Philly’s First Bank of the United States Reopens This Summer as a Museum: What to Know

What can I expect to see at the First Bank of the United States?

Since the public hasn’t had access to the First Bank building in 50 years, visitors can expect to see the interior and exterior gussied up and looking finer than ever, with the marble façade having undergone a makeover and the interior structure and sculptures restored.

Visitors to the refurbished space enter through a modern addition built in the rear of the iconic, temple-like building. This addition updated the space with a heating and cooling system, bathrooms, stairs and an elevator.

The sweeping interior rotunda, featuring 240 glass panels around a central skylight, serves as an exhibition space with room for meetings, educational programs and special events.

Expect immersive, modern exhibits, though specific details are still under wraps.

  — Photo courtesy The First Bank of the United States

What’s the history of the building?

Mired in debt after emerging triumphant from the Revolutionary War, the country looked to Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton to come up with ways to pay up while continuing to grow economically. A lawyer by trade, Hamilton looked to the U.S. Constitution for ideas.

Hamilton believed that the document’s Necessary and Proper Clause gave the country the implied power to establish a national bank, but several Founding Fathers disagreed. Ever the orator, Hamilton delivered a 15,000-word rebuttal, successfully selling the idea to President George Washington and Congress.

  — Photo courtesy The First Bank of the United States

Originally housed in nearby Carpenters’ Hall, the First Bank of the United States opened in 1791, later moving to its permanent home at 120 South 3rd Street in 1797. Architect Samuel Blodgett Jr. designed the building after Greek temples to signify America’s power and strength, with banks nationwide following suit for the next 150 years.

Congress originally granted the First Bank a 20-year charter. When it expired, prominent Philadelphia financier Stephen Girard jumped at the chance to purchase the building, adding the rotunda and opening his own private bank there in 1812.

The building served Philadelphians as a bank through 1930, changing hands a few times before the National Park Service (NPS) acquired it in 1955, adding it to Independence National Historic Park (INHP). NPS used the space first as a visitor center and more recently as office space. Restoration and planning to convert the space to a museum began more than six years ago.

What kind of rehabilitation did the building undergo?

Built from Pennsylvania blue marble acquired in nearby Montgomery County, the stone façade — featuring six towering Corinthian-style columns — needed some TLC after standing strong through centuries of weathering.

The entire exterior underwent repointing, with workers repairing or replacing any damaged features, including the eagle sculpture (carved out of mahogany) standing watch above the columns and the marble allegory above the doors.

  — Photo courtesy The First Bank of the United States

After preserving the structure of the building, builders then had to ensure that the walls would be protected when installing interactive exhibits.

The cost for the rehabilitation — including planning, preservation, construction and installation of exhibits — totaled more than $33 million.

How can I see the First Bank of the United States?

Scheduled to officially open on Wednesday, July 1, 2026, NPS has not yet released information about how visitors can access the First Bank. Stay tuned for more, and learn more about the First Bank on the official NPS website.