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The Liberty Bell Center
Part of the U.S. National Park Service and Independence National Historical Park, the Liberty Bell’s home on Independence Mall looms as powerful and dramatic as the Bell itself.
Throughout the expansive, light-filled center, larger-than-life historic documents and powerful images explore the facts and the myths surrounding the bell.
People from around the world snag a photo in front of the iconic American symbol and its dramatic backdrop: Independence Hall.
Best of all: The Liberty Bell Center is free to visit, with no advance tickets required.
The Liberty Bell shines as one of the world’s most recognizable symbols of freedom, offering continuous inspiration for believers in civil rights.
At the Liberty Bell Center, visitors get an up-close-and-personal experience, where they can enjoy a 360-degree view of the iconic relic.
The iconic Bell has loomed large in the country’s consciousness for centuries and inspired its fair share of lore.
While soaring glass walls offer dramatic views of the Liberty Bell (and nearby Independence Hall), several exhibits lead the way to the main attraction, laying helpful groundwork — and busting a few myths — in the process.
FALSE
Commissioned to celebrate the 50th anniversary of William Penn’s 1701 Charter of Privileges, the Bell was originally named the State House bell and hung in — you guessed it — the Pennsylvania State House, now known as … Independence Hall.
— Photo by D. Knoll for Visit Philadelphia
It wasn’t until the 1830s that abolitionists — supporters of anti-slavery efforts — adopted the Bell, with its inscription “Proclaim Liberty Throughout All the Land Unto All the Inhabitants thereof …,” as a symbol for their movement and began calling it “The Liberty Bell.”
Don’t Miss: A casting of the Bell’s famous inscription that you can touch and feel.
There’s actually no evidence that the Liberty Bell was rung during the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence.
The bell had chimed for practical reasons and special occasions, like to announce the coronation of King George III, but by 1776, Revolutionary-era Americans actually avoided ringing it for fear that the 2,000-pound relic would cause the decaying Pennsylvania State House steeple to cave in.
Don’t Miss: A visual reproduction of the detailed engraving, Congress Voting Independence, depicting Founding Fathers John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson and more inside Independence Hall during the Constitutional Convention.
SORTA …
The Liberty Bell likely incurred its first cracks during a test ring shortly after its 1750s arrival in Philadelphia, leading to it being melted down and recast.
However, after 90 years of heavy use, it sustained a major crack that took it out of commission for good during a President’s Day (aka George Washington’s birthday) celebration in 1846.
But that iconic, lightning-shaped fissure? It’s the result of an (um, unsuccessful) repair job meant to prevent a thinner crack from spreading.
Don’t Miss: X-ray images that give an insider’s view (literally) of the Bell’s crack and inner workings and memorabilia containing Bell fragments discarded during attempts to repair it.
TRUE, BUT …
It became the international symbol for liberty and civil rights that we know it to be during the 1830s as the abolitionist movement rose to prominence.
Since then, it’s continued to play a major role in every major American freedom movement — from women’s suffrage to Civil Rights to LGBTQ+ rights — and many around the globe.
Don’t Miss: Archival photos of the Bell with leaders and activists like Martin Luther King Jr. and Nelson Mandela.
While it’s true that the Patriots hid the Bell outside Philadelphia’s city limits during the Revolution, officials refused to remove the Liberty Bell from public view during World War II, recognizing its power for boosting national morale.
The Revolutionary War wasn’t the only time the Bell journeyed beyond Philly. The beloved artifact has gone on multiple nationwide tours, many of which are pictured on the walls of the Liberty Bell Center.
Don’t Miss: A photo of Chief Little Bear of the Blackfeet Tribe with the Bell taken during the 1915 Panama-Pacific Exposition in San Francisco.
Open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., the Liberty Bell Center is located in the heart of Independence National Historical Park — just a few steps away from the Independence Visitor’s Center and Independence Hall.
Visiting the Liberty Bell requires no tickets or fee, though be advised that lines can be long during peak tourist seasons. (Pro tip: If there’s rain in the forecast, bring an umbrella. Visitors wait outside in an uncovered area.)
Also important: Guests must pass through a security screening area to enter.
For more information on the Liberty Bell Center, click the button below.
A visit to the Liberty Bell Center is one of the 10 most essential things to do on your first visit to Greater Philadelphia. Make sure to leave time to do the other nine!
The Liberty Bell Center is also one of 26 sites that make up Independence National Historical Park. Get the lowdown on all 26 in our guide to Independence National Historical Park.
Independence Hall — Photo by D. Knoll for Visit Philadelphia
Lastly, Philly has history for days. Explore our guides to historic sites throughout the Greater Philadelphia region on our history landing page.
The only way to fully experience Philly? Stay over.
Book the Visit Philly Overnight Package and get free hotel parking and choose-your-own-adventure perks.
Or maybe you’d prefer to buy two Philly hotel nights and get a third night for free? Then book the new Visit Philly 3-Day Stay package.
Which will you choose?