What Is Included In The Philadelphia Pass: 10 Things to Know

Go City Philadelphia: What's Included

Go City Philadelphia covers 25+ venues across both the All-Inclusive and Explorer products. The same attraction pool feeds both — the difference is how you access them (unlimited days vs. choose-N count). Here are the highest-value inclusions we priced for 2026:

• The Franklin Institute — $25 adult gate price. Giant Heart exhibit, planetarium, science theater. One of Philly's strongest bang-for-buck inclusions.
• Eastern State Penitentiary — $22 adult. Self-guided audio tour of Al Capone's cell and the crumbling cell blocks. Book a timed entry window in advance via Go City's portal.
• Philadelphia Museum of Art — $30 adult. The Rocky Steps, Impressionist collection, Van Gogh, Picasso. Allow 2.5–3 hours minimum.
• Philadelphia Zoo — $28 adult. America's first zoo; Zoo360 elevated trails. Advance reservation required even with Go City — book 24–48 hours ahead.
• Adventure Aquarium (Camden) — $35 adult. Shark Bridge walk-over tank, hippos. Located across the Delaware in New Jersey; add 20 minutes transit time.
• Big Bus Philadelphia Hop-on Hop-off — $39 adult (1-day). Covers 20+ stops including Independence Hall and the Italian Market. Best used on your first morning to orient.
• Academy of Natural Sciences — $22 adult. Dinosaur Hall, live butterfly garden. Best inclusion for families with kids under 12.
• National Constitution Center — $18 adult. Interactive exhibits on the US Constitution; staged rotunda. Solid half-day option in Old City.
• Museum of the American Revolution — $24 adult. Revolutionary War artifacts including Washington's command tent. Old City, walkable from Constitution Center.
• Ghost Tour of Philadelphia — $20 adult. Evening walking tour of haunted colonial sites. Only operates Thursday–Sunday; check availability before building your itinerary around it.

The Explorer Pass also includes LEGOLAND Discovery Center Philadelphia (Plymouth Meeting, ~20 minutes north), Barnes Foundation ($30 gate), and several smaller tours. See how Go City compares to CityPASS across every US city.

Philadelphia CityPASS: What's Included

CityPASS Philadelphia is a fixed bundle of 5 attractions. The Franklin Institute is mandatory; you choose one of two options for each of the remaining four slots. Here's the 2026 lineup:

• Slot 1 (mandatory): The Franklin Institute — $25 gate value
• Slot 2 (choice): Eastern State Penitentiary ($22) OR Big Bus 1-Day ($39)
• Slot 3 (choice): Philadelphia Museum of Art ($30) OR Academy of Natural Sciences ($22)
• Slot 4 (choice): Adventure Aquarium ($35) OR National Constitution Center ($18)
• Slot 5 (choice): Philadelphia Zoo ($28) OR Museum of the American Revolution ($24)

You activate your 9-day window when you first scan in. After that, you have 9 days to use the remaining 4 tickets — making this the most flexible option for visitors staying 2–3 nights.

Note: CityPASS does NOT include skip-the-line access at any Philadelphia venue. Timed-entry reservations at the Zoo and Aquarium are still required separately.

Worth-It Math: Does the Philadelphia Pass Save You Money? (2026)

We priced every attraction at the gate in 2026. Here's the honest math for each scenario.

Scenario A: Philadelphia CityPASS (best-value slot choices, adult)

• Franklin Institute: $25
• Big Bus 1-Day: $39 (vs Eastern State $22 — choose Big Bus for maximum value)
• Philadelphia Museum of Art: $30 (vs Academy of Natural Sciences $22)
• Adventure Aquarium: $35 (vs National Constitution Center $18)
• Philadelphia Zoo: $28 (vs Museum of American Revolution $24)

À-la-carte total: $157 | CityPASS price: $89 | Savings: $68 (43%)

Verdict: At best-value slot selection, CityPASS saves $68 per adult — a strong return. Even at minimum-value slots (Franklin Institute + Academy + Constitution Center + Museum of American Revolution + Eastern State = $111), the $89 pass saves $22 (20%). CityPASS wins on every combination.

