Revolutionary Philadelphia: 1775

250 years ago, Philadelphia was on the road to Revolution.

Visit the Museum on Nov. 1-2 to experience a living history event that will immerse you in the fall of 1775. Enjoy walking tours, dramatic vignettes, and hands-on activities as you meet the diverse residents of British Philadelphia. Consider whether you would enlist in the 1st Pennsylvania Battalion, about to embark on an invasion of Canada. Haggle over goods at market, then visit artisans demonstrating their crafts. Listen in as neighbors debate their political ideas — and maybe join in! Throughout the weekend, imagine a time when people still believed that they were fighting for their rights as British subjects and the Revolutionary War had just begun.

Add-On Programs and Tours

Revolutionary Philadelphia Walking Tour
$20 without Museum admission
What did the Philadelphians experience in 1775, as they marched on the road to Revolution? This hour-long walking tour will depart from the Museum and include stops at nearby historic sites to meet costumed interpreters and complete a "challenge" to aid the Revolutionary cause. Guests should plan on an outdoor tour of approximately one mile.

Walking Tour with Arch Street Meeting House
Old City neighborhood | Nov. 1 and 2, 10:30 a.m.
$26 without Museum admission
In 1775, Philadelphia was a bustling city along the of the bank of the Delaware River. Made up of artisans and tradespeople of different faiths, its citizens were British subjects who felt the new war’s effects in many ways. This walking tour will highlight the Quaker perspective and include a stop at the Arch Street Meeting House, showcasing how Quakers' impact on the city and society around them was shaped by their religious beliefs.

History Explorers Meet Up
Old City neighborhood | Nov. 1, 11:30 a.m.
$36 for adults, $25 for children without Museum admission
A shipment of Continental dollars, meant to be spent buying goods for the newly forming army, has gone missing from the Philadelphia seaport. Join other History Explorers who have been tasked with disguising themselves as young workers in search of an apprenticeship, hunting down the chest of money, and seeing it safely delivered to its mysterious recipient. 

Member Teatime at Revolutionary Philadelphia: 1775
Liberty Hall | Nov. 2, 1-2 p.m.
Free for Museum Members
Members are invited to stop by the Museum’s third-floor Liberty Hall for a spot of tea during Revolutionary Philadelphia: 1775. While enjoying light refreshments, Members and History Explorers of all ages will have the opportunity to hear stories from costumed living history interpreters, including some familiar faces, about what life was like in Philadelphia on the eve of revolution.