Museum of the American Revolution – Philadelphia, PA

While in Philadelphia we wanted to see as many historical sites we could see as well as exploring the city. We started our second day of our 48 hours in Philadelphia as the Museum of the American Revolution. Dedicated to telling the story of the American Revolution, the museum  was opened to the public on April 19, 2017, the 242nd anniversary of the Battles of Lexington and Concord. Permanent and special exhibition galleries, theaters and large-scale tableaux portray the individuals and events and engage people in the history and continuing relevance of the American Revolution.

One of the first things I noticed when I walked in the Museum of the American Revolution was the Rotunda and the Oneida Indian Nation Atrium. Located on the second floor of the building, it features three massive paintings depicting major events of the Revolutionary War: Siege of Yorktown (1781), The Foraging Party, and Washington Crossing the Delaware.  While the last two were quite intriguing, the one that stood out to me was the first one, Siege of Yorktown. In the painting it shows Washington and Rochambeau giving orders at Yorktown, Virginia and is displayed at the top of the Museum’s Grand staircase. I love staircases, thus I think that was part of what caught my eye, lol. It was definitely quite impressive. We checked in at the front desk and got our tickets which included a second admission the next day!

The nice lady at the desk gave us a museum map and suggested we start or tour of the Museum of the American Revolution in the Lanfest Theater to watch a 15 minute film with an orientation of the history of the museum as well as preparing us to visit what they call the Core exhibition. After the short and informative film, we made our way upstairs to check out the three paintings more closely. They were even more impressive up close. Eventually we made our way into the Core exhibition section which includes 4 main exhibits with many smaller exhibits or galleries in each section. The main sections are: Becoming Revolutionaries, The Darkest Hour, A Revolutionary War, and A New Nation.

Here is a little bit about each exhibit per their website:

Becoming Revolutionaries (1760-1775)

The rumblings of the American Revolution began more than a decade before the “shot heard ‘round the world” ignited America’s War for Independence. Discover through seven galleries how the American Colonists–most of them content and even proud British subjects–became Revolutionaries as the roots of rebellion took hold. See how conflict over Native American lands and western settlement created the first rumblings of American discontent.

The Darkest Hour (1776-1778)

As the fragmented colonies entered an uncertain war, wrestle alongside the colonists with the ideals of liberty and independence versus the realities of fighting a war against the most powerful and professional military in Europe. Experience America during the darkest hours of the Revolutionary War.

A Revolutionary War (1778-1783)

Explore the final years of the War for Independence from the multiplicity of perspectives of the people who lived through it. Could enslaved people find liberty, either in the American or British Armies? Could Native Americans be part of the new American republic? Did Loyalists have any rights in the Revolutionary states? Explore how Revolutionary Americans struggled with these — and other — weighty questions, even as their prospects of victory brightened.

A New Nation (1783- present)

With the hard-fought establishment of the United States of America, the Revolutionaries succeeded in gaining independence. But then came the immense task of creating a nation founded on the principles of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. As you conclude your journey, watch as the new nation — born of the War for Independence — begins its own.

While there we many exhibits, I wanted to share a few of my favorites. These are in no particular order:

The Destruction of the Tea exhibit – Bostonians threw a bunch of cheap tea into the harbor.  Thanks to the 1773 Tea Act, the British East India Company’s imported tea was even less expensive than smuggled tea. The British government tried to boost the struggling India Company with an exclusive right to import tea directly to American from London, rather than through middleman. But Americans interpreted the Tea Act and creating an unfair monopoly, and as clever persuasion to accept a small tax never repealed from the Townshend duties. One the night of December 16, 1773 Sons of Liberty dressed as Indians boarded a tea ship in Boston Harbor. They broke open the chests and dumped the contents into the water. When news reached Britain, Parliament’s patience ran out.

Arms of Independence – Gene really enjoyed this exhibit, and I have to say it was quite extraordinary. The weapons in this display represent a cross section of those carried by American soldiers in the American Revolution. In it we saw a mixture of muskets and other equipment used between 1775 and 1776. The pieces displayed came for a variety of sources: some were locally made, some were left over from colonial wars, and some we captured. The weapons on the right side of the display show the dominant types used later in the war. In 1977, the French government began shipping tens of thousands of arms to the United States. These standardized weapons helped American forces achieve victory in the Revolutionary War.

Another interesting exhibit was the Battle of Trenton display. On Christmas night in 1776, General George Washington led the Continental Army across the Delaware River to attack the Hessian (German) troops stationed in Trenton, New Jersey. During the frigid night, Washington ended up dividing his army into two columns to attack the town and surround the enemies. The American troops won the battle and captured about 900 Hessians. The Continental Army followed their victory at Trenton by winning two more battles within ten days. These victories inspired more support for the Revolutionary Americans.

There were so many interesting exhibits, but the one that was the most alluring was the one called Witness to Revolution: The Unlikely Travels of Washington’s Tent.  It is a special exhibit which shares the story of individuals from all walks of life who saved Washington’s tent from being lost over the generations and who ultimately fashioned this relic into a symbol of the fragile American republic. It was such an amazing piece of history to be able to see and experience. So hard to believe it is over 225 years old.

The museum was incredible, and I learned so much more about the Revolution then I ever did in school. I think being able to see the exhibits and walk through the history really brought it to life for me. As I have said in previous historical posts, I never was a huge history fan, but being able to see it, touch it, etc has made it enjoyable and has made me more inquisitive. Please share with me if you have been to the museum, and what you enjoyed the most. Happy travels.

Museum of the American Revolution Visitor Information

Address:

101 South Third StreetPhiladelphia, PA 19106

Phone:

215-253-6731

Hours:

Daily 10 AM – 5 PM

Price:

Family Four-Pack (Online purchase only)	$57
Any Day (No need to pick a specific date or time!)	$25
Adults (In-person, walk-up purchase)	$24
Adults (Online purchase only)	$22
Seniors (65 & up)	$19
Students, Teachers, & Military	$19
Youth (6-17)	$13
Members	FREE
Children (5 & under)	FREE
ACCESS Cardholders & SNAP Recipients (Walk-up only)	FREE

Tour Info:

The Museum of the American Revolution do offer different types of tours throughtout the museum as well as outside walking tours. Click here for a list of their current tours and pricing.

Parking:

The Museum does not have any automobile parking facilities. Please refer to Directions & Parking for a list of nearby parking lots or visit the City of Philadelphia’s website for information on accessible parking.

Directions:

As there is no parking available near the museum, taking public transportation is the best option. Here is some information below.

By SEPTA Bus
SEPTA buses stopping near the Museum include routes 5, 9, 17, 21, 33, 38, 42, 44, 48, 57, and 121.

By SEPTA Regional Rail
All SEPTA Regional Rail Lines serve Jefferson Station at 10th and Market Streets, which is a few blocks’ walk or a quick ride on the bus or subway.

By SEPTA Market-Frankford Line (Subway)
SEPTA Market-Frankford Line has stations at both 2nd and 5th Streets on Market, just around the corner.

In addition to SEPTA service, Philadelphia PHLASH and other visitor trolleys also make stops within easy reach of the Museum as they navigate through Old City.

Accessibility:

The Museum of the American Revolution is committed to making its facilities, exhibits, and programs accessible for all audiences in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).  Manual wheelchairs are available free of charge at the Reception Desk for use within the Museum on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Guests are welcome to request accommodations at least two weeks ahead of their planned visit by completing our Accessibilty Accommodation Request form. Please contact Guest Services at 267.579.3596 Voice/TTY or info@amrevmuseum.org in advance of your visit for any additional assistance you may need.