Scenario B: Go City Explorer 3-Attraction (highest-value picks, adult)

• Big Bus 1-Day: $39
• Adventure Aquarium: $35
• Philadelphia Museum of Art: $30

À-la-carte total: $104 | Explorer 3-attraction price: $75 | Savings: $29 (28%)

Verdict: Solid saving for a focused day trip. If you're only doing 3 things, the Explorer Pass at $75 beats CityPASS at $89 — you pay for exactly what you use.

Scenario C: Go City All-Inclusive 1-Day ($79)

Break-even: You need $79+ of gate value in a single day. That means at least 3 attractions. Do Franklin Institute ($25) + Eastern State ($22) + Adventure Aquarium ($35) = $82 → you save $3. Barely.

Add a 4th: Big Bus ($39) → à-la-carte $121, pass $79, save $42. The 1-day All-Inclusive only makes real sense at 4+ attractions in one day. Most visitors can't sustain that pace across Philly's spread-out neighborhoods.

Scenario D: Go City All-Inclusive 2-Day ($119)

Break-even: $119 across two days = ~$60/day, i.e., about 2.5 gate admissions per day. Realistic for an active traveler: Day 1 (Franklin Institute $25 + Big Bus $39 + Eastern State $22 = $86) + Day 2 (Museum of Art $30 + Zoo $28 + Academy $22 = $80) → 2-day à-la-carte $166 vs pass $119 → saves $47 (28%). Good value if you're committed to 3 venues each day.

Bottom line: For most Philadelphia visitors, CityPASS at $89 is the safest bet — biggest percentage saving with the least planning pressure. The Go City Explorer 3-attraction at $75 is the lean alternative for a single-day focused trip. The All-Inclusive only wins at a punishing 3-per-day pace. Check full 2026 Philadelphia pass pricing including child rates.

Buy It If / Skip It If

Philadelphia CityPASS — Buy it if:

• You're spending 2–3 days in Philly and will hit at least 4 of the 5 included attractions
• You want the simplest booking experience (no choices after purchase — just scan and go)
• You're traveling with kids — the Academy of Natural Sciences + Zoo + Franklin combo is a natural family itinerary
• You want 9 days of flexibility rather than consecutive-day pressure

Philadelphia CityPASS — Skip it if:

• You only plan to visit 1–2 attractions (just buy individually at the gate)
• You're primarily interested in the free sights: Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, Reading Terminal Market — none are on the pass
• You already visited the Franklin Institute on a past trip and have no interest in repeating it (it's mandatory)

Go City Explorer — Buy it if:

• You want flexibility to mix high-value attractions from the full 25+ list
• You're visiting for one day and targeting 3 specific venues
• You're a selective traveler who doesn't want to feel rushed into hitting every landmark

Go City All-Inclusive — Skip it unless:

• You genuinely plan to visit 3+ paid attractions per day — most Philly visitors don't, given the city's walkable free sights
• You're a first-timer wanting to cover maximum ground in a weekend

See our full Philadelphia city pass worth-it analysis with per-traveler scenarios.

Booking Tips and Gotchas (2026)

• Philadelphia Zoo: Advance timed-entry reservation required, even with Go City or CityPASS. Book through the Go City portal or citypass.com links — not the Zoo's direct site, which doesn't recognize pass bookings.
• Adventure Aquarium: Same deal — pre-book your entry window. Located in Camden, NJ, a $3 PATCO train ride or short rideshare across the river.
• Eastern State Penitentiary: Popular on weekends. Book your slot 24–48 hours ahead via the Go City app link.
• Big Bus: Fully open-top; bring a layer even in summer. The route hits 20 stops including Old City, South Street, and the Art Museum.
• CityPASS activation: Your 9-day window starts the moment you scan your first attraction — not on the purchase date. You don't need to visit the Independence Visitor Center first; the CityPASS is fully digital and scans directly from your phone.
• Free sights not on any pass: Liberty Bell, Independence Hall (requires timed-entry NPS reservation), Reading Terminal Market. Build these into your pass days to maximize value without extra cost.