Carpenters' Hall

Carpenters’ Hall is a small but very significant building in United States history. The building hosted the original Continental Congress of the United States. Entry into the building is free and guests are able to explore the first floor. There is a scale model of the building along with a LEGO model inside. The outside area has structures showing the former buildings that surrounded it.

Carpenters' Hall is a small but important historic site in the heart of Old City, Philadelphia. This is where the First Continental Congress met in 1774, making it a key piece of early American history. The building itself is quaint and well-maintained, and while the space is small, it’s packed with interesting information and exhibits about its role in the founding of the country. (LOL things I learned while touring the hall) The surrounding garden is peaceful and beautifully kept — a great spot to take a breather while exploring the area. Inside, they sell some charming little souvenirs like president rubber ducks, which are perfect for kids. It’s completely free to enter, but there’s a donation box in the center — definitely consider dropping something in to help keep this gem open. A quick, meaningful stop that’s well worth your time.

This is a free building to walk in and get a little history. They do have a guide there as well who walks around and explains the history of Philadelphia. It’s a pretty quick stop you could do it in about 15-30min depending on how much you like to read. They also have some models and artifacts you can look at. It’s a short walk from the liberty bell.

How cozy and wonderful it was to take a walk here in the pre-sunset twilight. I had planned to take photos during the daytime, but by the time we reached this historic building, it was already starting to get dark. However, when the building’s lighting and street lamps turned on, it became clear that we were in the right place at the right time. The photos were taken on October 31, 2024, as part of Wiki Loves Monuments 2024 in the United States.

Nice small historical spot to visit in the larger complex of buildings. They have informative placards and even actor re-enactments throughout the day. Free to visit and worth a stop.

Don't miss this stop at Independence Historical Park. The building hosted the 1st Continental Congress. Since 1770, the Hall has been continuously owned and operated by The Carpenters' Company of the City and County of Philadelphia, which is the oldest craft guild in America. Nice exhibit showing how the building was built. There's also a small gift shop inside where you can purchase water. On the day we went, there was a volunteer docent who was a wealth of information on the building, history, and things to do in Pennsylvannia.

We almost passed by without going inside but curiosity drew us in. Although this is a small museum, its history was pivotal in the role of the development of our government. This is where leaders met to write the articles of confederation. It is very well preserved and the posted explanations contribute a lot of information to understand what happened before the United States Constitution was written

Carpenter's Hall an instrumental hall in the nation's formation. The history surrounding this particular building is richer than it's service to the First Continental Congress. Needless to say it is a worth visit. The staff and volunteers were great. Despite the touristy setup it is still very possible to appreciate the surroundings of historic events. If you are considering a visit to this building... Stop considering and add it to your itinerary. You won't be disappointed. If you are disappointed, I'm sorry, don't be such a grouch.

Carpenter's Hall was built in 1770 by a group of Philadelphia carpenters in the Georgian architectural style and is one of the oldest buildings in Philadelphia. In 1774 it became the meeting place for the First Continental Congress where representatives from twelve of the thirteen colonies gathered to share their grievances to Britain's Intolerable Acts. We were lucky to arrive 5 minutes before an enactment of a meeting of the Continental Congress. You gotta love living history! Best of all this was all FREE!

We booked a tour through AirBnB, so this review is a tad different than what you may normally experience here. I highly recommend that tour, though, as you are able to access the upstairs library! If you love history, architecture, carpentry, masonry or the idea of walking through buildings about 250 years old for fun, this is the place for you. It's quiet and the docents are full of niche knowledge about the place, each with unique stories of their own to add to a long legacy of characters passing through the bank/meeting house/auction house/arson target that is Carpenter's Hall. They tolerated my strange questions and gave us scotch at the end. 5/5 stars, would peruse again!

