FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Merissa Blum, 215-409-6645 [email protected]
CELEBRATE MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. DAY AT THE NATIONAL CONSTITUTION CENTER WITH DISCOUNTED ADMISSION, SERVICE PROJECTS, AND SPECIAL PERFORMANCES ON JANUARY 21
Enjoy $5 admission on Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Philadelphia, PA (January 7, 2019) – The National Constitution Center will honor Martin Luther King Jr.’s lifelong dedication to justice, equality, and service for the greater good on Monday, January 21, with discounted $5 admission. Special programs include a moving reading of Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech, performed by a diverse ensemble of local actors and students from local colleges, and concerts by “Two of a Kind,” an award-winning, nationally touring, husband-wife duo. Additional programming includes craft projects, a story corner, and other family-friendly activities. The Center will again join with the Global Citizen’s Greater Philadelphia Martin Luther King Day of Service for the daylong commemoration.
In the spirit of service emulated by Martin Luther King Jr., the National Constitution Center is also organizing the donation of books and school supplies for Philadelphia school students. Now through Martin Luther King Jr. Day on January 21, visitors are encouraged to donate newly purchased school supplies, such as pens, pencils, crayons, copy paper, hand sanitizer, folders, and age appropriate books, to the Center’s box office. On January 21, visitors will be invited to assist Center staff and Alex Holley, co-host of FOX 29’s “Good Day Philadelphia,” sort the school supplies in preparation for delivery to the schools and other facilities. Items can be dropped off at the Center’s box office through January 21. The Center is proud to once again partner with Philadelphia READS for the book and school supply drive.
Educational resources for Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service are also available on the National Constitution Center’s website, and include a special episode of the Center’s award-winning video lesson series, Constitution Hall Pass.
Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service Programs
Service Project
School Supply Kits Assembling
11 a.m. – 1 p.m., Grand Hall Overlook
The National Constitution Center invites visitors to assist Center staff and Alex Holley, co-host of FOX 29’s “Good Day Philadelphia,” in assembling school supply kits for local area school children. Kits will be compiled from school supplies that have been donated to the Center in preparation for delivery to Philadelphia classrooms. Visitors making a school supply donation will receive $2 off admission through Sunday, January 20, 2019.
Special Performances
Two of a Kind
11 a.m. and 1 p.m., F.M. Kirby Auditorium
Visitors can sing along with “Two of a Kind,” an award-winning, nationally touring, husband-wife duo, during an interactive musical program. Focusing on themes related to Martin Luther King Jr., the performance will encourage audience participation through songs, sign language, movement, and stories.
“I Have a Dream” Speech
12 p.m. and 2 p.m., F.M. Kirby Auditorium
A diverse ensemble of local actors will join students from local colleges to perform a passionate reading of Martin Luther King Jr.’s iconic “I Have a Dream” speech.
Educational Programs and Activities
Day of Service Story Corner
9:30 a.m. – 3 p.m., Grand Hall Lobby
At the National Constitution Center’s story corner, Center staff will engage the day’s youngest visitors by reading beloved books about Martin Luther King Jr. Day, like Uncle Willie and the Soup Kitchen by DyAnne DiSalvo-Ryan.
Arts and Crafts Activity Tables
9:30 a.m. – 3 p.m., Grand Hall Lobby
Visitors can create “I Have a Dream…” mobiles and express their dreams for their communities, the country, and the world.
Martin Luther King Jr. and His Legacy
10:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m., and 2:30 p.m., Main Exhibit
In this engaging program, visitors can learn about Martin Luther King Jr.’s vision of himself as an agent of service, how that understanding led him to the use of nonviolence, and how other leaders from around the world were influenced by his legacy. Visitors will also discover ways they can serve their own communities.
Admission on Martin Luther King Jr. Day includes access to the National Constitution Center’s interactive main exhibit, The Story of We the People; the signature multimedia, theatrical performance of Freedom Rising presented in the Sidney Kimmel Theater; and the iconic Signers’ Hall, featuring 42 life-size, bronze statues of the Founding Fathers.
Visitors also have access to the Center’s feature exhibits, including American Treasures: Documenting the Nation’s Founding, an intimate look at the rarest early drafts of the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights; Constituting Liberty: From the Declaration to the Bill of Rights, highlighting the three most important documents in American history; and the Center’s Hamilton: The Constitutional Clashes That Shaped a Nation exhibit, which highlights the competing ideas of Alexander Hamilton and his legendary rivals.
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About the National Constitution Center
The National Constitution Center in Philadelphia inspires citizenship as the only place where people across America and around the world can come together to learn about, debate, and celebrate the greatest vision of human freedom in history, the U.S. Constitution. A private, nonprofit organization, the Center serves as America’s leading platform for constitutional education and debate, fulfilling its Congressional charter “to disseminate information about the U.S. Constitution on a nonpartisan basis.” As the Museum of We the People, the Center brings the Constitution to life for visitors of all ages through interactive programs and exhibits. As America’s Town Hall, the Center brings the leading conservative and liberal thought leaders together to debate the Constitution on all media platforms. As a center for Civic Education, the Center delivers the best educational programs and online resources that inspire, excite, and engage citizens about the U.S. Constitution. For more information, call 215-409-6700 or visit constitutioncenter.org.
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About the National Constitution Center
The National Constitution Center in Philadelphia brings together people of all ages and perspectives, across America and around the world, to learn about, debate, and celebrate the greatest vision of human freedom in history, the U.S. Constitution. A private, nonprofit organization, the Center serves as America’s leading platform for constitutional education and debate, fulfilling its congressional charter “to disseminate information about the U.S. Constitution on a nonpartisan basis.” As the Museum of We the People, the Center brings the Constitution to life for visitors of all ages through interactive programs and exhibits. As America’s Town Hall, the Center brings the leading conservative and liberal thought leaders together to debate the Constitution on all media platforms. As a Headquarters for Civic Education, the Center delivers the best educational programs and online resources that inspire citizens and engage all Americans in learning about the U.S. Constitution. For more information, call 215-409-6700 or visit constitutioncenter.org.
