I've been here twice now, and both visits were a great time. The first was during a 52 Firsts event, where they even had cake, Ben Franklin walking around, and other historical mascots. The second was during the Philadelphia 250 Red, White, & Blue To-Do celebration. Both events had a fun atmosphere and gave me an excuse to spend more time exploring the museum. The museum does a great job showcasing the history of firefighting in Philadelphia. The first floor is home to beautifully restored antique fire engines that are impressive to see up close. Upstairs, there's a gorgeous stained glass window that really caught my eye, along with more exhibits about the city's firefighting history. One thing I thought was especially fun was that visitors can dress up in firefighter gear for photos. It's a small touch, but it makes the museum feel interactive instead of just a place where you're reading signs on the wall. The people working here are what really make the experience. Everyone I talked to was incredibly friendly and genuinely passionate about the museum. They were happy to share stories, answer questions, and explain the history behind the exhibits. You can tell they truly love what they do, and that enthusiasm makes the whole place feel welcoming. Overall, it's a small museum with a lot of heart. If you're exploring Old City or have any interest in Philadelphia history, it's definitely worth stopping by. I had a great time both visits and would happily come back again. read more

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Fireman's Hall Museum is a fire department museum and historical preservation society that opened in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1967. It was founded by the Philadelphia Fire Department. The building that houses the museum is a historic firehouse that was built in 1898. It was the home for Philadelphia's Engine 8 until 1952. At that time, the company moved to 319 Race Street with Ladder 2. Engine 8 moved again in 1968 and was officially disbanded in 2009. The old firehouse on N 2nd Street was turned into a museum by the Philadelphia Fire Department in 1967. Fireman's Hall Museum is one of the nation's premier institutions focused on the preservation of firefighting history and the promotion of fire safety. The museum also features the first exhibit commemorating the firefighters who died from the tragic events of 9/11. Philadelphia firefighter Brian Anderson serves as the museum's curator. My wife and I first visited Fireman's Hall Museum in 2015. At the time, we were still dating and didn't have children, yet we both really enjoyed visiting the museum. Jump to 2025, we visited the museum a second time... only now we have two little boys who love the fire department! Both of our sons had an absolute blast exploring the museum's collection. It features a number of vintage hand-drawn, horse-drawn and motorized fire apparatus, vintage firefighting gear and artifacts, a fire boat exhibit, an area where visitors can try on a firefighter uniform, and much more! We also enjoyed learning how Philadelphia's first volunteer fire company was founded by none other than Benjamin Franklin. In addition to being a Founding Father, scientist, inventor, diplomat, writer, statesmen, and postmaster general, he is also credited as the "Father of the Fire Service". We think that Fireman's Hall is one of the best fire museums we've ever visited and also one of the most underrated museums in the city. read more

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Hidden gem of a museum over in old city. Very informative with plaques and many vintage pieces from history of firefighters in Philadelphia. Entry is pay what you can / free for suggested donation. Two floors full of different things from tools, patches, pictures, old fire trucks, etc. The second floor has a beautiful stained glass remembrance piece for fallen firefighters. read more

Fireman's Hall Museum - Stained glass - Museums Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

To be a fireman. One of the more heroic occupations in my eyes and this museum has a plethora of vintage fire helmets, fire trains, you name it, most likely they have it. Our group was lucky enough to be led by an ex-fire chief that was on the force for over thirty-five years. He took us up to the second level and showed us a beautiful glass mural that was above the name of every fireman that lost their live while on the job. As Dean Cain (superman) has related, "Not all heroes' wear capes. This is free museum and if you take any kiddies you can buy them a fireman patch for as low as $6.00. I recommend a visit if you are living in the town of Philly. As always people SYOY!!! read more

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How could you give this museum less than 5 stars? So much history in one place, and I absolutely love how it used to be a firehouse that they converted into a museum. It was so cool seeing the evolution of the Philly fire departments and fire equipment, and my fireman husband was very happy. Def recommend stopping here if you're a tourist visiting Philly. read more

The best non art gallery museum in Old City. Fireman's Hall is an old firehouse converted into a museum that showcases the history of firemen and fire prevention in Philadelphia and beyond. It's display includes a time-line that documents the history of Philly Firefighting, old firefighter uniforms, and even a couple old time firetrucks! the best part about the museum is that it's free to enter with a suggested donation. read more

