A Family Day in Philadelphia: Where to Take Kids

At a glance

• Where: Old City, Center City, Logan Square, Fairmount, Bella Vista, Penn's Landing and Fairmount Park, all inside Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
• Free picks: Liberty Bell Center, Independence Hall open house, Fairmount Water Works, Cherry Street Pier
• Best for toddlers: Please Touch Museum and the Philadelphia Zoo
• Best for ages 7 and up: Eastern State Penitentiary, Independence Seaport Museum, The Franklin Institute
• Hours and prices: Typically as listed below; check each official site before you go

The best things to do in Philadelphia with kids are Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell Center for history, The Franklin Institute and Please Touch Museum for hands-on play, and the Philadelphia Zoo for animals. Every place below is inside the city limits and was confirmed open on its own official site in November 2026.

This is a parent's plan, not a catalogue. We sorted the picks by age, flagged where parking gets awkward, and built one day that does not make anyone walk more than they have to.

How we chose

We started with the places families ask about most, then kept only the ones whose official sites showed them open, with an address inside Philadelphia. We dropped anything outside the city limits, including attractions across the river in New Jersey. Hours and prices change, so we give them as "typically" and only when the official page states them. Always check before you go.

Which pick suits which age?

Toddlers and preschoolers do best at Please Touch Museum and the Philadelphia Zoo, early elementary kids at The Franklin Institute and Independence Seaport Museum, and ages 7 and up at Eastern State Penitentiary, Independence Hall and Philadelphia's Magic Gardens.

• Under 5: Please Touch Museum, Philadelphia Zoo, Cherry Street Pier, Fairmount Water Works.
• Ages 5 to 9: The Franklin Institute, Independence Seaport Museum, Liberty Bell Center, Reading Terminal Market.
• Ages 7 and up: Eastern State Penitentiary, Independence Hall, Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia's Magic Gardens.

The 12 picks

1. Independence Hall (Old City)

Independence Hall, at 520 Chestnut Street in Old City, is where the National Park Service runs guided tours of the building where the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were signed. Tours are typically ticketed and leave every 20 minutes from 10:40 am to 4:40 pm, with a $1.00 per-ticket handling fee on recreation.gov.

The tip most families miss: the park typically runs a no-ticket open house from 9:00 to 10:30 am, so an early start skips the booking. All bags, and the space under strollers, are screened, so travel light. Best for ages 7 and up. Official page.

2. Liberty Bell Center (Old City)

The Liberty Bell Center, at 526 Market Street, is typically open daily 9 am to 5 pm, free, with no tickets and no timed entry. Everyone goes through security screening, which includes the space under strollers.

There are no restrooms inside the building. The nearest are at the Independence Visitor Center at 6th and Market, so send everyone before you queue. Kids tend to spend ten minutes here, which is the right amount. Official page.

3. Philadelphia Museum of Art (Fairmount)

The Philadelphia Museum of Art, at 2600 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, is typically open Monday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday 10 am to 5 pm and Friday 10 am to 8:45 pm. It is closed Tuesday and Wednesday, which catches visitors out.

With kids, pick one or two galleries rather than the whole building. We did not confirm family programs or admission on the pages we could reach, so check the official visit page for current prices and family offerings. Best for ages 7 and up.

4. Eastern State Penitentiary (Fairmount)

Eastern State Penitentiary, at 2027 Fairmount Avenue, is typically open daily 10 am to 5 pm. Online daytime admission is $21 for adults and $17 for ages 7 to 17, slightly more at the door, and the site says daytime admission is not recommended for children under 7.

It is a ruin, and the official page asks you to watch children closely because the building can be hazardous to unattended kids. Teens usually get the most from it. There is no on-site lot; free parallel parking is on the Eastern State side of 22nd Street and Brown Street, and there is a paid lot at 22nd and Fairmount. Official page.

5. Philadelphia's Magic Gardens (Bella Vista)

Philadelphia's Magic Gardens, at 1020 South Street, is a walk-through mosaic art space, open typically Wednesday to Monday 11 am to 6 pm and closed Tuesdays. Tickets are timed and often sell out, so book online. Admission is $8 for ages 6 to 12 and free for ages 5 and under, and children under 16 must be with an adult.

It is compact, so plan about an hour, then walk to the nearby South 9th Street Italian Market for a snack. See our Bella Vista guide. Official page.

6. The Franklin Institute (Logan Square)

The Franklin Institute, at 222 North 20th Street, is typically open daily 9:30 am to 5 pm and has three floors of hands-on science exhibits. It has an on-site parking garage at 271 N 21st Street.

This is the dependable rainy-day answer for ages 5 to 10. Arrive at opening, do the big exhibits first and leave before the crowds peak. Check the official site for ticket prices, which we did not confirm on the page itself.

