Revolution · 1 block from Society Hill Hotel
Second Bank of the United States
The Second Bank of the United States, completed in 1824, is a monumental Greek Revival building modeled on the Parthenon. Today, the National Park Service uses the main banking hall as a portrait gallery of founders and early-Republic figures — including the only life portrait of George Washington from the 1790s. Two blocks from Society Hill Hotel, and free.
Walking distance
2 min on foot
1 block from 301 Chestnut
Address
420 Chestnut St, Philadelphia, PA 19106
Hours
Typically open Friday–Sunday, 11:00 AM–4:00 PM. Seasonal variation — verify at nps.gov/inde.
Admission
Free.
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.
One large, light-filled room hung with roughly 185 portraits — Washington, Franklin, Jefferson, Madison, and dozens of less-remembered founders, diplomats, and Native American leaders painted from life. The highlight is Charles Willson Peale's 1779 full-length portrait of Washington after the Battle of Princeton, commissioned by the Pennsylvania State Assembly. The room itself is architecturally striking: a perfect Parthenon-proportions rectangle with a coffered ceiling and enormous Ionic columns at both ends.
A short history.
The Second Bank was the country's central bank from 1816 to 1836, when President Andrew Jackson vetoed its re-charter in one of the defining political fights of 19th-century America. After losing federal status, the building served as a customs house until 1935. The National Park Service took it over in the 1970s and restored both the exterior (by architect William Strickland, 1824) and the interior for its current use as a portrait gallery.
Tips for visiting
- 01Free admission, no timed ticket.
- 02Open limited days — typically Friday through Sunday; check nps.gov/inde before walking over.
- 03Short visit: 30–45 minutes is plenty.
- 04The exterior is worth a look even when the interior is closed — the portico is photographed often and with reason.
While you’re in the neighborhood
Three more within a few blocks.
Staying in Old City?
Society Hill Hotel is 1 block from Second Bank of the United States.
Twelve rooms in an 1832 building at 301 Chestnut, in the heart of Old City. Walk everywhere you came to Philadelphia to see — Second Bank of the United States is a 2-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.