National Constitution Center

When compared to other Philadelphia Museums and Landmarks we found the National Constitution Center to be disappointing.
Visiting on Martin Luther King Day tickets were $ 5. The venue is simply not worth the $ 14.50 regular admission fee. Yes — One of the thirteen original «Bill of Rights» is on display here. However one shouldn’t have to pay to see this historical document.
The Bill of Rights is the true highlight here. The bronze statues of the Founding Fathers — actual sizes — are somewhat interesting. There’s a children educational area with a beautiful view of outside Philly. We passed on the theater and concert offerings — possibly a mistake.
Perhaps spoiled from our earlier visits to nearby museums and historical venues we expected much more from the National Constitution Center.

How people come here, to a museum of such rich history and say ehhh… it was okay, I’ll never know. I think it ae because they just are not as fun as me and my bestie that got to check this place out on our last day in Philly. We went really early, like before they opened the exhibits, so there was no rush or crowd, we were able to take our time on the first floor which had the LGBT exhibit, interesting stuff. We were going to watch the introduction video, sat for the first 30 seconds of the guy talking and decided to bounce… not because it wasn’t interesting, well kind of, but also because we were pressed for time. The exhibits upstairs were great, take your time, which was something I didn’t get to do. The mockups and interactive displays throughout were great, you could really get a good feel on what it would be like to be the Pres, a judge, a pupil, etc, etc. It may have been because I was a little loopy «vacation brain» but there were several moments that were just funny to me, whether I was pretending to vote or reaching through a glass display to grab a book for a photo op… that really happened lol. I’d say the greatest exhibit was the Signer’s Hall with the 42 life sized men that signed the Constitution. Here is where an employee, felt the need to inform me that this was the only room I could take photos… uhhhkkkkaaayy, noted. This was the last room we visited before heading back downstairs. The museum has a very good gift shop however we were advised to visit the one across the street for my Philadelphia specific souveniors. I would definitely visit again and make it a family trip. Also, military members are free, so if you do serve you have no reason not to visit. Xo

Excellent spot.
1) The atrium is nice. The first floor has non-​permanent exhibits. We saw the FDA and LGBTQ exhibits. Both were nice.
2) The second floor has permanent exhibit. It is great.
3) Overall, I will recommend getting a Groupon or come after 4pm to get the 5 dollar per person ticket. It is not worth the 14 bucks per person.

Such an important stop for anyone visiting Philadelphia. The presentation in the theatre «We the People» was a live performance by an extraordinarily talented actress. You then exit to the second level for a 360 degree civics lesson that is fascinating and full of interactive exhibits. All ages will appreciate this museum. Will return for another visit. $ 15 admission for adults but really worth it.

I am embarrassed to say I had no idea this place had been here since 2003. I have visited Philly many times before and not once did I ever remember seeing it or visiting it but I am sure glad I did.
What appears to be a series of permanent and rotating exhibits, the museum is quite expansive and a great way to spend at least 3 – 4 hours. Upon on our visit last week, we saw a photography exhibit on JFK and a history of the Gay Rights movement in the US. Both were quite enlightening no matter whether you’re a JFK fan or what side of the marriage debate you’re on.
Also in the museum are some permanent exhibits including We the People an interactive presentation that traces the history of the Constitution as well as a major exhibit on the document itself with tons of interactive things for the kids to touch, see and do.
As a heads up, this is not a free museum like say the Liberty Bell. Entry for the place was $ 14.95 per person adult but it’s truly a beautiful space that shouldn’t be missed on your trip.

I LOVE it here! Tourist or not, everyone must visit this great place. I highly recommend starting with the «We the People» presentation before embarking on a self-​guided tour. Whoever designed this museum really put a lot thought into it. It’s interactive and visually stimulating. Forget associating history with a boring class in high school — this place is the polar opposite.
They always have great exhibits, too — like the photography of Jacque Lowe, the photog who followed Kennedy around for a bit. AMAZING.
Buy tickets in advance to ensure entry into the center when you want to go.

Very interactive. Has games, movies and much more. Exhibit mentions Guantanamo which shows how unbiased the exhibit is.

So awesome! I am glad I was able to visit this center. The Signer’s Room is unbelievable. It would be a great place for a field trip for school age children.

Fantastic stop while in Philly! The price seems a little high for no more than you get, but it is a great experience none the less! The show is quite good, and it is an educational experience!

