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Located in the heart of Philadelphia’s historic Old City District, the Fireman’s Hall Museum (147 N 2nd Street, Philadelphia, PA) is one of the nation’s premier fire museums with nearly 2,500 pieces of fire memorabilia and artifacts in its collection detailing Philadelphia’s significant fire history over the last three centuries while also promoting fire safety.
The free museum, operated by members of the Philadelphia Fire Department, allows guests to take a step back in time and learn all about the city’s rich firefighting history. From the birthplace of the nation’s first true volunteer fire company, which was founded by Benjamin Franklin and his associates in 1736, to the creation of the city’s paid fire department in 1871, the museum offers an in-depth overview of the Philadelphia Fire Department for visitors of all ages to enjoy.
Housed inside a fully-renovated 1898 firehouse, visitors can tour the museum to see one of the oldest surviving steam fire engines in the United States on display as well as other apparatus from the 18th through 20th centuries. Or, patrons can find and read the stories of the first African American men to join the Philadelphia Fire Department and see just how far firefighting has come in the city over the last 300 years.
“The Fireman’s Hall Museum’s location in a restored 1898 firehouse and its collection of fire apparatus, unique fire memorabilia, and memorial display make it a must-visit for the fire buff, historian, and all children and adults fascinated by fire engines and the men and women who protect us,” says Robert Shea, a member of the Board of Directors for Fireman’s Hall Museum.
Upon entering the first floor of the two-story museum, guests will find the brightly-restored London-built 1764 Newsham & Ragg “Arrow” Hand Engine and the Philadelphia-built 1835 Joel Bates Hand Engine. In the Apparatus Room, a collection of 19th and 20th-century hand-drawn, horse-drawn, steam-powered, and diesel engines is led by the 1858 Reaney, Neafie & Co. steam engine. An interactive fire alarm call box system which dispatchers used to alert fire companies is also on display. It shows visitors how dispatchers directed different fire engine companies to the locations they needed to respond to. Guests can also find the nation’s first exhibit commemorating the brave firefighters who died on September 11, 2001, with the names and pictures of each fallen firefighter. The museum’s hauntingly beautiful display showcases leftover residue and panels from a destroyed NYFD fire engine and a stone from the damaged portion of the Pentagon. The museum is one of only a few to exhibit dirt from Shanksville, PA, where United Airlines Flight 93 crashed.
The second floor of the museum features more displays on the origins of Philadelphia firefighting, with several pieces of 18th-century Philadelphia fire equipment, including a 1792 Richard Mason Hand Pumper, and the oldest fire engine in the city, the 1730 Richard Newsham “Shag Rag.” A premier collection of British and American insurance fire marks dating back to the 18th century are also on display. Highlighting this floor is a visually stunning 14-foot-wide semicircular stained-glass window honoring the more than 300 members of the Philadelphia Fire Department who died in the line of duty since 1871. An interactive computer screen located next to the memorial encourages guests to learn more about each fallen firefighter and read their service records and news articles pertaining to their deaths.
To help achieve the museum’s mission of promoting fire prevention, there are also several interactive elements throughout the building to teach children about fire safety. These include fun activities, including practicing how to call 911 on a telephone, taking a virtual “when to call 911” quiz, and touring the museum’s “Blue Room,” which has floor-to-ceiling comic strips on its walls sharing fire safety prevention stories. Firefighters’ boots and coats are available for children to try on in the Fire Prevention exhibit. The Fireman’s Hall Museum mascot, Firefighter Ben, may also be found here teaching about fire safety.
A gift shop is available inside the museum and online for guests to purchase souvenirs to support the Fireman’s Hall Museum. Items available for purchase include t-shirts, mugs, blankets, and embroidered fire department unit patches. The Fireman’s Hall Museum is open to the public Tuesday through Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Admission is free for guests, and donations are welcome.
Guided and group tours are available by calling in advance at 215-923-1438 or by emailing the museum curator at Brian.anderson@phila.gov. Fireman’s Hall is also available for guests to rent out to host events, including cocktail receptions, fundraisers, and corporate events.
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