How amazing is it that you can stand in such a historic building? This building has hosted so many historical figures and events, that it is no wonder that it is listed as a National Historic Landmark (which it has held that title since 1970). My dorkiness is going to shine through here as I find it fascinating that I am still able to step foot inside such a building. For a very brief history on this place, it was completed in 1775 by the Carpenters' Company of the City and County of Philadelphia. However, in 1774 the First Continental Congress met here which led to a boycott on British goods. And the Pennsylvania Provincial Conference met here in 1776 which declared Pennsylvania independent from the British Empire. I would say a lot of significant historical events have happened within these walls. Pretty neat. Within this building you will find many things to look at, and if you want to stick around I believe they do some type of guided tour that explains some of the artifacts held here. I just did my own thing in here and read the information posted about. As one reviewer previously stated, this is a small place and you can definitely breeze through here. But like I said, you can go about this place at your own pace. It is free to walk in here and the outside of the building can offer your some amazing pictures at the right angles.

A free historic site in the old city, no appointment, no fee, just wander in and see some interesting things about the carpenters society, including members and stuff they built. There was a docent who gave some information to the group while we walked through, so we gained extra insight. It takes maybe 15-30 minutes to walk through, but it's a nice little stop if you're also going through other sites in the area.

Well worth visiting if you are coming to Philadelphia very nice staff, very informative.

Not a lot here. Small room with some postcards for sale. A few placards. Worth a breeze through just to say you've been there, where the first continental congress met. It's free, fast, and near other attractions, so why not?

This historical site off the beaten path is a neat building which kind of shows you how they build buildings back in the day! Inside, there's a model during construction, examples of the tools they used, and some general guidelines on trusses and construction methods. It's on the way from Independence Hall to the Ben Franklin stuff and it's a quick stop that you can spend 5-10 minutes in to check out, or talk to the people working there about the history and spend a half hour. It's worth the stop, in my opinion, but not an all day adventure.

(From the archives of July) Carpenters Hall while perfectly situated in the historic Old City area of Philadelphia, is one of the more overlooked sites you can visit. Some of that is because it does not have the PR backing of the National Parks Service, some of it is because the building is set back from the street and fairly easy to walk by/miss without even knowing that you missed it and personally I think the biggie is that not as much happened here in comparison to the other neighboring 18th century sites. The Hall was built by the Carpenters' Company for their own meetings and purposes. The misnomers here are that they are not a company and that they are only carpenters. Think of it more as a trade group association for contractors and architects. The members here built their own hall, Christ Church steeple and Independence Hall for starters. The hall itself is best known for hosting the First Continental Congress, the place where the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania was formally established and it was occupied by the British in 1777 when they took over Philadelphia. Along the way it also hosted meetings by The First and Second Banks of the United States, Ben Franklin's Library Company and the American Philosophical Society. So far, so good but why the meh, review rating? Most of that has to do with how the Carpenters' Company chooses to interpret the building when you get there. Our visit was on a warm and muggy weekday in August and while Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell and the Second National Bank portrait galleries all had solid crowds this place was fairly deserted. Maybe it has something to do with no one being there to greet people or to explain/interpret things? Two people behind the counter of their small shop mostly just standing there or giving out tourist directions to other sites while a guy who I assume was there to answer questions sat off towards the opposite corner while he was on his phone. There are some neat displays of classic period building tools and a few interesting documents but there's not much to hold your attention. We love Colonial History but this one was a 20-30 minute in/out one and done snooze fest. The hall is open year round from 10-4. It's always closed on Mondays and Tuesdays are closed in January & February. Oh, and it is free.

With all of the many museums and sites to see this is a nice place to stop in and learn about the historic events which took place here. The First Continental Congress net here to discuss the important events of the time which led us closer to Independence. The site is free to enter although you are encouraged to make a donation. The staff there is helpful to explain some of the details and they have a nice souvenir shop to pick up items for yourself or loved ones.

Carpenters' Hall is located about halfway between Independence Hall and the new American History Museum. It is a small building and a great place to visit if you are waiting for your Independence Hall tour time. It is famous for being the meeting place of the First Continental Congress. There's a small gift shop inside and some plaques to read about the history. I spent about 10-15 minutes inside.

It's free to enter this building, and there's no security line! This is where they held the first continental congress (I totally forgot that was a thing lol), and there is good educational signage throughout the building. If you're making the rounds and visiting all of the historical sites, don't forget this one!!

This was a quick stop on our walking tour. This is where the First continental congress met so it is an important part of US history.

