The 23 best free things to do in Philadelphia

Visit one of Philadelphia’s five original squares, each with its own identity and history, and a part of William Penn’s master city plan in the 17th century. Swanky Rittenhouse Square Park is a short stroll away from high-end shopping and some of the city’s best al fresco dining. Just north of Old City, Franklin Square is fully outfitted with a carousel, fountain, playground and mini-golf course. Tree-lined Washington Square contains an eternal flame in honor of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier of the American Revolution. Logan Square sits on the grand Benjamin Franklin Parkway that connects City Hall to the Art Museum and includes the Swann Memorial Fountain sculpture as a picturesque centerpiece. Centre Square, the only that Penn did not intend as a park, has been the site of City Hall, itself an architectural marvel, for more than 100 years. 

There is plenty of history to see free of charge in Philadelphia. To visit the Liberty Bell, all you have to do is walk through a security check, and then you’re in. Similarly, Independence Hall is open to the public, though timed tickets must be purchased in advance between March and December. During summer months, you can roving storytellers who wax historic all around Old City at the Once Upon a Nation Storytelling Benches.

America’s oldest living botanical garden is a nearly 50-acre landmark that offers visitors the opportunity to browse a selection of native plants, pore through the archives in the library, or take a luxurious walk through the eight-acre garden. Admission to the grounds is always free of charge, and the garden is open from sunrise to sunset each day.

People have lived on Elfreth’s Alley for more than 300 years, making it one of the oldest continuously inhabited residential streets in the United States. Most of the charming homes, primarily built between 1720 and 1836, remain private residences to this day. You can see them up close and personal: the alley is a public road that is free for a stroll anytime, though please be respectful to the residents. An audio tour can be downloaded for a nominal fee, and if you want to explore further, there is a museum on the block with a $3 entry.

The Barnes Foundation features the immense art collection of Albert C. Barnes, who managed to amass one of the leading collections of works by impressionist and modernist masters such as Vincent Van Gogh, Paul Cézanne, Pierre-August Renoir, Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse and Henri Rousseau. Founded in 1922, the Barnes Foundation’s mission is to make art more accessible, so they open up the museum free of charge on the first Sunday of each month, though registration is required. Take advantage of the free day to get up close and personal with these masters.

Inside this nearly 100-year-old building, find a stunning collection of over 240,000 pieces of original art, ranging from sculpture and paintings to collections of historic furniture and armory. There’s lots to do with kids here, too, including the Art Kids Studio on weekends in the South Vaulted Hallway, where kids can sketch from the masterpieces. Although the museum does charge admission, you can snag pay-what-you-wish prices on the first Sunday (10am–5pm) of the month.

On most Monday, Wednesday and Friday evenings throughout the year, faculty and students of the prestigious Curtis Institute of Music hold free concerts in its 250-seat Field Hall. The Recital Series—which amounts to around 100 performances each year—not only offers students ample opportunity to perform for the public as part of their education but also gives music lovers an opportunity to listen to a vast array of talented, up-and-coming musicians without buying expensive concert tickets. Choose from a selection of family shows, opera, orchestra and more.

More than 80 vendors in individual stalls offer goods ranging from artisan cheeses to Amish shoo-fly pies in this more than 125-year-old indoor market housed on the bottom floor of what was once the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad Company. While you’re there, grab a cone of Bassett’s famous ice cream, the oldest ice cream vendor in the country.

It’s gorgeous any time of day, but to get the full effect, visit this charming row of 19th-century boathouses along the Schuylkill River once the sun has set. Located just west of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, this group of boathouses are meticulously lined with 6,400 perfectly glittering LED lights, which can produce 16 million potential color combinations to reflect off the water at night. Bring your camera to capture this iconic Philly view.

A small museum with a big resumé on the University of Pennsylvania’s campus, the Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA) has been mounting exhibitions of major contemporary artists since its opening in 1963. Determined to present what was “new and happening,” it brought Andy Warhol to Penn’s campus for his first-ever solo museum show in 1965. Since then, the ICA has presented artists such as Robert Mapplethorpe, Laurie Anderson, Glenn Ligon, Agnes Martin, Damian Ortega, Pepon Osorio and Lisa Yuskavage. ICA doesn't cost a dime to tour, so stop in and get your gratis culture fix.

