Pennsylvania Hospital, the nation's first hospital, was founded in 1751 by Benjamin Franklin and Dr. Thomas Bond. For more than 270 years, it has been at the forefront of innovative, high-quality patient care and continues to build on its many centers of excellence.
Pennsylvania Hospital has earned national recognition for programs such as orthopaedics, cardiac care, vascular surgery, neurosurgery, otorhinolaryngology (ENT), urology, obstetrics and high-risk maternal and fetal services, neonatology and behavioral health. The campus also includes specialty treatment centers such as the Joan Karnell Cancer Center, the Center for Bloodless Medicine and Surgery and the Penn Neurological Institute.
As a National Historic Landmark, Pennsylvania Hospital’s original Pine Building is home to America’s first surgical amphitheater and first medical library. Though today’s patients are cared for in modern, state-of-the-art facilities, the hospital’s historic roots have been carefully preserved as a celebration of our rich history.
Pennsylvania Hospital is located at 8th and Spruce Streets in the historic Society Hill district of Philadelphia.
Historic Tours of Pennsylvania Hospital
Guided historic tours of the Pennsylvania Hospital have resumed. For more information on tours, please contact
215-829-5434. Tours are offered weekdays per tour guide availability. Masks are required.