were Betsy Ross and Timothy Matlack, colonel in Washington's Army and assistant secretary of the Continental Congress. After the Free Quaker group dissolved, the building was used as a school, library, and warehouse. The meetinghouse, built in the Quaker plain style with a brick front and gable roof, has been carefully restored.  No tickets are required, but call Independence National Historical Park to check on availability.

John Notman, architect of the Athenaeum and other noted local buildings, designed Laurel Hill's eastern section in 1836; it is an important example of an early rural burial ground and the first cemetery in America designed by an architect. The striking, hilly location overlooking the Schuylkill River, rare trees, and impressive monuments and mausoleums made it a popular picnic spot in the 19th century, and today it is an accredited arboretum as well as a cemetery. The 78-acre eastern necropolis in Philadelphia has a visitor center and exhibition space at the Ridge Avenue entrance. It's a tranquil place to stroll or bike, take a guided thematic tour on history or nature (fee; see website for all programs), or download an app for a self-guided tour. Among the notables buried here or in the 200-acre western section in suburban Bala Cynwood (opened in 1869 across the river) are General George Meade and 39 other Civil War–era generals. Burials still take place, so visit respectfully.

The focal point of Logan Circle, one of the city's gems, is the Swann Memorial Fountain of 1920, designed by Alexander Stirling Calder, son of Alexander Milne Calder, who created the William Penn statue atop City Hall. You can find works by a third generation of the family, modern sculptor Alexander Calder (1898–1976), the mobile- and stabile-maker, in the nearby Philadelphia Art Museum and in Calder Gardens (opened 2025). The main figures in the fountain, three Native American figures in the form of river gods, symbolize Philadelphia's leading waterways: the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers and Wissahickon Creek. One of William Penn's five squares, Logan Circle was originally a graveyard and execution grounds. In 1825, the square was named for James Logan, Penn's secretary and a mayor of Philadelphia; in the 20th century it became a traffic circle.

Also known as John F. Kennedy Plaza, LOVE Park at the start of the Parkway is the place to get your photo with LOVE, Robert Indiana's iconic red sculpture, although you may need to wait in line to do so. The 6-foot sculpture, standing atop a 7-foot base, was placed in this area for the City of Brotherly Love's Bicentennial celebrations in 1976. (Another iteration of the sculpture is on the University of Pennsylvania campus.) Today the plaza has green spaces and seating, a fountain, views of City Hall and the Parkway, and the LOVE Park Visitor Center kiosk. It serves as the site of civic happenings like the Christmas Village Market, too. The southwest corner has a flying saucer–like building (a former visitor center) that is not in use at this writing.

When it was originally built in 1791, this building housed the U.S. Department of War. Today’s reconstruction outlines early American military history and the formation of the Army, Navy, and Marine Corps. On display are Revolutionary uniforms, medals, and authentic weapons, including powder horns, swords, and a blunderbuss. Dioramas depict highlights from the Revolutionary War through the late 18th century, and there are several scale models of warships and frigates as well. This museum is typically open for special events and occasions only.

Independence Hall is flanked by Congress Hall to the west and Old City Hall to the east: three distinctive Federal-style buildings erected to house the city's growing government. But when Philadelphia became the nation's capital in 1790, the just-completed city hall was lent to the federal government. It housed the U.S. Supreme Court from 1791 to 1800; John Jay was the Chief Justice. Later, the boxlike building with a peaked roof and cupola was used as the city hall. Today an exhibit presents information about the early days of the federal judiciary.

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.

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.

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.  

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.