11 historic places to hear the Declaration of Independence on July 4th

Live Readings of the Declaration of Independence

There’s something magical about hearing those famous words “We hold these truths to be self-evident” spoken out loud on July 4th.

While most people know the Declaration exists, fewer have actually heard it read in its entirety. If this is something you’ve always wanted to experience, here are 11 ways to hear it live.

1. National Archives Independence Day Program – Washington, D.C.

Get to the National Archives early for this one. For over 50 years, they’ve been throwing this celebration right in their rotunda.

The Archivist of the United States does the honors, reading the Declaration while you’re standing just feet away from the real thing. Actors dressed as founding fathers wander around and the whole thing is free.

You can find all the details and event schedules on the National Archives website.

2. Old State House Balcony Reading – Boston, Massachusetts

Colonel Thomas Crafts first read the Declaration of Independence to Bostonians from the Old State House balcony on July 18, 1776, and the tradition continues today.

A parade from City Hall Plaza kicks things off with a stop at Granary Burying Ground. Three guys who signed the Declaration are buried there: John Hancock, Samuel Adams, and Robert Treat Paine.

Then, every July 4th at 10 AM, a member of the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company climbs onto the Old State House balcony and reads the Declaration to the crowd below. Expect the reading to last about 15 minutes at 206 Washington Street in downtown Boston.

3. Independence Hall Celebration of Freedom – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Philadelphia goes all out on July 4th since this is where it all started. At 10 AM, the mayor kicks off the Celebration of Freedom Ceremony right at Independence Hall. They do a full reading of the Declaration in the same building where it was debated and adopted.

The Pennsylvania State House, now called Independence Hall, is where 56 men risked everything by signing their names to Jefferson’s words. Independence Square hosts the reading, the same spot where Colonel John Nixon first read it publicly on July 8, 1776. Independence Hall sits at 520 Chestnut Street, and the ceremony draws huge crowds.

4. Thomas Jefferson at the Capitol – Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia

At 9:30 AM, “Thomas Jefferson” himself steps onto the West Balcony of Williamsburg’s Capitol building and reads his masterpiece to the crowd below. The Capitol building is a reconstruction of the original where Virginia’s House of Burgesses met.

At noon, they do another reading on the Courthouse steps with regular townspeople in 18th-century dress, showing how ordinary folks would have heard the news back then.

5. Monticello Independence Day Celebration – Charlottesville, Virginia

Jefferson’s home puts on one of the most meaningful Declaration readings you’ll find anywhere. Monticello hosts a massive Independence Day celebration on Jefferson’s West Lawn every year.

For over 60 years, they’ve been holding naturalization ceremonies here, where dozens of new Americans take the oath of citizenship while someone reads Jefferson’s words. The whole event is free and includes family activities, patriotic music, and food vendors.

Jefferson considered the Declaration one of his three greatest achievements, along with founding the University of Virginia and writing Virginia’s religious freedom statute.

6. George Taylor House Reading – Catasauqua, Pennsylvania

The George Taylor House puts on their annual Declaration reading every July 4th to honor one of Pennsylvania’s signers. This small Pennsylvania town celebrates George Taylor, an ironmaster who signed the Declaration, and his house still stands where he actually lived when he signed the document.

You’ll get one of the more intimate readings here since you’re not fighting crowds, just gathering with neighbors to remember a local hero who helped create America. Taylor was born in Ireland and came to America as an indentured servant before becoming successful enough to serve in the Continental Congress.

7. Historic Pohick Church Declaration Reading – Lorton, Virginia

Historic Pohick Church hosts a special reading at 1 PM on July 4th by a historical reenactor. The church dates back to 1774, making it a genuine Revolutionary War-era building where George Washington and George Mason both worshipped regularly.

The building survived the Civil War and has been continuously active since colonial times. After the reading, they offer free tours where you can see original colonial architecture and learn about the parish’s role in Virginia history.

The church sits at 9301 Richmond Highway in Lorton, and the stone walls and wooden pews give you a real sense of what Sunday services felt like in the 1700s.

8. White Horse Inn Declaration Reading – Amity Township, Pennsylvania

The Historic Preservation Trust of Berks County holds an inspiring reading at the 18th-century White Horse Inn on July 6th at 2 PM.

This building sits on the Old Philadelphia Pike and actually hosted travelers during the Revolutionary era, so news of the Declaration might have been shared here back in 1776. The reading takes place on the inn’s front porch, just like a town crier might have announced the news.

Members of the Berks Opera Company lead everyone in patriotic songs between readings. The inn is one of the few surviving colonial-era taverns in southeastern Pennsylvania. The White Horse Inn is located at 31 Old Philadelphia Pike, and the event is free and open to the public.

9. Strawbery Banke Museum Naturalization Ceremony – Portsmouth, New Hampshire

Portsmouth combines their Declaration reading with a naturalization ceremony for over 100 new citizens from more than 30 countries. New Hampshire was recently ranked America’s most patriotic state, so they take this tradition seriously.

The Strawbery Banke Museum is a 10-acre outdoor history museum that recreates 300 years of neighborhood life using actual historic houses moved from around Portsmouth, including some that date back to the 1600s.

During the ceremony, new Americans hear the Declaration read aloud just before taking their oath of citizenship.

10. Old North Church Declaration Readings – Boston, Massachusetts

The Old North Church hosts multiple dramatic readings throughout July 4th featuring musical performances and colonial-era entertainment. This is the same church where Paul Revere got his signal: “one if by land, two if by sea.”

They do several readings during the day, mixing in period music between the serious stuff. The church has been active since 1723 and still holds regular services, so during the readings, you’re sitting in the same pews where revolutionary patriots once prayed.

The Old North Church is located at 193 Salem Street in Boston’s North End, and the brick interior and colonial details transport you back to 1776.

11. Westmoreland County Historic Home Reading – Virginia

Stratford Hall in Westmoreland County celebrates being the only place where two brothers both signed the Declaration of Independence. Richard Henry Lee and Francis Lightfoot Lee were both Virginia delegates who put their names on Jefferson’s document, and their family plantation has been restored to look like it did in the 1700s, complete with working plantation buildings.

During the reading, you can tour the house where the Lee brothers grew up and see the room where they might have discussed independence before heading to Philadelphia. Stratford Hall is also the birthplace of Robert E. Lee, making it a fascinating place to think about how American history unfolded.

The plantation sits at 483 Great House Road in Stratford, Virginia, and the river views probably look much the same as they did when the Lee brothers were boys.

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