The National Park Service intends its tours to begin at the new Visitors’ Center at the northwest corner of N. 6th and Market streets. Designed by Kallmann McKinnell and Wood of Boston and completed in 2001, its bloated volumes and impenetrable N. 6th Street wall negate its pallid Flemish bond contextualism. At best it represents sad vestiges of ideas by Venturi and Scott Brown that were intended to revitalize the park. Unfortunately, it is the site to pick up tickets for the principal buildings of the park—so pick up tickets and escape to the real buildings.
Independence National Historical Park
1732–present. Bounded by 6th, Race, 5th, Chestnut, 2nd, and Walnut sts.