The Liberty Bell

The Liberty Bell originally rang in the tower of Independence Hall (then known as Pennsylvania State House) in 1753.

Since 2003, the Liberty Bell has been on display in a building in front of Independence Hall, The Liberty Bell Center. Here, millions of visitors a year come to see the Bell, positioned in a glass chamber with a view of Independence Hall in the background. 

The Liberty Bell’s inscription, "Proclaim LIBERTY Throughout All the Land Unto All the Inhabitants thereof" (Leviticus 25:10), went unnoticed during the Revolutionary War. But by the 19th century, this inscription became a herald of liberty, and provided a rallying cry for abolitionists, who first referred to the bell as the "Liberty Bell" in 1835, years before that name was widely adopted.

In 1847, "Ring, Grandfather, Ring," a fictional story by George Lippard, made millions of Americans familiar with the Bell, and it came to symbolize pride in a new nation. In the 20th Century, movements from Women's Suffrage to Civil Rights have embraced the Liberty Bell as a symbol for both protest and celebration. 

Now a worldwide symbol, the Bell's message of liberty remains just as relevant and powerful today: Proclaim LIBERTY Throughout All the Land Unto All the Inhabitants thereof.

 
Hours
Open Daily
9 a.m. - 5 p.m. (security screening area closes 4:45 p.m.)
No Tickets Required
Entrance on a first-come, first-served basis
Accessibility

wheelchair-accessibleWheelchair Accessible

service-animalsService Animals Welcome

closed-captioningClosed Captioning

audio-descriptionAudio Description

assistive-listening-systemsAssistive Listening Systems

Location

Liberty Bell Center

526 Market Street
Philadelphia, PA 19106
United States

Directions...

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