Summer Programs with the Trust

May 2024

Spend Your Summer with the Trust!

The unofficial start of summer might be a few weeks away, but we're getting a jump on our Summer Programs here at Independence! Over the weekend, we welcomed 29 furry friends at our Doughnuts + Dogs event. These very good boys and girls, along with their humans, took the B.A.R.K. Ranger pledge with Independence NHP Law Enforcement to:

B: Bag your pet's waste
A: Always be on a leash
R: Respect the wildlife
K: Know where you can go

Interested in being a B.A.R.K. Ranger or becoming a Pawtriot supporter of Philadelphia's National Park? Come join us throughout the summer for Pawtriot Yappy Hours!

Fun Fact: there are B.A.R.K. Ranger programs across the National Park Service!

Our Summer Programs

Hello (almost) Summer! The Trust is excited to offer several fun programs for visitors and the community throughout the summer season.

New this year, the Trust is hosting free, outdoor yoga at our favorite national park. Yoga is the 2nd Saturday of the month from May through September. All sessions will be facilitated by our friends at Monarch Yoga. All levels are welcome! Find our more information and register for a session here.

Our Twilight Tours will also be returning! Twilight Tours are free walking tours around Independence National Historical Park led by our knowledgeable Twilight Tour Guides. Tours are offered daily at starting Friday, May 24th. This year, tours will be leaving from the Liberty Bell Viewing Window, located on Independence Mall near Chestnut Street. Our guides are busy finalizing their tour topics and routes. For details and schedule, please check our website.

Yoga at Independence

2nd Saturday of the Month

May thru September

Pawtriot Yappy Hour

2nd Tuesday of the Month

June thru August

More Info

Twilight Tours

Memorial Day Weekend

thru Labor Day

More Info

Independence NHP Updates

May is Preservation Month! In the Park's 75-year history, there have been a lot of preservation efforts from creating the park to rehabilitating spaces to ongoing maintenance of the buildings. Learn more and come visit the Best Park in History this month! For all the latest on the Park's programs and events, check out the Park's calendar.

Summer Hours at Independence

Summer hours for Independence National Historical Park will start Memorial Day Weekend. The Park will offer daily walking tours at 9:30am and 10:30am, departing from the Liberty Bell Center --- plus, enjoy daily History Hang Outs at 2:30pm in the Liberty Bell Center. Please visit the Park's website and check social media for changes in building hours.

May Hours at Independence

Independence Visitor Center: 9am to 5pm

Liberty Bell Center: 9am to 5pm

Independence Hall: 9am to 5pm

Congress Hall: 9am to 5pm

Great Essentials Exhibit, West Wing: 9am to 5pm

Supreme Court Chamber: 9am to 5pm (Thu-Sun)

Second Bank Portrait Gallery: 11am to 5pm (Fri-Sat)

Ben Franklin Museum: 9am to 5pm

Franklin Printing Office: 10am to 5pm (Thu-Sun)

Free Quaker Meeting House: 11am to 4pm (Sat-Sun)

Carpenters' Hall: 10am to 4pm (Tue-Sun)

The following buildings at Independence NHP are closed: 318 Market Street, City Tavern, Declaration House, Germantown White House, New Hall Military Museum, Todd and Bishop White Houses.

More of Philadelphia's National Parks

Edgar Allan Poe NHS: 9am to 5pm (closed 12pm-1pm), Friday thru Sunday

Thaddeus Kosciuszko NM: 12pm to 4pm, Saturday & Sunday

Gloria Dei Old Swedes' NHS: 5am to 11pm, grounds open daily

(for church hours and services, visit here)

America's National Park Stores

Museum Store in Old City Hall: 10am to 4pm, open daily

Benjamin Franklin Museum Store: 9am to 5pm, open daily

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Tickets for Independence Hall are fully mobile. Tickets can be reserved in advance through https://recreation.gov or on the recreation.gov mobile app. Tickets are free and up to 9 can be reserved per account. There is a $1 administrative fee to reserve each ticket. Please visit the NPS information desk at the Independence Visitor Center if you need assistance.

Early Banking Exhibit at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania

We partnered with the Historical Society of Pennsylvania (HSP) to celebrate their expansive collection for their 200th anniversary! The joint exhibit All View It As an Object of High Importance is on display through May 31st.

In addition to HSP's curated collection of early banking artifacts, the Trust has displayed renderings and summaries of planned exhibits for the First Bank. Get a sneak peak of this much anticipated project and tell us what you think!

P.S. If you missed the Innovator Talk with Richard Vague, view it here!

Earth Day Thank You!

On April 22nd, Independence Historical Trust and Independence National Historical Park celebrated Earth Day with our friends and neighbors!

Side by side with NPS Rangers and Staff, we picked up litter, weeded tree pits, and spread a lot of mulch. Thank you to everyone who joined our Park Clean-Up!

If you're interested in volunteering with the Trust at future events, please fill out this interest form.

More Historic Crafts and Trades at Carpenters' Hall!

There are two more weekends of historic crafts and trades at Carpenters' Hall!

Join the Carpenters' Company of the City and Country of Philadelphia from 11am to 4pm for a showcase of historic crafts and trades in honor of their 300th anniversary and the 250th anniversary of the completion of Carpenters' Hall. This Saturday, May 11th will feature carpentry demonstrations. The final date on May 18th is all about colonial crafts like tinsmithing, basketweaving, leatherwork, and more!

Find more information here.

July 2nd: Red, White, & Blue To-Do!

We're joining Philadelphia's Historic District to celebrate the first annual Red, White, & Blue To-Do! On Tuesday, July 2nd, America's most historic square mile will host the Red, White, & Blue To-Do Pomp & Parade, musical performances, special extended hours at neighborhood museums and historic sites, restaurant specials, and so much more!

The Trust will be hosting some 18th Century Games, like Hoop and Stick and Graces on Independence Mall. Join in on the fun!

Energy Project at Independence

In case you missed it, Independence NHP will be upgrading park heating and cooling systems. The $14 million Great American Outdoors Act project will reduce park's maintenance backlog and cut energy consumption and utility costs.

Read the news release here and learn about the project on the Park's website.

Want the latest information about your favorite National Park? Download the NPS App for interactive maps, walking tours, recommendations, events, and the latest alerts for more than 400 national parks, including Independence NHP!

Available for iOS and Android devices.

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