Free Events and Activities at the Center
224: Preamble Challenge
September 16, 2011 at 8:45 a.m.
Justice Sandra Day O’Connor will lead students in a reading of the Preamble to honor the 224th anniversary of the Constitution’s signing.
Constitution Day Press Conference
September 16, 2011 at 9:30 a.m.
Get an insider’s perspective on the Civic Health Assessment, which measures America’s civic habits in an effort to strengthen citizen participation in communities, states and the nation. The press conference will highlight the assessment’s findings as well as Justice Sandra Day O’Connor’s iCivics project—a web based tool that encourages civic engagement.
iCivics Demonstrations
September 16, 2011 from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Created by Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, iCivics is a web-based civic education project that inspires young people to be active participants in our democracy. Justice O’Connor will be at the Center to engage students in this exciting program.
Daughters of the American Revolution
September 16, 2011 from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The Daughters of the American Revolution will be at the Center celebrating Constitution Day and hosting activities including the “I Will Read the Constitution” proclamation. DAR is a women’s service organization dedicated to preserving American history, securing America’s future through education and promoting patriotism.
Constitution Day Partners
September 16, 2011 from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
In order to help Celebrate Constitution Day, the National Constitution Center has teamed up with a number of partner organizations who will be on site that day. These organizations include Beneficial Bank, Citizenship Counts, the American Bar Association, the American Institute for History Education, the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, and Progressive Business Publications, and the Philadelphia Passport Agency.
Chalk Constitution with Robert Krauss
September 16, 2011 from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
This Constitution Day, local artist and teacher Robert Krauss will be creating a larger-then-life chalk art Constitution on the Center’s front walkway. Visitors can join in and sign their names!
Delegates Trading Cards
September 16, 2011 from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Guests can learn all the stats on our Constitutional MVPs with our Delegates Trading Cards. Packs of the Trading Card will be available at various places throughout the building, and will feature fun facts about some of our favorite founders like Ben Franklin, James Madison and George Washington!
I Signed the Constitution
September 16, 2011 from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Visitors to the Center can check out our giant version of the U.S. Constitution and sign their names alongside Washington, Franklin and Madison.
Printing and Craft Activities
September 16, 2011 from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Visitors can explore a recreated Colonial print shop—complete with a replica printing press from the 1700s—where they can print a copy of the Preamble in the same way as the Constitutional Convention’s printers John Dunlap and David C. Claypoole. Plus, take part in arts and crafts projects; join in a calligraphy demonstration; and learn the copperplate printing technique used to sign the Constitution.
Silhouette Portraits
September 16, 2011 from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Visitors can have their portrait done “Founders-style” with authentic silhouette cuttings.
Constitution Resolve
September 16, 2011 from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Visitors to the Center will have the opportunity to view an original John Dunlap copy of a resolution that was sent from Philadelphia to each state legislature along with a copy of the Constitution and a letter from Washington stating that the Continental Congress had unanimously agreed to adopt the new governing document. The resolve helped set in motion the Constitution’s eventual ratification. This rare artifact will be on view in the Center’s main exhibition, The Story of We the People. Tom Lingenfelter, historian and president of Heritage Collectors’ Society, will provide context and historical insight for visitors to the Center during gallery talks.
American National Tree Induction Ceremony
September 16, 2011 from 10:00 a.m.
The late Abel Meeropol, a Jewish high-school teacher from the Bronx who penned the hauntingly powerful, pre-Civil Rights movement poem “Strange Fruit,” will be added to the American National Tree, a popular exhibit inside The Story of We the People that tells the stories of 100 Americans whose actions have helped write the story of the Constitution. The National Constitution Center, in partnership with Scholastic Inc., the global children’s publishing, education, and media company, and the Alliance for Young Artists and Writers, the nonprofit that administers the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, selected high school student Ruthie Prillaman of Richard Montgomery High School in Rockville, Maryland, as the winner of the 2011 M.R. Robinson National Constitution Center American National Tree Award. Prillaman wrote the biography of Meeropol that will be featured in the exhibit.
Naturalization Ceremony
September 16, 2011 from 10:30-11:30 a.m.
Immigrants from across the globe will take the Oath of Allegiance to officially become citizens of the United States. The Honorable Cynthia M. Rufe, District Judge for the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, will administer the oath and introduce guest speakers Justice Sandra Day O’Connor and Gerda Weissmann Klein, founder of Citizenship Counts.
September 16, 2011 at 12 p.m.
George Washington returns to Philadelphia in the Center’s must-see exhibition Discover the Real George Washington: New Views from Mount Vernon (on view July 1 to September 5). Follow George on Twitter all summer long (@GeorgeInPhilly) as he explores the city where he chaired the Constitutional Convention, and join him as he visits the National Constitution Center on Constitution Day!
Constitution Birthday Party
September 16, 2011 from 12:15 p.m. to 1 p.m.
Enjoy a slice of cake and sing Happy Birthday and The Star-Spangled Banner to celebrate the 224th birthday of the Constitution’s signing.
Constitution Café
September 16, 2011 from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.
Christopher Phillips, author of Constitution Café and the bestseller Socrates Café, leads students from Philadelphia’s Constitution High School in a dialogue inspired by the idea that the Constitution should be updated to reflect the current times. Students will discuss what they would (and wouldn’t) change about the Constitution, if they had the opportunity to rewrite it today. This program is presented in partnership with the Philadelphia Federal Executive Board and the National Archives and Records Administration.
George Washington: The Story of a Man and a Nation
September 16, 2011 from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Renowned George Washington portrayer Dean Malissa recounts the formation of the United States and the creation of the Constitution through the eyes of the nation’s first president.
Bill of Rights Show
September 16, 2011 - Multiple times throughout the day
Who wants to be a “Bill-ionaire?” Learn about the Bill of Rights and its creation during this fast-paced game show where students answer questions about their basic rights and we poll the audience to see who knows if justice is being served.
Separation of Powers
September 16, 2011 - Multiple times throughout the day
This fun, high-energy show teaches the three branches of government and examines how our Constitution limits government by separating power – a truly revolutionary idea! Students take part in an educational tug-of-war game among the branches of government while they learn about checks and balances.
We the People 9*17 Awards Presentation
Saturday, September 17, 2011 - 10:00 a.m.
On September 17, the winners of the “We the People 9*17” contest will be honored in a ceremony in the Center’s F.M. Kirby Auditorium. Actress Janine Turner and Cathy Gillespie, co-chairs of Constituting America, will award scholarships and prizes to students from across the country who submitted essays, short films, public service announcements and original songs about the U.S. Constitution. Throughout the weekend, the Center will feature the winning entries in the Grand Hall Lobby and the Grand Hall Overlook. Constituting America is a non-profit organization dedicated to education about the U.S. Constitution.