Philadelphia Navy Yard

Why go

Philadelphia Navy Yard earns time because it offers an expansive former shipyard best understood as an outdoor district rather than one attraction. Its central thread is historic naval structures, contemporary workplaces, public art and landscaped riverfront spaces. Massive dry docks and industrial buildings preserve the scale of naval construction. Central Green introduces curving lawns and paths into the rectilinear industrial campus.

What to look for

• Massive dry docks and industrial buildings preserve the scale of naval construction.
• Central Green introduces curving lawns and paths into the rectilinear industrial campus.

The full story

Philadelphia Navy Yard is best understood through historic naval structures, contemporary workplaces, public art and landscaped riverfront spaces. The Navy Yard, formerly known as the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard and Philadelphia Naval Business Center, was an important naval shipyard of the United States for over a century. It is now a large industrial park that includes a commercial shipyard, Aker Philadelphia Shipyard. Philadelphia's original navy yard, begun in 1776 on Front Street in what is now Center City, was the first naval shipyard of the United States. The new, much larger yard grew up around facilities begun in 1871 on League Island at the confluence of the Delaware and Schuylkill Rivers. The United States Navy ended most of its activities there in the 1990s, and in 2000, the city of Philadelphia took over and began to redevelop the land. The Navy still has a Naval Inactive Ship Maintenance Facility and a few engineering activities at the site. The Navy Yard, formerly known as the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard and Philadelphia Naval Business Center, was an important naval shipyard of the United States for over a century. It is now a large industrial park that includes a commercial shipyard, Aker Philadelphia Shipyard. Philadelphia's original navy yard, begun in 1776 on Front Street in what is now Center City, was the first naval shipyard of the United States.

Useful to know

• Plan a route before arriving; distances between landmarks are longer than a normal city block.
• Visit in daylight and confirm gate access, transit and any building-specific restrictions.

Your next visit

Estimated · Declared scenario and planning estimates; no live opening, weather, queue or booking service.