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If you’re heading to Philadephia, be sure to add a visit to Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell to your list of stops. On our East Coast road trip one June, we made it a priority as we made our way from Maine to Washington, D.C. Our arrival time was planned for the evening, so we’d have to save official touring for the next morning. For the night, we stayed across the street at the beautiful and fascinating Kimpton Hotel Monaco.
This beautifully quirky hotel put us right where we needed to be for our tour of Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell the next morning. Even better, the location allowed us to take an evening stroll around the very buildings where our country was born. This was the perfect hotel for staying in Old City. In fact, it’s one of my favorites of anywhere we’ve stayed.on our adventures.
Touring Independence Hall is free, but at the time (and currently), you need to make a reservation and get timed-entry tickets for your party. You can reserve tickets through the National Park Service on the official website. I scheduled one of the first tours of the morning. If you don’t want to get up too early, the system is perfect for you; the first tour starts at 10:40 a.m. The tour is about 30 minutes long and covers two rooms in Independence Hall, so it’s an easy tour to work into a busy itinerary.
The Liberty Bell can be viewed by getting in line. There isn’t a reservation system, so you’ll have to decide if you want to wait if the line is long. You can view the Liberty Bell through a window even if you don’t go inside. Luckily, touring the area in the morning worked out for us.
Liberty Bell
Since we were able to score the first tour of the day for Independence Hall, we had plenty of time to get to the Liberty Bell at its opening at 9:00 a.m. We walked from our hotel; our choice of the Kimpton Monoco Hotel was the perfect location for easy walking to the attractions we wanted to experience for our one day in Philly.
Below is a map of the area.
Independence Hall is across the street from the hotel in the next block over. The Liberty Bell is about a block away in distance since you have to walk diagonally from the corner of the hotel. There’s a sidewalk for making the walk.
Anyway, we probably left the hotel at about 8:30 a.m. By the time we got to the Liberty Bell entrance, there was one other party in front of us. We simply waited for the exhibit to open.
We had plenty of time to take everything in. We could take all the pictures we wanted and ask questions of the ranger on duty at the Bell.
The Liberty Bell is displayed nicely with Independence Hall in the background.
If you’ve studied the Bell, you know that the crack you see is the repair that was made in 1846 after a split was discovered sometime in the 1840s. The Bell had been in use at the Pennsylvania State House, now known as Independence Hall.
Originally, a bell was commissioned in 1751 in London by Speaker of the Pennsylvania Assembly Isaac Norris. When the bell was tested after its installation, it cracked. That bell was melted down and recast in Philadelphia by John Pass and John Stowe. The Liberty Bell would alert lawmakers, like Ben Franklin, of meeting times. You could also hear the Bell if there was news to be read in public.
Apparently, the “repair” crack didn’t do the job. Another split emerged, and the Bell was retired.
The Liberty Bell’s inscription is from the King James Bible. It reads, “Proclaim Liberty Throughout All the Land Unto All the Inhabitants thereof,” This is in reference to the section of Leviticus that gives instructions of the Jubilee for the Israelites: the returning of property and the freeing of slaves every 50 years. Remember, the initial bell was commissioned in 1751, well ahead of the Declaration of Independence and the American Revolution.
Though we can make some connections with the discussion and literature of the time for the freedom of the people of Pennsylvania, these words weren’t really associated with the Revolution at the time. Neither was the title “Liberty Bell.”
Below is the view of the Liberty Bell through a window if you aren’t able to get inside to see it. We took a peek on a walk the evening before our “true” visit the next morning.
The idea of the bell being known as the Liberty Bell emerged during the abolition movement in the early 1800s. It was first referred to in the Anti-Slavery Record, an abolitionist periodical in 1835. Later in 1847, George Lippard’s story, “Ring, Grandfather, Ring.” The Liberty Bell became a symbol of American pride after the publication of the story, and that pride grew in the years after the Civil War when the Bell was “on tour” across the country.
The Liberty Bell has continued to be a symbol for our country, even through political unrest and change. Women’s Suffragists and participants in the Civil Rights Movement have used the Liberty Bell as a sign of hope and an image of protest.
Here is another “window” view the evening before we went inside. Again, I can’t stress how amazing it was to have our hotel so nearby for evening walks and the ease of seeing everything.
Source:
“The Liberty Bell – Independence National Historical Park (U.S. National Park Service).” Nps.gov, 2024, www.nps.gov/inde/learn/historyculture/stories-libertybell.htm. Accessed 22 Feb. 2025.
