PHILADELPHIA, PA (August 19, 2026) — The National Constitution Center, in partnership with the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, today announced plans for the inaugural First Amendment Day, a new annual celebration inviting visitors of all ages to explore the five freedoms of the First Amendment and their role in civic life. On Wednesday, September 9, the Center will host a day of special programming, and museum admission will be free courtesy of Knight Foundation.
“The National Constitution Center has long been committed to deepening public understanding of the First Amendment and the five freedoms it protects,” said Vince Stango, interim president and CEO of the National Constitution Center. “That commitment is visible throughout the Center, from our 100-foot-wide First Amendment wall overlooking Independence Mall to our First Amendment gallery and programs. We are proud to partner with Knight Foundation to launch First Amendment Day during America’s 250th anniversary year. Our goal is to help people better understand these essential freedoms and appreciate our shared responsibility to sustain them. By creating opportunities to speak, listen, and engage across differences, we can strengthen the culture of free expression on which a free society depends. We are grateful to the Knight Foundation for making this celebration free and open to all.”
“The First Amendment is more than a set of rights we invoke in moments of conflict. It is the foundation of a free and self-governing society. It is how people participate in civic life and work toward a more perfect union, even when we disagree. Democracy is a daily practice. So is defending the freedoms that make it possible,” said Maribel Pérez Wadsworth, president & CEO of Knight Foundation. “At a moment of rapid technological change and growing mistrust, it is more important than ever to understand these principles and protect them. Knight is proud to partner with the National Constitution Center to help more people explore the First Amendment and the responsibility we all share to defend it.”
Programming will bring the First Amendment to life through gallery tours, guided walking tours throughout Philadelphia’s Historic District, and a keynote conversation exploring the relationship between the First Amendment and artificial intelligence.
The First Amendment and Artificial Intelligence
1:15 p.m.
In person and online
A special keynote conversation examining the intersection of the First Amendment and artificial intelligence. Technology and constitutional scholar Jonathan Zittrain and Distinguished Professor of Law at Rutgers Law School Ellen Goodman will examine how constitutional values can help guide emerging technologies and what the future of free expression looks like in the digital age.
First Amendment Gallery: Special Guided Tours
Discover the stories behind the freedoms of speech, religion, press, assembly, and petition on special guided tours led by National Constitution Center educators.
- First Amendment Freedoms (10:45 a.m., The First Amendment): Discover the stories behind the freedoms of the First Amendment. Explore how these rights continue to shape civic life and public debate today.
- Debate and Dissent (11:45 a.m., Signers’ Hall): Step into Signers’ Hall to discover how spirited debate and the free exchange of ideas shaped the Constitutional Convention. Learn how dissent laid the blueprint for a Bill of Rights.
- Founding Voices (12:45 p.m., America’s Founding): Explore how speeches, pamphlets, and public debate fueled the American Revolution. See how the power of ideas helped launch a new nation.
- First Amendment in the Civil War Era (1:45 p.m., Civil War and Reconstruction): Discover how abolitionists used the First Amendment to challenge injustice. Explore the enduring connection between free expression and pursuit of equality.
- Voices for Change (2:45 p.m., The 19th Amendment): Follow the story of the suffrage movement through the lens of free speech, peaceful assembly, and petition and learn how generations of suffragists used the First Amendment to expand access to the ballot.
First Amendment Walking Tours of Historic District
3:15 p.m. and 3:45 p.m., Tours will begin in the Kenneth C. Griffin Great Hall Lobby
Continue the experience beyond the museum with the debut of the National Constitution Center’s Constitutional Walking Tour Series. Visit sites throughout Historic Philadelphia where generations of Americans gathered, published ideas, petitioned their government, and advocated for change, revealing how the First Amendment has shaped the city—and the nation—for more than two centuries.
Free Expression Studio
10 a.m. – 5 p.m., DeVos Hall
Create posters, editorial cartoons, buttons, collages, protest signs, and other works inspired by the stories and ideas throughout the museum. Visitors of all ages are invited to discover how creativity and civic participation go hand in hand.
First Amendment Sparks
10 a.m. – 5 p.m., DeVos Hall
Step inside the Civic Spark Studio to reflect on a moment exercising one of the five freedoms or witnessing the First Amendment in action. These individual stories will become part of a growing collection celebrating how constitutional freedoms shape everyday civic life.
While admission is free on First Amendment Day, advanced reservations are strongly encouraged. For more information, visit constitutioncenter.org/tickets to learn more.
In addition to these First Amendment Day activities, the Center, in partnership with Knight Foundation and Disagree Better, will present a special event on September 9 at the Kimmel Center: The First at 250 With Governors Spencer Cox (R-UT) and Josh Shapiro (D-PA). Set against the backdrop of America’s 250th birthday, this landmark evening brings together two leaders for a candid fireside chat, moderated by Lulu Garcia Navarro on the First Amendment, free expression, and how we can learn to disagree better.
###
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.
