Calendar
52 Weeks of Firsts Firstival: First Signing of the Constitution
9/05
For 250 years, Philadelphia has been first—first in freedom, first in innovation, and first in fun. In 2026, the city celebrates that legacy with 52 Weeks of Firsts, a yearlong, citywide series of events highlighting the groundbreaking ideas, inventions, and milestones that began right here.
Live From the Museum: Governing the Nation
9/08
Take a live virtual look inside the Center’s newest exhibit, Governing the Nation. Join a museum educator to explore how the Constitution divides and balances power among the three branches of government and between the federal government and the states.
First Amendment Day
9/09
Join the National Constitution Center for the inaugural First Amendment Day, a new annual celebration inviting visitors of all ages to explore the five freedoms of the First Amendment through conversation, creativity, history, and hands-on experiences
The First Amendment and Artificial Intelligence
9/09
Join us for a special keynote conversation examining the intersection of the First Amendment and artificial intelligence. Technology and constitutional scholar Jonathan Zittrain and Distinguished Professor of Law at Rutgers Law School Ellen Goodman will examine how constitutional values can help guide emerging technologies and what the future of free expression looks like in the digital age. Julie Silverbrook, chief content and learning officer at the National Constitution Center, will moderate.
The First at 250 With Governors Spencer Cox and Josh Shapiro
9/09
Join Gov. Spencer Cox (R-UT) and Gov. Josh Shapiro (D-PA) for an honest, lively conversation about the ideas that unite and divide us—and why how we talk to each other matters more than ever. Set against the backdrop of America's 250th birthday, this landmark evening brings together two leaders for a candid fireside chat on the First Amendment, free expression, and how we can rekindle values at the heart of our democracy by learning to disagree better. The program will be moderated by The New York Times' Lulu Garcia-Navarro.
Federalism in Action: Teaching Japanese American Incarceration During World War II
9/10
Join the National Constitution Center, the UCLA Asian American Studies Center, and Densho for a full-day workshop on teaching the wartime incarceration of Japanese Americans through the lens of federalism and constitutional thinking. Using the incarceration as a case study, you'll explore how federal power, civil liberties, and the courts collided during this period and leave with classroom-ready materials to bring it all back to your students.
In Person Workshop
What the Founders Learned From the Ancients
9/10
The National Constitution Center and the University of Pennsylvania Department of Classical Studies present a conversation with renowned Enlightenment scholar and Stanford University Professor Caroline Winterer on how the American founders drew inspiration from not only classical Greece and Rome, but other civilizations in the ancient world, including Carthage, Rome’s mortal enemy.
25th Anniversary of September 11 Flag Raising Ceremony
9/11
The National Constitution Center will mark the 25th anniversary of September 11 with a flag-raising ceremony honoring the nearly 3,000 people who lost their lives and all those whose lives were forever changed. The ceremony will include brief remarks from interim President and CEO Vince Stango, followed by a moment of silence in remembrance of the victims, survivors, first responders, military service members, and communities impacted. The ceremony is free and open to the public.
Teaching the First Amendment: Religious Liberty and Civil Dialogue
9/12
Join the National Constitution Center for a free, in-person professional development workshop at the UT-Knoxville Conference Center exploring religious liberty and the First Amendment. In Person Workshop
Live From the Museum: Introducing the Six Signers
9/14
Step inside Signers’ Hall for a live virtual tour of the iconic exhibit featuring life-size statues of the 42 men who gathered in Philadelphia for the signing of the Constitution on September 17, 1787. As we kick off the Civic Decade, a museum educator will introduce you to the six delegates who signed the Declaration of Independence back in 1776 and returned to Independence Hall 11 years later to help draft and then sign the U.S. Constitution.
Live From the Museum: Introducing the Six Signers
9/14
Step inside Signers’ Hall for a live virtual tour of the iconic exhibit featuring life-size statues of the 42 men who gathered in Philadelphia for the signing of the Constitution on September 17, 1787. As we kick off the Civic Decade, a museum educator will introduce you to the six delegates who signed the Declaration of Independence back in 1776 and returned to Independence Hall 11 years later to help draft and then sign the U.S. Constitution.
Live From the Museum: Exploring America's Founding
9/15
Journey back in time for a live virtual tour in, America’s Founding. Join a museum educator to explore the people, ideas, and events that shaped the nation from the Declaration of Independence and the Revolutionary War to the challenges of the early republic and the creation of a new form of government.
Live From the Museum: Exploring America's Founding
9/15
Journey back in time for a live virtual tour in, America’s Founding. Join a museum educator to explore the people, ideas, and events that shaped the nation from the Declaration of Independence and the Revolutionary War to the challenges of the early republic and the creation of a new form of government.
Be a Civic Hero!: A Family Celebration at the National Constitution Center
9/16
Join the National Constitution Center for a joyful family celebration marking the opening of Be a Civic Hero!, the Center’s first dedicated experience created especially for young children and their families.
