Independence National Historical Park, Benjamin Franklin National Memorial

Things To Do Near Independence National Historical Park, Benjamin Franklin National Memorial

At the national historical park and the Benjamin Franklin National Memorial area, you can explore the Science Museum, which has many hands-on activities designed for the whole family. View the stainless-steel airplane in front of the museum. Watch a show in the theater with its four-and-a-half-story-tall IMAX screen. Listen to prominent speakers give live presentations, and see the statue and many artifacts from Benjamin Franklin’s life. 

Hiking Trails

• Boxer’s Trail

  Boxer’s Trail starts at the Sedgley Woods Disc Golf Range. It runs past Woodford Mansion, built in 1756, Mount Pleasant Mansion built in 1765, Ormiston Mansion built in 1798, and Rockland Mansion built in 1810. This trail also offers stunning views of East Park Reservoir, which is a wildlife management area. 

  Location

  Sedgley Woods Disc Golf Range, East Fairmont Park, 2839 W. Glenwood Ave., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19121

  Length

  3.8 miles

  Intensity

  Easy

• Green Ribbon Hike

  Park at the Upper Gwynedd Township Administration Building to start this trail running across Parkside Place, Penllyn Woods, Four Mills Nature Reserve, and Fort Washington State Park, ending near Wissahickon Valley Park. There are several streams to cross on cement stepping stones. This is a beautiful hike over gently rolling hills.

  Location

  1 Parkside Place, North Wales, Pennsylvania 19454

  Length

  12 miles

  Intensity

  Moderate

• Saunders Wood Preserve Trail

  The Saunders Wood Preserve trail runs across gently rolling hills near an unnamed tributary of the Schuylkill River. This preserve is an excellent place to go birdwatching. There is a 19th-century farm to explore along this trail. It is an especially great place to hike when the wildflowers are blooming. 

  Location

  Natural Lands' Saunders Woods Preserve, 1020 Waverly Road, Gladwyne, Pennsylvania 19035 

  Length

  1.5 miles

  Intensity

  Easy

Sightseeing

• Hawk Mountain Sanctuary

  The Hawk Mountain Sanctuary is one of the oldest sanctuaries created to protect birds of prey. It is a fantastic place to go birdwatching because it is along the Atlantic Flyway. Expect to see the largest number of birds from late August through early November. 

  Location

  1700 Hawk Mountain Road, Kempton, Pennsylvania 19529

• Peace Valley Park

  Over 250 species of birds have been spotted at Peace Valley Park. Rent a boat, and play on Lake Galena. This is a fantastic place to go hiking and to see deer from trails northeast of the lake. 

  Location

  230 Creek Road, Doylestown, Pennsylvania 18901

• John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum

  Start your visit to John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum by viewing the nature center where you can see large displays of taxidermied local wildlife. This refuge was the first urban wildlife refuge created in the U.S., and nature-themed family-friendly programming occurs at this location throughout the year. 

  Location

  8601 Lindbergh Blvd., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19153

Museums

• Fairmont Museum

  The Fairmont Museum was the first museum in the U.S. to use paddlewheels to move water. The Classical Revival-style exterior of the waterworks building quickly became a tourist destination after its construction in 1812. Visit this museum to learn how water was treated after a smallpox epidemic threatened the city and to see this beautiful structure on the Schuylkill River. 

  Location

  640 Waterworks Dr., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19130

• Independence Seaport Museum

  Learn more about Philadelphia’s importance as a seaport by visiting the Independence Seaport Museum. Take a tour of the submarine USS Becuna and the Navy cruiser USS Olympia. See historical wooden boats being restored, or become an apprentice and work on your ship project. 

  Location

  211 S. Columbus Blvd., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19106

• Mummers Museum

  Learn about Philadelphia’s unique New Year’s celebration of hosting a parade. Explore the different categories, and hear stringed instruments played like they were played during the original parade. You can also see some of the colorful costumes from the past. 

  Location

  1100 S. 2nd St., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19147

Nearby Shops and Restaurants

• Humphrys Flags

  Humphrys Flags has been selling flags of all sizes for more than 150 years. This shop offers all types of flags in various sizes, including state, U.S., and organization flags. It will also make custom-designed flags for you. 

  Location

  238 Arch St., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 10106

• Shane Confectionary

  Located in the building that contained America's oldest candy shop, get store-made buttercream eggs, almond toffee crunch, and other candies at Shane Confectionery. This location also offers drinking chocolate. 

  Location

  110 Market St., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19106

• Vedge

  Find outstanding vegan and vegetarian options at the Vedge, where fresh vegetable entrees are served with unique twists. You will adore the brownstone setting of this restaurant, where you can dine on the sidewalk or in the spacious dining room. It also serves a great selection of natural wines. 

  Location

  122 Locust St., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19107

• Fudena

  Try the West African creations at Fudena. Start by choosing your rice, and then select between curried goat, tilapia, chicken wings, or shrimp. Mix in your level of heat by choosing hot or mild tomato sauce. 

  Location

  2025 Washington Ave., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19146

How To Get To Independence National Historical Park, Benjamin Franklin National Memorial

The Benjamin Franklin National Memorial is inside the Franklin Institute, which is part of Independence National Historical Park. It is straightforward to get to the Franklin Institute from the Fairmont Museum. Head west on Fairmont Avenue. Turn left on North 21st Street. 

Address

The Franklin Institute, 222 N 20th St, Philadelphia, PA 19103

Fee: Entry fee (ages 11+) $23.0

Special exhibits often have additional fees.

Fee: Entry fee (ages 3-10) $19.0

Special exhibits often have additional fees.

Fee: Entry fee (children under 3 years old)

Special exhibits often have additional fees.

See the Ben Franklin Memorial inside the Franklin Institute, and explore some artifacts from his experiments. The institute is a fun place to try your science experiments, watch a theater performance, and see special exhibits. After exploring the museum, including the gallery where the memorial is housed, head out to explore the rest of Independence National Historical Park as well as the rest of the city. There are fantastic hiking trails in the Greater Philadelphia area to explore. Bring your RV so that you can quickly move between the sites that interest you the most.