Join us for a guided tour of First Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia, on Monday, June 29 from 11 am to 2 pm. Each 20-25 minute tour will offer an intimate glimpse into one of America's most historic congregations. 

Established in 1698—nearly 80 years before the nation's founding—First Church has served as the birthplace of organized Presbyterianism in America, counting three signers of the Declaration of Independence and two Constitutional Convention delegates among its early members. The current building at 21st & Walnut, erected in 1872 by Second Church (with whom First Church reunited in 1949), is a cruciform sanctuary filled with remarkable artistry: Tiffany Studios windows, a majestic Reuter organ with over 5,000 pipes, the "Prophet Windows" depicting Old Testament figures, and a Steinway grand piano once played by Ignace Paderewski. In addition to the Reuter organ in the gallery, First Presbyterian is home to three European antique organs. In the sanctuary stands a Dutch cabinet organ built by Ibe Peters Iben in Emden, Germany, in 1783, incorporating metal pipework and carved figures dating from the seventeenth century. Old Buttonwood Hall houses an antique Italian organ from around 1750 by an anonymous builder from Verona, Italy. The third instrument, dating from 1741, is located in the Music Director’s office on the second floor.

Visitors will also encounter the Washington Chandelier from President George Washington’s house and a 1791 letter from Vice President John Adams. Tours begin in the sanctuary and will explore both the architectural splendor and the congregation’s enduring legacy of faith, from the Great Awakening to the present day. Tours will be led by congregant and author, Michael B. Smith.