On March 4, 1681, William Penn received from Great Britain’s King Charles II a charter for land in the new world that would later become the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
Penn had a vision for establishing a “land of peace, justice, equality and freedom for all men and women”. Many people throughout Europe who had been persecuted for their faith came to “Penn’s Woods” to find freedom of worship.
To celebrate the granting of that charter to William Penn over 300 years ago, the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission annually holds a Charter Day, where the public can have free admission to all 25 of the state historical sites administered by the museum commission. Charter Day is typically the second Sunday in March each year.
The 2016 Charter Day celebration is Sunday, March 13. Visit the PHMC’s website for hours and locations of historical sites that will have free admission.