By Wayne Maher

The message of the center is that without ”We The People” there is no constitution.

Over looking the vast expanse of the Independence Mall, in Philadelphia is
The National Constitution Center which has just celebrated its fourth anniversary this July.  The center is located on Arch Street near the Independence Hall Visitors Center and the new Liberty Bell Exhibit Hall. The location is an important reminder of the major role Philadelphia played in the birth of our nation and the writing of the Constitution it self.

The center is an independent non profit organization dedicated to the understanding of, and appreciation for, the Constitution, its history and its relevance to our contemporary life. One is immediately struck with the size and openness of the main hall. The center tells the story of the Constitution through extensive interactive and multimedia exhibits, photographs, sculpture, text, films and artifacts.

Your visit begins when you purchase a timed ticket for the Kimmel Theater to view the seventeen minute multimedia presentation of “Freedom Rising”.  The presentation combines a live actor and video projections on a 360 degree screen. Before viewing “Freedom Rising” you visit the “Philadelphia 1787” exhibit which depicts Philadelphia at the time the Constitution was written.

At the close of the “Freedom Rising” presentation you exit the stadium style theater at the top arriving in the main exhibit hall.  There are many multimedia interactive exhibits telling the story of the Constitution throughout history. There are also ten stations, in the exhibit hall that you can walk in and view exhibits on specific periods of time. You will be able to play an active role by e-mailing elected officials about current constitutional issues.

When you leave the exhibit hall you enter “Signers Hall” contained here are 42 life size bronze statues of the delegates to the constitutional convention. These are represented as they would have been, standing or seated in Independence Hall during their deliberations.

 On a back wall next to “Signers Hall” is an original newspaper print of the Constitution from 1787.

There is also temporary exhibit space off the main hall. The current exhibit is “Eyewitness” griping accounts in the first person from the National Archives.  With pictures, words and audio this exhibit tells the stories of some of most important events in American history. Here you can listen to the radio broadcast of the Hindenburg disaster or the Apollo 8 crew’s live Christmas broadcast from the moon.

The center is staffed by professional staff members an augmented with interns who provide general information and help run the many summer camps offered by the center.
If you happen to be hungry during your visit the center has a 225 seat restaurant with additional outdoor seating upstairs. I can recommend the Philly cheese steak which was inexpensive and very tasty; this is a good choice especially if you don’t have the time to run down to south Philadelphia to one of the more famous cheese steak stands.

The center also contains the Annenberg Center for Education and Outreach. The Constitution Center is a popular day trip destination for families, tour groups and students. 

With easy access by plane, train and car there is no excuse not to spend a few hours at this wonderful museum.