***Please note that this Guide To A Philadelphia City Hall Tour will be updated and recirculated periodically to reflect the historic district’s most up-to-date dining scene. This guide was most recently updated as of December 2025.***

I have been traveling to Philadelphia (see my recaps of previous visits here and here) ever since I was a kid and have fallen in love with the utter beauty and Baroque architecture of City Hall. Over the years of walking by, through, and all around Philadelphia’s City Hall whether it be via a simple walk-by or to visit the city’s Christmas Village, I had always wondered if there were opportunities for a Philadelphia City Hall Tour. So, on one of my recent visits to the City of Brotherly Love, I stumbled upon City Hall’s Visitor Center and learned that, yes, there are opportunities for a Philadelphia City Hall tour.

In this blog post, I will outline Philadelphia City Hall tour options and what it all entails!

*Disclaimer: Please note that this post contains affiliate links, which means that if you purchase through one of my links, then I will receive a small commission. This commission is at no extra cost to you. Additionally, this post is not sponsored, and all opinions are my own.*

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Philadelphia City Hall Tours Guide

Table of Contents

About Philadelphia’s City Hall

Getting There

Admission 

Know Before You Go

Points of Interest

Fun Facts About Philadelphia

About Philadelphia’s City Hall:

Philadelphia City Hall is the seat of the municipal government of the city of Philadelphia in the U.S. State of Pennsylvania, which means that it houses the chambers of city’s council as well as the office of the city Mayor. Essentially, Philadelphia City Hall is where all-things government in the City of Philadelphia happens. In addition to being a place where a lot of city-policy, governance, and events happen on a regular basis, City Hall has a neat history surrounding its construction, architecture, and stories, which includes it being the tallest building in the world from 1894-1908!

City Hall was constructed in 1871 and took 3 decades to complete with its completion in 1901. Just like the Eisenhower Building in Washington, DC, Philadelphia’s City Hall is built in the unique and ornate French Second Empire style. Architects John MacArthur Jr. and Thomas Ustick Walter led the design of this vast, 548-foot tall, 7-story building consisting of 88 million bricks, 14.5 acres of space, 250 sculptures, and approximately 700 rooms. Within the 30 years that it took to construct and finish City Hall and even post-construction, elevators were installed and light bulbs as well as electricity became widely used in public spaces which meant that the building’s architecture and design had to be adapted to meet the technological advances of the times. Throughout its entire construction, MacArthur Jr. and Walter worked in the basement of what is now Philadelphia City Hall to help make it into what it is today: a beautiful City Hall that people travel from all across the world to see.

Getting There:

Address: 1400 John F Kennedy Blvd, Philadelphia, PA 19107

Noting the address up above, there are several ways to get to City Hall, including:

• Uber/Lyft – Be sure to confirm/enter in the address up above as your destination.
• Public Transportation – Septa (Philadelphia’s main transit system) has a 15th/City Hall station which is a stop on the Market-Frankford Line and the Broad Street Line. For more information on navigating public transportation in Philadelphia, then look no further than this resource from the Philadelphia Visitor Center.
• Bike – There are several bicycle racks available outside of City Hall.
• Car – While there is no onsite parking at Philadelphia City Hall for visitors, there are nearby parking garages in the area. Please note that rates may vary depending on the parking garage that you choose. 

For more information on the most up-to-date ways to get to City Hall, then look no further than this resource from the Philadelphia City Council’s website.

Admission:

Admission to Philadelphia’s City Hall is free and all visitors must go through security upon entrance inside, however, there are two tours offered:

• City Hall Tower Tour – Provides visitors with an opportunity see the City of Brotherly Love from the clouds via its panoramic observation deck. See more information and book your tickets here. Tours are offered Monday-Friday at 10am-2:45pm. Please note that this tour is not wheelchair accessible.
• City Hall Building Tour – Provides visitors with an opportunity to learn about the history, architecture, artwork, and government of the City of Philadelphia as well as City Hall – the heart of Philadelphia. See more information and book your tickets here. Tours are offered Monday-Friday at 10am, 12pm, and 2pm.

Please note that both tours depart from the City Hall Visitor Center located in Room 121 in the East Portal. Tickets can be purchased online in advance or at the Visitor Center in-person.

Know Before You Go:

Here are a few things to keep in mind upon touring City Hall:

• As previously mentioned, there is a required security checkpoint upon entry into City Hall.
• City Hall is a working building. There will be working professionals within City Hall during your visit, including the Mayor’s office. Please keep that in mind and show respect to those who may be busy working.
• Since City Hall is a working building and home to the city’s government, there may be official government events, including press conferences, meetings, and celebrations taking place while you are there. It is worth noting that some parts of City Hall may be closed when you visit due to these events. Please always be mindful, show respect, and ask one of the many security guards onsite before entering any section of City Hall.
• Photography is allowed but without flash.
• Public restrooms are available inside City Hall.

Points of Interest:

While touring Philadelphia’s City Hall via the Building Tour, I discovered several points of interest:

• Sculptures – Go sculpture hunting! There are approximately 250 sculptures designed by Alexander Milne Calder whether it be grand figures to intimate animal details on tables.
• Architecture – Take in all of the vast ornate, Baroque architecture including chandeliers, tile work, grand staircases, and columns.
• Government Buildings – Walk by the Office of the Mayor, see where City Council and the courts operate, and potentially take a peak inside the press room where all of the news is reported from.
• Clock Tower – While not a part of the Building Tour, the City Hall Clock Tower Tour takes visitors up to the Clock Tower to take in panoramic views of Philadelphia from the clouds!
• Community-focused artwork displays – Look out for displays of artwork made by those living in the Philadelphia community! Artwork is changed every few months. 

Fun Facts About Philadelphia:

While on my City Hall Building Tour, I learned several fun facts about the city of Philadelphia including:

• When William Penn started the Colony of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia was the start of what makes the present day state of Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania was colonized from East-West starting with Philadelphia which is on the eastern end of the state.
• Philadelphia was the United States capital before the present-day Washington, D.C. When George Washington was President, he and Martha Washington lived there.
• Philadelphia has the most murals out of any city in the world!
• The city of Philadelphia’s history makes its tourism and hospitality industry one of its biggest industries.
• With universities such as Drexel and Temple offering well-known art programs, Philadelphia is a very proud supporter of the arts and strives to preserve and promote arts education.

Wrap-Up:

Touring Philadelphia’s City Hall was something on my bucket list for a few years now! I’ve grown up very fortunate to have visited Philadelphia on multiple occasions and have admired City Hall each time. I feel so lucky that I’ve been able to learn more about the incredible history, arts, and culture that makes Philadelphia, Philadelphia during my City Hall Building Tour. In the future, I hope to do the City Hall Tower Tour, too! Til next time, Philadelphia!

XOXO – Katie <3