Founded in 1976, this was the first museum in the country built by a major city to house exhibitions on the life and work of African Americans. Exhibits include ones on notable African American Philadelphians, such as Richard Allen and Octavius Catto, and the Underground Railroad, which assisted slaves in their search for freedom.

Unlike many institutions, it is open on Martin Luther King, Jr Day, with special activities and exhibitions about the iconic leader.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby attractions

1. National Constitution Center

0.13 MILES

This whiz-bang museum makes the US Constitution jump off the page, starting with a dramatic theater-in-the-round presentation by a single actor relating…

2. Independence National Historical Park

0.18 MILES

This L-shaped Philadelphia park, bound by 6th, 2nd, Walnut and Arch Sts, protects and honors the institutions that formed the foundation of the United…

3. Franklin Square

0.19 MILES

Ringed by busy roads, this square – one of the originals from William Penn's masterplan for his new city – feels somewhat cut off from the other sights of…

4. President's House Site

0.19 MILES

This free outdoor exhibition is constructed on the former location of the presidential offices of George Washington and John Adams. Displays focus on the…

5. Christ Church Burial Ground

0.19 MILES

Hard to believe, but back in the early 18th century this was the outskirts of town, thus the ideal location for a burial ground. The cemetery is the final…

7. United States Mint

0.23 MILES

Take the 45-minute self-guided tour to see coins being made (they can churn out 50 million of them per day), and to admire the Tiffany mosaics inside this…

8. Liberty Bell Center

0.23 MILES

A glass-walled building protects this icon of Philadelphia history from the elements. You can peek from outside, or join the line to file past, reading…