FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Merissa Blum, 215-409-6645 [email protected]
NATIONAL CONSTITUTION CENTER CELEBRATES PRESIDENTS DAY WEEKEND
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 16, THROUGH MONDAY, FEBRUARY 18
TD Bank underwrites FREE admission to the Center on Presidents Day, Monday, February 18
Philadelphia, PA (January 24, 2019) – Visitors can celebrate Presidents Day Weekend at the National Constitution Center Saturday, February 16, through Monday, February 18, with a variety of special presidential-themed programs and activities. Visitors will learn about the role of the president and what it takes to be commander in chief while participating in entertaining, educational programs, including presidential trivia where visitors can test their knowledge of America’s 45 presidents, craft stations, story corners, and more. Through other interactive programming, visitors considering their own path to the White House can experience all the ins and outs of the election process and a presidential campaign.
On Presidents Day Monday, visitors can attend a Kids Town Hall with Presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and Theodore Roosevelt who will answer visitors’ questions, such as: “How did George Washington set the standard for the role of president of the United States?” and “Did George Washington really have wooden teeth?” At the conclusion of the Town Hall program, the “presidents” will judge the Center’s annual kids Presidential Costume Contest. Additional featured programs include the Presidential Portrait Challenge, which engages visitors with life-sized portraits of American presidents, and a Voting Booth Activity, where visitors can step inside an actual voting booth to cast a vote for their favorite president.
February also marks African American History Month. All month long, visitors can participate in interactive programs to learn about the lives of African-American leaders, the history behind the Emancipation Proclamation, and more. African American History Month is generously sponsored by TD Bank, America's Most Convenient Bank®. This year marks the sixth consecutive year that TD Bank has generously underwritten free admission to the Center on Presidents Day and sponsored African American History Month.
Special Programs for Presidents Day: Monday, February 18
Presidential Costume Contest
9:30 a.m. – 12 p.m., Registration in Main Lobby
Children are encouraged to come to the National Constitution Center dressed as a U.S. president or first lady to enter the Center’s Presidential Costume Contest. Children ages 12 and under are eligible to participate. The most original costume, as judged by a panel of presidential reenactors, will be awarded a family membership, valued at $95. Winners will be selected during the 12 p.m. Kids Town Hall program.
History’s Heroes: Story Corner
9:30 a.m. – 3 p.m., Signers’ Hall
At the National Constitution Center’s Story Corner, the Center’s education staff will engage the youngest visitors with fascinating tales about presidents and African-American heroes.
Voting Booth Activity
9:30 a.m. – 3 p.m., Main Lobby
Visitors will have the opportunity to step inside an actual voting booth to learn about the election process and cast their vote for their favorite historic president. This activity is presented in partnership with the Philadelphia City Commissioner’s Office.
Presidential Portrait Challenge
9:30 a.m. – 3 p.m., Main Lobby
By using the life-sized portraits of American presidents on display in the Grand Hall Lobby, visitors can participate in hands-on activities that explore the similarities and differences between America’s commanders in chief.
Kids Town Hall: Meet the Presidents
12 p.m., F.M. Kirby Auditorium
Visitors can participate in a special Kids Town Hall with some very famous guests—Presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and Theodore Roosevelt. The presidents will be available for photo opportunities and to sign autographs before and after the program.
Weekend Long Programming: Saturday, February 16, through Monday, February 18
Arts and Crafts Activity Tables
9:30 a.m. – 3 p.m., Main Lobby
Visitors can make and take home crafts, including Washington and Lincoln hats, magnets featuring heroes from African-American history, campaign buttons, and more.
Hail to the Chief Quiz Game
9:30 a.m. – 5 p.m., DeVos Hall
Visitors can learn about the role of the president and the history of the executive branch during the Hail to the Chief Quiz Game. Participants will race against the clock to answer questions from a variety of categories, including “Before They Were President,” “Elections and Inaugurations,” and “Presidential Pets.”
Giant Game Board Activity
9:30 a.m. – 5 p.m., Main Lobby
As part of the Center’s interactive daily programming in February, visitors can test their knowledge of African-American history.
Breaking Barriers Show
10 a.m., 12 p.m., 2 p.m., Main Lobby
The interactive Breaking Barriers show examines the lives of Thurgood Marshall, Bessie Coleman, Jackie Robinson, and other groundbreaking African Americans throughout American history—providing insight into the struggles they faced and the rights they secured for all citizens. Their inspiring stories reveal how one individual’s civic actions can impact a nation.
Constitution 101: The Presidency and Article II
11 a.m. and 1 p.m., Main Lobby
At this interactive show, visitors explore Article II of the Constitution and the duties and requirements of the executive office, take part in “Who am I?” questions, as well as presidential role-play scenarios.
Admission over Presidents Day Weekend 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.
###
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.
About TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank®
TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank® is one of the 10 largest banks in the U.S., with over 27,000 employees and deep roots in the community dating back more than 150 years. The Bank offers a broad array of retail, small business and commercial banking products and services to more than 9 million customers through its extensive network of approximately 1,250 convenient locations throughout the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Metro D.C., the Carolinas and Florida.
In addition to banking products, TD Bank and its subsidiaries offer customized private banking and wealth management services through TD Wealth® and vehicle financing and dealer commercial services through TD Auto Finance.
TD Bank is a member of TD Bank Group and a subsidiary of The Toronto-Dominion Bank of Toronto, Canada, a top 10 financial services company in North America. The Toronto-Dominion Bank trades on the New York and Toronto stock exchanges under the ticker symbol “TD”. For more information visit www.td.com.
###
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.
