Independence Hall: Free Entry, Timed Tickets & Visiting Tips
~20 min guided tour
National Historic Landmark
Completed 1753 as the Pennsylvania State House
520 Chestnut St, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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Practical Visitor Info & Tips
$0.00
N/A — free for all ages; only the $1.00 handling fee applies per reserved ticket
Check nps.gov/inde for current seasonal hours; the ticketed entry window runs roughly 10:00 am - 4:20 pm.
Free timed-entry ticket required roughly 10:00 am - 4:20 pm, reserved via Recreation.gov up to 30 days ahead ($1.00 handling fee per ticket, no refunds). Ticket-free self-guided entry ~9:00-9:50 am. Arrive 30 min early for mandatory security screening.
A ~20-minute ranger-led tour of the Assembly Room, where the Declaration of Independence and U.S. Constitution were both signed.
| Option | Price | Booking | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Timed-entry reservation (10:00 am - 4:20 pm) | Free + $1.00 handling fee | Recreation.gov, up to 30 days ahead | |
| Self-guided entry (~9:00 - 9:50 am) | Free | No reservation needed, first-come, first-served |
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Ticket Options
$0.00
Check whether a city pass already covers this attraction before buying separately.
See pass compatibility below ↓Overview & History
Independence Hall is the red-brick Georgian building where the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution were both debated and signed. Run by the National Park Service as part of Independence National Historical Park, admission itself is free — but it is a genuinely distinctive 'free but reservation-constrained' site: a timed-entry ticket is required to enter during the main visiting window, though there's no charge for the ticket itself beyond a small handling fee.
What to See: Top Highlights
The Assembly Room
The room where the Declaration of Independence (1776) and the U.S. Constitution (1787) were both debated and signed.
The Clock Tower & Steeple
The building's 1750s clock tower is one of Old City Philadelphia's most recognizable silhouettes.
Ranger-Led Tours
Included with every timed-entry reservation — a roughly 20-minute guided walk through the building's history.
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Is This Covered by a Philadelphia Pass?
Compare Philadelphia PassesNo paid pass is needed or possible — Independence Hall is completely free to enter, run directly by the National Park Service. The only 'ticket' involved is a free timed-entry reservation (plus a $1.00 handling fee), booked directly through Recreation.gov. Neither Philadelphia CityPASS nor Go City Philadelphia sells or bundles admission here, because there is no paid admission to bundle.
Go City Philadelphia — All-Inclusive Pass
Not confirmed by the provider. Independence Hall admission is free (only a $1.00 reservation handling fee applies) — no pass relationship is possible; the timed-entry reservation must still be booked directly via Recreation.gov regardless of any pass.
Philadelphia CityPASS
Not confirmed by the provider. Independence Hall admission is free (only a $1.00 reservation handling fee applies) — no pass relationship is possible; the timed-entry reservation must still be booked directly via Recreation.gov regardless of any pass.
Data Provenance
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SponsoredProvided by our commercial partner GetYourGuide — bookings made through this section may earn LocalExperiences a commission. See our Editorial Transparency page.
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