Fairmount Water Works Interpretive Center

For more than 200 years, the Fairmount Water Works has told the story of our connection with water. It operated as a pumping station from 1815 to 1909, an aquarium from 1911 to 1962, as the Kelly Natatorium until 1972, and today serves as Philadelphia Water's public education destination, housing an award-winning urban environmental education center.

The mission of Fairmount Water Works Interpretive Center is to foster stewardship of our shared resources by encouraging informed decisions about the use of land and water. We educate citizens about Philadelphia's urban watershed, its past, present and future, and collaborate with partners to instill an appreciation for the connections between daily life and the natural environment.

Located on the Schuylkill River at 640 Waterworks Drive, off scenic Kelly Drive in Philadelphia, the FWW is recognized as The Delaware River Basin’s Official Watershed Education Center and Gateway Center for the Schuylkill River National and State Heritage Area, featuring innovative, landmark exhibitions and serving as a living laboratory for urban watershed sustainability projects.

For more about the Fairmount Water Works, visit www.fairmountwaterworks.org.  

Winter hours: Wednesday through Saturday from 12 pm - 4 pm