Museum of The American Revolution

101 S 3rd St, Philadelphia, PA 19106, USA

Address:	101 S 3rd St, Philadelphia, PA 19106, USA
Phone:	+1 215-253-6731
Site:	amrevmuseum.org
Rating:	4.8
Working:	9:30AM–5PM 9:30AM–5PM 9:30AM–5PM 9:30AM–5PM 9:30AM–5PM 9:30AM–5PM 9:30AM–5PM

Location

Photos 100

Reviews 8

Diane Carrero

Was not a great experience. Very expensive for such a small museum. There are very few artifacts and too many reproductions and as such doesnt really qualify as a museum. It did not portray the Revolution in a compelling way. You do not get a feel for the sacrifice or bravery. There are so many compelling, interesting stories to tell that were not told. It should have focused on Philadelphias role to be more interesting. The worst was when we were denied entry to the final exhibit - Washingtons war tent. You are required to see a 12 minute movie before the tent. We were denied entry because a private group was scheduled at 1:30 on a Sunday afternoon - a busy time. We were told at 1:00 that the group was coming at 1:30. At 1:30 the group did not show up and we were told to come back at 2. We had already waited for over 1/2 hour with nothing to do. Now we were told we had to wait another 1/2 hour. They could have let 2 or 3 groups in during that time. There were no signs posted to warn us of the temporary closure of the exhibit so we could have planned around it. There should have been signs as soon as you walked into the museum, or advised prior to purchasing tickets so you could plan your visit for another time or day. They should plan private tours for off hours. They refused to allow us to bypass the movie so we could at least see the tent. We did not get to see this final exhibit (the most important one). $38 plus $19 to park and a day wasted. Do not waste your time at this museum. Also, not a good museum for small children. They have no idea what they are seeing and there is a lot of reading. They get bored and just run around.

Craig Jackson

Nice museum, and worth a visit - especially if you are already in the area and have some extra time. But I think a visit to the actual historical sites nearby (Independence Hall, Liberty Bell, etc.) would be a better use of time if you have to choose among the various options. The museum exhibits are well-done and seem more engaging as you go further into the museum. Be prepared to read - A LOT. This is a very text-heavy museum. I think they could benefit from more docents, guides, and interpreters to help people who find reading to be a difficult way to learn. Also, it was quite crowded when we went, so it was often difficult to read all the text with people walking in front of you. I did learn quite a bit though. Some of the artifacts were quite impressive (Washingtons tent). But they seemed to have a shortage of real authentic items. They did have many powderhorns though. The museum makes a big point of emphasizing the phrase "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" and how it applied, not only to the time of the revolution, but also in later times in the abolition of slavery, womens suffrage, the plight of native Americans, and even gay rights (sigh). This all felt a bit heavy-handed and contrived - like they were going to extremes to be inclusive to fit with the current culture of acceptance and avoid offending any particular group. This aspect seemed a bit blatant and unnecessary in helping understand the causes and events of the revolution.

Alexander Malzkuhn

Auf den ersten Blick scheint das Museum nicht sonderlich groß zu sein, aber die Ausstellung hat es in sich. Ein Rundgang führt einen durch die Geschichte des amerikanischen Unabhängigkeitsgkrieges und die Zeit davor, wie es überhaupt zu dem Krieg kam. Hauptsächlich sind die Räume chronologisch angeordnet, teilweise auch thematisch, wie z. B. der Krieg zur See. Ich hatte vorher keinen sonderlich guten Plan davon, wie der amerikanische Unabhängigkeitskrieg von statten gegangen ist. Nach dem spannenden Besuch hier, bin ich zwar kein Experte, aber ich ich kann sehr viel mehr mit Begriffen wie Valley Forge und Yorktown anfangen. Ein wirklich empfehlenswertes Museum.

Kara Mshinda

First, transparency: I work at this museum. I decided to write a review after I took my three year old and showed her the galleries. I wanted to provide a perspective as a parent and as a guest. Even though my daughter didnt understand the more complicated history of the American Revolution, she had a great time witnessing the tableaux throughout the galleries as well as touchable objects (in the gallery A New Nation) and large wall visuals. She learned how to tie a special knot aboard the privateer ship in the gallery "How Revolutionary was the War?". In addition, she enjoyed the Patriot gallery on the first floor. In this gallery, guests of all ages may dress up in period clothing, learn about how soldiers camped, create a flag, and do other immersive activities. Overall, she had a great time and that means I had a great time.

Stephen Taylor

Beautiful, new museum. I was lucky to have been in town for a wedding and realized the museum just recently opened. It was a short walk from my brothers apartment, so I went to check it out. The museum covers a lot of colonial American history. Its not strictly limited to battles or whatever else you might associate with the Revolution. You could probably treat it like a "one-stop shop" if your time is limited and youre debating going to this museum or some of the others around Independence Square. Best of all - they have an exhibit with George Washingtons field tent (the tent in which he slept, planned, etc. as he was campaigning during the Revolution). That, to me, is an incredibly rare piece of history and worth the price of admission in itself.

Yaelra R.

It needs improvement. This War was a long and complicated War.You cant do it justice by giving it one floor! There are so many missing pieces here, it looks like it was assembled by non-experts. I was annoyed how the intro film went overboard with slavery and Native Americans. It was clear there is political correctness here which is so frustrating. Even worse, the Christophobic people who made the film actually changed the Declaration from "Creator" to "creator". Our forefathers would not be amused. On the wall in one of the halls, they changed"Providence" to "providence" because they assume no one would know.This must be fixed! The museum doesnt even have enough artifacts!

Matt Shupinski

Absolutely loved our visit to the new museum. The building was beautiful, the order of the exhibits was chronologically spot on and helped you walk through the different facets of the American Revolution. The number of original artifacts was incredible, and there was tons of interactivity throughout the different parts of the museum. Our favorite portion was the Brandywine "battle simulation" at the end. That truly helped to give us a grasp on even to a slight degree what it may have been like to be on the battlefield during the Revolution. Overall we had a wonderful experience and I would definitely recommend it to anyone who is a fan of American history. Job well done!

Morgan Taylor

A wonderful addition to Philadelphias collection of historical museums. Its a great place to take younger children who are just learning about US History, to older students and even adults. There are activities downstairs geared towards children and upstairs is a labyrinth of galleries with artifacts and interactive displays, videos and models. The story of the Revolution is told from many different sides which I really appreciated seeing. Theres a lot of information (very text heavy) in the museum, so be prepared to stay all day or do it in two days (which your timed passes will allow for) Staff was very kind and willing to share what they knew.