National Constitution Center

Built to serve as a nonpartisan, nonprofit home for the Constitution - the center works to further dialogues about the role of the Constiution, as a living, changing work.

Nearby Attractions

See all attractions in Philadelphia
Independence Mall
The three blocks in central Philadelphia are home to some of the historic buildings in which some of the country's momentous founding moments took place.
Christ Church Burial Ground
Christ Church Burial Ground in Philadelphia is an important early-American cemetery.
Arch Street Meeting House
The oldest (and still operational) Friends Meeting House for Quakers stands here on Arch Street, dating back to 1804.
The President's House Site
Exploring the role of slavery at the founding of the United States, the site challenges norms that have developed around the myths of the Founding Fathers.
United States Mint
Home to one of four US mint production locations, the Philadelphia Mint gives free tours where you can learn about the production of money and the considerations around it.
The Declaration House
Though the original structure no longer stands, the National Park Service rebuilt a replica of the house where Thomas Jefferson penned his immortalized words, ‘We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.’

Related Tours

The Founding Fathers of Philadelphia: Private 2-hour History Tour

As the Birthplace of the United States of America and the iconic Stars & Stripes flag, Philadelphia boasts monuments to some of the nation’s earliest significant moments. On this private walking tour, bring the stories back to life while seeing the places where history was made and follow the footsteps of 4 of the founding fathers of Philadelphia: Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, George Washington and John Adams.

On your private tour, you will:

  • Learn about the city’s role in the American Revolution and fight for independence;
  • See Benjamin Franklin's Grave from the Outside;
  • Walk by the National Constitution Centre, dedicated to telling the story of the U.S. Constitution;
  • Explore Franklin Court, the historic site where Benjamin Franklin lived and worked during his time in Philadelphia;
  • See Christ Church, founded in the 17th century which played an important role in American history attended by many of the founding fathers, including George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, and Betsy Ross;
  • Walk past the first post office in America, established by Benjamin Franklin in 1775 who was appointed the first Postmaster General of the United States;
  • Discover The President's House Site, where Presidents George Washington and John Adams lived during their terms in the office including a memorial that honours the enslaved Africans who lived and worked there;
  • See Carpenters' Hall, where the First Continental Congress met in 1774 which is now a museum, featuring exhibits and artefacts from the colonial period;
  • Snap of the Liberty Bell, an independence and freedom symbol of America;
  • Pass by the Independence Hall, where both the United States Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution were debated and adopted. 

During the American Revolution, Philadelphia was the site of the First and the Second Continental Congresses. After the Revolution, the city was chosen to be the temporary capital of the United States from 1790 to 1800.

Though federal and state governments left Philadelphia at the beginning of the 19th century, the city continued for some years to be the nation’s cultural and financial hub.

This tour will take you to the Independence Mall, the National Constitution Center, and the Liberty Bell on a stroll to the presidential home of George Washington and John Adams.

On this walking tour of the storied Historic District, you will explore Philadelphia’s historic district and learn not only its oft-told narrative but also the complexities of the nation.

Hear about Philadelphia’s role in the slave trade, its colonial past, and the development of trade links to claim its rightful place as one of the nation’s most important centres of trade. 

Your tour ends at the entrance to the Independence Hall, the site of the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution.

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