Carpenters' Hall

Carpenters' Hall Owned and operated by The Carpenters' Company, Carpenters' Hall hosted the First Continental Congress Interior steel supports modern structures.

On New Year's Day, 1770, Carpenters' Company members voted to proceed with their Hall. More than a meeting place, the Hall would showcase their considerable technical skills and also be available for rent. For many years the Hall was the largest rental space in the city. This fact alone assured Carpenters' Hall a key role in the events of the War for Independence. Robert Smith, a Scottish-trained

architect and builder, headed a 12-man construction committee. Smith, then 48, had a well-established reputation not only in Philadelphia but throughout the colonies. It is a tribute to Smith that his colleagues in the Company charged him with the design. Unfortunately Carpenters' Hall was among his last achievements. In the winter of 1777, he died while helping construct fortifications, which prevented the British fleet from capturing the city. Smith's plan was simplicity itself: a two-story, 50-foot square building with 10-foot cutouts at each corner. The result is a gem of Georgian-style architecture, which is both a fitting memorial to Smith and a tribute to the builders. The square-ness and accuracy of its construction is equal to that of contemporary structures. Not so in the 18th century. The weight of Carpenters' Hall is principally borne by the exterior brick walls, which are 13 inches thick. The black-colored bricks, called "headers," are turned on end and tie together several courses of bricks which otherwise might separate at the mortar joints. The foundation is equally sturdy, consisting of random-sized pieces of stone mortared together in what is known as a "rubble foundation."

TICKETS AVAILABLE NOW!Our Master Builders' Dialogues Series continues on Thursday, June 4th, 2026, from 8:30 to 10:00 a....
05/28/2026

TICKETS AVAILABLE NOW!

Our Master Builders' Dialogues Series continues on Thursday, June 4th, 2026, from 8:30 to 10:00 a.m. with "Rethinking the Box: A New Envelope for a 1960's Building." Join us for a light breakfast followed by a panel discussion surrounding a building renovation project at Swarthmore College. The design and construction team for 101 Chester Road at Swarthmore College will present the strategies used to address challenges when recladding an existing office building.

The three participating firms in this project are Carpenters' Company members: Keast & Hood Structural Engineers, LF Driscoll, and Zimmerman Studio LLC. This project illustrates how a project team can collaborate to solve complex technical challenges, and how involving a Construction Manager during the design process can help identify issues early.

Our presenters include Juan Viera from Swarthmore College, Joshua Klein from Aegis Property Group, Spencer Dekhayser, AIA from Zimmerman Studio, Allison Lukachik from Keast & Hood Structural Engineers, and MaryKate Selgrath from LF Driscoll.

General admission tickets are $20. You can register today by visiting our website at www.carpentershall.org/events/view/rethinking-the-box.

Join us at Carpenters' Hall on June 9th at 5:30 for a discussion on two recently published books, When the Declaration W...
05/26/2026

Join us at Carpenters' Hall on June 9th at 5:30 for a discussion on two recently published books, When the Declaration Was News and National Treasure: How the Declaration of Independence Made America. The conversation will be led by the respective authors, Dr. Emily Sneff and Dr. Michael Auslin. Both books will be available for purchase at the event. The admission cost is $5 per person.

We hope to see you there!

About Dr. Sneff

Dr. Emily Sneff is an early American historian and leading expert on the Declaration of Independence. She earned her Ph.D. in History from William & Mary. She is a consulting curator for exhibitions marking the 250th anniversary of the Declaration at the Museum of the American Revolution and Historic Trappe.

About Dr. Auslin

Michael Auslin, PhD, is the Payson J. Treat Distinguished Research Fellow at the Hoover Institution, Stanford University. His prior books include Asia’s New Geopolitics: Essays on Reshaping the Indo-Pacific and The End of the Asian Century: War, Stagnation, and the Risks to the World’s Most Dynamic Region. He has been a longtime contributor to The Wall Street Journal and his writing appears in other leading publications including the Financial Times, The Spectator, Law & Liberty, and Foreign Policy. He comments regularly for US and foreign print and broadcast media.

Today’s the day! 🎉MuseumFest: Historic District Philly is happening—and we’re part of it.Stop by Carpenters' Hall for a ...
05/23/2026

Today’s the day! 🎉

MuseumFest: Historic District Philly is happening—and we’re part of it.

Stop by Carpenters' Hall for a family-friendly activities table, including a Lego building station!

Free. Open to all. Happening now. Ask for a passport to stamp at participating locations!

📍Philly’s Historic District
🕒1 – 5 pm

Lead support for MuseumFest: Historic District Philly is provided by the William Penn Foundation

Free family fun across five Philadelphia museums with performances, living history, and a collectible passport challenge. Get your tickets!

