City Hall Visitor Center
City Hall Visitor Center
4.5
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Monday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
About
Located in the true center of Philadelphia, the City Hall Visitor Center allows visitors to experience one of the City’s most iconic buildings. Our knowledgeable Visitor Services Representatives offer visitor essentials including maps, brochures, souvenirs and trip itineraries. Interior and Tower Tours of this architectural treasure are available.
Duration: 1-2 hours
Suggest edits to improve what we show.
Improve this listingTours & experiences
Explore different ways to experience this place.
What is Travelers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travelers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travelers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Plan your visit
The area
Address
Neighborhood: City Center West
How to get there
- City Hall (Philadelphia) • 1 min walk
- 15th St • 2 min walk
Reach out directly
Best nearby
Restaurants
3,037 within 3 miles
Attractions
701 within 6 miles
See what travelers are saying
- Steph SBristol, United Kingdom94 contributionsFantastic tourWe absolutely loved our city hall tour and visit up the tower. The views from the top are incredible and the statue of William Penn is so detailed it’s amazing to think all that detail is wasted as you can’t see any of that from the bottom. We really enjoyed the history brief given by our tour guide and thankfully there was only 6 of us on the tour which I felt meant we had extra time at the top to take in the views. Can highly recommend if you find yourself in Philadelphia.Visited September 2023Traveled with familyWritten October 9, 2023
- mrstraveller1York, United Kingdom2,196 contributionsExcellent TourThe tour - City Hall Interior/Exterior plus Tower was very interesting & the 90 minutes flew by. Our guide, Marie, was well informed & easy company. After passing the security check, the interior rooms open to you include the Mayors Reception Room, City Council Caucus Room & stunning library. An antiquated 4 man elevator whisks you to the tower for magnificent views & a closer up peek at the William Penn statue. Well worth the money.Visited December 2023Traveled soloWritten December 25, 2023
- sfarlandFlagstaff, Arizona163 contributionsBeautiful Architecture of City HallPhildelphia City Hall is so beautiful and I enjoyed the view from outside. We walked into the area of it but did not get to make it inside. It looks absolutely stunning. The architecture is so beautiful especially at night, when the weather has been heavy with rain.Visited March 2024Traveled as a coupleWritten March 25, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Contribute
Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
1,410 reviews
Excellent
765
Very good
512
Average
100
Poor
20
Terrible
13
CristinaAriadna
Teddington, UK212 contributions
Mar 2020 • Friends
We had a very limited time in Philadelphia so when we found out we can go up in the tower of the City Hall and get some great views of the city we decided to do it as it wouldn't take long and we'd get a feel of Philly. Got our tickets at the visitor centre and the staff were really nice and helpful. They do time slotted tickets so you can pick your time. We were lucky that it wasn't busy so we got tickets quite soon but that's not always the case. So it kught be worth going early. I think tickets were about 12 dollars so not too bad. The elevator in the tower is quite old and small so only 4 people can go up at one time. If you can't deal with small spaces the this might not be for you. It's also an open elevator so you see everything. The person manning the elevator talks a bit about the history of it and the hall so there's a bit of info to go with the views. One up there you've got 15 minutes. So make the most of it. The views are pretty good so make sure you have battery for the camera. I'd say it was worth it and would recommend.
Written May 11, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Roberto Ruiz
Mayaguez, Puerto Rico108 contributions
Jan 2020 • Couples
The building is impressive, the architecture is spectacular. The statue of William Penn on top of the dome with gargolas around. Nearby there is a church of the Freemasons that is also impressive and beautiful. There is also a small square where the letters of "LOVE" are and is perfect for taking pictures. The city hall is a 15 minute walk from Independence National Historic Park and on the way enjoy the Chinatown
Written January 31, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Connie C
Dallas, TX802 contributions
Aug 2023 • Couples
We weren’t sure what the tour encompassed however paid for the short tour and donated to the restoration fund. Our tour guide was very informative and genuine. We were taken through security and up to a higher floor and a waiting room. Four people of our group were invited into an elevator that we realized was going up in the tower. Six of us waited and looked at the description boards, honestly we were wondering what was next. When the four came down we were invited into the elevator for a very slow ride to the very top of the tower. We were pleasantly surprised to find ourselves in an observation tower! The views were phenomenal, with our guide explaining significant sites within the 360 degrees. We thought we got our money’s worth and enjoyed it.
Written August 29, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Prawet J
Washington DC, DC12,762 contributions
Sep 2020
When visiting Philadelphia, make sure that you schedule to visit the City Hall both inside (ticket through the Visitor Center) or just walk around the beautify building and take photos from different angle. I got to the Visitor Center just right before the door was closed so I spent time walking around admiring the statues and the building including the main plaza with a cafe and water fountain. This is not to be missed when in Philly, then a few blocks walking to enjoy the Reading historic in door market.
