PHILADELPHIA, PA (April 23, 2026) — The National Constitution Center, America’s leading platform for nonpartisan civic education, today announced two new games and a new podcast series designed to help parents and families explore the nation’s founding story together during America’s 250th anniversary in July 2026 and beyond. Thanks to the generous support of a diverse group of funders, the first 10,000 units of Civic Quest are being offered for free to families, while Trivial Pursuit: Exploring America’s Story will be available for purchase at the Center’s museum store and website.
“As the nation celebrates this milestone anniversary, we want every family in America to feel that the Constitution belongs to them,” said Vince Stango, interim president and CEO of the National Constitution Center. “Classrooms are essential, but some of the most powerful civic learning happens at home, between parents and kids, grandparents and grandchildren, around the kitchen table or on a family vacation. These new products are designed to make those conversations easier, more joyful, and more meaningful. When families explore our founding story together, they’re building the habits of citizenship that will sustain our constitutional democracy for the next 250 years.”
Developed in partnership with venture studio Co-Created, Civic Quest is a play-based family learning experience that brings American history to life through hands-on missions of intrigue and discovery. Designed for children ages 7-12 with adult support, families decode the past, meet compelling historical characters with different points of view, and solve clues uncovering the big ideas and everyday people that shaped a nation. As families play, they practice the same civic skills used by early Americans: listening to different perspectives, asking questions, and working together to solve problems. In collaboration with the Johns Hopkins University Institute for Education Policy, the National Constitution Center is conducting a nine-month study to understand the effects of the Civic Quest experience on students and parents.
Trivial Pursuit: Exploring America’s Story is a special edition bite sized version of the classic trivia game that features 600 total questions – 300 for kids and 300 for adults – making it easy for everyone to participate. Licensed by Hasbro, questions span six civic categories – American Revolution, Know Your State, Voices from History, We the People, Branches of Government, and History Happened Here – through which players explore America’s past, learn how the government works, and discover the stories that shaped the nation.
The Center is also launching Civic Parenting, the first podcast focused on civic learning designed specifically for parents and families. Hosted by the National Constitution Center’s Chief Content and Learning Officer Julie Silverbrook, the show brings together leading scholars, educators, and parents to explore the real questions families face at the intersection of civics and everyday life, from talking with children about complex current events to modeling meaningful civic engagement and making constitutional learning a shared family practice. Episodes will be produced in both audio and video formats. The pilot season launches in spring 2026, with approximately a dozen episodes available across all major podcast platforms.
“We believe intergenerational learning, where generations learn side by side, is foundational to the strength and vitality of our constitutional democracy, and that a child’s civic spark is often ignited through shared experiences within families as well as in the classroom,” said Julie Silverbrook, chief content and learning officer at the National Constitution Center. “In these shared moments, curiosity can be sparked for the first time in young children and reawakened in parents, grandparents, and caregivers alike. My own journey with the Constitution began with my parents. It was deepened and sustained through my experiences in the classroom. Research and data underscore the enduring power of learning across generations and both inside and outside the classroom. The Center is prioritizing this essential work to spark curiosity at the earliest ages and to deepen understanding over a lifetime, developing resources that meet learners at every stage. Our aim is to support a lifelong civic learning journey, equipping individuals and families with the knowledge, skills, dispositions, and values necessary to sustain and strengthen our constitutional democracy for generations to come.”
These new play-based family experiences and podcast series are part of a broader initiative by the Center to support and inspire intergenerational civic learning, empowering parents and families with the tools to inspire civic learning. Other aspects of this effort include:
- Civic Spark Studio: At the Center, a dedicated on-site video booth will encourage visitors to record their civic spark stories—a personal moment that first ignites someone's curiosity about history, the Constitution, or their role in civic life. Whether it's a family ritual, a visit to a historic site, or a question that lingered long after it was asked, the Studio will invite Americans to reflect on and share these memories, creating a space for people across generations, communities, and beliefs to see how their own stories connect to one another and to the larger American story. A national digital submission platform will also invite Americans in every community to participate regardless of geography, with select stories featured on the Center's website.
- Family Programs and Special Events: The National Constitution Center offers a growing calendar of family-oriented programming at its home on Independence Mall in Philadelphia, including Sensory-Friendly Days, Family Fun Nights, Scouts Days, Trivia Nights, civic holiday celebrations, and weekend activities. These experiences invite families to explore big civic ideas together, connect across generations, and engage with the history and stories of the Constitution in welcoming and memorable ways. Families visiting during America’s 250th anniversary year will also be able to explore two new permanent galleries opening in 2026: America’s Founding, which opened in February, and a forthcoming gallery, Governing the Nation, opening in May. As a part of our family programming, the Center will also host a Civic Story Hour on May 30 featuring U.S. Supreme Court Justice Neil M. Gorsuch and co-author Janie Nitze, celebrating their new children's book Heroes of 1776: The Story of the Declaration of Independence, with a reading and conversation for families of all ages.
- Digital Family Resources: The Center’s new Family Learning Resources hub offers a range of free digital tools for families, including Family Lit Circles, Table Talk conversation guides, and Civic Stories—free, live virtual programs that explore history through real artifacts and the stories behind them. These resources are designed to help families bring constitutional learning into their homes and communities nationwide.
- America at 250 Pocket-Sized Founding Documents: A special commemorative edition includes pocket-sized versions of the U.S. Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, and the Bill of Rights. Designed for learners of all ages, the booklets are available free of charge through the Center’s website, making it easy for families to carry America’s founding documents with them wherever they go.
The intergenerational learning initiative is a cornerstone of the National Constitution Center’s Our Story Continues campaign, a bold nationwide effort launched in 2025 that spans from the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence in 2026 through the 250th anniversary of the Constitution in 2037. The campaign invites all Americans – in classrooms, communities, and homes – to rediscover America’s founding principles and help write the next chapter of the nation’s story.
Civic Quest and the development of Trivial Pursuit were made possible thanks to the leadership support of the Bezos Family, the Adolph Coors Foundation, and the Daniels Fund, as well as the generous support of a number of other individual and foundation funders.
“As we approach America’s 250th anniversary, we have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reconnect families to our nation’s story,” said Hanna Skandera, President and CEO of the Daniels Fund. “We are very proud to support Civic Quest which brings together kids, parents, and grandparents to explore our founding principles, ignite curiosity, and unlock a deeper understanding of what it means to be an American.”
The Center’s family-focused work complements its established leadership in classroom education. In the 2024-2025 academic year, the National Constitution Center reached more than 5.6 million students and 89,500 teachers through its educational resources and programming, and its website now receives more than 11 million unique visits annually. The new intergenerational products extend the Center’s reach beyond the classroom, recognizing that parents, grandparents, and caregivers are among the most important civic educators in a child’s life.
To explore family learning resources, join the waitlist to receive a copy of Civic Quest, purchase Trivial Pursuit: Exploring America’s Story, or learn more about visiting the National Constitution Center during America’s 250th anniversary year, visit constitutioncenter.org/education/family.
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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.