Trades Fair Day 2! Glassblowing. We’re here until 3.
05/17/2026

Trades Fair Day 2! Glassblowing. We’re here until 3.

The Historic Trades & Craft Fair is underway. Till 3pm today:  carpenters and bricklayers. 10 AM to 3 PM tomorrow: blac...
05/16/2026

The Historic Trades & Craft Fair is underway. Till 3pm today:  carpenters and bricklayers. 10 AM to 3 PM tomorrow: blacksmithing, glass blowing and millwork. Stop by and get your hands dirty: it’s free! 

Looking for something fun (and free!) to do with family this weekend?Join us next Saturday at Carpenters' Hall and in th...
05/16/2026

Looking for something fun (and free!) to do with family this weekend?

Join us next Saturday at Carpenters' Hall and in the Historic District for MuseumFest: Historic District Philly on May 23 from 1 – 5 pm.

Hands-on activities, live experiences, and plenty to explore—designed for all ages.

📍Philly’s Historic District
🕒1 – 5 pm

Get your tickets: https://feverup.com/m/630749

Lead support for MuseumFest: Historic District Philly is provided by the William Penn Foundation

JOIN US TOMORROW, Saturday, May 16th and Sunday, May 17th, from 10am-3pm in front of historic Carpenters’ Hall, the Car...
05/15/2026

JOIN US TOMORROW, Saturday, May 16th and Sunday, May 17th, from 10am-3pm in front of historic Carpenters’ Hall, the Carpenters’ Company will be hosting a free to the public Historic Crafts and Trades Fair featuring live demonstrations from local tradespeople and students.

On Saturday, we will be joined by apprentice carpenters from the Eastern Atlantic States Carpenters Technical College and masons; on Sunday, we will be joined by blacksmiths from Holzman Iron Studio, glass blowing from Jim Loewer Glass Co., and historic glass and window repair by preservation carpenter Brent Hull.
Historic Carpenters' Hall will be open to the public these days from 10am to 4pm and as always, free to enter.

We hope to see you there! This event is free. However, do RSVP below to let us know if you plan on attending by clicking here or the link in our bio: https://www.carpentershall.org/events/view/historic-crafts-and-trades-fair

JOIN US THIS WEDNESDAY FOR A VIRTUAL LECTURE, part of our PA Provincial Conference Series. THIS WEDNESDAY, May 13th from...
05/11/2026

JOIN US THIS WEDNESDAY FOR A VIRTUAL LECTURE, part of our PA Provincial Conference Series.

THIS WEDNESDAY, May 13th from 6:00 to 7:00pm, we will be hosting a free virtual public lecture titled, "The Increasing Importance of State Constitutions in American Political and Legal Life" by Marie Miller, Attorney with the Institute for Justice.

Marie Miller is an attorney with the Institute for Justice. Her practice focuses on immunity and accountability, property rights, and free speech rights. Marie received her law degree from Indiana University’s Maurer School of Law. She holds masters degrees in music and public affairs and a bachelor’s degree in music. After law school, Marie clerked for Chief Justice Loretta H. Rush of the Indiana Supreme Court and Judge Michael S. Kanne of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit.

RSVP on our event page to receive the virtual link! carpentershall.org/events

We’re excited to be part of MuseumFest: Historic District Philly on May 23 from 1 to 5pm 🎉Join us in Carpenters' Hall fo...
05/07/2026

We’re excited to be part of MuseumFest: Historic District Philly on May 23 from 1 to 5pm 🎉

Join us in Carpenters' Hall for a craft and Lego build table, as well as our daily museum exhibits—all free and open to the public.

MuseumFest is part of a celebration of some of Philadelphia’s iconic museums, presented with the American Alliance of Museums.

📍 Carpenters' Hall
🗓 Saturday, May 23
🕒 1 – 5 pm

Learn more and get your tickets: https://feverup.com/m/630749

Lead support for MuseumFest: Historic District Philly is provided by the William Penn Foundation

Due to private events, Carpenters' Hall will be closed to the public tomorrow, May 7th. We will reopen with our regular ...
05/06/2026

Due to private events, Carpenters' Hall will be closed to the public tomorrow, May 7th. We will reopen with our regular hours on Friday, May 8th. We apologize for any inconvenience!

Address

320 Chestnut Street
Philadelphia, PA
19106

Opening Hours

Tuesday 10am - 4pm
Wednesday 10am - 4pm
Thursday 10am - 4pm
Friday 10am - 4pm
Saturday 10am - 4pm
Sunday 10am - 4pm

Telephone

+12159250167

Website

https://carpentershall.square.site/

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