Written October 7, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Elize
Boston, MA15 contributions
Aug 2023 • Couples
This review is for the "City Hall Interior & Exterior with Tower Tour", which was a 90 min guided tour and 30 min to go up to see the views from the tower. As others have noted, the elevator up to the tower is TINY so there was a good amount of wait time to get the whole tour group up and down. The guided tour was comprehensive and interesting - the time flew by!
The tour guide was a former city planner who clearly had a passion for history, cities and Philly. I would recommend this tour to anyone who likes architecture or history, and has 2 hours to spare.
The tour guide was a former city planner who clearly had a passion for history, cities and Philly. I would recommend this tour to anyone who likes architecture or history, and has 2 hours to spare.
Written August 23, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
kihyland
Pasadena, TX526 contributions
Jul 2019
Our hotel was about 2 blocks from City Hall. The building is beautiful with various open tunnels to walk through below (you can cut through the building rather than walking around it). One night we were in town, they had a blow-up screen and lots of seating for children to watch a movie on.
Written January 1, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Robert S
Lawrence, KS2,659 contributions
Aug 2019
This is a huge building with an interesting history. We started our tour in the gift shop which has fun items and historic photos.
The tour covers a lot of info and space - you could get lost.
Our guide did a good job of giving us info and sharing anecdotes.
It is really the center of the city - you can walk right through it on the ground level - fascinating.
Don;t miss it.
The tour covers a lot of info and space - you could get lost.
Our guide did a good job of giving us info and sharing anecdotes.
It is really the center of the city - you can walk right through it on the ground level - fascinating.
Don;t miss it.
Written April 16, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Connie G
Knoxville, TN165 contributions
Apr 2022
The City Hall Visitor Center is an excellent place to get maps of the city and pick up souvenirs. Thank you for all the help you provided my husband and me.
It was here that we learned about the City Hall Tour offered daily at 12 o'clock.
How fortunate we were that we stopped there on Thursday because the City Hall Tour that day was lead by Howard Serlick. Everything Mr. Serlick brought to our attention about City Hall and the surrounding area was well worth hearing.
City Hall is a place you don't want to miss on your visit to Philadelphia. A most beautiful building and architectural marvel.
It was here that we learned about the City Hall Tour offered daily at 12 o'clock.
How fortunate we were that we stopped there on Thursday because the City Hall Tour that day was lead by Howard Serlick. Everything Mr. Serlick brought to our attention about City Hall and the surrounding area was well worth hearing.
City Hall is a place you don't want to miss on your visit to Philadelphia. A most beautiful building and architectural marvel.
Written May 3, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mariellen Edinburg
Claymont, DE245 contributions
Jun 2023 • Solo
I took the shorter tour to the observation deck. The process of signing up for the tour was easy and seamless. Our tour guide picked us up at the Visitors Center and took us through the hallways to the area with the small elevator that takes you up to the top of the tower. Only 5 (small) people could fit in the elevator so beware if you’re planning on taking a large group. It’s quite claustrophobic and takes some chutzpah as the elevator is old and sways a good bit. Once at the top, it is open air with windows to prevent you from falling etc. You get a panoramic view of the city and can look right up at the famous William Penn statue. All in all, a great experience and I was proud of myself for braving the elevator ride.
Written June 22, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Irit YE
Haifa, Israel65 contributions
Aug 2023 • Friends
We paid $40 ($30 for the tour & $10 donation not realizing there is a tour fee). We got a VERY fast tour to the top and down in a very small elevator . The view is nice from above but for free you should go to Comcast building (the new one) to floor 60 to the amazing restaurant and use your money to see the amazing view while you’re eating for at least $30 in its JG restaurant. Highly recommended.
Written August 3, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hallo,
Kann man kostenfrei auf die Aussichtsplattform und gibt es lange Wartezeiten?
GRUß
H.T.
Written June 26, 2018
Hi, @schmutaki. Philadelphia’s City Hall is both an architectural marvel, and a working seat of government. Citizens come to secure marriage licenses, probate
wills and register to vote. Visitors travel from around the world to explore this historic treasure. Anyone is welcome to take a guided 1 1/2 hour tour of both the building's exterior and interior; OR experience the open-air observation deck at the top of the City Hall Tower. The Tower Tour is only 15 minutes in duration, and not narrated, but there is a City official accompanying attendees and operating the elevator up.
Written January 16, 2018
Is city hall open on Veteran's Day, Nov. 11, 2016?
Written October 25, 2016
I even called them to confirm - no tours are scheduled for that day.
Written October 25, 2016
Sí señor. Es gratis. Es la parte central de la ciudad y por tanto puedes tomar paseos por todo el sector sin pagar nada.
Written July 23, 2016
Liz M
Berwyn, Pennsylvania
is city hall open on Monday, Feb 15 Presidents day?
Written February 13, 2016
It won't be open in observance of Presidents' Day
Written February 14, 2016
Showing results 1-6 of 6
*Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.
Is this your Tripadvisor listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim your listing