Philadelphia Museums That Are Now Open

Philadelphia’s museums, attractions and historic sites are now open with new health and safety measures in place to keep guests and employees safe. Make sure to consult each museum or attraction’s website and social media for their respective policies to plan for your visit. Each of the museums listed below is operating under special hours and conditions, so be sure to consult their respective website for up-to-date information. The Independence Visitor Center is open along Independence Mall, offering attraction tickets and guidance for exploring Philadelphia, with health and safety measures in place throughout the building.

Many of the museums listed below are also still offering compelling digital experiences that can be accessed anytime, anywhere, such as virtual tours, behind-the-scenes videos, and more, as highlighted in our Philadelphia From Home guide.

Hours: Varies per location, click here for more details

A collection of Philadelphia’s most historic sites and attractions, including Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell Center, and Old City Hall are open to the public with new guidelines in place in the interest of health and safety of all guests and park staff. Masks are required for everyone inside of all park buildings, regardless of vaccination status. Independence Hall is open from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. daily and requires a timed ticket for entry. There is a $1.00 handling fee per reserved ticket. To learn more about acquiring tickets for Independence Hall, click here. The Liberty Bell Center is also open from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. daily, accommodating up to 20 people at a time with no tickets required. Social distancing is encouraged while inside all buildings and protective barriers have been installed at public contact stations. Other sites include Old City Hall, the Portrait Gallery in the Second Bank of the U.S., Merchants’ Exchange Building, and Free Quaker Meeting House. To learn more about Independence National Historical Park and to plan your visit, click here.

Hours: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. daily

Dedicated to exploring the life and legacy of Benjamin Franklin, the National Park Service’s Benjamin Franklin Museum is open in Franklin Court, just steps from Independence Hall and the shops and restaurants of Old City. Inside, visitors can interact with exhibits and view rare artifacts throughout the museum, which is divided into five “rooms” representing the Founding Father’s traits. Tickets are available at the door and must be purchased on the day of your visit. Masks are required for all visitors, regardless of vaccination status. To plan your visit, click here.

Hours: Friday, 10 a.m. – 8:45 p.m. (pay what you wish admission 5-8:45 p.m.); Saturday-Monday and Thursday, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

The Philadelphia Museum of Art is welcoming visitors, allowing them to safely explore the collections in nearly 200 galleries of the museum’s iconic Main Building. New spaces await visitors to the museum, including two new galleries, a reimagined Lenfest Hall and multilevel Forum space as part of the museum’s Core Project. New health and safety measures include timed admission and the requirement for guests ages 2 and up who are not fully vaccinated to wear face coverings, and more, with advanced ticket purchase strongly encouraged. The museum has also introduced new hours, including pay what you wish admission from 5-8:45 p.m. each Friday (pay what you wish admission is also available on the first Sunday of each month). Starting January 24, 2022, all visitors 5 and up will be required to show proof of full vaccination against COVID-19 in order to enter the museum. Visitors 18 and older will also be required to show a valid ID. To learn more about the new health and safety measures and plan your visit to one of Philadelphia’s most cherished cultural institutions, click here.

Hours: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. daily; closed Tuesdays

Once home to Betsy Ross, the seamstress who had reportedly sewn the first American flag, the Betsy Ross House is open in Philadelphia’s historic district, allowing visitors to navigate the 18th-century home and workshop. Masks are required for all visitors inside of the house. To plan your visit, click here.

Hours: Monday-Friday 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday 9:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.; hours may vary, click here for more information

Home to the largest collection of sharks on the East Coast, Adventure Aquarium on the Camden waterfront is welcoming the public into its underwater world. Advance ticket purchases or member reservations to the aquarium are strongly recommended and guests will be required to complete a health assessment prior to entry. At this time, masking is optional for employees and guests, regardless of vaccination status. For a full overview of the aquarium’s new procedures and to plan your visit, click here.

Hours: Open daily 9:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Philadelphia’s popular, all-ages science museum is now open seven days a week with new hours and protocols in place. Guests are strongly encouraged to purchase timed tickets online in advance. Inside of the museum, don’t miss the World Premiere of Harry Potter: The Exhibition. The magical exhibition joined the museum’s array of interactive exhibits on February 18 and will be on view through September 2022. Click here to learn more and plan your visit.

Hours: Tuesday-Sunday, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. (closed Tuesdays in January and February)

The site of the First Continental Congress and once home to the First and Second Banks of the United States, historic Carpenters’ Hall is open with policies in place to ensure the safety of guests and employees. Inside Carpenters’ Hall, high-touch surfaces are regularly disinfected, and a foot pedal installed on the front door aids in hands-free entry into the building, among other health and safety measures. To learn more and plan your visit, click here.

