Upcoming Events
DesignPhiladelphia at Carpenters' Hall
Friday, October 3rd, 2025 from 5 to 7pm at Carpenters' Hall
Part of DesignPhiladelphia, we invite you to join us at Carpenters' Hall on Friday, October 3rd from 5 to 7pm for the opening reception for a temporary exhibit displaying panels featuring current historic preservation building projects in the Greater Philadelphia area where accessibility is a central contributing factor. Light refreshments will be served.
These panels can be viewed by the public at no charge on Saturday, October 4th and Sunday, October 5th from 10am to 4pm. The featured historic preservation projects display various stages of development that address accessibility needs beyond ADA-standards, considering how accessibility means human-centered, universal design that can be compatible with historic-preservation and interpretive standards.
This event is in conjunction with the Carpenters’ Company of the City and County of Philadelphia’s 2025 Master Builders’ Dialogues, “Towards a More Perfect Union”: Accessibility and Preservation, being held at Arch Street Meeting House on Thursday, October 23rd, 2025.
This reception is free to attend, but please RSVP below!
Master Builders’ Dialogues 2025
"Towards a More Perfect Union": Accessibility and Preservation
Thursday, October 23, 11:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
Arch Street Meeting House, 320 Arch St, Philadelphia, PA 19106
As we approach the Semiquincentennial of American independence in 2026, museums and historic sites are increasingly exploring more inclusive stories about our journey towards a "more perfect union." It follows that these places also need to become more physically and programmatically accessible to all visitors. This engaging half-day symposium wil show you how accessibility has evolved beyond ADA regulations into human-centered, universal design that can be compatible with historic-preservation and interpretive standards.
This event is co-hosted in partnership with Art-Reach, APT-DVC and the Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia.
Schedule of Events:
11:30: Registration Open
12:00: Lunch and Opening Keynote
1:10: Break
1:20: Case Study Presentations:
Session 1: Planning Phase: Voith & Mactavish Architects presenting on the Pennsylvania State Capitol Complex
Session 2a: Deisgn and Construction Phase (Building): Heckendorn Shiles & Ministry of Awe/ Meg Saligman Studios presenting on the Ministry of Awe
Session 2b: Design and Construction Phase (Landscape): OLIN presenting on the Denver Civic Center Park & Gang of 19 Tribute Commons
Session 3: Building Use and Programming Phase: Eastern State Penitentiary & Mark Loughney presenting on Portraits of Reform: Reclaiming HIstoric Space for Justice Programming
3:00: Q&A / Panel Discussion
3:30: Break
3:50: The First Bank of the United States
4:45: Cocktail Reception at Carpenters' Hall
Holiday Tea at Carpenters’ Hall
Sundays from November 30th to December 21st, 2025
Enjoy the holiday season with afternoon tea and Dolley Madison!—with a delicious array of sweet and savory treats*—in the historic, elegant interior of Carpenters’ Hall, the architectural jewel box in Old City that in 1774 hosted George Washington, John Adams, Patrick Henry and the other delegates of the First Continental Congress as they formed a new shared American identity and laid the foundation for independence. Join Dolley Todd Madison, wife of President James Madison and the new nation’s most gracious hostess, who will describe the important role tea played in the colonial economy and, indeed, in the American Revolution itself (the Boston Tea Party is only part of the story!). Carpenters’ Hall’s rarely seen historic six-piece silver tea service will also be on display.
Purchase tickets for different dates by clicking the buttons below!
*vegetarian and gluten-free options available
This event is graciously sponsored by Pinemar, Inc. and presented in partnership with Carpenters’ Hall and Historic Philadelphia Inc. This event features American Heritage Chocolate.
Have an allergy or food restriction like Gluten-free? Please let us know by emailing us at emilywinters@carpentershall.org or giving us a call at 215-925-0167.
PAST EVENTS
300th Anniversary Gala & Awards Ceremony
On Saturday, October 26th, 2024, the Carpenters' Company of the City and County of Philadelphia hosted its 300th Anniversary Gala & Awards Ceremony at the Bellevue Hotel.
That evening, the Master Builders' Award was awarded to the General Building Contractors Association (GBCA). Stemming from the Carpenters' Company of Philadelphia, GBCA was established in 1891 for the advancement of commercial construction in the Philadelphia region. As one of the nation's oldest trade associations they serve as as industry watchdog and resource.
During the ceremony, the 2024 McCullough Prize for Excellence in American Public History was presented to CBS Correspondent, Mo Rocca. Mr. Rocca has greatly contributed to the public's understanding and enjoyment of history through multiple mediums including, television, radio and multiple books. The recipient of our local teacher's McCullough Prize was Ms. Elizabeth Taylor, a local Philadelphia teacher at J.R. Masterman Laboratory & Demonstration School.
Public Reading of the First Prayer in Congress
On September 7, 1774, Rev. Jacob Duché delivered a rousing invocation/prayer at Carpenters' Hall before the Founding Fathers at the First Continental Congress. Exactly 250 years later, Carpenters' Hall marked this moment – which set a precedent for prayer in Congress that continues to this day – with a free public reading of the invocation by Reverend Palmer Hartl of Christ Church.
Watch the video below for a full recording of the reading.
building independence
To commemorate the 250th anniversary of the First Continental Congress, in September and October of 2024, the Carpenters’ Company of the City and County of Philadelphia, partnered with Historic Philadelphia Inc. on Building Independence. Actors in Carpenters' Hall performed vignettes featuring First Continental Congress delegates, their spouses, and even common folk of the time. Rather than a recreation or recitation of the Congress itself, the short scenes escorted visitors through the hard decisions that faced the delegates, educate them on the perspectives of the time, and place the First Continental Congress – and Carpenters’ Hall – into the wider timeline of American independence. This series was free and open to the public.
The below images are curtesy of Industry & Commerce Image Works.
Go 4th & Learn: Legos and Hands-On Learning at Carpenters’ Hall
On Tuesday, July 2nd from 11am to 3pm, Carpenters’ Hall, in partnership with the Franklin Institute, and Wawa Welcome America, welcomed the public to Carpenters’ Court for a free and fun day of interactive Lego building and science-learning related demonstrations. Selected Lego builds were judged by young professionals in the architecture, engineering and building trades at a cocktail hour reception following this event. The top three winning builds are now displayed in Carpenters’ Hall for the rest of the summer.
In addition to interactive Lego builds and food trucks and giveaways curtesy of Wawa Welcome America, Carpenters’ Hall unveiled a new Lego model of Carpenters’ Hall. Crafted from 50,000 Lego pieces, this model was created by Richard Paules, a lifelong Lego afficionado from Washington, DC. He has previously been commissioned to build large scale Lego replicas of buildings such as Dulles Airport.
This model depicts Carpenters’ Hall as it would have looked during the First Continental Congress in 1774. Note the view into the eastern half of the first floor of the building where the delegates from 12 of the 13 colonies met. Also, peek into the second-floor library of Carpenters’ Hall, which then housed Benjamin Franklin’s Library Company. This collection was used by delegates during the First Continental Congress.
Paules can be found on Instagram @dclegoman.
This new permanent exhibit was made possible by a generous donation from McHugh Engineering Associates, Inc. & the Witkowski Family.
Interested in viewing footage from our previous programming or events? Visit us on Vimeo at Carpenters' Hall.
Contact emilywinters@carpentershall.com with any questions.
Check back often for new programs and events!
