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{{Organization
|OrganizationName=National Constitution Center
|OrganizationType=Non-profit
|Mission=To bring together people of all ages and perspectives to learn about, debate, and celebrate the U.S. Constitution. The Center serves as America's leading platform for constitutional education and debate.
|CreationLegislation=Constitution Heritage Act of 1988
|Employees=100
|Budget=$20 million (approximate annual budget)
|OrganizationExecutive=President and CEO
|Services=Interactive exhibits; Educational programs; Public debates; Live performances; Civic learning resources
|HeadquartersLocation=39.95377, -75.14909
|HeadquartersAddress=525 Arch St, Philadelphia, PA 19106, USA
|Website=https://constitutioncenter.org/
}}
The '''National Constitution Center''' is a non-profit institution that is devoted to the study of the [[Constitution of the United States]]. Located at the [[Independence Mall (Philadelphia)|Independence Mall]] in Philadelphia, [[Pennsylvania]], the center is an interactive museum which serves as a national town hall, hosting government leaders, journalists, scholars, and celebrities who engage in public discussions, including Constitution-related events and presidential debates.

The groundbreaking ceremony was held on September 17, 2000, the 213th anniversary of the [[Signing of the United States Constitution|signing of the Constitution]]. The center opened on July 4, 2003,<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2003/06/22/travel/travel-advisory-constitution-center-to-open-in-philadelphia.html | title=TRAVEL ADVISORY; Constitution Center To Open in Philadelphia – New York Times | access-date = 28 March 2013 | work=The New York Times | date=22 June 2003}}</ref> joining other historic sites and attractions in what has been called "America's most historic square mile",<ref>{{cite web|title=Independence Visitor Center|url=http://phlvisitorcenter.com/attraction/independence-visitor-center|access-date=9 August 2013}}</ref> because of its proximity to [[Independence Hall]] and the [[Liberty Bell]]. The center offers civic learning resources onsite and online. It does not house the original Constitution, which is stored at the [[National Archives Building]] in [[Washington, D.C.]]

==Background==
[[File:National_Constitution_Center-exterior.jpg|thumb|right|alt=Long, "We the People Inscription" at the National Constitution Center|"[[We the People]]" inscription at the National Constitution Center]]
The center was created by the Constitution Heritage Act.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.theconstitutional.com/about/abou-enable.html | title = The Constitutional Walking Tour of Philadelphia | access-date = 28 March 2013}}</ref> Approved on September 16, 1988, and signed by [[President Ronald Reagan]],<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.brynmawr.edu/iconog/uphp/indnoll2/linked%20pages/INHP%20HISTORY.htm | title=Summary of INHP and Independence Mall Evolution | access-date=28 March 2013 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121128184221/http://www.brynmawr.edu/iconog/uphp/indnoll2/linked%20pages/INHP%20HISTORY.htm | archive-date=2012-11-28 | url-status=dead }}{{cbignore}}</ref> the act defined the National Constitution Center as "within or in close proximity to the [[Independence National Historical Park]]. The Center shall disseminate information about the United States Constitution on a non-partisan basis in order to increase the awareness and understanding of the Constitution among the American people."<ref>{{cite web |title=H.R. 1939 (100th): Constitution Heritage Act of 1988 |url=https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/100/hr1939/text/enr |website=[[GovTrack]] |publisher=www.govtrack.us |access-date=26 July 2019}}</ref> The center is at 525 Arch Street, an address chosen because May 25 (5/25) was the date that the [[Timeline of drafting and ratification of the United States Constitution|Constitutional Convention began]] in Philadelphia.{{citation needed|date=July 2019}}

The architectural firm of [[Pei Cobb Freed & Partners]] designed the center,<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.pcf-p.com/a/p/9810/r0.html | title = Pei Cobb Freed & Partners | access-date = 28 March 2013}}</ref> and [[Leslie E. Robertson]] Associates were the structural engineers for the project. [[Witold Rybczynski]] of ''[[The New York Times]]'' wrote, "Quiet but assertive, respectful of its surroundings, considerate of its public, this building is destined to take its place among the nation's leading public monuments."<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2003/07/08/arts/architecture-review-more-perfect-union-of-function-and-form.html?pagewanted=all&src=pm | title = ARCHITECTURE REVIEW; More Perfect Union Of Function And Form – New York Times | access-date = 28 March 2013 | work=The New York Times | first=Witold | last=Rybczynski | author-link=Witold Rybczynski | date=8 July 2003}}</ref>