One of the most powerful three-​word phrases, in my opinion, is «We, the People.» The concept of an everyday man being influential in a successful society is empowering. Maybe I am a blue-​collar worker, maybe I am the CEO of a big company, maybe I am a student, maybe I am a homemaker, maybe I am homeless, maybe I am a home owner, maybe I am highly educated, maybe I have not finished secondary education… maybe, maybe, maybe… What I do know is I am one of the People. And as such, I matter and I can contribute to the success of this great country.
This powerful message is what is emphasized to a visitor of National Constitution Center. Through exhibits and shows, a guest can learn about the Constitution: its birth, the ramifications of this powerful document, the times it was challenged, etc.
This is not a big museum and an hour and a half will more than suffice to check everything out. I would suggest taking your time here, though, to soak in just how influential three simple words can be – «We, the People.» Three ordinary words that shaped our country’s identity.
National Constitution Center is one of the museums that should be a must-​see in historic Philadelphia.

NCC offers an excellent presentation of the development and implementation of our U.S. Constitution. Beginning with a live narration with dynamic graphics, and concluding with an interactive display-​timeline of this historical document, this experience is for all to enjoy at each individual’s pace. God bless the USA!

My wife organized and attended a Philadelphia field trip for the fourth graders at the school that she teaches for in Washington, D.C. The constitution center and «Freedom Rising» interactive show were really great. Both the parent chaperones were really happy with their experience. Though there was a slight issue with the amount of children vs. adults, the staff were extremely accommodating and friendly in resolving the issue with no hassle at all. She reported she would definitely do this trip again and recommend others to do the same… and I enjoyed it too ;-)

The place is alright, and I did enjoy the circular exhibit that does a decent job of chronicling our nation’s evolution while also raising some intelligent questions beyond the typical American history rhetoric.
That said, there really isn’t much nuance or complexity here. Nothing especially revelatory, and little in the way of actual historical artifacts, which is underwhelming.
The George HW Bush hall has a few documents, and the Signature Hall statues are cool, but my experience was soured here when some mall cop-​style overweight African American female concierge kept lording over me and following me around because she felt I got too close to an exhibit that was protected by glass, and then kept trying to catch me in the act of taking pictures when I was simply texting my grandfather.
Like, serious JV squad loser that should NOT be in a public-​facing role if she’s going to be an aggressive bully. She was looking for a fight, which was just pathetic.

Sort of like David Byrne sings in the Talking Heads song «Cities», there’s good points and bad points coming to the Constitution Center. It’s difficult to grade the place overall and certain people have brought up valid shortcomings in their reviews just like others have brought up valid positives.
In terms of price, this is not a NPS site even though it would fit considering where it’s located. What that means of course is that it costs money. I see some people whining about the price and if I would have been dumb enough to have paid full price I probably would be a good bit saltier about my experience than I actually am.
I have no idea what the regular admission price currently is but right now they are finishing up with a winter special where adults are $ 10 and kids are $ 5 plus during the year they post deals on either Living Social or Groupon and if you have a BOA America credit/​debit card you can get in for free the first weekend of every month year round. So more or less if you’ve paid full price either you planned poorly or you’re stupid. As for parking you can pre-​reserve via
or you can use common sense and take SEPTA.
The current featured exhibitions are one of the twelve original copies of the Bill of Rights (even though this is the Constitution Center they of course do not have a copy of that document — The National Archives in DC is your stop for that one) and a photo collection of the Kennedys which was shot by their official photographer Jacques Lowe. The Bill of Rights was nice although the security/​employees are very high strung that you don’t touch/​lean/​or come too close to the display case. With that in mind it makes seeing the document difficult for children/​people of a shorter height persuasion but it was still neat to see the document none the less.
As for the Kennedy photo exhibit, who cares? Sure there were some candid shots but overall this display seems very out of place/​pointless here and clearly it’s being done to bring a few people in the door ($$$) because of the Kennedy name.
The main exhibits are different degrees of interesting ranging from very good to drier than a Gobi Desert summer. The Freedom Rising show was decent although the guy doing the orating was less than stellar along with vocally being less than loud. The 360 idea for the show is overrated and the content is somewhere around Social Studies in 6^th grade, i.e. lowbrow, unless you know squat about US History which I guess I forgot does make up the majority of the citizens of this country.
The Signers Hall is also overrated. It’s supposed to have some meaning seeing all of the signers each grouped together by state but instead it turned into a bunch of idiotic teens doing some perverted & nearly obscene things with the statues bronze hands/​fingers while they were taking selfies doing it.
The Story of We the People is what saves this place for being a total turd. Lots of excellent artifacts and many different displays (go to the website as there is too much to write about for this part) which for as much as other parts of the Center are either underwhelming/​seemed like a bunch of slapped together idea fragments, this part of the place makes up for it in a big way which is good seeing as it takes up the majority of the square footage.
I also see people saying that the place is great because of the windows or the view and to that I say, so what. When you’re inside the building unless you’re in the lobby or walking from the We the People area to where the Signers Hall/​Bill of Rights are located you can’t tell whether it’s day or night because there are no windows in 90% of the display areas. I’m not paying for the how the building looks; I’m paying for what’s inside.
Overall I’m glad that I didn’t pay full price or any price for that matter and while as I said earlier certain parts are very good, like Ben B. alluded to nearly four years ago in his review, certain parts seemed lacking or in the case of the Kennedy photo exhibit just flat out don’t belong.
I suppose a solid three stars as I would come back for another BOA free weekend visit in the distant future or for the right special exhibit but short of that I truly don’t feel compelled to come back anytime soon.
(Also noteworthy is that they very much frown on the taking of pictures more or less anywhere outside of the lobby with the exception of the Signers Hall which is why there is a lack of pictures of the inside displays.)

