Tickets to see the inside of Independence Hall are certainly cheaper (Free) and slightly easier to get than tickets to see the Philadelphia Eagles or “Hamilton the Musical”, but it is still best to plan ahead when visiting Philadelphia so that you get to see the inside of Independence Hall on the day and time of your choice. This is really "the room where it happened."
Related Posts:
- Independence Hall History - Our blog about the incredible history of the Birthplace of America.
- Buy Tickets for The Constitutional Walking Tour of Philadelphia – See 20+ Sites on a Primary Overview of Independence Park
- Liberty Bell Visitor Guide
- Liberty Bell History
The Basics
Independence Hall is free to the public. That’s part of the beauty of Independence Hall but also part of the reason why a visit can be a little challenging. There are lots of people who would like to visit this hallowed hall every day, but only about 80 people are allowed on each tour (which runs every 20 minutes). This blog will explain the ins and outs of securing your tickets in advance, getting your tickets on the same day of your tour, and if you’re feeling lucky, we’ll even give you some tips on how to try to visit Independence Hall without a ticket!
Late Decemember Through January
Besides holiday weekends, there are no tickets needed to visit Independence Hall between December 24th and January 31st. This is because there are generally not a lot of visitors during these winter months. If there are enough visitors, there will sometimes be guided tours that guests can view, but for the majority of January and February Independence Hall is only seen through self guided tours. Park Rangers are, however, always on hand to answer questions you may have.
February to December
To view a guided tour of Independence Hall between February and December, tickets are required. Tickets are for a specific tour at a specific time and are non transferable. The tickets to view Independence Hall are free but in order to reserve them in advance you do need to pay a fee of $1 per ticket. The first tour of the day is at 10:40AM and tours continue every 20 minutes until 4PM. Prior to the first tour at 10:40AM there is a free access period where guests can see Independence Hall without a ticket. For more information, see the section below titled: "Free Access Period - 9AM - 10:30AM."
At 4:20PM every day, a special expanded tour is available that includes a tour of the second floor of Independence Hall which is generally not included. Whether you are interested in a Standard or Expanded tour of Independence Hall, the process in acquiring tickets is the same. Read on to find out how reserve tickets.
Advance Reservations and Ticketing
If you want to ensure you get to see Independence Hall, it is best to reserve your tickets in advance online. Online tickets are released on a rolling schedule, thirty days in advance, so you should try to get your tickets as soon as they're available, 30 days before your planned visit. Here’s how to get your tickets:
- Visit the recreation.gov web site, by clicking here or call toll free at 877.444.6777 from 10AM to 10PM (Eastern Time)
- Select the date and time you would like to visit.
- Click on the available tickets at that time and decide how many tickets you need. Be aware that everyone in your group needs a ticket, including infants.
- While the tickets are free, there is a non-refundable $1 service fee for each ticket that you reserve through the recreation.gov Web site.
- As soon as your transation is completed you will be emailed a pdf of your tickets.
- Tickets can be printed in advance or shown on a mobile device on the day of your visit.
- If tickets are sold out for the time you wish to visit, you have one last chance to get advance tickets. At 5PM every day, additional tickets are made available for the tours scheduled for the following day. These tickets are made available at 5PM and they tend to go VERY quickly. Be ready to log on to Recreation.gov at exactly 5PM on the day before you wish to visit and move as quick as you can to secure and purchase the tickets.
Walk Up Tickets on the Same Day of Your Visit (No Advance Reservations)
To ensure you are able to see Independence Hall it is absolutely recommended to reserve your tickets in advance as outlined above. If however, you were unable to secure a ticket in advance, there is still a very small chance you will be able to get tickets on the day of your visit. Any tickets that were not reserved in advance are made available at the Independence Visitor Center on a first come, first served basis. If you are looking to secure tickets without a reservation on the day of your visit, you should plan to arrive to the Independence Visitor Center at 6th & Market Streets as early as possible in the day to increase your chances of getting tickets. Keep the following in mind:
- The Independence Visitor Center opens at 8:30AM every day of the week (except Thanksgiving and Christmas), and there is often a line outside of the building with people waiting to go inside and get tickets for Independence Hall.
- The line for Independence Hall tickets forms in front of the East entrance of the Independence Visitor Center which is on the side of the Visitor Center facing 5th Street.
- One person may pick up a maximum of ten (10) tickets for a family or small group. We suggest that groups of more than 10 should all wait in line to increase your chances that everyone gets a ticket.
