Independence

The Constitution Center ****

So it's kind of sad, but I think of this as my favorite attraction in Philadelphia. There is an entrance fee, but I think it would have been worth it...especially if I had seen the entire thing. I had to leave to go see Independence Hall. The best part was a 17-minute long audio-visual dramatic presentation about the Constitution and American freedom. It was incredibly inspiring, and left me feeling warm and fuzzy about the country I live in. After the presentation I went to an interactive musuem that displayed various aspects of the Constitution and the three-sided government it created. The place was interesting as well as inspiring.

Independence Hall ***

So here's the problem with Independence Hall - in order to go on the tour, you must go to the Indepedence Mall Visitor Center across the street fairly early in the day. They give out free timed tickets to see Independence Hall. This is the only attraction in Philadelphia that is handled this way. The problem is - given all the hullabaloo, it's not that great. Don't get me wrong, I think the people who started the program knew what they were doing. Also, the Hall is inspiring, historic, and interesting. But given the hoops you have to jump through to get in - it's a bit of a let-down.

Congress Hall ***3/4

Located right next to Independence Hall, Congress Hall is where the country was run from 1790-1800 (roughly). I snuck into this hall and joined a 20-minute tour that showed us the House of Representatives and the Senate. I found this more interesting than Independence Hall and also enjoyed the ease at which I saw it. It loses significance compared to the place where our country was born, but it still played an important part in American history.