Overview
- Barricades block entrances at the Liberty Bell Center and Independence Hall, with tourists peering through windows after closures took effect this week.
- The Interior Department plan furloughs 9,296 of roughly 14,500 National Park Service employees, and rangers and guides at Independence National Historical Park are off duty.
- Reduced staffing has produced limited communication — unanswered voicemails, generic website banners, and vague social updates — leaving visitors uncertain about access.
- Several NPS-managed sites are shut, including Franklin Court and the Benjamin Franklin Museum, while the Independence Visitor Center remains open for information.
- Many independent attractions continue operating, including the National Constitution Center, Betsy Ross House, and Museum of the American Revolution, and Visit Philadelphia says it may only consider short-term support if the shutdown persists into a holiday weekend.