We had passed the buildings on the way to the Museum of the American Revolution, and then got a tip from the gentleman working the museum store. So, we decided to check it out, despite the snow. We were glad we did, as the compound was empty of people and we got some good views of the First American Bank, founded by Alexander Hamilton and some of the houses. Then, we made our way to the Carpenters' Hall, which was the site of the first constitutional convention. The house has a long history, and there are displays for its construction as well as narratives about its founding, founding members, and meetings. The people staffing the site were friendly but only helped if asked. We did the tour self-guided as there are plenty of materials for learning.

4 stars for an interesting museum along a stretch of history. It gives you a free peak into the history of nearby neighborhoods with nice insight into the location of meetings for the First Continental Congress. I think it's definitely worth walking through to learn about the other neighboring structures that make Philly such a historic city.

Excellent museum. 1) The building is beautiful. 2) There is a nice collection. 3) They are helpful with questions and recommendations. 4) It is FREE!

Another wonderful piece of American history. This building was built and owned by the first trade union in our country, the carpenters company. It's main purpose was to showcase skilled craftsmen work. It's most important and historical significance was for housing the first continental congress in 1774. The delegates met here!

A nice and necessary museum. I am grateful that Philadelphia has a plethora of attractions going back to a defining point in American history. There is a lot that happened here, it is a pleasant experience. If you are looking for a museum that has a lot of buttons and flashing lights, go to the Franklin Institute, this is not that type of museum. If you are looking to stand in an historic place and soak in some information on the founding of this country, you have arrived.

(Once again, a floral-centric review.) Even though there's currently scaffolding and whatnot about Carpenters' Hall, this's still a very beautiful building. Wanna know why? I'll tell ya. The lilac bushes immediately adjacent to it are currently in bloom. That's why. I've been told that the lilacs are blooming earlier than usual this year. Don't miss out. Once again, act fast or you'll miss out. You don't wanna miss out. (Lilac flowers are bisexual, BTW. Nudge. Nudge. Wink. Wink.) [Please, be mindful of the other flowers in the flower bed when idling on up to the blooms for a little snift or two. We wouldn't want the shorter, ground-dwelling flowers to get trampled.]

Carpenter's Hall was one of those buildings that normally don't get the tourist nod, but its there. I visited this site in October 2013, but did not do a mobile check in, so it's kind of a belated review on my part. The Carpenter's Hall is the site of the First Continental Congress, where all the delegates of the fledgling United States of America. In 1774, these delegates met to form a better government for the people of the new land and help usher in a revolution that overthrew the English crown. The building itself is quite beautiful, almost like a refurbished replica seeped in history, that just comes out to life before your very eyes. The time I was here, most of the government was in its shutdown mode, and therefore, majority of the top tourist attractions were close, except for the Carpenter's Hall. I was glad to get to see this place in full view. There are no lines and, clearly, off the beaten path for sure. The Carpenter's Hall was built on present-day Chestnut Street, near the first Supreme Court building of the United States. Also nearby, is the Ben Franklin library, the Liberty Bell, and Independence Hall. Yes, all of the historical stuff are in this area called Old City. Yes, definitely do come and check things out and recommended to broadening your horizons. There are a few historical things to read and learn about Carpenter's Hall and the members of the first Continental Congress. There are many notable names inscribed on a wall in the corner of the building. The reason why it's called The Carpenter's Hall, is because it was built by the first trade union in the United States: the Carpenter's Company. Not to be confused by the carpenters union of today. The staff here is very informative to answer any questions you may have about the Carpenter's Hall. I was enamored by the architecture inside and outside. At its basic structure, the Carpenter's Hall is more like a real fancy home. It probably must've been before it was used to be the seat for the First Continental Congress. My experience here was short and brief, but I did gain a lot of insight as to how the First Continental Congress had done business and what had become of them thereafter. You learn this stuff in the history books growing up in school, but to be able to step inside history and see it for your own eyes is very much amazing. The history will astound you and amaze. I'm not too sure of tours of Carpenter's Hall, but the building is so small, you probably can just give yourself a guided tour anyway. I must've spent about 30 minutes here, reading and absorbing knowledge and the nuance of history of how the United States came into existence. Free admission! Support local! B+