Some of the VIP tour packages that we offer also include tickets to Independence Hall, pending availability, for no extra cost. Contact us at 215.555.1776 or email us at info@theconstitutional.com.
Free Access Period - 9AM - 10:30AM
If you are unable to secure a ticket in advance or on the day of your tour, there is still a way to see the interior of Independence Hall! Between 9AM - 10:30AM every morning, Independence Hall is open to guests without tickets. During this period, Independence Hall guests are welcome to walk through Independence Hall on their own. Park Rangers will be on hand to answer questions during this time period but there is no formal tour of the building.
Please be aware; although there is no guided tour during this period, there is still a limit to how many people may enter Independence Hall at a time. There is no guarantee that all of those who show up during this period will be able to enter Independence Hall if the demand is too high. All guests also have to leave by 10:30AM to make way for the first guided tour of the day. To ensure you are able to enter Independence Hall and have enough time to view the building, it is recommended to arrive as early as possible. Park Rangers will begin moving guests through security screening around 8:45AM and some guests will begin lining up at security even earlier.
Stand By Access to Independence Hall Without a Ticket
If tickets to Independence Hall are “sold out” for the day and time you want, there is a chance you still may be able to see Independence Hall. Your best option in this scenario is to visit Independence Hall during the Open Access period between 9AM and 10:30AM, however if you are not available during this time period, you should follow these instructions:
- Eighty tickets are given out for each tour time, but just because 80 tickets were given out, that does not mean that all 80 people with those tickets will show up on time to see their tour. When someone with a ticket is a no show, the Park Rangers may let guests without a ticket in to visit Independence Hall.
- If you are trying to visit without a ticket, go through security and find the National Park Service Ranger collecting tickets in the courtyard behind Independence Hall. Politely let the Park Ranger know that Independence Hall tickets were sold out, and you were hoping to take the Independence Hall tour if there is any extra room available from no shows.
- The smaller your party is, the more feasible this plan may be. It may be more likely that a couple of people do not show up for their designated tour; however, it is less likely that 20 people do not show up.
- Larger groups should split up to increase their odds that they’ll all be able to fit on a tour group of Independence Hall and groups attempting to view the hall through this method should be prepared to wait a few tours to see if any spots become available.
Group Tickets
If you are visiting with a group larger than 8 people, please click here to learn more about the group tour ticketing to Independence Hall.
Security Line
- Once you have your tickets, you and your entire party should arrive at the Independence Hall security screening line at least 20-30 minutes before the scheduled start time of your Independence Hall tour.
- The security screening line to access Independence Hall begins at the corner of 5th and Chestnut Streets. You will see signs pointing you to the entrance like those in the photo below.
- Be prepared for airport level security screening.
- While phones and cameras are allowed, you cannot bring any weapons into Independence Hall, including small pocketknives.
- While you can bring in sealed water bottles or packages of food in a bag, you are not allowed to bring in any beverage that cannot be sealed and placed in a bag, nor any open food products.
- Once you have cleared security, you will see the area where people are lining up for the next tour of Independence Hall to your right.
Bathrooms
Go to the bathroom before you enter the secure area of Independence Hall. There are nice new restroom facilities at the Independence Visitor Center, just a block away. There are no restrooms inside Independence Hall or the secured area that surrounds Independence Hall.
Insider Tips
- Once you’ve gotten through security, you must remain within the secure gated area while you wait for your tour to start. If you leave the gated area, the only way to obtain reentry is to wait in line and go back through security.
- If you get through security earlier than expected, there are things you can see in the secure area while you wait including the West Wing which contains an original printed copy of the Declaration of Independence. You can also visit Congress Hall, which is where the United States Congress met from 1790 to 1800.
Planning Your Visit to Historic Philadelphia
The Constitutional Walking Tour of Philadelphia is an outdoor walking journey that provides a primary overview of the Independence National Historical Park area and visits more than 20 of the most historic sites in America’s Birthplace including the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, Franklin Court, Betsy Ross House and the National Constitution Center. Often times, visitors taking The Constitutional Walking Tour may choose to visit certain sites such as Independence Hall before or after The Constitutional. You can buy tickets by clicking on the "Buy Tickets" button, or by calling 215.525.1776.
If you want to learn more about the incredible history of Independence Hall, click here, for our blog all about this hallowed Hall and its importance to the American Revolution.
Good luck and enjoy your tour!
Additional Information
Independence Hall
520 Chestnut Street
Philadelphia, Pa 19106
215.965.2305
