Visit
The Historical Society of Pennsylvania's special collections library is located at 1300 Locust Street in Philadelphia and open to the public Tuesdays through Fridays. With more than 21 million items in our collections, HSP encourages visitors to use our online catalog and collection information before your visit to make library time as productive as possible. Additionally, we strongly recommend that researchers bring a camera in case they wish to make reproductions for research purposes.
The video below gives an introduction and orientation for visitors to the Historical Society of Pennsylvania. For a complete script, click here.
Address and Directions
HSP is located in Center City Philadelphia near City Hall and mass transit stations.
Hours and Admissions
The Historical Society of Pennsylvania Library is open to the public Tuesday–Friday.
Accessibility
Let us be of service to you!
Please let us know of any special needs in advance of your visit so that we may ensure you have a pleasant experience.
Group Visits
Groups are welcome to research at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania during regular library hours.
Researching at HSP
This page is designed to inform researchers of all levels of how the HSP library operates and how to more successfully conduct research here.
Library Policies
Yes, there are rules.
Frequently Asked Questions
Of course you have questions