On-site and virtual winter programming to highlight abolitionists, suffragists, and civil rights leaders
Free admission days in honor of Presidents Day, Black History Month, and Women’s History Month courtesy of TD Bank, plus discounted admission every day through March
Philadelphia, PA (January 13, 2022) –The National Constitution Center today unveiled its winter programming series, All Together Now: A Celebration of Equality, as well as free and discounted admission days from January through March. The new programming series looks at how “We the People” have worked throughout history to expand human rights and make our nation, and the Constitution itself, more inclusive—highlighting abolitionists, suffragists, and civil rights leaders.
Kicking off with Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and extending through Black History Month, Presidents Day, and Women’s History Month, All Together Now incorporates civic holiday celebrations and special events at the Center, including online classes taught by constitutional experts; virtual tours of the museum; and professional learning opportunities for educators featuring distinguished guest speakers. The National Constitution Center will offer free museum admission days on:
- Monday, January 16, in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day,
- Monday, February 20, in honor of Presidents Day (thanks to the generosity of TD Bank)
The Center will also offer a daily discounted admission of $10 for adults and $7.50 for youth when tickets are purchased in advance online. Additional free days and special programs will be announced.
Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Admission on Martin Luther King Jr. Day is free. In the spirit of service emulated by Martin Luther King Jr., the National Constitution Center is organizing the donation of books and school supplies for Philadelphia school students. Donations of newly purchased school supplies can be dropped off at the Center and will be donated to the School District of Philadelphia. Each party who donates school supplies at the National Constitution Center from January 14–16 will receive two tickets for a free carousel ride at Franklin Square, courtesy of our partners at Historic Philadelphia, Inc.
The following activities and more are planned to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Click HERE to see a full list of in-person events, including exhibit tours and story time for our younger visitors.
Reading of “I Have a Dream” Speech
11:45 a.m. and 1:45 p.m. ET, Kirby Auditorium
Chanelle N. Rose, professor of history at Rowan University, sets the stage for a reading of Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech. We’ll unpack the historical significance of one of the most famous speeches in American history, and then a diverse ensemble of local actors performs a passionate reading of the iconic speech.
Family Concert: Songs of the Civil Rights Era
12:45 p.m. and 2:45 p.m. ET, Kirby Auditorium
David and Jenny Heitler-Klevans of the interactive children’s music group, Two of a Kind, join composer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and educator Rodney Whittenberg for a celebration of songs of the civil rights era.
Black History Month
During the month of February, the National Constitution Center honors the achievements and rich heritage of African Americans and the impact their stories have had on constitutional history. Kicking off the month of February, the Center will host a live online class celebrating Black history and the First Amendment.
Black History Month programming is made possible through the generosity of TD Bank. Other activities at the museum and online can be found HERE and include:
First Amendment Freedom Fighters Tour
*Offered Weekends
Dive into Black History Month with an exhibit tour highlighting the freedom fighters who used the power of the First Amendment to gain freedom for themselves and ensure it for others. Take an educator-led tour of our Civil War and Reconstruction exhibit, explore the First Amendment tablet, and examine how the history of the First Amendment has played hand-in-hand with the civil rights movement.
The Road to Freedom: The Story of Slavery in America Program
Multiple Daily Showtimes in the Grand Hall Overlook
This interactive program explores the story of slavery in the United States through a constitutional lens, taking visitors on a journey from the time of the Constitutional Convention to the start of the Civil War. It spotlights historic figures—like George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Ona Judge, Angelina Grimke, Harriet Tubman, William Still, and Abraham Lincoln—and key events—such as the Missouri Compromise, the Compromise of 1850, the Kansas-Nebraska Act, the Dred Scott case, and the secession of the South.
Decoding the Document: Emancipation Proclamation
*Offered Weekends
Join us as we take a closer look at a copy of the Emancipation Proclamation signed by President Abraham Lincoln in the Center’s feature exhibit, Civil War and Reconstruction: The Battle for Freedom and Equality. Together we’ll explore why President Lincoln issued this proclamation, what it meant for over 4 million Americans then held in bondage, and why the nation still required a constitutional amendment to permanently abolish slavery.
Presidents Day
The National Constitution Center celebrates Presidents Day with a variety of in-person and virtual events and resources exploring Article II of the Constitution, the role of the executive branch, and the individuals who have held the office of the president throughout American history. Presidents Day weekend activities at the museum include craft stations, programming about the road to the White House, and presidential trivia. Admission to the museum is free on Monday, February 20, courtesy of TD Bank.
On Presidents Day, special family programming will include:
Kids Town Hall: Meet the Presidents
12:45 p.m., Kirby Auditorium and Livestreamed
Join in a special Kids Town Hall with some very famous guests—Presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and Theodore Roosevelt. The presidents will be available for photo opportunities and to sign autographs before and after the program.
Presidential Costume Contest
1:15 p.m., Kirby Auditorium
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. Following the Kids Town Hall, the most original costume, as judged by a panel of presidential reenactors, will be awarded a family membership, valued at $95.
Women’s History Month
Throughout Women’s History Month, the Center recognizes extraordinary American women throughout the nation’s history. Celebrate Women’s History Month by viewing our newest exhibit, The 19th Amendment: How Women Won the Vote. This exhibit traces the triumphs and struggles that led to the ratification of the 19th Amendment, and features some of the many women who transformed constitutional history—including Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Alice Paul, and Ida B. Wells—and allows visitors to better understand the long fight for women’s suffrage.
Other activities online and at the museum can be found HERE and include:
The Four Harriets of History Program
*Check Visitor Guide for Daily Showtimes
Explore the lives of four American women—Harriet Robinson Scott, Harriet Tubman, Harriet Jacobs, and Harriet Beecher Stowe—who confronted slavery through literature, lawsuits, and direct action in their efforts to free themselves and others from bondage.
Women Leading the Way Show
*Check Visitor Guide for Daily Showtimes
Join us for Women Leading the Way, a new program celebrating the anniversary of the 19th Amendment. This interactive presentation explores generations of American women who led the fight for suffrage. Spanning from the colonial era to the present day, explore the connection between the abolition and the women’s rights movements, reenact the trial of Susan B. Anthony, and cast a ballot for your favorite woman from history!
Parades, Prisons, and Protest Exhibit Talk
*Check Visitor Guide for Daily Showtimes
Join us for an exhibit tour highlighting the tactics used by suffragists in the battle for the 19th Amendment! This talk explores the various tactics deployed by militant suffragists to secure voting rights. March in a suffrage parade, picket outside the White House gate, and hear the stories of women imprisoned simply for fighting for the right of the franchise.
Self-Guided Women’s History Artifact Tour
Daily, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Pick up a special Women’s History Month brochure for a self-guided tour of the Center’s exhibitions focusing on rare artifacts and the 19th Amendment.
Suffragist Story Corner
*Check Visitor Guide for Daily Showtimes
Explore the lives of famous women suffragists like Ida B. Wells, Alice Paul, Mabel Ping Hua Lee, and more as we read books honoring the bravery and brilliance of famous women from history.
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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.