Hours: Wednesday-Sunday, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

The Academy of Natural Sciences — the first natural sciences institution in the Americas — is open to the public with health and safety guidelines enforced throughout the museum. The museum is still requiring face coverings for visitors and staff for the peace of mind of all, and advance reservations by timed ticketing are encouraged. Greeting visitors in the museum will be the Permian Monsters exhibit — offering an intimate look at fossils and full size models of the prehistoric beasts that occupied both the land and the sea of the time. To learn more and plan your visit, click here.

Hours: Tuesday-Sunday, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Home to over 10,000 square feet of recently reimagined galleries and the largest sphinx in the Western Hemisphere, the Penn Museum is open with health and safety guidelines in place. All visitors 5 and up are required to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination and a valid ID in order to enter the museum. Masks are required for all visitors 2 and up. To plan your visit, click here.

Hours: Thursday-Monday, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.

One of the gems of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway and home to one of the most impressive collections of Impressionist, Post-Impressionist, and Early Modernist Paintings, the Barnes Foundation is open once again and welcoming visitors with safety guidelines in place, including new contactless payment solutions. Starting January 21, 2022, all visitors 5 and up will be required to show proof of full vaccination against COVID-19. Visitors 18 and older will also be required to show a valid ID. Masks are welcome, but not required. To learn more and plan your visit, click here.

Hours: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. daily

Dedicated to sharing the story of the American Revolution by way of interactive exhibits and stunning artifacts, the Museum of the American Revolution in Old City is once again open with health and safety guidelines in place, such as the enforcement of social distancing throughout the museum, one-way traffic flow through the galleries, and more. The museum is also encouraging guests to reserve tickets in advance online due to limited capacity. Masks are no longer required and proof of vaccination is no longer required for daytime visitors. Masks and proof of vaccination may still be required for special evening events. To learn more about how the museum is keeping guests and staff safe, click here.

Hours: Tuesday-Friday, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 12-4 p.m.

Found in South Philadelphia’s FDR Park, the American Swedish Historical Museum — the oldest Swedish museum in the United States — is open with protocols in place to ensure the health and safety of visitors and staff. To learn more and plan your visit to the 20,000-square-foot museum, click here.

Hours: Thursday-Monday, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

The National Liberty Museum, whose mission is to reinforce the basic principles for safeguarding liberty, including heroism, empathy, and the appreciation of diversity, is open to the public. Tickets may be purchased online or in-person at the museum. Visitors can enjoy the museum’s new exhibition, Strength and Fragility, which explores the history of the museum and its founder, businessman and philanthropist Irvin J. Borowsky. For more information on their health and safety procedures, click here.

Hours: Thursday-Saturday, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

The free-to-visit museum at the Science History Institute in Old City is open to the public, complete with recently refreshed permanent galleries featuring new objects, stories, and discoveries. Take a watery journey through history and science with the Institute’s Downstream exhibition, which explores more than 200 years of water analysis and protection in the United States. Visitors can also learn about key figures throughout the history of science, such as the builder of the first electrospray ionization mass spectrometer, Masamichi Yamashita, and discover the interesting history of common objects with the museum’s interactive Object Explorer. No advanced tickets are required to visit. Museum visitors five years of age and older must provide proof of full vaccination for entry. Photos are acceptable. Masks are also required for all visitors. To learn more and plan your visit, click here.

Hours: Tuesday-Friday, 12-6 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 12-5 p.m.

The Fabric Workshop and Museum, located across from the Pennsylvania Convention Center and just steps from the historic Reading Terminal Market, is open and encouraging, but no longer requiring timed tickets be reserved online in advance (admission to the museum remains free, though a $5 donation is encouraged). Beginning January 2, 2022, all visitors 5 years and older will be required to show proof of full COVID-19 vaccination or proof of a negative COVID-19 PCR test taken within the past 24 hours for entry into the museum. Masks are required at all times (regardless of vaccination status or negative tests) for all visitors 2 and up. To learn more, click here.

Hours: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. daily

Home to a collection of over 25,000 medical specimens and instruments, the Mütter Museum is once again open to the public. Upon their return, visitors can expect a reduced capacity, advanced tickets required, and other safety measures in place throughout the museum. Beginning March 7th, 2022, proof of vaccination will no longer be required, and masks will be optional but encouraged for admission. To learn more about the Mütter’s health and safety protocols and plan your visit, click here.

