As the country gears up to celebrate its 250th birthday, there’s really no better place to take it all in than Philadelphia—a city that doesn’t just tell the American story, it lives it. Spend time at the Museum of the American Revolution, visit the Liberty Bell Center, explore the Philadelphia Museum of Art (founded in 1876) and step inside a humble 18th century home that is closely tied to the American flag.
Philadelphia is the kind of place where the past feels
present, making it an ideal backdrop for a visit that ties directly into the
nation’s semiquincentennial.
The Museum of The American Revolution
Inside visitors will see George Washington’s war tent, along
with revolutionary era weapons, diaries and personal items that bring the
period into sharper focus.
A special exhibition tied to the 250th, The Declaration’s
Journey, explores the global impact of the Declaration of Independence from
1776 to today, connecting the nation’s founding ideals to movements of the
modern era.
Visit the Liberty Bell
Inside the Liberty Bell Center on Independence Mall is an
iconic bell that exists as a symbol of our nation’s dedication to freedom.
The Liberty Bell
Credit: Daniel Knoll for Visit Philadelphia
A short exhibit explains the bell’s origins and evolving
meaning and how it developed its famous crack over time. Admission is free of
charge and visitors are able to get an up-close, unobstructed view the bell—ideal
for posting on social media. Those who arrive in the early morning or late
afternoon will have the shortest wait.
The Philadelphia Museum of Art
Founded in 1876, the Philadelphia Museum of Art opened its
current building in 1928 and attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors
annually. Moviegoers may recognize the
grand steps from Rocky, which have become an attraction in their own right.
The Philadelphia Museum of Art
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They used to call it "The operating theater" because spectators and students also used to observe what was going on during operations. |
As a person who has been to many art museums, I can safely say that the Philadelphia Museum of Art is one of the most impressive. Taking in everything will take hours since there are about 240,000 objects in the museum so I suggest doing a morning or afternoon one day and then returning the next.
In recognition of the nation’s 250th, the museum is
presenting A Nation of Artists, an exhibition created in collaboration with the
Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. Running through 2027, it features 1,000
works spanning three centuries of American art and traces how national identity
evolved through art—from colonial portraiture to modern abstraction.
The result is a sweeping look at the nation’s story—told not
through documents, but through the eyes of the artists who have interpreted it
for generations.
The Betsy Ross House
The courtyard of the Betsy Ross House.
Credit: R. Kennedy for Visit Philadelphia
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| I took this one for the cats alone. This is also in the courtyard. |
At the Betsy Ross House, the 250th comes to life through living history. Visitors will see costumed interpreters, hear storytelling and observe hands-on demonstrations that shift the focus from well-known figures to everyday people—especially women—who lived the Revolution.
The house, located at 239 Arch Street, is a colonial-era
building that dates to 1740 and has long-stood at the location. Although it’s
not the original Betsy Ross abode, (that one was purported to be next door and
was demolished), it gives guests a clear view of what it was like to live in a
simpler time.
Visitors can explore at their own pace, or opt for an audio
tour.
Whether viewed through artifacts, symbols, art, or everyday
lives, Philadelphia offers a sweeping look at our nation’s past that is
particularly relevant as we approach our 250th. It’s a history that isn’t
confined to textbooks, but rather unfolds in galleries, street corners and
inside buildings as the stories continue to be told.