Mural Arts Philadelphia has managed the creation of more than 4,000 gorgeous murals around the city. In 1984, in an effort to clean up Philadelphia and remove unwanted drawings from buildings, artist Jane Golden commissioned local graffiti artists to create public art. Since then, murals have been popping up everywhere, brightening city blocks and bringing more attention to otherwise overlooked neighborhoods. Take one of two self-guided walking tours—Mural Mile North and Mural Mile South—to learn about the history of this groundbreaking project. The former goes north of Market Street, winding through Old City before dipping into Chinatown and finishing at City Hall. The Mural Mile South tour takes guests south of Market Street, concentrating mainly along the revitalized 13th Street corridor.

Ensemble Arts Philly, formerly known as the Kimmel Cultural Campus, offers a wide array of free concerts and events throughout the year in Commonwealth Plaza. Bring the kids to one of their hands-on demonstrations, or bring the whole family to any of a number of classes, festivals, or showcases. Click “Free Events” on the Ensemble Arts website to see the current offerings.

This contemporary art museum is one of the city’s most innovative and interesting—and it’s always free. The exhibits here tend to be experimental and defy genre, bringing together artists from diverse backgrounds to create works that include fabric, video, sculpture, ceramics, and architecture. A rotating cast of exhibitions keeps the museum feeling fresh and current. Advanced registration is encouraged but not required, and there is a suggested donation of $5.

From 5 to 9pm on the first Friday of each month, Philadelphian art lovers take to the streets of Old City to browse the neighborhood’s numerous galleries, which stay open late to debut their latest exhibitions. Cafés and restaurants also get in on the fun, serving up food and drinks, and neighborhood boutiques put on sales for those looking to do some late-night shopping. The streets come alive with the sounds of live music, and local artisans set up makeshift booths to sell wares on the sidewalks. It’s a quintessential Philadelphia experience—and one of the best free things to do in Philadelphia, especially since it’s rejuvenation in 2024.

Join the warm-weather party (Memorial Day through September) at Spruce Street Harbor Park along the Delaware River. Free features and activities include a regular lineup of live musical performances, bocce, ping pong and shuffleboard courts. A host of local food and drink vendors surround a barge and floating garden. Or you could just snag one of the highly coveted hammocks and watch the whole scene unfold.

Located at the midpoint of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway and in front of the stunning Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul, this park celebrates Philadelphia’s 10 "sister cities" across the world. Let the kids run wild in the Children’s Discovery Garden, which mimics elements of nearby Wissahickon Park with a trickling stream and scalable rocks. They can also splash around in the Sister Cities fountain or sail miniature sailboats on the nearby boat pond. Art lovers will notice Robert Indiana’s AMOR sculpture, which was presented to the city to commemorate Pope Francis’s historic visit here in 2015. To round out the day, grab a bite to eat at Sisters City Cafe.

Just outside of Old City, this restored firehouse offers close-up looks at antique firetrucks as well as artifacts rescued from some well-known fire events. Upstairs, look through old ship registers and get up close with some of the many antique fire extinguishers on display. This is a free self-guided tour not to miss—especially if you have little ones in tow.

This former U.S. Naval Base that sits between the convergence of the Delaware and Schuylkill Rivers is equally attractive to runners and bikers as it is to those who just admire a good view. There are 20 acres of parks, a walking trail along the river, and frequent pop-up public art installations. The Marine Parade Grounds are a spectacular spot for a picnic, surrounded by buildings that date back more than 100 years. The original dry dock No. 1, built in 1891, is flooded by the tides and surrounded by grass and dandelions to create a natural park. It’s just a short walk away from the hulking bow of the decommissioned USS John F. Kennedy aircraft carrier. For a full tour, don’t miss the interactive Things to See & Do Map.

Yards Brewing Company, affectionately known as “Philly’s Hometown Brewery,” has offered year-round small-batch brews since 1994. During select hours each week, free tours are offered to guests 21 years or older. Check the website before you go to see what’s on tap.

If you want to go all the way into the cemetery where this historical Philadelphian is buried at Christ Church Burial Ground, you will need to pay admission ($5). However, it’s free to stop and pay your respects from just outside. The corner location of Benjamin Franklin’s grave—located near 5th and Arch streets—makes it easy to see through the wrought iron gate as you’re passing by.

Philadelphia’s mint does not print paper money, but it does stamp coins by the tens of millions per day. The free self-guided tour explains what the process entails from start to finish as well as how the process of making money has changed from the very early days of the nation. Along the way, kids will get to design their own virtual coins, try to lift a sack of nickels and see what happens to all the money that falls off the conveyor belts.