Is the Visit Worth It?

What the visit is

The Liberty Bell Center, at 526 Market Street, is one building with one object as its focus. Visitors pass a security screening, walk a hallway of self-guided exhibits that cover the bell’s history "through its use by abolitionists and civil rights advocates" (NPS), and reach the bell hanging from its yoke, with Independence Hall visible through the glass behind it. There is a video with open captions and audio description, and written information in "a dozen languages", per the NPS. Visitors leave at the south end, near Chestnut Street.

What it is not

• Not a large museum. The NPS lists 15 to 55 minutes inside.
• Not a ringing bell. It was last rung in February 1846 and is tapped 13 times each July 4, not rung.
• Not hands-on. Visitors cannot touch the bell; a casting of the inscription is there to touch instead.
• Not ticketed. Entry is free, first come, first served.

The NPS gives its weight as 2,080 pounds at order, and the wide mark most people know is the filed repair gap of 1846; the crack page explains it.

Who it suits

Visitors interested in American history, abolition or the civil rights movement will find the hallway exhibits follow those threads. The building is wheelchair accessible, according to the NPS, and there are assistive listening devices. Families should note that there are no restrooms inside; the nearest are at the Independence Visitor Center, 6th and Market Streets. Visitors short on time can see the bell through the windows on Chestnut Street at any hour, with no line.

The main cost is time in line. A local visitor guide reports waits of up to two hours from May to mid-June, when school groups visit, and suggests arriving before 9 am or after about 1 pm. The wait times page has more.

Fitting it with Independence Hall

Independence Hall, where the Declaration and the Constitution were signed, is across Chestnut Street. Its 9 to 10:30 am open house needs no ticket, and its guided tours from 10:40 am to 4 pm use a free timed ticket from recreation.gov, per the NPS. Together the two can fill a morning or an afternoon. The Independence Hall page sets out the hours.

With a guide on foot

For visitors who want the bell inside a wider walk, the History, Highlights & Revolution Walking Tour lists a 2.5-hour Old City route that includes the Liberty Bell as a photo stop, Independence Hall, Congress Hall, Carpenters’ Hall, Elfreth’s Alley and the Betsy Ross House. It enters the Museum of the American Revolution for a live demonstration, and its listing includes "discounted admission into the Museum of the American Revolution". It does not state entry into Independence Hall or the Liberty Bell Center. Kayla from the US mentioned learning new information; Michelle from the US called it fun and informative and a good start to the trip. Museum details are on amrevmuseum.org.

Frequently asked questions