I wish this showed up higher on the list for 'things to do' in Philadelphia. We happened to stumble upon this while exploring Old City. For people in emergency services, they would especially appreciate seeing this. But it's stuff that's relatable to the public. Benjamin Franklin was actively involved in firefighting, and actually founded the Philadelphia Contributionship (a fire insurance company) in 1752, and the Union Fire Company (a volunteer fire bucket brigade) in 1736. The museum is in a firehouse that was built in the 19th century. There are different apparatus (old pumps, ladder trucks, tools, and a 'La France' engine) spanning the history of fire fighting in Philadelphia. There were even some old leather buckets from the 18th century that people had in their homes for the bucket brigades. What was also fascinating was learning about the fire insurance plaques that people had on their homes. There are collections of plaques from different time periods in Philadelphia, and a set from England. On the second floor is a mural, made of stained glass. Underneath that mural is the memorial to all the firefighters who died in the line of duty, made of brass plate. The brass actually comes from the connector of a hose from the scene of the fire. The building is of amazing architecture with high ceilings. The entrance is to the side of the building, and the staff here are very pleasant. One was a retired firefighter, the other is still an active firefighter but is retiring in a few years. They were very friendly and chatty, they definitely added to the visit. There is no fee, but a donation is asked if you visit. read more

Excellent. 1) Great permanent collection. 2) It has two floors with fine exhibits. 3) It is free! read more

Fireman's Hall Museum - Museums Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Nostalgic reminder of how dangerous fighting fires can really be. The three burnt out helmets of three surviving firefighters was the biggest reality kick in the butt. Thank you to all those who serve us bravely! Great little museum. I was sad I didn't get to spend more time inside. read more

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Cool place to spend 1-2 hours (I went with a 2 yr old and a 5 yr old). Cool artifacts and friendly staff.

Very fun for little kids especially. My little one went here at age 3 and again at age 4 to try on fireman's gear and learn about the history of firefighting in the US and Philadelphia. And it's free! read more

I went here because it is free. You can donate (and do it, give a dollar at least ya cheap Bastid!) but you're not looked at cross eyed if you don't. I wasn't expecting much maybe some old stuff that had been in someone's attic for a while or something. Imagine my surprise when I found an original firehouse with some serious, detailed history on firefighting in America! Now I come from a long line of rubber-neckers when it comes to fires. I love watching them (without getting in the way of course,) and seeing the fire trucks racing and screaming to an emergency. And this place was a veritable smorgasbord of Firefighting history, techniques, exhibits and artifacts that I've never seen anywhere else. I learned tons about the beginnings of fire fighting in America. I even found an antique hydrant that was given to this museum by Rhode Island's good old Buddy Cianci! Imagine that! There is a garage that holds at least 4 original fire engines and had the original pole that the men came down (closed off of course.) There were tons of old pictures, an area that informed about 9/11, a "Kid's Zone" upstairs that was hands on and interactive and even included a recreated inside of a fire boat wheelhouse! There's a massive stained glass window upstairs that has 3D glass firemen rescuing in different scenes. There's a whole wall of these plaques that people used to put on their houses because fire stations were privatized back then and you got insurance through the station. There's different kind of parade memorabilia and axes and hoses and equipment. If you don't spend the time and look closely you'll miss so much! You can even get close to the old fire engines (don't touch though,) and see how they worked and all of the intricate artwork that the makers put into the details. There is a small area off the registration desk where you can buy some very expensive souvenirs or very affordable magnets, keychains and even kiddie stuff. It's right down the lane from Elfreth's Alley and there were many retired firefighters who were more than happy to give people tours and explain how things worked and the history of fire fighting. They were very nice there (except for the guy at the desk who was younger and looked none too happy to be there but wasn't nasty or anything, just grouchy.) Do yourself a favor and go there. It's definitely not a waste of time. read more

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This is a great place to understand and reflect on the history of the fire service. As you walk into the FREE museum, you log yourself into a logbook just like if you were a visitor in a running fire house. The museum begins with the early history of the fire service and shows you how it started and leads all the way until today's. Ben Franklin and his involvement, along with how the fire service only protected homes that had an insurance marking on the exterior of the building. Antique fire trucks and steamers on display in the apparatus room. Great place for all ages!! Take your time, walk around and embrace everything...because EVERYTHING in there has a meaning. read more

The Fireman's Hall Museum is a great, free stop on a historical tour of Philadelphia. You are encouraged to leave a donation, and it's well deserved. They have a lot of items on display, a fireman answering questions and giving a presentation on the old alarm system, and some interactive displays upstairs. It would take about a half hour to look through the rooms here, so it's a nice quick activity. Items on display include: pieces of the WTC towers, burnt helmets, historical photos, original fire "engines" that were pulled by horses. Very interesting!! read more

Great dedication to the fire service. Really enjoyed seeing all of the history. It is free and donations are accepted. read more

