The Bill of Rights Comes to Philadelphia on Bill of Rights Day, December 15, Launching a Three-Year Exhibition at the National Constitution Center

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Dec 08, 2014, 02:29 ET

PHILADELPHIA, Dec. 8, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Constituting Liberty: From the Declaration to the Bill of Rights, a new exhibition featuring a rare, original copy of the U.S. Constitution's Bill of Rights—one of 12 surviving copies sent to the states by President George Washington in 1789—opens at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia on Bill of Rights Day, December 15, 2014. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett will join the 9:45 a.m. ribbon cutting ceremony. The Bill of Rights will be on display until 2017 in the Center's new George H.W. Bush Gallery, along with a first edition Stone Engraving of the Declaration of Independence and the first public printing of the U.S. Constitution. This is the first time these three founding documents have been on display together at the National Constitution Center, a national center for debate and education located on Independence Mall in Philadelphia. This particular copy of the Bill of Rights was acquired by The New York Public Library in 1896. Through a historic agreement between the Library and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the document will be displayed on a rotating basis to the public in both New York and Pennsylvania for the next 100 years.

The launch of the exhibition coincides with a full day of special events and programs planned for the Bill of Rights anniversary and is designed to educate visitors about the first 10 amendments to the U.S. Constitution. Activities include a public reading of the Bill of Rights with school children, a first-time ever book festival with acclaimed authors and scholars, reduced museum admission, and lesson plans for the classroom.

The exhibition also includes an interactive tool, in the gallery and online, that will allow visitors to trace the spread of our constitutional liberties across the globe. The tool also enables visitors to look up the origins of the amendments that make up the Bill of Rights, from their historical sources through James Madison's proposals to Congress, to what was further proposed, edited, and ultimately approved.

"It's thrilling that students and visitors to the National Constitution Center will have the opportunity to view one of the 12 original copies of the Bill of Rights on Bill of Rights Day, the anniversary of ratification," said National Constitution Center President and CEO Jeffrey Rosen. "The National Constitution Center is now one of the only places in the country where visitors can see rare copies of the Bill of Rights, the Declaration of Independence, and the Constitution in one place. We look forward to three years of education and debate about the meaning of the Bill of Rights in Philadelphia and across America."

"This historic partnership gives the people of New York and Pennsylvania the unique opportunity to view and be inspired by one of our country's founding documents, expertly preserved by The New York Public Library for over a century. I hope everyone visits the National Constitution Center to see the Bill of Rights and experience history first-hand," added Anthony Marx, The New York Public Library President.

Named for the 41^st President of the United States, the new George H. W. Bush Gallery, which will house the Constituting Liberty exhibition, recognizes President Bush's public service and role as Chairman of the National Constitution Center from 2007 to 2008. Former Florida Governor and current Chairman of the National Constitution Center Jeb Bush joined in a ceremony in October unveiling the gallery named for his father.

The National Constitution Center is located at 525 Arch Street on Philadelphia's Independence Mall. The Center is open 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, until 6:00 p.m. on Saturday and from Noon to 5:00 p.m. on Sunday. General admission is $14.50 for adults, $13 for seniors, students with ID, and youth (ages 13-18), $8 for children (ages 4-12), and is free for active military. Admission on Bill of Rights Day is $5, courtesy of Macy's. For more information, call 215-409-6700 or visit constitutioncenter.org.

About the National Constitution Center
The National Constitution Center in Philadelphia is the Museum of We the People, America's Town Hall, and a Headquarters for Civic Education. As the Museum of We the People, the National Constitution Center brings the United States Constitution to life for visitors of all ages and inspires active citizenship by celebrating the American constitutional tradition. The museum features interactive exhibitions, engaging theatrical performances, and original documents of freedom. As the only institution established by Congress to "disseminate information about the United States Constitution on a non-partisan basis," the National Constitution Center serves as a Headquarters for Civic Education—offering cutting-edge learning resources including the premier online Interactive Constitution. As America's Town Hall, the National Constitution Center hosts timely constitutional conversations uniting distinguished leaders, scholars, authors, and journalists from across the political spectrum. For more information, call 215-409-6700 or visit constitutioncenter.org.

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SOURCE National Constitution Center