Hours: Tuesday-Friday, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Home to what is considered the number one car collection in the world by the National Headquarters of the Automobile Club of France, the Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum is once again welcoming visitors to explore and admire their over 75 historically significant vehicles, including makes from Ferrari, Bugatti, Porsche, Ford, Alfa Romeo, and others. The museum encourages guests to reserve tickets online in advance of their visit. To learn more about the museum’s reopening procedures and for more updates, click here.

Hours: Thursday and Friday, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.

The first and oldest art museum and art school in the nation has reopened, allowing visitors to explore its impressive collection of 19th and 20th-century American art. New health and safety procedures are in place to keep visitors and employees in both of its North Broad Street buildings safe. Greeting visitors to the museum will be world-premiere exhibitions Women in Motion: 150 Years of Women’s Artistic Networks at PAFA and Joan Semmel: Skin in the Game. To learn more and plan your visit, click here.

Hours: Thursday-Saturday 10:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.; Sunday 10:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Affiliated with the Free Library of Philadelphia and found along a charming residential block in Philadelphia’s Rittenhouse neighborhood, The Rosenbach is home to one of the world’s greatest collections of literature and rare books. The Rosenbach’s historic house and library can be viewed by scheduling a guided tour, which are available at 10:30 a.m., 12:00 p.m., 1:30 p.m., 3:00 p.m., and 4:30 p.m. To learn more and plan your visit to The Rosenbach, click here.

Hours: Wednesday-Friday, 12 – 10 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. – 10 p.m.; Sunday 10 a.m. – 8 p.m.

Found inside the Fashion District Philadelphia, Wonderspaces is once again welcoming visitors to explore their collection of interactive and immersive art exhibitions. Visitors can expect to see the overall capacity and number of touchpoints reduced, a symptom check upon entry, as well as mask requirements for visitors and staff members who are not fully vaccinated. Tickets will be available online only, or available for purchase on-site via a cashless ticket kiosk outside of the entrance. Inside, visitors will find three brand new exhibitions, including an all-new VR experience. To learn more about the modern museum’s health and safety measures and to plan a visit, click here.

Hours: Wednesday-Sunday, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Found within America’s most historic square mile, the National Constitution Center is open for visitors looking to learn more about the U.S. Constitution via interactive exhibits and conversations. The museum is strongly encouraging the purchase of advanced, timed tickets online, but will also be available to be purchased on the day of via your mobile device or by dialing 215-409-6700. Visitors will be able to explore the museum’s latest permanent exhibit, The 19th Amendment: How Women Won the Vote, which opened in 2020 in celebration of the 100th anniversary of the certification of the 19th Amendment. To learn more, about the center’s health and safety measures click here.

Hours: Hours vary, click here.

The nation’s first zoo is open, allowing families to admire and learn about the collection of nearly 1,300 animals safely. The Philadelphia Zoo is requiring all guests to reserve advanced, timed tickets online. Further, masks must be worn by all guests ages 2+ when inside any building and in designated exhibits, but can be removed by fully vaccinated individuals once outdoors. To learn more about the Philadelphia Zoo’s health and safety measures, click here. To connect with the zoo (and its animals) from home, click here.

Hours: Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Housed in a renovated 1902 firehouse, the Fireman’s Hall Museum highlights Philadelphia’s firefighting history with exhibits and artifacts such as old fire engines, an interactive fire boat experience, and more. The museum is open to the public with free, hourly timed tickets available online only. TIP: Tickets are free, but don’t forget to leave a donation if you can!

Hours: Hours vary, click here.

The historic Battleship New Jersey — the U.S. Navy’s most decorated battleship — is open for tours, allowing visitors to enjoy the comprehensive, self-guided “Fire Power Tour,” with an opportunity to extend their tour with guided tours of the Engine Room and Turret II. All guests will be asked to complete a health waiver prior to boarding the ship, but vaccinated guests are no longer required to wear masks per CDC and New Jersey guidelines. For tickets, click here.

Hours: Wednesday-Sunday, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

The nation’s most historic prison, Eastern State Penitentiary, is inviting visitors to navigate the haunting halls and crumbling cell blocks of the national historical landmark once again. Advance tickets are strongly recommended due to limited capacity and a one-way, linear route must be followed for the main audio tour. For more health and safety information and to plan your visit, click here.

Hours: Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Standing tall across the street from iconic City Hall in Center City, the beautiful and historic Masonic Temple in Philadelphia is welcoming visitors for tours Tuesday through Saturday, with tours beginning at 10 a.m., 11 a.m., 1 p.m., 2 p.m., and 3 p.m. Tours for groups of 15 or more must be scheduled in advance by dialing 215-988-1900. Social distancing is encouraged and touch-free hand sanitizing stations are available throughout the museum. Inside, visitors will survey a rich collection of artifacts of Freemasonry while also admiring the many stunning Lodge rooms representing global art and architecture styles. To learn more and plan your visit, click here.

