National Constitution Center

Template:About Template:Use American English Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox museum The National Constitution Center is a non-profit institution that is devoted to the study of the Constitution of the United States. Located at the Independence Mall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the center is an interactive museum which serves as a national town hall, hosting government leaders, journalists, scholars, and celebrities who engage in public discussions, including Constitution-related events and presidential debates.

The groundbreaking ceremony was held on September 17, 2000, the 213th anniversary of the signing of the Constitution. The center opened on July 4, 2003,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> joining other historic sites and attractions in what has been called "America's most historic square mile",<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> because of its proximity to Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell. The center offers civic learning resources onsite and online. It does not house the original Constitution, which is stored at the National Archives Building in Washington, D.C.

Background

"We the People" inscription at the National Constitution Center

The center was created by the Constitution Heritage Act.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Approved on September 16, 1988, and signed by President Ronald Reagan,<ref>Template:Cite webTemplate:Cbignore</ref> the act defined the National Constitution Center as "within or in close proximity to the Independence National Historical Park. The Center shall disseminate information about the United States Constitution on a non-partisan basis in order to increase the awareness and understanding of the Constitution among the American people."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The center is at 525 Arch Street, an address chosen because May 25 (5/25) was the date that the Constitutional Convention began in Philadelphia.Template:Citation needed

The architectural firm of Pei Cobb Freed & Partners designed the center,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and Leslie E. Robertson Associates were the structural engineers for the project. Witold Rybczynski of The New York Times wrote, "Quiet but assertive, respectful of its surroundings, considerate of its public, this building is destined to take its place among the nation's leading public monuments."<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Ralph Appelbaum Associates designed the center's visitor experience and exhibition hall. The public space is Template:Convert, including galleries. The center has Template:Convert of exhibit space. The center is made of American products, including Template:Convert of Indiana limestone, 2.6 million pounds of steel, and a half-million cubic feet of concrete. Construction of the center was overseen by project manager Hill International.

Prior to its closure in December 2019, the Newseum, a journalism-themed museum in Washington D.C., had featured a four-story-tall stone panel inscribed with the text of the First Amendment as part of its exterior design. The Freedom Forum, a nonprofit organization that created the museum, announced in March 2021 that the panel would be dismantled and donated to the National Constitution Center for display in its second-floor atrium.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Leadership

The National Constitution Center board of trustees appointed law professor, legal commentator, and former visiting scholar Jeffrey Rosen to serve as president and chief executive officer of the center;<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Rosen began his tenure in June 2013.Template:Citation needed The honorary board chairs of the center include:<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Chairman	Period
John C. Bogle	1999Template:Endash2007Template:Citation needed
George H. W. Bush	2007Template:Endash2009Template:Citation needed
Bill Clinton	2009Template:Endash2012Template:Citation needed
Jeb Bush	2013Template:Endash2017Template:Citation needed
Joe Biden	2017Template:Endash2019Template:Citation needed
Neil Gorsuch	co-chair
Stephen G. Breyer	co-chair

Civic education

Through its Annenberg Center for Education and Outreach, the center offers onsite and online civic-education programs and a study center which develops and distributes teaching tools, lesson plans and resources.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Public engagement

The center has hosted several debates, including a 2008 Democratic presidential primary debate between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> a town hall meeting with Senator John McCain,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and a 2006 Pennsylvania Senatorial debate between Republican incumbent Rick Santorum and Democratic challenger Bob Casey.<ref>Template:Cite newsTemplate:Cbignore</ref>

The center hosted the second 2024 Presidential debate on September 10, 2024.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> It was the first debate between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris, after President Joe Biden exited the race in the weeks following the first debate of the cycle.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Ironically, no mention was made of the US Constitution by either candidate during the entire 90 minute debate.

Liberty Medal

In 2006, the center became home to the Philadelphia Liberty Medal, an annual award established in 1988 to recognize "men and women of courage and conviction who strive to secure the blessings of liberty to people around the globe."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Reception

George Will wrote for The Washington Post, "At the other end of the mall sparkles a modernist jewel of America's civic life, the National Constitution Center".<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Jason DeParle wrote for The New York Times Learning Network, "Since opening in 2003, [the National Constitution Center] has put forward a vision of constitutional history both left and right have embraced."<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> According to The Philadelphia Inquirer, "The National Constitution Center has established itself as one of the city's cultural celebs, attracting a million visitors a year, putting pizzazz into civic and educational offerings, hosting blockbuster exhibitions, and attracting the nation's intellectual cognoscenti and media elite like bears to honey."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Gallery

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  State flags in the lobby
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  Exhibits
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  Life-sized statues of the signers of the Constitution in Signers' Hall

See also

• Philadelphia Liberty Medal – An annual award administered by the Center
• Constitution Day (United States)
• Independence National Historical Park
• Founding Fathers of the United States
• Landmark Cases: Historic Supreme Court Decisions, 2015 TV series

External links

• Template:Official website
• Peter Jennings Project for Journalists and the Constitution
• Podcast interview with Eli Lesser – Director of Education for the National Constitution Center from the Speaking of History podcast, July 2007
• Constitution Daily blog of the National Constitution Center Template:Webarchive