The First Amendment

Discover how the First Amendment guarantees five core freedoms—religious liberty, free speech, a free press, the freedom of assembly, and the right to petition—and how it impacts us today.

Protecting some of our most cherished freedoms—religious liberty, free speech, a free press, the freedom of assembly, and the right to petition—the First Amendment is a pillar of democracy and the American way.

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The 1,500-square-foot exhibit features more than 20 artifacts highlighting all five freedoms. Combined, these items capture how these rights have been defended over time, and the lengths some have gone to in order to ensure their protection. These pieces include a draft opinion with handwritten edits from U.S. Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis; an anti-Vietnam War armband worn by the Tinker family and associated with the landmark student speech case, Tinker v. Des Moines; The New York Times’ 1971 publication of the classified “Pentagon Papers”; and a pennant from the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. Visitors are invited to challenge their knowledge of the First Amendment through interactive elements and games.

Explore the Exhibit

Check out highlights from the gallery. Please note, artifacts are rotated and subject to change.

Exhibit Interactives

Is It Protected?

Test your First Amendment knowledge by playing this quiz!

Religion Table

Explore Supreme Court cases interpreting religious liberty.

Writing Rights

Explore an important set of documents that shaped the first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution.

On View in the First Amendment Gallery

Perspectives on the First Amendment

Free Speech and Civic Engagement | Activist Evan Mawarire
Reflecting on Free Speech in the United States | Garry Kasparov
Background of Matal v. Tam at the Supreme Court | Simon Tam
Background of Tinker v. Des Moines | Mary Beth Tinker
Why Speech and Press Are in the First Amendment | Justice Elena Kagan
Defining Freedom of Conscience | Jeffrey Rosen
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First Amendment Resources

Teach This Topic in Your Classroom

Explore our no-cost, innovative classroom teaching tools and resources on the First Amendment, including lesson plans, activities, interactive videos, and more!

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The First Amendment is made possible through the generous underwriting of:

The George Family Foundation and Lilly Endowment Inc.

And through the generous support of:

The Horace W. Goldsmith Foundation

The McLean Contributionship


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