Building a More Durable Democracy Through Civil Dialogue
9/16
During this session, participants will explore how civil dialogue can contribute to a stronger, more durable constitutional democracy. Join Robert B. Talisse of Vanderbilt University as he examines the role of constructive dialogue in democratic life, the challenges political polarization poses to engaging across differences, and how citizens can approach disagreement with curiosity, respect, and a willingness to consider competing perspectives. A teacher facilitator will share classroom-ready resources and strategies for fostering civil dialogue and productive civic engagement among students.
Online
Constitution Day
9/17
Every year on September 17, the National Constitution Center celebrates Constitution Day—the anniversary of the signing of the U.S. Constitution in 1787. Students and teachers are invited to experience history in action through engaging programs, hands-on activities, and unforgettable experiences that bring America’s founding story to life.
The Next 250: Youth Voices on the Civic Decade
9/17
What do young people hope the next chapter of America’s story will look like? Earlier this year, Made By Us brought together young adults from across the country to draft and sign Youth250: Our Declaration, a youth-written declaration describing their hopes, commitments, and vision for the nation’s next 250 years.
Rediscovering America's Forgotten Founders: Architects of the Constitution
9/17
This Constitution Day, join the National Constitution Center for a conversation exploring the lives and legacies of four influential yet often overlooked founders: John Dickinson, Gouverneur Morris, Roger Sherman, and James Wilson.
Hispanic American Heritage Month
9/18 – 10/15
Celebrate Hispanic American Heritage Month with the National Constitution Center! Join us for special artifact chats and highlights on Hispanic American figures who changed the country forever with their advocacy and activism.
Learning With the NCC: An Introduction to NCC Resources
9/22
During this introductory session, educators will get an overview of the newer NCC resources: The Interactive Declaration of Independence and Constitution in the Headlines. Participants will explore ways they can use these two resources to talk about the legacy of the Declaration of Independence at the 250th and beyond.
Online
Landmark Supreme Court Cases: First Amendment
9/25 – 9/27
Deepen your knowledge and understanding of various landmark Supreme Court cases, engage with the Center’s nonpartisan educational resources, and collaborate with your peers from around the country during a Weekend Workshop this fall!
In Person Workshop
Behind the Constitution: The Founders’ Greatest Hits
9/25
Colorado Mountain College’s Center for Civics Education & Engagement, in partnership with the National Constitution Center and Aspen Institute’s Aspen Society, presents: Behind the Constitution: The Founders’ Greatest Hits, an engaging event featuring acclaimed biographer Walter Isaacson, constitutional scholar Robert George, and National Constitution Center Chief Content and Learning Officer Julie Silverbrook.
Constitutional Thinking & Media Literacy Skills
9/26
Dive into constitutional thinking skills and media literacy at this professional learning session at the National Constitution Center.
In Person Workshop
Sensory-Friendly Day
9/27
Visitors with sensory-processing challenges and their families are invited to experience the museum in a secure and comfortable environment. Sensory-Friendly Days incorporate modified programming, specialized staff training, and emotionally safe spaces for families.
Previewing the Supreme Court's 2026-2027 Term
9/28
Join the National Constitution Center for a timely conversation previewing the Supreme Court’s 2026-2027 term. Masha Hansford, partner at Davis Polk & Wardwell, Amy Howe, co-founder of SCOTUSblog, and Greg Stohr, Supreme Court reporter for Bloomberg News, join to break down the biggest cases on the docket, unpack the constitutional questions at stake, and explore the issues that could have the biggest impact on the Court in the year ahead. Thomas Donnelly, lead scholar at the National Constitution Center, moderates.
The Holy Experiment: Religious Liberty, Pennsylvania, and the Making of America
9/29
Long before the First Amendment guaranteed the free exercise of religion, William Penn envisioned Pennsylvania as a “Holy Experiment” founded on liberty of conscience. Pennsylvania became a place where people of different faiths sought to live together under laws that protected religious freedom while cultivating civic life. Yet that experiment was also marked by contradiction, compromise, and exclusion. University of Pennsylvania Professor Marci Hamilton and St. Joseph’s University Professor Emeritus Randall Miller join for a conversation exploring how Pennsylvania’s founding shaped the nation’s understanding of religious liberty, what William Penn’s vision achieved, where it fell short, and what this history can teach us about sustaining constitutional democracy today. Julie Silverbrook, chief content and learning officer at the National Constitution Center, moderates.
The Paradox of Liberty: Religion, the Constitution, and the Jewish American Story
9/29
As the nation marks its 250th anniversary, how can we help students explore the relationship between the founding ideals of liberty and the ways those principles have been understood and applied over time? This session invites educators to move beyond a surface-level study of the Founding Era and engage students in a deeper examination of how religious freedom has developed through both constitutional interpretation and the actions of individuals and communities.
Online Workshop
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