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This museum is nice, but it is not a great place to bring really young children. Philadelphia has a different museum named the Please Touch Museum. Fireman's Hall Museum could be called the "Don't Touch Museum". There were a lot of brass railings with signs warning "Do Not Touch". There was a small area where children could try on real fire fighter coats and boots, and could try to find enough puzzle pieces to put together a puzzle, but most of the museum had displays that could not be touched. For children under six, I do not recommend this museum. For older people, I recommend it. read more

Neat museum near a few other tourist stops. It's not the biggest location, but they managed to sneak a lot of history in here! The staff are very kind and knowledgeable, and are highly pleased if you donate anything (it's otherwise a free museum experience). Definitely worth a stop if you're heading over to the Betsy Ross House and/or Elfreth's Alley! read more

Great museum filled with excellent artifacts and history. The staff was very knowledgeable and excited about sharing Philly's Fire service history. Would definitely recommend to anyone who has a few minutes to check it out! read more

My nephew was turning five so I asked him if he wanted a toy or a special day with his aunt. Obviously, he choose an awesome day with his aunt! (Yes, this is me tooting my own horn!) I did some research because yelp basically rules my life. The Fireman's Hall was PERFECT! It's in Old City, which is reasonably easy to get to. I've been in the area a couple times since then and have been able to find parking immediately, which is always a bonus. Upon arrival, you're asked by a fireman to sign their guest book and while the museum is FREE, there is a donation box. On the lower level of the converted museum there are a bunch of antique fire trucks and apparatuses. Head on upstairs and check out a more interactive part of the Fireman's Hall Museum. There's an area for kids to practice calling 911, and try on some gear. Talk about a photo shoot waiting to happen! There's also a memorial for the fighters of Philadelphia killed in the line of duty. The best part of the whole thing was how one of the Lieutenants showed us around the whole museum. It wasn't something we asked for or expected just something he decided to do. My nephew loved the whole thing and won't shut up about it! So go, take your kids, nieces and nephews, hell just borrow someones kids and head over to the museum. read more

If you want to learn the history of firefighting in Philadelphia and America this is the place to come. A must see on any visit to Philadelphia. Great gift shop. read more

This is a great place, family friendly, but very educational. Lots of old fire trucks.

File this under well kept secret! This was the perfect rainy day destination for a few toddlers! Downstairs they have old firetrucks and upstairs boots for them to try on, puzzles for them to play with, a big wheel for them to turn, it was great. The folks working there were so sweet with them too, and we were more than happy to leave a donation. Definitely check it out =) read more

While in Philly last year as we walked up the road from our hotel by the river, to the old city, we would pass the old firehouse. On our way back one day we stopped in. A great museum. I am a fireman so I am bias but many non fire service people were there. Great for kids. Check out the stained glass. read more

If you're in Philadelphia, This is a must see. It's kind of off the beaten path, but gives you a great insight into the fire departments history in Philadelphia. Check it out and be sure to leave a tip. Hug a first responder today! read more

Very cool museum! It is free to visit, but make sure you sign the guestbook. It has two levels that includes old firetrucks and hoses and such on the bottom, along with a 9/11 memorial. Upstairs has a lot of information to read through and even fireman garb you can try on! Building, architecture and decor was all fun. read more

Good place to spend for a half hour. Many old 1800's trucks and carts. Interesting stuff. read more

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Danny was absolutely wonderful. Really took the time to point out things to look for, especially on the stained glass window. It brought me to tears. A great department and a great museum. read more

A wealth of fire fighting knowledge encased in a former fire house. I was very disappointed, however, with the staff I encountered. I brought my 6 year old grandson for a visit and he was totally ignored and the atmosphere created by the staff was not welcoming. Trips to the FDNY and NYPD museums are a totally different experience. Children are introduced by the staff to a career of pride, and they educate them on the science of fire fighting and police work. My grandson, who loves to learn, was not left with a good impression of what a firefighter does. I will take him back to the FDNY museum to re-enforce the bravery of those who serve. I see a similar appraisal from another visitor so mine was not a sole experience. read more

This was such a wonderful find. I stumbled upon it on my run this morning and knew I needed to go back, and I'm so glad I did. I am fascinated by the different historical fire markers, and this museum answered a lot of questions for me regarding those. I also get a chill seeing how fire companies formerly operated--both from a physical standpoint and an historical point of view. This is a very unique museum with significance for everyone; definitely go and spend an hour or so in there! Kids can even try on fireman's clothes. read more

Such a beautiful relic of the city. Its got some very cool old marvels from years past that you just don't see anymore anywhere. Very friendly and interactive. Another place I always make a quick trip to if I have the time. read more

Donations for entry. A great to spend some male bonding time with your kin. This is a old fire house. Add this tour to a day list in old city and for sure will be your favorite. Don't forget to buy a shirt for your kid. read more