Hours: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. daily

Guests can once again learn more about the waterways throughout the Philadelphia region at the Independence Seaport Museum. Visitors to the museum can enjoy a series of virtual and in-person events and experiences throughout the year commemorating the Centennial Anniversary of the Return of the Unknown Soldier aboard Cruiser Olympia. The National Historic Landmark ship, which is docked along the Delaware River just outside of the museum, has reopened for tours, as has the neighboring World War II-era Submarine Becuna. The museum’s on-water programming has also returned, including the family-friendly Paddle Penn’s Landing and more adventurous kayak excursions along the Delaware River. Masks are not required for entering the museum and historic ships. However, the museum is encouraging those who are unvaccinated to wear one while visiting. Hand sanitizer stations have been added to high trafficked areas. Click here to learn more about the museum’s safety protocols.

Hours: Shofuso is now closed for the season and will reopen on March 23, 2022

One of the many outdoor experiences that await in Philadelphia’s Fairmount Park, the historic Shofuso Japanese House and Garden with on-site ticketing and admission on a first-come, first-served basis. Once inside, visitors can explore a replica of a traditional 17th-century Japanese home and accompanying pond garden, tea house and tea garden. Also greeting visitors will be an all-new Pebble Beach alongside the central pond, which was created based on newly-discovered 1957 drawings made by Shofuso’s original garden designer. To learn more, click here.

Hours: Wednesday-Monday, 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.

The largest work to date by South Philadelphia mosaic artist Isaiah Zagar, Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens, has reopened with health and safety protocols in place, including the requirement for tickets to be purchased in advance online, with hand washing and sanitizing stations placed throughout the property. Capacity will also be reduced for the indoor gallery space and all visitors must enter and exit via the Garden’s main gate on South Street. To learn more, click here.

Hours: Wednesday-Sunday, 9 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

The Please Touch Museum is operating from Wednesday to Sunday each week. Health and safety measures include hand sanitizer stations that have been placed throughout the museum and online reservations to allow for capacity control. All visitors ages 2 and up, including those who are fully vaccinated, are required to wear a mask while inside the building in support of younger visitors not yet eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine. Guests will be greeted by new experiences at the museum, including a new permanent exhibit, Centennial Innovations, which reimagines how the 1876 Centennial World’s Fair is celebrated and understood and challenges visitors to create, innovate, and invent. To plan your visit, click here.

Hours: Friday, 4 p.m. – 8 p.m.; Saturday & Sunday, 12 p.m. – 5 p.m.

After a virtual grand opening in January 2021 and being open exclusively for members for the several months that followed, the Neon Museum of Philadelphia is now welcoming the public into its new gallery space in Olde Kensington. The museum is home to over 120 vintage neon signs and artwork from some of Philadelphia’s most iconic businesses, including McGillin’s Olde Ale House and Pat’s King of Steaks, which help visitors learn more about Philadelphia and American history. On select dates and at select times, the museum will welcome up to six visitors per hour, and will require guests to reserve their timeslot online in advance. To plan your visit and reserve a timeslot, click here.

Hours: Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Philadelphia’s newest attraction is now open. The Faith and Liberty Discovery Center is located along Independence Mall, just steps from the Independence Visitor Center, Independence Hall, Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History, and other attractions throughout Old City. The museum is dedicated to examining how faith helped foster some of the nation’s core values through six immersive galleries that visitors can navigate on an interactive, self-guided tour. Masks are no longer required to visit. Tickets can be reserved in advance online.

Hours: Thursday-Sunday, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Dedicated to sharing the history and culture of African American people and those of the African Diaspora, the African American Museum in Philadelphia has reopened to the public with health and safety measures in place. In order to adhere to current capacity limits set by the City of Philadelphia, the museum will make a limited number of tickets available for three different timeslots (10-11:30 a.m., 12-1:15 p.m., 1:45-3 p.m., and 3:30-4:45 p.m., Thursday-Sunday each week). Other protocols include the requirement for each guest to complete a health questionnaire upon arrival, while also wearing a mask if unvaccinated and maintaining proper social distance when inside the museum, which features a new permanent exhibition, Audacious Freedom: African Americans in Philadelphia 1176-1876. To plan your visit to the African American Museum in Philadelphia and for more information on health and safety guidelines, click here.