I went on a school trip here with my son. This will be my second time on a school trip. Me and my wife came before the bus showed up the staff at the door was helpful. I think that the building it self and the lobby it self is a let down. It is the contution center. (by the way I wrote one review for the contution center and Unilocal removed it. They said I made personal attacks. I guess Unilocal should visit the contution center. First ammendment. But I guess they have been sued to many times.) Any way the staff that deals with the kids should work on their interpersonal skills. The center was clean and well set up.

One amazing venue for events! The Kirby Auditorium has amazing acoustics and welcomed people such as presidents, supreme court justices, and senators. Our food was catered by Crème Brûlée and it was absolutely amazing! I got the chance to view the museum and was an awe of the display of our history! Fantastic stop on my Philadelphia experience!

Really enjoyed visiting here. This is a large, informative, well manicured center with a wonderful exhibit on American history as it relates to the Constitution. The entire exhibit make a large circle with interesting artifacts and different displays in the middle featuring videos, sculptures, etc.
There’s also a great view of the main historic area from the second floor. Overall, very nice. Definitely worth a visit.

+++
— Freedom rising is pretty cool; IMO, there’s no best seat
— Very interactive; fun for all ages
++
— taking pictures with life-​size bronze statues is cool, (political rant aside) if your into that sort of thing
— Neat to see the history behind the constitution
— Big ups for being able to use student ID
-
— Price; I thought $ 13 was kind of high, but I guess that’s the price of preservation
— No pictures in exhibition hall :(
— Freedom for all? in 1776? yeah right
TIPS:
— This is a great time killer while waiting for independence hall, you get a wristband for re-​entry
— I spent about an hour and fifteen minutes here (including Freedom Rising) without spending too much time reading about each article
— When you do Freedom Rising, get in a little early to explore the area around the auditorium because you will not be let bc in once the performance is over

La constitution ayant été écrite à Philadelphie, il serait un peu dommage d’être sur les lieux sans faire un tour au Constitution Center, qui rassemble un petit spectacle vivant, l’expo permanente et une expo temporaire.
Vous pouvez donc assister à un spectacle court sur la constitution, totalement grandiloquent, mais qui reste instructif. On peut trouver ça un peu ridicule et excessif, venant d’Europe, mais c’est aussi un peu touchant — si tant est que vous soyez touchés par Armageddon, mais c’est plutôt mon cas. Un acteur crie, chante, court, déclame, en alternance avec un film projeté sur le plafond (vous êtes dans une sorte de géode et donc sur des sièges un peu inclinés).
A mon avis ce mini spectacle vaut le coup car déjà vous apprenez quand même des choses sur la constitution (vaguement) et aussi c’est intéressant de voir comment un pays construit son identité différemment de nous, avec beaucoup moins de détachement et beaucoup plus d’emphase disons.
A part ce show, il y a une exposition permanente — où vous apprendrez pour le coup plein de détails sur la rédaction de la constitution, les tractations entre Etats, les pourparlers entre délégués, les amendements etc. Il y a tout une partie interactive géniale avec des écrans qui présentent les grands arrêts de la court suprême, les différents arguments des deux parties. Vous découvrez ainsi les débats plus juridiques et pas seulement l’écriture figée de la constitution mais son évolution à travers son interprétation.
Enfin, l’expo temporaire: l’année dernière nous avons visité l’expo sur la prohibition AMERICAN SPIRITS: THE RISE AND FALL OF PROHIBITION, très intéressante. En ce moment, l’expo concerne la liberté d’expression. A chaque fois, l’expo est donc en rapport avec l’un des articles de la constitution et la façon dont il a été interprété, mais via un exemple historique et non plus une approche seulement juridique.
On vous distribue un exemplaire de la constitution !

