Founded in 1682, Philadelphia has long played a critical role in American life and culture. Home to the First and Second Continental Congresses and chosen as the temporary capital, the city played a key role in America’s fight for independence and the formation of the United States. Join historian Denver Brunsman, an expert on Colonial and Revolutionary times, as you explore America’s former capital city.
Begin the day at the Museum of the American Revolution, located just off Independence Mall, for a guided tour of the collection and learn how soldiers, women, African Americans, Native Americans, children, and others experienced the tumultuous events of the Revolution through the stories and objects left behind. Enjoy a lunch-and-learn session with museum educators discussing Philadelphia’s days as a Revolutionary city.
After lunch, visit Independence Hall and stand in the Assembly Room where, in 1776, the Continental Congress declared American independence from Great Britain and, in 1787, the United States Constitution was debated and signed. Look closely and you can spot the Rising Sun Chair that Washington sat in while presiding over the Constitutional Convention. Just blocks away from Independence Hall, tour the Powel House, home to Samuel and Elizabeth Powel, who hosted convention delegates in the evenings for entertainment and intellectual discussions. Elizabeth—well-educated and intelligent—would become one of Washington’s closest confidants before, during, and after his presidency.
Free time is given in the afternoon to explore Independence Mall before returning to Washington, D.C.
Know Before You Go
- The tour departs by motorcoach from downtown Washington, DC with a designated secondary pick-up outside the city. Content delivered by the study leader on the way to the destination, after the secondary pick-up, is an integral part of the study tour experience. Meeting the group once the tour is en route is discouraged.
- Tour participants meet at and leave by bus from the Holiday Inn Capitol, 550 C St., SW (corner of 6th and C Sts., SW), with a pickup stop at I-495 exit 27 carpool lot at about 7:40 a.m.
General Information
- Registration for this tour will end by 2 p.m. ET on Friday, September 8, 2023.
- Smithsonian is a mask-friendly environment. Masks are strongly recommended to be worn on buses at all times and may also be required at various indoor sites.
- For additional tour information:
