Independence Day: America’s 250th Birthday

Flag Ceremonies

10 a.m. and 5 p.m., Front Lawn
Start and end your day with a patriotic tradition on Independence Mall. Join National Constitution Center staff as they raise the American flag each morning and lower it in the evening during these special daily ceremonies.

The Six Signers Tour

10:45 a.m., and 1:45 p.m., Signers’ Hall

Meet the six founders who signed both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution—George Clymer, Benjamin Franklin, Robert Morris, George Read, Roger Sherman, and James Wilson. In this engaging 15-minute tour, discover how these influential figures helped shape the nation’s founding and build America’s constitutional democracy.

Inspired by Independence Show

11:15 a.m. and 2:15 p.m., Kenneth C. Griffin Great Hall Overlook

For nearly 250 years, Americans have turned to the words of the Declaration of Independence to demand greater freedom and equality. From the Seneca Falls Convention to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech, this powerful program explores how generations of Americans have used the nation’s founding ideals to inspire change and expand the promise of liberty.

History of the American Flag Show

11:45 a.m. and 2:45 p.m., Kenneth C. Griffin Great Hall Overlook
Discover the history of the American flag in this interactive show tracing its origins from the Revolutionary War to today. Learn how the flag became one of the nation’s most enduring symbols.

Giant Flag Folding

12:15 p.m., Front Lawn
See the American flag in a whole new way and join in during this hands-on giant flag-folding demonstration. Learn about the traditions, symbolism, and history behind properly folding the flag.

Artifact Spotlight: The Declaration of Sentiments

12:45 p.m. and 3:15 p.m., The 19th Amendment: How Women Won the Vote gallery
Step back to Seneca Falls in 1848, where nearly 300 activists gathered for the first women’s rights convention in American history. Discover how Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Lucretia Mott, and others drew inspiration from the Declaration of Independence to launch the movement for women’s suffrage.

Artifact Spotlight: Fourth Annual Reminder Day Pamphlet

1:15 p.m. and 3:45 p.m., First Amendment Gallery
Learn the story behind the 1965 Annual Reminder Day demonstrations, when members of the LGBTQ+ community marched outside Independence Hall to demand freedom and equality. Explore how these early protests helped pave the way for the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement. 

Family Fun Activities

10 a.m.–5 p.m., Front Lawn
Play your way through history on the front lawn with graces, hoop and stick, nine pin, and other favorite games from the Revolutionary era. Fun for kids and families all day long!

Revolutionary War Encampment

Saturday, July 4 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Free admission

Join Revolutionary War reenactors as you step into a re-created military encampment right on the National Constitution Center’s front lawn. Stop by the medical tent to visit the surgeon, meet 18th-century artisans to learn more about their trades, and see Continental Army soldiers march and drill on the grounds. You can even practice with a wooden musket and find out if a soldiers’ life is for you. The National Constitution Center is pleased to once again partner with the 6th Pennsylvania Regiment to present our annual Revolutionary War encampment.

Celebrate America’s 250th with us all week long!

There’s something for everyone in the family to enjoy. Kids and families can experience special performances of Schoolhouse Rock Live!, face painting, meet-and-greets with historical reenactors, colonial-era games, a Revolutionary War encampment, and the Center’s interactive exhibits.