[[Ralph Appelbaum Associates]] designed the center's visitor experience and exhibition hall.  The public space is {{convert|160000|sqft|m2}}, including galleries. The center has {{convert|75785|sqft|m2}} of exhibit space. The center is made of American products, including {{convert|85000|sqft|m2}} of Indiana limestone, 2.6 million pounds of steel, and a half-million cubic feet of concrete.  Construction of the center was overseen by project manager [[Hill International]].

Prior to its closure in December 2019, the [[Newseum]], a journalism-themed museum in Washington D.C., had featured a four-story-tall stone panel inscribed with the text of the [[First Amendment to the United States Constitution|First Amendment]] as part of its exterior design. The [[Freedom Forum]], a nonprofit organization that created the museum, announced in March 2021 that the panel would be dismantled and donated to the National Constitution Center for display in its second-floor atrium.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/museums/newseum-first-amendment-tablet-relocate/2021/03/17/9cdef064-874c-11eb-8a8b-5cf82c3dffe4_story.html | title = Newseum donates its distinctive First Amendment facade to Philadelphia history center | access-date = 1 January 2022 | newspaper=The Washington Post | first=Peggy | last=McGlone | date=18 March 2021}}</ref>

==Leadership==
The National Constitution Center board of trustees appointed law professor, legal commentator, and former visiting scholar [[Jeffrey Rosen (legal academic)|Jeffrey Rosen]] to serve as president and chief executive officer of the center; Rosen began his tenure in June 2013.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://constitutioncenter.org/about/president-and-ceo | title=President and CEO – National Constitution Center | access-date = 6 June 2013}}</ref> The chairmen of the board of the Center have been:
{| class="wikitable"
! Chairman !! Period
|-
|[[John C. Bogle]]||1999{{endash}}2007
|-
|[[George H. W. Bush]]||2007{{endash}}2009
|-
|[[Bill Clinton]]||2009{{endash}}2012
|-
|[[Jeb Bush]]||2013{{endash}}2017
|-
|[[Joe Biden]]||2017{{endash}}2019
|-
|[[Neil Gorsuch]]||2019{{endash}}
|-
|}

==Civic education==
Through its Annenberg Center for Education and Outreach, the center offers onsite and online civic-education programs and a study center which develops and distributes teaching tools, lesson plans and resources.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://foundationcenter.org/pnd/news/story.jhtml?id=133200008 | title = Annenberg Foundation Awards $6.4 Million to National Constitution Center PND Foundation Center | access-date = 28 March 2013}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Education {{!}} Constitution Center |url=https://constitutioncenter.org/education |access-date=2024-09-12 |website=National Constitution Center – constitutioncenter.org |language=en}}</ref>

==Public engagement==
The center has hosted several debates, including a 2008 Democratic presidential primary debate between [[Hillary Clinton]] and [[Barack Obama]],<ref>{{cite web | url=https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/DemocraticDebate/story?id=4670271&page=1#.T-InzphTYTA | title = Transcript: Obama and Clinton Debate – ABC News | website = [[ABC News (United States)|ABC News]] | access-date=28 March 2013}}</ref> a town hall meeting with [[John McCain|Senator John McCain]],<ref>{{cite web | url=https://6abc.com/archive/6199863/ | title=McCain's town-hall meeting at Constitution Center 6abc.com | access-date=28 March 2013}}</ref> and a 2006 Pennsylvania Senatorial debate between Republican incumbent [[Rick Santorum]] and Democratic challenger [[Bob Casey Jr.|Bob Casey]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/news/politics-federal/santorum-on-the-attack-in-final-debate-with-casey-455094/?print=1 |url-access=subscription |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220126104502/https://www.post-gazette.com/news/politics-federal/2006/10/17/Santorum-on-the-attack-in-final-debate-with-Casey/stories/200610170237 |archive-date=2022-01-26 |title=Santorum on the attack in final debate with Casey |newspaper=[[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]] |last=O'Toole |first=James |author-link=James O'Toole (reporter) |access-date=6 May 2023}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