Hours: Friday-Monday, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Home to one of the largest collections of sculptor Auguste Rodin’s works outside of Paris, the Rodin Museum has reopened, joining the unveiling of new public spaces at the nearby Philadelphia Museum of Art. Admission to the museum is pay what you wish, however suggested donations are listed online. Advanced tickets are not available and entry is managed by “one in, one out” once capacity is reached. To learn more and plan your visit, click here.

Hours: Wednesday-Friday, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.; Sunday 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Located in Philadelphia’s Chestnut Hill neighborhood, Woodmere Art Museum’s collection highlights Philadelphia art and artists with a collection of over 8,000 works on view in nine galleries. The museum is once again open and welcoming guests with new health and safety guidelines in place and is requiring all visitors to wear masks while inside the museum (masks are not required when outside on the museum grounds). Advance, timed tickets are strongly encouraged and are available online. To learn more about Woodmere’s health and safety guidelines and to plan your visit, click here.

Hours: Wednesday-Monday, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Just 45 minutes southwest of the city, the Brandywine River Museum of Art is an art treasure known internationally for its collections of works by three generations of the Wyeth family — N.C., Andrew and Jamie. The museum has a fine collection of American illustration, still life and landscapes. Face masks are strongly encouraged when visiting the museum. To plan your visit, click here.

NOTE: The Andrew Wyeth Gallery will be temporarily closed February 28 – March 4, 2022.

Hours: Wednesday-Saturday, 9:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Learn about the history of the annual Mummers Parade in Philadelphia – the oldest continuous folk parade in the United States – and the many different divisions of Mummers at the New Year’s Shooters and Mummers Museum. Inside of the Mummers Museum, visitors can learn more about the five different divisions of Mummers, as well as some of the Mummers’ unique customs, including the right way to walk or “strut” and the importance of “dem golden slippers.” Colorful costumes worn during past parades will also be on display inside of the Mummers Museum.

Hours: Tuesday-Friday, 9:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Tucked away in North Philadelphia just off Temple University’s Main Campus, the Wagner Institute is home to “an extraordinary collection of natural history specimens.” Guests will get an up-close look at animals, insects, fossils, even dinosaur bones (all preserved in glass cases arranged for study), as well as William Wagner’s personal mineral collection – one of the oldest in the U.S. The exhibit is one of the largest systematically arranged collections on display in the country. To plan your visit, click here.

Hours: Closed for install through March 15, 2022

Guests are encouraged to “engage and connect with the art of our time” at the Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA) at the University of Pennsylvania. Founded on a desire to showcase what’s “new and happening” in art and culture, ICA brings modern-day creativity to life. ICA is also one of America’s few kunsthalles – facilities that mount temporary art exhibitions, like an art gallery but without a permanent collection. Proof of vaccination against COVID-19 will be required when ICA reopens on March 16, 2022. To learn more about the institute’s health and safety measures, click here.

Hours: Tuesday-Sunday, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Showcasing one of the most diverse living arthropod collections in the U.S., the Philadelphia Insectarium and Butterfly Pavilion is a delight for science lovers of all ages. Learn more about insects, including tarantulas, scorpions and praying mantises through various educational exhibits throughout the Insectarium. Surround yourself with butterflies as the colorful creatures fly around you inside of the Butterfly Pavilion. To plan your visit, click here.

TIP: If you plan on going inside of the Butterfly Pavilion, wear bright colors so the butterflies land on you!

Hours: Reopening April 2022

Learn about the 300-year history of Elfreth’s Alley – the oldest continuously inhabited residential street in the nation – at the Elfreth’s Alley Museum in Old City. Surround yourself with history and take a stroll past the 32 18th-century homes that line the famous block, with houses 124 and 126 now serving as the museum and gift shop. Inside of the museum, visitors will learn about the alley’s early beginnings as a cart path for merchants through photos dating back to the early 1900s. The museum also offers ways to learn about Elfreth’s Alley from home, including a podcast and virtual access to the alley’s archives. To plan your visit to the Elfreth’s Alley Museum, click here.

Hours: Temporarily closed

Recently renamed in honor of benefactor Stuart Weitzman, the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History is in the heart of Philadelphia’s Historic District. While the Weitzman strategizes its reopening plans for 2022, it is offering an online exhibition about the historic Statue of Religious Liberty, the 24-foot tall statue standing in front of the museum, as well as a self-guided walking tour. Visitors can also enjoy live programming online, as well as learn about artifacts and read stories shared daily across the museum’s social media channels. To learn more, click here.

Cover photo: Barnes Foundation. Photo by M. Moran.