When all the other historic sites in Philadelphia were closed because of shut downs and furloughs coming from the nonsense in Washington, alone in staying proudly open was Carpenter's Hall, much as it has since its founding in 1770. An excellent example of Georgian style architecture, it was built by the first trade union in the United States, The Carpenters' Company. It was here that the American Revolution really began with the First Continental Congress in 1774, when delegates from 12 colonies (nee Georgia), met to decide how to respond to the mounting British oppression. They voted to boycott all English goods, and to meet again the following year should this not be enough to solve the problem. The rest, as we all know, is our history. Ben Franklin opened his Library Company on the second floor. The first and second National Bank of the United States used the first floor for several years before grander quarters were built nearby (and ultimately failed when challenged by Andrew Jackson years later). The building is set back from Chestnut Street, and approaching it gives a perspective of how it much have felt to do so in the 18th Century on cobblestone, horse manure, oil lamp streets. It has a modest nobility for a structure so old and prominent in our nation's struggles for freedom. Its larger grander cousin, Independence Hall, soon overtook it as the symbol of this fight and the center of courageous political discourse on the path to nationhood, but Carpenters' Hall continued to play a significant role as a meeting house for rebels and spies, the Philosophical Society, hospital, and Franklin's Library. In a time when the struggle to birth a nation was very real and daunting, and men had to seriously pledge their sacred honor and very lives to take a stand, it is a sad comparison to realize how far we have fallen as a country this very day. Those people knew the meaning of what they were doing, and went ahead bravely. Where are those leaders today? Carpenters' Hall awaits their awakening and offers a reminder of what true patriotism means.

Carpenters' Hall is worth a quick look if you're there - it's free and there's no line. The building has historical significance at the site of the First Continental Congress. More interesting is the intricate diorama of the construction of the hall, and the collection of vintage carpenter's tools.

Free entrance should make this a quick stop on your next sightseeing visit to historic Philadelphia. While you are there check out the 18th century garden next door.

For historic places, five stars are reserved for Independence Hall. But if want a genuinely historic place that is quick, free of charge and has no lines, Carpenter's Hall is it. Fitting in Independence Hall and/or the Liberty Bell can be murder. Here you can pop in with no prior planning/reservations and be where the Continental Congress met for a time in 1774. It also has a few history related things to look at and read. I haven't been in a while but it is a great way to get some history in quick in the midst of some extremely popular (and not so convenient to access) attractions.

It's free, it's beautiful, so there's no reason not to go. Cool info on the building and neighborhood's construction, beautiful interior, and chill atmosphere. Hang out in the park on a pretty day and have a picnic.

This place was cool, on our first trip out too philly we stopped by this whole little area and it's pretty amazing to see all the history

Nice little place to stop in quickly for a little bit of history. Free, but weird hours. Rounds out a visit to Independence Park nicely.

This place is historically significant, and the staff is very informative. This is where the 1st Continental Congress met as far back as 1724!

Worth checking out if you're doing the whole tourist thing. Nothing earth shattering, but there WAS a dude dressed up in the garb of the day, telling stories about how things worked back then, which was interesting to listen to in passing. You'll def get some one-on-one time.

Built between 1770-1773, Carpenters' Hall is a marvelous building. Although it is an intimate space that seems miniature compared to contemporary buildings, Carpenters' Hall was one of the largest buildings in Philadelphia at that time. Today, the Hall holds a wealth of information in the exhibits; also, volunteers and staff are available to answer any questions about the Hall, the Company or history in general. For instance The Carpenters' Company still owns and operates Carpenters' Hall as the oldest extant trade guild in the united States - not to be confused with a union. Within the walls of this historic landmark are the Windsor Chairs which were present during the First Continental Congress, the ballot box from the early 1900s which is still used today by The Carpenters' Company, instituted in 1724, to elect new members and various tools of the trade from that time period. There is even a section of wall in the front vestibule which remains open to illustrate how the building was constructed. Family members can research their genealogy by looking up descendants on the calligraphy panels or by finding a photo in the front vestibule. Don't miss out on a visit to see the birthplace of our nation's history.