The museum doors and historic sites have closed for the day. The daytime crowds have moved on. But come evening, inside Carpenters’ Hall and Independence Hall, some of our nation’s most influential founders are engaged in spirited debates over the future of the colonies.
You are invited to step inside two of America’s most iconic landmarks after hours for all-new, limited-run immersive history experiences. You’ll be whisked back more than two centuries for a rare glimpse into the Founding Fathers’ passionate discussions and courageous actions that launched our great experiment in democracy.
It is 1774, and the First Continental Congress is underway in Carpenters’ Hall. John Adams, John Dickinson, members of the enslaved and free Black communities, and other founders are in a heated debate over the fate of the colonies. And you are there to witness it as it happens.
This all-new evening program includes after-hours access to Carpenter’s Hall, snacks and cocktails, and a series of short, vivid reenactments of the tensions, debates, and deeply held convictions that launched the colonies’ pursuit of independence.
Produced by Historic Philadelphia, Inc. in partnership with the Carpenters’ Company, Cocktails and Congress runs Friday evenings, 5:30 PM, June 5, and August 28. Tickets are $50/person. For reservations, go to historicphiladelphia.org.
Pssst! Come with us. There are secret debates taking place inside the Pennsylvania State House. But Historic Philadelphia Inc.’s Colonial guide will sneak you inside to the room where it happened… as it is happening. Independence After Hours is a rare and limited opportunity for an evening visit to Independence Hall, where Ben Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, and John Adams argue, agree, and disagree about the future of the colonies. Limited to 30 guests, this evening event is an exclusive, behind-the-scenes glimpse at the complex issues and challenging decisions leading up to the call for independence. Following your encounter with our Founding Fathers, you’ll gather at a local watering hole and toast America’s forefathers with a cocktail or mocktail.
Produced by Historic Philadelphia, Inc. in partnership with the National Park Service, Independence After Hours runs Saturday evenings, 5 PM, June 6-August 29. Tickets are $145/person. For reservations, go to https://historicphiladelphia.org/