Philadelphia, PA (December 03, 2025) – The National Constitution Center will debut its newest permanent gallery, America’s Founding, over Presidents Day weekend, marking the nation’s 250th anniversary year with a dynamic, interactive exploration of the American Revolution and the creation of the Constitution and Bill of Rights.
Opening to the public on Friday, February 13, 2026, for a special Presidents Day opening weekend, America’s Founding takes visitors on a journey from the colonies’ growing tensions with Great Britain through the drafting, ratification, and adoption of the Bill of Rights. The gallery brings this pivotal era to life through rare artifacts, immersive environments, and digital interactives that reveal how the founding generation defined—and debated—the principles of liberty, equality, and government by consent.
“America’s Founding invites every visitor to explore the debates that launched the world’s greatest experiment in self-government—and to see how that story continues today,” said Jeffrey Rosen, president and CEO of the National Constitution Center. “All of us at the National Constitution Center are thrilled to kick off the nation’s 250th with such a meaningful exploration of the American idea—one that will inspire visitors to take an exciting journey into the stories that shaped our founding principles, from the Declaration to the Constitution.”
About the Exhibit
America’s Founding immerses visitors in the dramatic story of how a new nation was born and an ambitious experiment in self-government was launched. The experience unfolds across five thematic sections:
- Declaring Independence – Explore the causes of revolution and the courage of those who broke from Britain. Visitors encounter early acts of protest and can view an original petition to King George III to repeal the Stamp Act (1765) courtesy of the American Philosophical Society, Thomas Paine’s Common Sense (1776) on loan from Judge J. Michael Luttig and Elizabeth A. Luttig, and a Stone engraving of the Declaration of Independence (1823) courtesy of David Rubenstein.
- The American Revolution – Step into a Continental Army encampment at Valley Forge and hear the voices of George Washington and ordinary soldiers. This section features items such as a flintlock pistol and powder horn (1776) from Morristown National Historical Park, a pay voucher for a Black soldier (1782) courtesy of Angelo Scarlato, a speech of the Continental Congress addressed to the Six Nations (1777) courtesy of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, and Elizabeth Drinker’s wartime diary (1777–78) courtesy of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania.
- Creating the U.S. Constitution – Walk through an immersive street scene of Philadelphia in 1787, which includes archeological artifacts excavated from beneath the National Constitution Center that leads to an in-depth exploration of the events and debates of the Constitutional Convention. Visitors will see a printing of the Articles of Confederation (1777) from the Library Company of Philadelphia, George Washington’s fishing tackle box (ca. 1760–1800) on loan from Mount Vernon, and a rare first official printing of the Constitution (1787) on loan through Citadel founder and CEO Kenneth C. Griffin and his civic engagement initiative, Griffin Catalyst.
- Ratifying the Constitution – Trace the spirited debate over ratification and see primary documents including a first edition of The Federalist (1788) courtesy of Judge J. Michael Luttig and Elizabeth A. Luttig, Mercy Otis Warren’s Observations on the New Constitution, 1788, courtesy the Library Company of Philadelphia, and a newspaper report from Maryland’s state ratifying convention (1788) courtesy of Frank Amari, Jr.
- Drafting the Bill of Rights – Conclude with an exploration of how the Constitution’s ratification led to the document soon being amended to include the Bill of Rights in 1791. Visitors will encounter a rare printing of the 17 amendments passed by the House in 1789 before further revision by the Senate, on loan through Kenneth C. Griffin and Griffin Catalyst, highlighting the enduring effort to define and protect individual rights.
The gallery’s design integrates media and tactile interactives—from the Interactive Declaration of Independence to a data visualization of convention debates—inviting visitors to explore how the founders’ ideas evolved and to consider their relevance today. Additionally, visitors will experience a newly refreshed and enhanced Signers’ Hall—one of the Center’s beloved spaces—that will dive deeper into the biographies of the Constitutional Convention delegates and the ideas that shaped the creation of our founding document through new interactive exhibits and media.
The new exhibit gallery will be named the Elizabeth A. Luttig and Honorable J. Michael Luttig Gallery in honor of Elizabeth and Judge Luttig’s cornerstone support. The exhibit is also made possible through the generosity of Kenneth C. Griffin and Griffin Catalyst, the Connelly Foundation, and the Philadelphia Funder Collaborative for the Semiquincentennial. A $15 million gift from Kenneth C. Griffin, the single largest donation in the organization’s history, has enabled both America’s Founding and the creation and installation of a new gallery focused on the separation of powers and federalism opening in May. In recognition of this transformational gift, the Center is proud to name its central welcoming and convening space the Kenneth C. Griffin Great Hall.
Scholarly Advisors
To assist in the development of America’s Founding, the National Constitution Center assembled an ideologically diverse panel of America’s leading scholars to serve as an advisory board. Scholars include: William B. Allen, Michigan State University, Carol Berkin, Baruch College & The Graduate Center, CUNY, Ned Blackhawk, Yale University, Colin G. Calloway, Dartmouth College, Robert P. George, Princeton University, Michael Gerhardt, UNC School of Law, Jonathan Gienapp, Stanford University, Edward J. Larson, Pepperdine University, Michael McConnell, Stanford Law School, Vincent Phillip Muñoz, University of Notre Dame, Jack N. Rakove, Stanford University, Colleen Sheehan, Arizona State University, Manisha Sinha, University of Connecticut, Margaret Washington, Cornell University, Caroline Winterer, Stanford University, Gordon S. Wood, Brown University, and Rosemarie Zagarri, George Mason University.
America’s 250th Celebration
America’s Founding is the first of two new permanent galleries debuting at the National Constitution Center in 2026, followed in May by a gallery on the separation of powers and federalism. Together, they form a cornerstone of the Center’s contributions to America’s 250th anniversary, inviting learners of all ages to rediscover the founding principles that continue to shape our democracy.
The exhibit opening coincides with the release of the America at 250 Civic Toolkit, a free national resource created by the Center to help teachers, families, and community leaders explore America’s constitutional story. Both initiatives are part of the Center’s multi-year campaign, Our Story Continues, which invites all Americans to help write the next chapter of the nation’s history.
Admission & Expanded Hours
The museum will be open with special programming Presidents Day Weekend, including Monday, February 16, 2026. To welcome visitors from across the nation during the anniversary year, the National Constitution Center will extend its operating schedule, opening 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. seven days a week from May 25 through July 19, 2026.
Updated admission pricing, effective February 13, 2026:
Adults: $24.95 on site; $19.95 online
Youth (6–18): $19.95 on site; $14.95 online
Discounted admission remains in effect through early 2026 while gallery construction is underway and some experiences are impacted. The First Amendment, the exhibit which opened in 2023 and kicked off the first major transformation of the Center’s main exhibit space since 2003, will reopen alongside America’s Founding.
For visitor information, tickets, group rates and family packages, free admission days, and more, visit constitutioncenter.org/visit.
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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.
