[4] CHOP has been ranked as the best children's hospital in the United States by U.S. News & World Report[5] and Parents Magazine[6] since 2020.

A Philadelphia physician, Dr. Francis West Lewis, inspired by a visit to the new Great Ormond Street Hospital[13] for Sick Children in London (founded 1852), enlisted Drs.

[14][13] On November 23, 1855, the following small advertisement appeared in the Philadelphia Public Ledger:[15] The Children's Hospital—located on Blight Street, running from Pine to Lombard, below Broad, is now open for the reception of Patients.

A dispensary, for sick children, is also attached to the Hospital and will be open at the same place every day, (Sundays excepted from 11 to 12 o'clock, when advice and medicine will be given free of charge.

[14] Early on in CHOP's history, a long-term care ("convalescent") facility was opened as a county branch near Overbrook.

In 1899, the County Branch convalescent facility was closed, and the program and patients were transferred to the Seashore House near Atlantic City, New Jersey.

The affiliation became steadily closer over the next 17 years, with the Children's Hospital becoming identical to the pediatric department of the school of medicine, with most of the attending physicians appointed jointly to both institutions.

[20] Construction of the new hospital at a new site on the west side of the Schuylkill River at 34th Street and Civic Center Boulevard, adjacent to the campus of the University of Pennsylvania, began in 1969, and the first building was opened in 1974.

[23] The new South Campus also includes an underground parking garage and an ambulatory care building with outpatient services.

[25][26] Later that year, in October 2015, the expansion of the Brandywine Valley Specialty Care and Ambulatory Surgery Center was opened.

[27] In May 2020 amidst the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic CHOP started offering virtual pediatric urgent care visits to all children aged 0–21 throughout Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, and Delaware regardless of if the child was a patient at the hospital or not.

[36] Composed of stacked forms and a selection of primary colors, the twelve-story building and six-story wing offer an interactive setting for treatment.

[49] Seacrest Studios (formerly known as The Voice) at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia is a closed-circuit radio station and multimedia center.

The studio, located in the main lobby, provides young patients within The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia community with an outlet to engage in activities related to radio, TV and new media, ranging from broadcasting like a disc jockey and playing their favorite songs to watching live artists perform and interviewing celebrities.

[51] Seacrest chose Children's Hospital of Philadelphia because it is a center of pediatric research and is focused on developing programs which enrich each patient's emotional well-being.

The following Celebrities were guests of Seacrest Studios: Selena Gomez (who was also named as ambassador to the foundation in April 2012),[53] CeeLo Green, Carrie Underwood, The Fray, Adam Levine, 5 Seconds of Summer, Taylor Swift, Julianne Hough, Jason Derulo, the cast of The Maze Runner,[54] Hot Chelle Rae, Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter, Florida Georgia Line, R5, Austin Mahone and Rixton.

At the same time, the Philadelphia Eagles were fundraising in support of player Fred Hill's daughter, Kim, who was battling leukemia.

[62][63] A detailed ranking of pediatric facilities in the United States is printed in the publication's first stand-alone "America's Best Children's Hospitals" issue.

2 best children's hospital in the United States by U.S. News & World Report on the publications' honor roll list.