I went to Philadelphia, PA a few weeks ago for a weekend trip with my friend and thought we check this place out. Well mostly my idea. Haha. I like my American history.
Admission was a bit pricey. $ 14.50 for adult tickets. If you have a student ID, I suggest you bring it for a discount. You really can go through this museum in less than an hour unless you really read everything.
We started out with a 20 minute show inside the theater. It’s a history of the constitution from how it started to how it is in today’s world. There is a live actor that narrates the story and I guess she also tries to inspire you because she kept on repeating the phrase «we the people.» There is a cool screen around the top of the theater, so you can see images. Pretty neat.
After the show, we checked out the constitution in the next room. They have the constitution written on a glass wall, word for word. They also have a history of important Supreme Court cases. You can pretend to take the presidential oath. There is also a signers hall where there are a life size statue of the signers who signed the constitution. Visitors can sign the constitution as well. I signed it just for the heck of it.
A neat place if you like your American history. Not worth $ 14.50 though. This is definitely a tourist attraction if you have never visited Philly. Don’t expect the real constitution to be there because that’s in Washington D.C.

I love, love, love this place. I can not get enough of their Freedom Film and that room is just perfect. I think for the $ 20 that you pay to get in here, it is worth a trip every here and there (just be sure you go to the visitor center across the street first to purchase your tickets).
Anyone visiting the Philly area should really stop in. This is a place that both parent, kids, non english speaking families (like mine) can enjoy together. I have come here on several occasions and the museum never gets old. They always have something up to date and different to keep you coming back unlike other places, YET do not change what’s working like the freedom movie.
I came here during the elections where they had the polling stations and I thought that was absolutely awesome, I wish every kid could learn about politics that way, because it was so interactive and informative, that it would def educate and entertain all at once.
I also came to see the Prohibition exhibit which was both hilarious and fun. You got to attempt to dance like a flapper, hold some anti-​liquor prohibition signs and learn how amazingly creative people will get if you try to keep them away from their liquor!
This is one of my top 5 museums ever for it’s simplicity, yet charismatic nature. And on a beautiful sunny day, it is gorgeous to take pictures outside with that giant American flag in the backdrop. If you’re lucky you will get some protesters too to make it an even more American moment.

Die Verfassung der Vereinigten Staaten ist die älteste noch gültige schriftliche Verfassung der Welt. Die Väter der Verfassung dachten nicht nur an die Gegenwart, sondern auch an die Zukunft der Nation. Sie waren sich bewusst, dass die Regierungsstruktur auf die Zeitgenossen, aber auch auf spätere Generationen ausgerichtet sein musste. Sie sahen deshalb in der Verfassung die Möglichkeit der Ergänzung in Form von Zusatzartikeln vor, wenn dies aus politischen, sozialen oder wirtschaftlichen Gründen notwendig sein sollte. Seit der Ratifizierung der Verfassung sind 27 Zusatzartikel verabschiedet worden, und die Flexibilität der Verfassung erwies sich als eine ihrer größten Stärken. Die ersten zehn Zusatzartikel, die sogenannte Bill of Rights, enthalten die verfassungsmäßigen Grundrechte der Bevölkerung.
Das National Constituion Center ist Amerikas berühmtestes Interaktives Museum, welches sich mit der amerikanischen Geschichte befasst.
Museum Hours Mon — Fri 9:30 am — 5 pm Saturday 9:30 am — 6 pm Sunday 12 noon — 5 pm