My family and I took a trip to Philadelphia for Presidents’ Day weekend.  Day One was seeing historic sites and museums, and Day Two was going to the Please Touch Museum for the kids.  This blog will focus on our visit to the Museum of the American Revolution, The Christ Church Burial Ground with the grave of Ben Franklin, The National Constitution Center, Independence Hall and Congress Hall.

Museum of the American Revolution

Our first stop when we arrived in Phili was the Museum of the American Revolution, which was my first visit there.  The special exhibit that opened the day before we arrived is “Witness to History: The Unlikely Travels of Washington’s Tent.”  In my blog post from July 2023, (visit here) my family and I visited Morristown, NJ to see a replica of Washington’s War Tent, and explore inside.  The real, authentic tent is located at the Museum of the American Revolution, and we were able to see it there (the museum did not allow photographs of the tent, but photos can be found here.)  The new exhibit highlights the roughly 250 year journey of Washington’s War Tent as it has passed through the generations and miraculously has survived through not-so-delicate hands to make it to the museum in Philadelphia.  The tent highlights Washington’s commitment to be among his troops and live in similar conditions as them.  Washington was a leader that his troops could relate to and respect.  He did not want to appear as an elitist or authoritarian.  His living quarters were far different from what other European leaders, such as Napoleon, were living in while on campaign.  Before viewing the real tent, you are shown a short video about the Revolution and the journey of the tent through the ages.  The survival of the tent represents the survival of our fragile, delicate and at-times challenged republic.

After we saw the tent and explored the special exhibit about the history of the tent, we journeyed through the rest of the museum.  The main exhibit immerses you in the events of the Revolution, from the French and Indian war, the British taxes, the protests by the colonists, the opening shots at Lexington and Concord, the key events that transpired throughout the war, and the writing of the Constitution.  The exhibit teaches through informative plaques, hands-on learning, videos and artifacts.  It truly is a remarkable museum that everyone needs to visit.  In the basement floor there is also an activity center for kids with hands-on and interactive exhibits.  After our time spent at the museum, we head to lunch.  

Christ Church Burial Site/ Grave of Ben Franklin

Our next historical stop was the National Constitution Center, but we first walked past Christ Church Burial Site and visited the grave of Benjamin Franklin.  The graveyard also serves as a final resting place for many other individuals associated with the Revolution. 

The National Constitution Center

Our visit to the Constitution Center was also a first time visit.  We first went to the theater and saw a show which was truly inspiring.  The show highlighted, through spoken word and video, the great challenges that the founding fathers had to overcome just to get together and create a brand new government  in an age of monarchies and absolute power.  The show also went into the challenges that the country has faced since the Constitution was written and the amendments added to remedy these challenges.  The show highlighted the fact that we have a government that is not led by a concentration of power in a person or a dynasty.  It is led by us, the American people.  Leaving inspired, we went to other exhibits throughout the Constitution Center which highlighted the first amendment, as well as exhibits on our three branches of government.  

Independence Hall/ Congress Hall

After we left the Constitution Center we walked the short distance to Independence Hall.  Unfortunately there were no more tickets to get into Independence Hall.  Luckily we had been inside one time previously.  The best we could do was take photos from the outside of this historic building, the location where the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776, as well as the site where our founding fathers wrote the Constitution throughout the summer of 1787.  The area was crowded with it being Presidents Day Weekend.  It was nice to see many families seeing the historic sites.  

While we didn’t get to go inside Independence Hall, we did have an opportunity to go in Congress Hall which was a first time visit.  It was truly remarkable to be in the room where the first Congress sat in our nation’s history.  Philadelphia was the nation’s capital from 1790- 1800 while the new capital, Washington DC was being constructed. The 1790s represents one of the most interesting times in our nation’s history.  When the Constitution was written, the framers did not take into account the rise of political parties.  But within Washington’s cabinet, and within the Congress, two separate parties formed during Washington’s two terms in office.  The nascent country experienced the first debates between the Federalist Party (led by Hamilton) and the Democratic-Republicans (led by Jefferson).  Congress Hall witnessed the earliest debates over the size and strength of the national government, the  economy, and foreign allies.  The House of Representatives met on the first floor of Congress Hall, while the senate met on the second floor. When the capital moved to DC in 1800, Congress Hall went back to its original purpose serving as a courthouse.  After leaving Congress Hall, the family headed out for dinner.

We really enjoyed the historic sites in Philadelphia.  The city was one of the most significant locations from the colonial period, throughout the Revolution, and into the early republic. With significant events taking place like the Constittutional Convention, as well as being the early seat of government, Philadelphia offers much to those interested in the nation’s founding. It is one of the most historic cities in the country, a must visit for all people, especially history nerds.

Check out the following links to the landmarks visited:

Museum of the American Revolution

Christ Church Burial Grounds

The National Constution Center

Independence Hall

Congress Hall

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