CIVIC HOLIDAY

2026 Constitution Day
Thursday, September 17 | 9:30 a.m.–7:30 p.m.

Free Admission courtesy of PECO

Every year on September 17, the National Constitution Center celebrates Constitution Day—the anniversary of the signing of the U.S. Constitution in 1787. You are invited to experience history in action through engaging programs and unforgettable experiences that bring America’s founding story to life.  

Throughout the day, you can witness a moving naturalization ceremony, hear the story of five extraordinary Americans who were able to use their First Amendment rights to fight for change, learn about the history of Independence National Historic Park from a National Park Service Ranger, and more. Bring the whole family—there will be activities for all ages to enjoy.

While admission is free, advanced reservations are strongly encouraged.  

AMERICA’S TOWN HALL

Rediscovering America’s Forgotten Founders: Architects of the Constitution

Thursday, September 17 | 6:30–7:30 p.m. ET

Online and In Person

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. These “forgotten founders” played critical roles in drafting the Constitution, shaping the structure of the new government, and securing the document’s ratification.

Carol Berkin, author of the National Constitution Center’s definitive short biographies of all 56 signers; Jane E. Calvert, author of Penman of the Founding: A Biography of John Dickinson; Scott S. Greenberger, author of The Forsaken Founder: Gouverneur Morris, the Unsung Patriot Who Wrote the Constitution, Stood Up to Slavery, and Survived the Reign of Terror; and Jesse Wegman, author of The Lost Founder: James Wilson and the Forgotten Fight for a People’s Constitution, explore how these remarkable founders shaped the Constitution and why their ideas continue to resonate in American civic life today. Julie Silverbrook, chief content and learning officer at the National Constitution Center, moderates. Learn more

Tomorrow, September 9, marks the launch of our inaugural First Amendment Day, a new celebration inviting visitors of all ages to explore the five freedoms of the First Amendment through conversation, creativity, history, and hands-on experiences.

First Amendment Day, including free museum admission and special First Amendment-themed programming, is made possible through the generous support of the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. 

CIVIC HOLIDAY

2026 First Amendment Day
Wednesday, September 9 | 10 a.m.–5 p.m.

Free Admission

Enjoy free admission and a full day of special programming that brings the First Amendment to life through engaging gallery tours, guided walking tours throughout Philadelphia’s Historic District, and our interactive Free Expression creative studio. Whether you’re visiting for the first time or returning to discover something new, First Amendment Day offers meaningful ways for visitors of all ages to explore, reflect, create, and engage with the Constitution.

While admission is free, advanced reservations are strongly encouraged.  

First Amendment Walking Tour

New Timeslots Added: 10:15 a.m., 3:15 p.m., and 3:45 p.m.

Tours will begin in the Kenneth C. Griffin Great Hall Lobby

Continue the experience with the debut of the National Constitution Center’s Constitutional Walking Tour Series. Visit Historic Philadelphia sites where generations of Americans gathered, published ideas, petitioned their government, and advocated for change, revealing how the First Amendment has shaped the city—and the nation—for more than two centuries.  

AMERICA’S TOWN HALL

The First Amendment and Artificial Intelligence

Wednesday, September 9 | 1:15 p.m. ET

Online and In Person

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

Wednesday, September 9 | 5:30–7:30 p.m. ET

In Person at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts

Join Gov. Spencer Cox (R-UT) and Gov. Josh Shapiro (D-PA) for an honest, lively conversation at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts 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.

This event is presented by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation in partnership with Disagree Better and the National Constitution Center, in celebration of America’s 250th anniversary.

The event will be held in person at the Kimmel Center, 300 South Broad Street. There will be a reception starting at 5:30 p.m. with live music by Artistas y Músicos Latino Americanos. The program begins at 6:30 p.m. Learn more

Pennsylvania’s Founding: How a City and a Colony Shaped America’s Civic DNA
Opens September 30 | Free to view

As the United States marks its 250th anniversary, Pennsylvania’s Founding: How a City and a Colony Shaped America’s Civic DNA invites visitors to explore an earlier chapter in the American story—the founding of Pennsylvania and Philadelphia and their enduring influence on the nation’s civic ideals.

The National Constitution Center will host the exhibition, developed in partnership with Drexel University and curated by Drexel’s Lenfest Center for Cultural Partnerships and Atwater Kent Collection, which brings together rare documents, maps, artwork, and artifacts that reveal how Pennsylvania’s founding and Philadelphia’s development shaped ideas about representative government, religious liberty, civic participation, and constitutional self-government.

Kick off the exhibit opening on September 29 with a live America’s Town Hall panel. In-person guests will enjoy exclusive after-hours access to preview Pennsylvania’s Founding following the discussion.

AMERICA’S TOWN HALL

The Holy Experiment: Religious Liberty, Pennsylvania, and the Making of America

Tuesday, September 29 | 5–6 p.m. ET

Online and In Person

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 will explore 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. Learn more

Image credit: William Penn's Treaty With the Indians, engraving by John Hall (after Benjamin West), 1775 (Atwater Kent Collection, 90.36.174)

Be a Civic Hero! Playful Learning Installation and Opening Celebration

The National Constitution Center, in partnership with Playful Learning Landscapes and Watchdog Project Management, is proud to present Be a Civic Hero! Playful Learning Installation—the Center’s first dedicated outdoor experience created especially for young children and their families. Located on the Center’s front lawn, this free installation uses play, storytelling, and shared exploration to introduce civic values in ways that connect directly to everyday life.

Be a Civic Hero! opens September 16, 2026, one of 11 Play Places located at iconic destinations across Philadelphia. Learn more

Join us on opening day at 2 p.m. for a joyful, family-friendly celebration! Guests can be among the first to explore the new space—creating their own civic heroes, discovering historic landmarks along Independence Mall, and browsing a new little free library. The afternoon will feature outdoor story times, civic crafts, cooperative lawn games, and interactive activities for kids and caregivers alike.

Be a Civic Hero!: A Family Celebration activities are free and open to all. A museum ticket is required to explore the National Constitution Center’s exhibits, including Signers’ Hall and the the Freedom Rising live performance.

This installation was created in partnership with FIFTEEN Architecture + Design, Masters Group Design, and Weston Design & Fabrication Studio, and made possible with support from the William Penn Foundation.

Our fall America’s Town Hall schedule is now available. America’s Town Hall programs are free to attend. View the full event calendar here.

AMERICA’S TOWN HALL

What the Founders Learned From the Ancients
Thursday, September 10 | 5–6:30 p.m. ET

In Person at the National Constitution Center

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.

The conversation will explore how the founders looked much more broadly in the ancient world for inspiration during the American Revolution and how these ideas have shaped our constitutional democracy. Thomas Donnelly, lead scholar at the National Constitution Center, moderates.  

AMERICA’S TOWN HALL

Previewing the Supreme Court’s 2026–2027 Term

Monday, September 28 | 6:30–7:30 p.m. ET

Online and In Person

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, andGreg 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.  

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Thanks to you, the values we share can thrive—not just today, but for generations to come.

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