Philadelphia Walking Tour
Walk in the footsteps of Meriwether Lewis as he bought supplies for the expedition in 1803. At the same time, experience the birth of the United States at key places in the Independence National Historic Park.
The trip by foot is 2 miles long. (If you open this itinerary in Google, be sure to switch the travel method Walking.) At some of the sites, expect security checks.
The Independence Visitor Center provides a great starting point for visiting the Independence National Historic Park. You will find knowledgeable rangers, ticket sales, historic films, and interactive exhibits.
https://www.phlvisitorcenter.com/IndependenceVisitorCenter
Located at 526 Market Street the Liberty Bell Center has free admission on a first-come, first-served basis. In addition to the historic Liberty Bell, the site has exhibits, but no public restrooms.
https://www.nps.gov/inde/planyourvisit/libertybellcenter.htm
Independence Hall is where the Declaration of Independence and U.S. Constitution were debated and signed. Tickets are required during prime hours.
GPS: 520 Chestnut Street
https://www.nps.gov/inde/planyourvisit/independencehall.htm
The APS archives hold many of the Lewis and Clark Expedition’s original journals, Nicholas Biddle’s notes on queries, Titian Peale’s sketches of expedition bird specimens, and other related documents such as the Donation Book . Public exhibits generally change annually, and the site hosts several events open to the public.
https://www.amphilsoc.org/
Philosophical Hall
104 South Fifth Street
Second Bank of the United States houses over 150 portraits—many by Charles Willson Peale—of early American political leaders including the original portraits of Meriwether Lewis and William Clark.
Note: The gallery will not re-open until at least February 2025.
https://www.nps.gov/inde/learn/historyculture/places-secondbank.htm
Located on 420 Chestnut Street between 4th and 5th Street
Second Bank of the United States Portrait Gallery, Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA, USA
238 S 4th St, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
The Philadelphia Athenaeum is a Philadelphia-centered circulating library and research archive housed in a National Historic Landmark Building. Among its holdings is a telescope purportedly carried by Meriwether Lewis during the Lewis and Clark Expedition.
https://philaathenaeum.org/
219 S. 6th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19106
(East side of Washington Square below Walnut St.)
Athenaeum of Philadelphia, South 6th Street, Philadelphia, PA, USA
Historical Society of Pennsylvania, Locust Street, Philadelphia, PA, USA
Library Company of Philadelphia, Locust Street, Philadelphia, PA, USA
Academy of Natural Sciences, Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia, PA, USA
Historical Society of Pennsylvania, Locust Street, Philadelphia, PA, USA
View Listing
Library Company of Philadelphia, Locust Street, Philadelphia, PA, USA
View Listing
Academy of Natural Sciences, Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia, PA, USA
View Listing
On the southeast side of the churchyard can be seen four Osage orange trees —thought to be grown from seeds and cuttings collected by the Lewis and Clark Expedition. They are close to the graves of two men who were key to preserving the legacy of the Expedition: Charles Willson Peale and Nicholas Biddle.
Tours are available by request.
https://www.stpetersphila.org/
215-925-5968
313 Pine Street
Philadelphia, PA 19106
(215) 925-5968
info@stpetersphila.org
It's name says it all: Museum of the American Revolution.
https://www.amrevmuseum.org/
The Benjamin Franklin Museum is part of the Independence National Historic Park—U. S. National Park Service. It is "dedicated to the life and legacy of Philadelphia's most famous citizen."
https://www.visitphilly.com/things-to-do/attractions/benjamin-franklin-museum/
https://www.nps.gov/inde/planyourvisit/benjaminfranklinmuseum.htm
Nearly all the shops that Lewis utilized while equipping the Expedition in Philadelphia have been torn down or replaced. At Elfreth’s Alley—”the nation’s oldest continuously inhabited residential street”—you can easily experience the vibe that Lewis felt in 1803.
Explore on your own or join a 45-minute guided tour to see the 32 houses, museum, and gift shop.
https://www.visitphilly.com/things-to-do/attractions/elfreths-alley/
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