Revolutionary Philadelphia: 1776 Daily Schedule

Visit the Museum Oct. 17-18 to experience a living history event that will immerse you in the fall of 1776. Enjoy walking tours, dramatic vignettes, and hands-on activities as you meet the diverse residents of Philadelphia, the headquarters of the Revolution.

Use the daily schedule below to navigate the free activities, ticketed walking tours, Museum programs, and more during Revolutionary Philadelphia: 1776.

All events are free, unless otherwise noted.

Museum Plaza

Find Out The Latest News!
October 17 | 10 a.m., 1 p.m., and 3 p.m.
October 18 | 10 a.m., 11:30 a.m., and 2:30 p.m.
Come for a public reading and hear more about the latest happenings and concerns in the city in the fall of 1776!

Join the Salon
October 17–18 | 11 a.m.
Listen to and learn more about 18th-century poetry and women's literature.

Meet Elizabeth Drinker
October 17–18 | 11:30 a.m.
Learn more about how Quakers were affected in the city.  

Meet the Engraver
October 17–18 | 1 p.m.
Learn more about the process of engraving. 

Meet the Shoemaker
October 17–18| 2 p.m.
Learn more about 18th-century footwear.

Greenspace at First Bank

Fall In! Join the Ranks!
October 17 | 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.
October 18 | 1:30 p.m.
Muster up and see if you have what it takes to support Washington's army by joining the German Regiment.

Carpenters' Hall

Meet a Carpenter
October 17–18 | 10:30 a.m.
Try your hand at 18th-century woodworking.

“Free and Independent”: A Reading of the 1776 Pennsylvania Bill of Rights
October 17 | 12 p.m.
Delegates from Philadelphia and from Pennsylvania’s 10 colonial counties met in Carpenters’ Hall in June 1776 to declare independence from Great Britain and authorize the writing of the new state’s first constitution. Adopted that September, the 1776 Pennsylvania constitution was radically democratic for its day. It included a Bill of Rights 15 years before similar rights were acknowledged in the U.S. Constitution. Stop by Carpenters’ Hall for a free public reading of the 1776 Pennsylvania Bill of Rights, read by three Pennsylvania judges: Hon. Wendi D. Barish, Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas; Hon. Paula Patrick, Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas; and Hon. Jordan Yeager, Bucks County Court of Common Pleas. Temple University legal historian Julie Randolph will set the stage. Register for free.

Meet White Eyes
October 17–18 | 12:30 p.m.
Explore the story of the Lenape Chief Sachem's meeting with the Continental Congress.

Meet Dr. and Mrs. Elizabeth Weed 
October 17 | 1:30 p.m.
October 18 | 12 p.m.
Visit the apothecary and find out what ails the sick soldiers.

Inside the Museum

Book Signing with Tom Hand
October 17 | 1–3 p.m.
Free with Museum admission
Author Tom Hand will conduct a book signing in the Museum's Rotunda that is included with Museum admission. His books An American Triumph and America Victorious will be available for purchase in the Museum Shop.

Member Teatime at Revolutionary Philadelphia: 1776 (Member Exclusive)
October 18 | 1 p.m.
Members are invited to stop by the Museum’s third-floor Liberty Hall for a spot of tea during Revolutionary Philadelphia: 1776. 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 in the fall of 1776. Register for free.

Halloween Costume Contest
October 18 | 1–3 p.m.
Free with Museum admission
The Museum will participate in Halloween in the Historic District and provide a special Halloween costume contest for children ages 16 and under. Participants should sign up at the Museum’s front desk and at 3 p.m., superlatives and prizes will be given out in our family-friendly Revolution Place discovery center for lucky winners.