7. Philadelphia Zoo (West Philadelphia)

The Philadelphia Zoo, at 3400 W. Girard Avenue, requires an advance online reservation for general admission, and children under 2 are free. Daytime hours shorten in late fall, so check the season. Parking is typically $22 per vehicle; SEPTA's G trolley and Route 38 bus also stop nearby.

Best for ages 2 to 8. We like the earliest slot, before the paths get crowded. Official page.

8. Please Touch Museum (Fairmount Park)

Please Touch Museum, at 4231 Avenue of the Republic in Memorial Hall, Fairmount Park, is typically open Wednesday to Saturday 9 am to 4:30 pm, with Sunday hours that vary by week. It is closed Monday and Tuesday. Admission is $24 for adults and children alike, and the museum lists programs for babies and toddlers.

Free parking is available on the street, or $20 in the gated lot. SEPTA Route 38 serves it. This is the strongest pick for under-fives, and it is in the park, not Center City, so pair it with a morning there and not with Old City. Official page.

9. Reading Terminal Market (Center City)

Reading Terminal Market, at 1136 Arch Street, is typically open daily 8 am to 6 pm. It is the easiest lunch stop with kids, because everyone can order something different from separate stalls. We could not confirm seating or stroller details from the site, so arrive before noon and have one adult claim a table while the other orders.

See more in our Center City guide and our food and dining listings. Official site.

10. Cherry Street Pier (Old City)

Cherry Street Pier, at 121 N. Columbus Blvd, is typically open daily noon to 8 pm and is free. It has a garden at the edge of the river, food and drink, and rotating markets.

The pier is a good late-afternoon stop for letting kids run. Parking is in Delaware River Waterfront lots at Market and Lombard Streets for a flat $20 a day, and the site recommends transit. Official site.

11. Independence Seaport Museum (Penn's Landing)

Independence Seaport Museum, at 211 S. Columbus Blvd, is typically open Thursday to Tuesday 10 am to 5 pm and closed Wednesdays. General admission is $23 for adults and $18 for ages 3 to 17.

The draw for kids is boarding the historic cruiser Olympia and taking the guided tour of the submarine Becuna. The submarine tour is for ages 3 and up and costs extra. Official site.

12. Fairmount Water Works Interpretive Center (Fairmount)

Fairmount Water Works Interpretive Center, at 640 Waterworks Drive, is typically open Wednesday to Saturday 10 am to 5 pm, with free general admission and donations welcome. Dew Drop-In hands-on activities run Saturdays 1 to 4 pm.

Parking is free for 2 hours along Water Works Drive, which makes it the cheapest stop on this list to combine with the Philadelphia Museum of Art. See our Fairmount guide. Official site.

What does a full family day look like?

The easiest full day starts in Old City, moves to Center City for lunch, and ends with a science museum, with all four stops linked by short rides.

1. 9:00 am, Independence Hall open house. Walk in with no ticket during the early window, or book a tour. See our Old City guide.
2. 10:30 am, Liberty Bell Center. Use the Independence Visitor Center restrooms first.
3. 12:00 pm, lunch at Reading Terminal Market. Beat the noon crowd.
4. 1:30 pm, The Franklin Institute. Park in its garage if you drove, or take transit.
5. 4:30 pm, leave. Kids fade around then, and rush hour gets heavy.

With under-fives, swap steps 1 to 2 for Please Touch Museum in the morning, then stop there.

Where should we park?

Park once and walk. Old City and Reading Terminal Market are walkable from each other, so a single garage works for the first half of the day. The Franklin Institute has its own garage, and the Zoo charges about $22 per vehicle. Eastern State has free street parking on 22nd and Brown Streets if you are patient. SEPTA is the better choice for the Zoo and for anything on the waterfront.

When should we leave?

Leave each place before the first meltdown. In our experience two major stops a day is plenty for most kids, and it is better to end on a high at Cherry Street Pier than to squeeze in a third museum.

Last verified: November 2026.

Frequently asked questions

What are the best things to do in Philadelphia with kids?

The most reliable choices are Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell Center for history, The Franklin Institute for hands-on science, Please Touch Museum for toddlers and the Philadelphia Zoo for animals. All are inside Philadelphia and were confirmed open on their official sites.

Is the Liberty Bell free for kids?

Yes. The Liberty Bell Center at 526 Market Street in Old City is free for everyone, with no tickets or timed entry. It is typically open daily 9 am to 5 pm, and there are no restrooms inside.

Is Eastern State Penitentiary suitable for young children?

Eastern State Penitentiary says daytime admission is not recommended for children under 7. It is a ruin that can be hazardous, so older kids and teens suit it best.

What is the best Philadelphia attraction for toddlers?

Please Touch Museum in Fairmount Park is built for young children and lists programs for babies and toddlers. The Philadelphia Zoo, which is free for children under 2, is the other strong choice.

Do you need tickets for Independence Hall?

Usually yes for guided tours, which are booked on recreation.gov with a $1.00 per-ticket handling fee. The National Park Service also typically runs a no-ticket open house from 9:00 to 10:30 am.