Indoor Activities in Philadelphia, PA
Philadelphia, PA's best indoor activities include Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University ($22), Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University ($22), Adventure Aquarium ($32.99), Barnes Foundation ($30), and Betsy Ross House ($12).
Touch everything. That's the rule.
4231 Avenue of the Republic, Philadelphia, PA 19131 · Wed-Sat 9am-4:30pm, Sun varies by week · Ages 0–7
Animals walk overhead in mesh tunnels
3400 W Girard Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19104 · Daily 9:30am-5pm, last entry 4pm
Giant walk-through heart since 1954
222 N 20th St, Philadelphia, PA 19103 · Daily 9:30am-5pm
Giant wooden slide since 1899 — always free
3500 Reservoir Dr, Philadelphia, PA 19121 · Apr-Sep: Tue-Fri 10am-6pm, Sat-Sun 10am-7pm; Oct-Mar: Tue-Sun 10am-5pm; closed Mon · Ages 0–10
Rope bridge over a shark tank
1 Riverside Dr, Camden, NJ 08103 · Mon-Fri 10am-4pm, Sat-Sun 9:30am-5pm
Only East Coast Sesame Street park
100 Sesame Rd, Langhorne, PA 19047 · Check website for seasonal schedule · Ages 2–8
Skating in winter, roller rink in summer
101 S Columbus Blvd, Philadelphia, PA 19106 · Winterfest: Mon-Thu 1-9:30pm, Fri-Sun 11am-12:30am; Summerfest: seasonal
Half a block of handmade mosaic labyrinth
1020 South St, Philadelphia, PA 19147 · Wed-Mon 11am-6pm, closed Tuesdays · Ages 5+
Small zoo, no meltdowns, giraffe feeding
1661 Harding Blvd, Norristown, PA 19401 · Daily 10am-5pm
Covered waterfront pier — rain or shine
121 N Columbus Blvd, Philadelphia, PA 19106 · Mon-Thu 12-9pm, Fri 12-11pm, Sat 11am-11pm, Sun 11am-9pm
Flat riverside trail past Boathouse Row
Martin Luther King Jr Dr, Philadelphia, PA 19130 · Daily, dawn to dusk
Kids dig for real fossils — closing Sep 2026
1900 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy, Philadelphia, PA 19103 · Mon-Fri 10am-4:30pm, Sat-Sun 10am-5pm · Ages 0+
Mummies + real conservation lab behind glass
3260 South St, Philadelphia, PA 19104 · Tue-Sun 10am-5pm, First Wed until 8pm, closed Mon · Ages 0+
Free Junior Ranger booklets + Liberty Bell
143 S 3rd St, Philadelphia, PA 19106 · Visitor Center: daily 8:30am-5pm; sites vary · Ages 0+
Craft beer for parents, pirate playground for kids
901 N Delaware Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19123 · Mon-Thu 11am-9pm, Fri-Sat 11am-10pm, Sun 10am-9pm · Ages 0+
Board a real submarine
211 S Columbus Blvd, Philadelphia, PA 19106 · Daily 10am-5pm · Ages 0+
Free nature center 20 minutes from downtown
300 Northwestern Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19118 · Tue-Sat 9am-5pm, Sun 1-5pm, closed Mon · Ages 0+
Meet costumed Betsy Ross, 30 minutes
239 Arch St, Philadelphia, PA 19106 · Daily 10am-5pm · Ages 0+
Rocky steps + world-class art
2600 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy, Philadelphia, PA 19130 · Mon 10am-5pm, Thu-Sun 10am-5pm, Fri until 8:45pm, closed Tue-Wed
DiNic's roast pork + Bassetts ice cream since 1893
51 N 12th St, Philadelphia, PA 19107 · Daily 8am-6pm
Al Capone's cell + Steve Buscemi audio tour
2027 Fairmount Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19130 · Daily 10am-5pm (last entry 4pm), Mar-Nov
No seat more than 60 feet from the stage
2031 Sansom St, Philadelphia, PA 19103 · Show nights Wed-Sun, check schedule
WXPN-connected — great bookings
3025 Walnut St, Philadelphia, PA 19104 · Show nights, check schedule; restaurant hours vary
Two venues in one — 2,500 main + 450 Foundry
29 E Allen St, Philadelphia, PA 19123 · Show nights, check schedule
Half a block of handmade mosaic labyrinth
1020 South St, Philadelphia, PA 19147 · Wed-Mon 11am-6pm, closed Tuesdays
Giant walk-through heart since 1954
222 N 20th St, Philadelphia, PA 19103 · Daily 9:30am-5pm
181 Renoirs in the room Barnes designed
2025 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy, Philadelphia, PA 19130 · Thu-Mon 11am-5pm, closed Tue-Wed
800-cap standing room, good from anywhere
334 South St, Philadelphia, PA 19147 · Show nights, check schedule
Fishtown comedy club next to The Fillmore
33 E Laurel St, Philadelphia, PA 19123 · Show nights, check schedule
Always free, always different
118 S 36th St, Philadelphia, PA 19104 · Wed-Sun 11am-6pm, closed Mon-Tue
Einstein's brain + swallowed objects collection
19 S 22nd St, Philadelphia, PA 19103 · Wed-Mon 10am-5pm, closed Tuesdays
Largest Rodin collection outside Paris
2151 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy, Philadelphia, PA 19130 · Thu-Mon 10am-5pm, Fri until 8:45pm, closed Tue-Wed
Continuously lived in since 1702
126 Elfreth's Alley, Philadelphia, PA 19106 · Always accessible (street); museum Thu-Sun 12-5pm
3,200-year-old sphinx for $18
3260 South St, Philadelphia, PA 19104 · Tue-Sun 10am-5pm, First Wed until 8pm, closed Mon
Free, no ticket, 20 minutes
526 Market St, Philadelphia, PA 19106 · Daily 9am-5pm
Washington's chair is still in the room
520 Chestnut St, Philadelphia, PA 19106 · Daily 9am-5pm, tours every 15-20 min
Tiny 1740 row house, costumed Betsy Ross
239 Arch St, Philadelphia, PA 19106 · Daily 10am-5pm
Oldest natural science museum in the Americas
1900 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy, Philadelphia, PA 19103 · Mon-Fri 10am-4:30pm, Sat-Sun 10am-5pm
Board a real cruiser and submarine
211 S Columbus Blvd, Philadelphia, PA 19106 · Daily 10am-5pm
Clean improv comedy, bring the kids
2030 Sansom St, Philadelphia, PA 19103 · Fri-Sat shows, check schedule
Free Saturdays, under 12 always free
101 S Independence Mall E, Philadelphia, PA 19106 · Thu-Tue 10am-5pm, closed Wed
Free — 100,000+ specimens in a Victorian museum that hasn't changed since the 1890s.
1700 W Montgomery Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19121 · Tue-Fri 9am-4pm, closed Sat-Mon
A 17th-century-style Japanese house in Fairmount Park — koi pond, tea garden, and sliding screens.
114 Horticultural Dr, Philadelphia, PA 19131 · Wed-Fri 11am-4pm, Sat-Sun 11am-5pm (Apr-Oct); limited winter hours
Same family lived here from the 1690s to the 1970s — oldest rose garden in North America.
6026 Germantown Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19144 · Thu-Sat 12-4pm (Apr-Dec)
Best banh mi in Philadelphia for $4 — from a corner store in West Philly.
810 S 47th St, Philadelphia, PA 19143 · Daily 6:30am-8pm