Celebrate America's Birthday During a Weeklong Celebration at the National Constitution Center

One of the many great family-friendly, FREE events taking place during
Wawa Welcome America! festival

This Fourth of July, don’t just celebrate the birth of independence – celebrate in the birthplace of independence! The National Constitution Center on Independence Mall will commemorate America’s birthday with an unforgettable lineup of patriotic events and programs that are the perfect complement to the excitement of Philadelphia’s Wawa Welcome America! festival. Visitors will enjoy Revolutionary War re-enactments, learn colonial-era tasks, join in “Patriotic Karaoke,” and more. The Center’s Independence Day celebration will take place from Thursday, June 28 through Thursday, July 5, 2012. The Center will extend its regular hours of operation on Monday, July 2; Tuesday, July 3; and Thursday, July 5 from 9:30 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. All Independence Day activities are FREE with regular museum admission.

From Sunday, July 2 through Wednesday, July 4, Continental Army Regiments will set up camp on the Center’s front lawn, complete with soldiers, camp followers, medical facilities, and blacksmiths. Visitors can learn basic military techniques or try their hand as an apprentice in the black smith shop. Guests will also have the opportunity to learn a variety of colonial-era tasks including butter churning and candle and paper making during hands-on demonstrations.

On Wednesday, July 4, Philadelphia’s talented School of Rock will give multiple performances throughout the day on the Center’s Grand Hall Overlook, impressing the audience with a mix of patriotic and family-friendly tunes.

While at the Center, guests also will have the opportunity to tour a must-see exhibition about an artist whose music chronicles the quest for the American dream. From Asbury Park to the Promised Land: The Life and Music of Bruce Springsteen features more than 150 artifacts, including the Fender from the cover of Born to Run, the outfit Springsteen wore on the cover of Born in the U.S.A., numerous handwritten lyric manuscripts, and Springsteen’s 1960 Chevrolet Corvette.

On Thursday, July 5, visitors can take advantage of the Center’s popular $5 After 5 p.m. promotion from 5:00 pm. – 8:00 p.m. For only $5, visitors can access the Center’s main exhibition The Story of We the People; the award-winning theater show Freedom Rising; and the iconicSigners’ Hall. In addition, guests will enjoy an array of fun, family-friendly activities, guided tours, and special programs. For an additional $5, visitors also can enjoy the Bruce Springsteen exhibition.

Throughout the week, visitors also can pay tribute to the stars and stripes through a variety of engaging programs. Guests will learn proper flag etiquette during hands-on workshops. During the “Star Spangled Banner Show,” visitors will learn the story of Francis Scott Key, the Battle of Fort McHenry, and the flag that inspired our national anthem. The Center’s interactive “Fourth of July Show” gives guests an in-depth look at this exciting national holiday by exploring it over time, from the very first words of independence to present day celebrations. The show also explores how famous Americans have made their voices heard while fighting for freedom.

Children and their families will have the opportunity to make a variety of patriotic crafts such as Uncle Sam, Lady Liberty and George Washington hats, as well as star wands and wreaths, pinwheels, and crepe paper flags. Additionally, children can have their faces painted and pose for colonial style silhouette portraits. Visitors also can belt out their best renditions of American anthems during “Patriotic Karaoke.”


For more information:  www.constitutioncenter.org

Location:   National Constitution Center  525 Arch Street, Independence Mall  Philadelphia, PA 19106

This event is appropriate for:  the whole family