Philosophical Hall information panel

SITE OVERVIEW

The American Philosophical Society (APS) was started by Benjamin Franklin in 1743 for the purpose of promoting knowledge. Early members include Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, and John Adams. The society still exists today.

The APS Museum is housed in Philosophical Hall, a building located next to Independence Hall that was constructed between 1786 and 1789. Exhibitions often focus on early American scientists, scholars, and educators.

LOCATION

The American Philosophical Society Museum is located at 104 South Fifth Street. There is an entrance from within the Independence Hall complex and on Fifth Street. Visitors entering the APS Museum from the Independence Hall complex must pass through airport-type security to enter the complex. Those entering from Fifth Street must also go through a security check since it is possible to exit the museum into the Independence Hall complex.

OPERATING HOURS

• Thursday through Sunday
• Mid-April through December: 10 AM to 5 PM
• Closed January through March, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day

Times can always change, so before making travel plans be sure to visit the American Philosophical Society’s Visit the Museum web page for the latest schedule.

TICKETS

There are no tickets associated with entering the APS Museum. You will see visitors entering through the Independence Hall complex with tickets, but these are for Independence Hall. You do not need a ticket to go through security to enter the complex. You only need a ticket if you are touring Independence Hall.

The APS Museum is privately owned. A $2 donation per person is requested, though not required.

WHAT TO DO

The exhibitions at the APS Museum change every year, so there is no sense in writing a review of what there was to see when I visited other than to say the exhibit focused on the scientific pursuits of Thomas Jefferson. Jefferson was the president of the American Philosophical Society for seventeen years.

Thomas Jefferson exhibit at the American Philosophical Society Museum

SCHEDULING YOUR TIME

Regardless of the exhibit, the exhibition area at the American Philosophical Society Museum is not that big, so you can probably see and read most everything in a half hour. Since the museum is located right next to Independence Hall, it gets its share of casual visitors, most of who browse the exhibits and are in and out in fifteen minutes.

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