The Experience
It’s only four pages long, but the U.S. Constitution is among the most influential and important documents in the history of the world. The 160,000-square-foot National Constitution Center explores and explains this amazing document through high-tech exhibits, artifacts, and interactive displays. In the star-shaped Kimmel Theater, powerful music, a live actor and 360 degrees multi-media images tell the story of We the People.
Don judicial robes to render your opinion on key Supreme Court cases. Take the Presidential oath of the office. E-mail your congressperson from the Citizens Café. In Signers’ Hall, where life-size bronze figures of the Constitution’s signers and dissenters are displayed, visitors can choose to sign or dissent. One of the original public copies of the Constitution is on display.
History
Freedom of speech, protection from unlawful search and seizure, and other individual rights were not part of the original Constitution. Recognizing its imperfections, the authors built in a mechanism to amend the Constitution, making it adaptable for unknown eventualities. The first ten amendments — The Bill of Rights — guaranteeing numerous personal freedoms, were not ratified until 1791.