We also spent some time at the Independence Visitor Center, just a block north of the Liberty Bell Center. You’ll find some information and shopping there. Gotta get that magnet!
You should also take a moment to see the foundation of The President’s House. This is where the house stood that President George Washington and his wife Martha lived in while he was president. Remember, he never lived in the White House in Washington, D.C. President John Adams and his wife Abigail would be the first to do that.
Then is was time to head back to Independence Hall for our timed tour. Here is the view of Independence Hall on our walk back.
Library Hall
We still had some time, so we explored the area a little. Below is the original building of the Library Company of Philadelphia, also known as Library Hall. I snapped this shot as we strolled around, but we didn’t go inside. This library was established by Benjamin Franklin and friends in 1731. It was the first public library; before its opening, libraries were in the private homes of the wealthy and elite.
It’s worth noting that the current building is a replica of the original. That building was torn down when the library needed more space, and a new location was established in Center City, outside of the Historic District.
Delegates of the Constitutional Convention were encouraged to read and study here making it the precursor of the Library of Congress.
Old City Hall
Since it started raining again while we were exploring, we stepped inside Old City Hall to have a look around. There was a ranger there to explain what happened here and to answer questions.
The building was completed in 1791 for use as Philadelphia’s City Hall. Before the nation’s capital was moved to Washington, D.C., the building was home to the Supreme Court,
Of course, the building was already under construction when the federal government decided on Philadelphia for the temporary capital. The Supreme Court was only one of the uses for the courtrooms; local courts including the Mayor’s Court and the Alderman’s Court were also held here. The building also housed District Court and Middle Circuit Court proceedings.
The Supreme Court moved to Washington, D.C., in 1800 and eventually had a room in the United States Capitol in 1810. In 1935, the Supreme Court moved to its current location.
Independence Hall
Finally, we were about 10 minutes out from our tour. The meeting place for the tour is on the side of the building away from the street and nearest Independence Square.
Below is the streetside view with the statue of George Washington in front.
The building was constructed to be the Pennsylvania State House. It, of course, is most famous for being the location of the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the home of the Continental Congress which created the United States Constitution.
But before all that, the building housed all three branches of the Pennsylvania colonial government. According to the National Park Service, “The Pennsylvania legislature loaned their Assembly Room out for the meetings of the Second Continental Congress and later, the Constitutional Convention. Here, George Washington was appointed Commander in Chief of the Continental Army in 1775, the Articles of Confederation officially took effect in 1781, and Benjamin Franklin gazed upon the “Rising Sun” chair in 1787.”
Below is the state of Commodore John Barry in Independence Square, He is known as the father of the American Navy.
When your tour time is called, you’ll be led into Independence Hall and into the main corridor.
Supreme Court Room
The first room we visited was the Supreme Court Room. This is where cases for the Pennsylvania Supreme court were held starting in 1743. I thought it was pretty cool that the ranger spoke to you from the prisoner’s dock.
From 1790-1791, the United States Supreme Court met here before moving to the City Hall nearby. The year before that, the federal government operated from New York.
In 1776, the King George III Coat of Arms was removed from the wall in the courtroom and destroyed it. Later in 1784, this Pennsylvania Coat of Arms was installed over the judge’s bench.
Here is a close-up.
The Assembly Room
The Assembly Room is the most awe-inspiring because of what happened here. You can’t help envisioning the Founding Fathers meeting in this room and launching our nation.
It’s easy to picture George Washington sitting in the Rising Sun Chair at the front of the room.
Here is a closer look.
Not only was the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution signed here, but the Marquis de Lafayette was honored in this room on his United States tour in 1824. Because of his visit, the room was decorated and referred to as the “hall of independence.” President Abraham Lincoln visited the Assembly Room on his way to Washington, D.C., and lay in state there on his way home after his assassination. Many years passed before the entire building was known as Independence Hall.
Independence Hall at Night
As I mentioned previously, since our hotel was so close, we were able to walk around Independence Hall in the evening.
Since our time in Philadelphia was so short, it was great to experience the views at different times of the day. In fact, I could see Independence Hall at an angle from our hotel room window. It’s an experience I won’t forget.
Wrapping It Up
I hope everyone has a chance to see Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell at least once. I’ve had the opportunity to see the Liberty Bell twice now, and both times are memorable. I’m glad I got to add a tour of Independence Hall this time, and I’m so grateful that my daughter could also experience this. It can really be a pretty quick stop if you’re pressed for time. If you can make it work, I’d recommend making it a stop on your trip!
Click below to read about some of our other adventures!
The White House, Washington, D.C.