The center hosted the second 2024 Presidential debate on September 10, 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Presidential debate to be held at National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, ABC News announces |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/presidential-debate-held-national-constitution-center-philadelphia-abc/story?id=112900463 |access-date=2024-08-17 |website=ABC News |language=en}}</ref> It was the first debate between [[Donald Trump]] and [[Kamala Harris]], after President [[Joe Biden]] exited the race in the weeks following the first debate of the cycle.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-07-22 |title=President Joe Biden drops out of 2024 presidential race |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/president-joe-biden-drops-2024-presidential-race-rcna159867 |access-date=2024-08-17 |website=NBC News |language=en}}</ref> Ironically, no mention was made of the US Constitution by either candidate during the entire 90 minute debate.

==Liberty Medal==
In 2006, the center became home to the [[Philadelphia Liberty Medal]], an annual award established in 1988 to recognize "men and women of courage and conviction who strive to secure the blessings of liberty to people around the globe."<ref>{{cite web | url=http://constitutioncenter.org/libertymedal/about.html | title = THE LIBERTY MEDAL | access-date = 28 March 2013}}</ref>

==Reception==
[[George Will]] wrote for ''The Washington Post'', "At the other end of the mall sparkles a modernist jewel of America's civic life, the National Constitution Center".<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/08/12/AR2005081201409.html | title = George F. Will – Sense From the Hall of Framers | access-date = 28 March 2013 | newspaper=The Washington Post | date=14 August 2005}}</ref> Jason DeParle wrote for ''[[The New York Times]]'' Learning Network, "Since opening in 2003, [the National Constitution Center] has put forward a vision of constitutional history both left and right have embraced."<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/featured_articles/20050912monday.html | title = Constitutional Lessons, Old and New, on Display | access-date = 28 March 2013 | work=The New York Times}}</ref> According to ''[[The Philadelphia Inquirer]]'', "The National Constitution Center has established itself as one of the city's cultural celebs, attracting a million visitors a year, putting pizzazz into civic and educational offerings, hosting blockbuster exhibitions, and attracting the nation's intellectual cognoscenti and media elite like bears to honey."<ref>{{cite web | url=http://articles.philly.com/2006-06-13/news/25402331_1_national-constitution-center-joseph-torsellaconstitutional-issues | archive-url=https://archive.today/20130620202837/http://articles.philly.com/2006-06-13/news/25402331_1_national-constitution-center-joseph-torsellaconstitutional-issues | url-status=dead | archive-date=June 20, 2013 | title = Philadelphia does history right So far, so good for the National Constitution Center. - Philly.com | access-date = 28 March 2013}}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Philadelphia}}
* [[Philadelphia Liberty Medal]] – An annual award administered by the Center
* [[Constitution Day (United States)]]
* [[Independence National Historical Park]]
* [[Founding Fathers of the United States]]
* ''[[Landmark Cases: Historic Supreme Court Decisions]]'', 2015 TV series

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* {{official website|https://constitutioncenter.org/}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070525222134/http://www.constitutioncenter.org/jennings/ Peter Jennings Project for Journalists and the Constitution]
* [http://speakingofhistory.blogspot.com/2007/07/podcast-109-interview-with-eli-lesser.html Podcast interview with Eli Lesser – Director of Education for the National Constitution Center from the Speaking of History podcast, July 2007]
* [http://blog.constitutioncenter.org/ Constitution Daily blog of the National Constitution Center]

{{Museums in Pennsylvania}}
{{Philadelphia}}
{{US Constitution|state=expanded}}
{{authority control}}

[[Category:2004 establishments in Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Independence National Historical Park]]
[[Category:Constitution of the United States]]
[[Category:History museums in Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:Independence National Historical Park]]
[[Category:Museums established in 2004]]
[[Category:Museums in Philadelphia]]
[[Category:Old City, Philadelphia]]
[[Category:Race Street]]