Volunteer, learn, and celebrate on Martin Luther King Jr. Day in Philadelphia
The organizations and museums celebrating MLK Day through concerts, exhibits, and volunteer opportunities in Philadelphia.
On Jan. 20, the nation will honor the legacy of America’s most recognized civil rights leader, Martin Luther King Jr., with a day of reflection, service, and community engagement.
Born in Atlanta nearly a century ago, King propelled the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and ‘60s into the national spotlight, championing desegregation, equal pay, voting rights, and more. His impact resonated in Philadelphia, where in 1965, he stood before the towering walls of Girard College — then a whites-only school — and called them “a kind of Berlin Wall to keep the colored children of God out.”
Today, cities across the U.S. observe MLK Day on the third Monday of January with volunteer events, educational programs, and celebrations of his enduring legacy. Here’s how you can honor King’s memory in Philadelphia:
Learn
Bernice King, lawyer, activist, and youngest child of Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King, is coming to Swarthmore College on Friday, Jan. 24 at 7 p.m. King will deliver a free lecture continuing on her father’s philosophy of nonviolence and “love-centered activism” while exploring her parents’ multifaceted legacies.
🕒 Jan. 24, 7 p.m.-8 p.m., 💵 Free,📍500 College Ave, Swarthmore, PA 19081, 🌐 swarthmore.edu
America’s first city-funded museum on African American history, the African American Museum in Philadelphia, will honor Martin Luther King Jr. with a four-day celebration from Jan. 17 to Jan. 20. Throughout the weekend guests will have access to the museum exhibits, live performances, family-friendly activities, and learn about the legacy of the Black Panther Party and enjoy free financial education classes.
🕒 Jan. 17-20, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., 💵 Free-$7,📍701 Arch St., Philadelphia, Pa. 19106, 🌐 aampmuseum.org
The National Constitution Center will be open for free to all guests on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Jan. 20, with school supply drives, arts and crafts, a screening of the presidential inauguration, exhibits on The March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, and the reading of MLK’s “I Have A Dream” speech.
🕒 Jan. 20, 10 a.m.–5 p.m., 💵 Free,📍525 Arch St., Philadelphia, Pa. 19106, 🌐 constitutioncenter.org
The Museum of the American Revolution will bring history from Black historical figures to life for Martin Luther King Jr. Weekend. From Sat., Jan. 18 to Mon., Jan. 20, enjoy live performances, oral histories, and exhibitions exploring Black liberation and the fight for civil freedoms. See a ticket price breakdown online.
Highlights include:
Meet Elizabeth Freeman Performance: Daily at 1:15 p.m. and 3:15 p.m.
Meet the Revolution with Leslie Bramlett: Sunday, Jan. 19, 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
Discovery Cart with Protest in Early America: Daily from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Pop-Up Talks with Phillis Wheatley: Daily from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.
🕒 Jan. 18-20, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., 💵 Free-$25,📍101 S. 3rd St., Philadelphia, Pa. 19106, 🌐 amrevmuseum.org
More than 100 children will honor Dr. King through song during two free concerts at Swarthmore College, including the premiere of an original composition by the College’s executive artistic director John Alston.
🕒 Jan. 18-19, 4 p.m., 💵 Free,📍500 College Ave., Swarthmore, Pa. 19081, 🌐 swarthmore.edu
Volunteer
The Greater Philadelphia Martin Luther King Day of Service is the nation’s largest Martin Luther King Day of Service organizing nearly 100 events to give back to the Philadelphia region, in partnership with Global Citizen. See a full list of volunteer opportunities at volunteer.globalcitizen365.org.
🕒 Jan. 20,📍Various locations, 🌐 mlkdayofservice.org
The Fairmount Park Conservancy, a restorative and advocacy nonprofit for Philadelphia parks, is inviting people to join them for a day of service removing invasive species, repairing trails, picking up trash, and cleaning sidewalk paths.
🕒 Jan. 20, 10 a.m.-noon,📍Wynnefield Ave. & N. Georges Hill Dr., Philadelphia, Pa. 19131, 🌐 myphillypark.org
From Jan. 18 to Jan. 20, Franklin Square will be honoring the legacy of Dr. King through accepting clothing donations for the Bethesda Project that provides shelter, housing, and wraparound services to adults experiencing homelessness in Philadelphia. Each donation grants one free carousel ride or free admission to the Betsy Ross House. Drop offs at Franklin Square (6th & Race Streets, 10 a.m.-7 p.m.) or Betsy Ross House (239 Arch Street, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.).
🕒 Jan. 18-20, 10 a.m.-7 p.m.,📍200 N. 6th St, Philadelphia, Pa. 19106, 🌐 historicphiladelphia.org
Join the Schuylkill Center on Martin Luther King Jr. Day in protecting the forests and supporting wildlife through service projects. Registration is required at schuylkillcenter.org/event/mlk-day-of-service.
🕒 Jan. 20, 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m.,📍8480 Hagy’s Mill Rd., Philadelphia, Pa. 19128, 🌐 schuylkillcenter.org