The display is part of City Council’s celebration of the nation’s Semiquincentennial
Philadelphia City Council President Kenyatta Johnson (Second District) announced a partnership with the Philadelphia Visitor Center Corporation and Philadelphia250 to display two of the Bells Across Pennsylvania (Bells Across PA) Liberty Bell replicas in City Council chambers throughout this month.
Bells Across PA — the statewide art exhibit in partnership with America250PA and Mural Arts Philadelphia — has begun showcasing the festive painted fiberglass Liberty Bell replicas across the state, with over 20 bells scheduled for display throughout Philadelphia.
“Displaying the Liberty Bells in Council Chambers is a powerful reflection of who we are as a city and what we stand for,” Council President Johnson said. “As the birthplace of American democracy, Philadelphia has a unique responsibility to lead the nation in honoring the 250th anniversary of our country. These symbols remind us that the work of liberty, equality, and justice is ongoing, and that government must always serve the people.”
President Johnson emphasized that the nation’s Semiquincentennial provides an opportunity to bring together Philadelphians from different neighborhoods and generations, while celebrating both the City’s historic legacy and its diversity communities.
“Our goal at Philadelphia250 is to coordinate a Semiquincentennial celebration that meets every Philadelphian where they are,” said Kathryn Ott Lovell, President and CEO of the Philadelphia Visitor Center Corporation and Philadelphia250. “Thank you to Philadelphia City Council and Council President Kenyatta Johnson for facilitating this special preview and for their ongoing and unwavering support of the city’s Semiquincentennial celebrations. Through the neighborhood bells, planned beautifications and activations across commercial corridors, and hundreds of block parties we will help host this summer, we will engage thousands of residents and help Philadelphians create joy and memories throughout 2026.”
The Philadelphia Visitor Corporation recommended two bells to President Johnson for consideration. The two bells on display in City Council Chambers from February 26 to March 6 are the “We The People” bell by artist Tara Jacoby and the “The Promise of What’s to Come”/Point Breeze Bell by artist Symone Salib.
The bells will be seen during the February 26 and March 5 City Council sessions and by visitors participating daily in The City Hall Tour, which explores the history, art, and architecture of the world’s highest masonry load-bearing structure, comprising 88 million bricks.
The “We The People” bell highlights Philadelphia and will probably be the first replica bell most visitors, whether from the U.S. or abroad, see this summer. It will be displayed at the Independence Visitor Center, 599 Market Street, in Old City. The sponsors of the bell are Visit Philadelphia and the Philadelphia Visitor Center Corporation.
“The Promise of What’s to Come,” also known as the Point Breeze Bell, honors the children of the Point Breeze community in South Philadelphia. Painted in an ombre of blues and greens to represent growth, water, and life, the bell also showcases imagery of native plants inspired by Wharton Square Park at 23rd and Wharton Streets.
The Point Breeze Bell will be permanently located at 1336 South 21st Street, near the corners of Earp Street and Point Breeze Avenue. The community partners for the Point Breeze Bell are the Point Breeze Business Association and the Greater Philadelphia Community Alliance.
Starting this spring and lasting through 2026, the colorful fiberglass Liberty Bell sculptures will be showcased in neighborhoods all over the city — in commercial districts, public parks, libraries, and other buildings. Artists worked with community members to reflect the spirit and identity of each neighborhood.
Two of Philadelphia’s bells are already on display, each part of America250PA’s larger program in partnership with Mother Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church, the Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau, and the Pennsylvania Convention Center.
The two bells in City Council chambers will be the most publicly displayed in a single location in Philadelphia so far.
For a list of Bells Across PA replica liberty bells that will be displayed in Philadelphia this year, click here.
Philadelphia City Council is exploring additional ways to collaborate with the Philadelphia Visitors Center Corporation/Philadelphia250, Visit Philadelphia, the City of Philadelphia, and other organizations to celebrate the nation’s Semiquincentennial across neighborhoods throughout Philadelphia and in all 10 City Council districts this year.
