Revolution · 2 blocks from Society Hill Hotel
Independence Hall
Independence Hall is where the Declaration of Independence was adopted in 1776 and the U.S. Constitution was debated and signed in 1787. It is the single most historically significant room in American political history, and it sits two blocks from our front door.
Walking distance
4 min on foot
2 blocks from 301 Chestnut
Address
520 Chestnut St, Philadelphia, PA 19106
Hours
Open daily, typically 9:00 AM–5:00 PM, with reduced hours in winter. Check nps.gov/inde for the current schedule.
Admission
Free. Timed entry ticket required March–December; walk-in March–December with same-day ticket; often walk-in without ticket January–February.
Hours and admission change seasonally. For the authoritative schedule and any day-of closures, check the official site.
What to expect
What a visit actually looks like.
Entry to the Assembly Room is by free, timed ticket from the National Park Service — you can reserve online in advance or pick one up same-day at the Independence Visitor Center. A ranger walks each group through the hall: the chairs, the silver inkstand used to sign the Declaration, and George Washington's 'rising sun' chair. Tours last about 20 minutes. The surrounding Independence National Historical Park includes Congress Hall, Old City Hall, and the Liberty Bell Center, all within a block.
A short history.
Originally built between 1732 and 1753 as the Pennsylvania State House, the building hosted the Second Continental Congress from 1775. Here the thirteen colonies voted for independence on July 2, 1776, adopted the Declaration on July 4, and — eleven years later, in the same room — framed the Constitution during a Philadelphia summer hot enough that delegates kept the windows shut for secrecy. It was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979.
Tips for visiting
- 01Reserve timed tickets at recreation.gov in peak season — same-day tickets at the Visitor Center run out by mid-morning in summer.
- 02Arrive 15 minutes before your tour window for security screening.
- 03Pair with Congress Hall next door and the Liberty Bell across the street — all three are inside a single walkable block.
- 04Bags larger than 18"×14"×8" aren't allowed; leave them at the hotel.
While you’re in the neighborhood
Three more within a few blocks.
Staying in Old City?
Society Hill Hotel is 2 blocks from Independence Hall.
Twelve rooms in an 1832 building at 301 Chestnut, in the heart of Old City. Walk everywhere you came to Philadelphia to see — Independence Hall is a 4-minute walk from our front door. Mobile keycode check-in. No front desk. Piccolina, a contemporary Italian restaurant, on the ground floor.
- · Walk to Independence Hall in 4 min
- · Restaurant downstairs
- · Mobile check-in, no desk
- · 1832 building, fully restored
Reserve a room
Mobile keycode check-in. No front desk.