Independence National Historical Park reopening with restrictions
Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell Center will reopen Monday, though capacity will be limited.
Independence National Historical Park will reopen its buildings Monday, though the number of visitors inside will be limited amid the pandemic.
Among the buildings opening daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.:
The park’s Visitors Center, which will admit up to 150 people
Independence Hall, with up to nine visitors admitted every 15 minutes
The Liberty Bell Center, with a 20-person capacity
Old City Hall and Congress Hall, each with a nine-person limit
“We will operate with the same modifications we applied in September for tours and visitor services, to keep numbers within city guidelines,” said Cynthia MacLeod, the park’s superintendent. She said the park will use other protective measures, including markers for social distancing and “clear protective shields at public contact stations.”
The reopening Monday comes as Philadelphia is expected to allow some activities, including museums and gyms, to reopen, though city activities deemed higher-risk — like indoor dining — remain banned through Jan. 15.
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The National Park Service said it is monitoring public health guidelines at the federal, state, and local levels in reopening park buildings. Among the buildings at Independence National Historical Park, the Second Bank and Free Quaker Meeting House will reopen as staffing permits.
Other local facilities will remain closed, the park service said. Among them are the “Great Essentials” exhibit in the West Wing of Independence Hall; the Benjamin Franklin Museum and print shop; the Thaddeus Kosciuszko National Memorial; and the Edgar Allan Poe National Historic Site.