Independence Week Celebration

Wednesday, Jun 28, 2023 at 10:00am
National Constitution Center
525 Arch Street

Join the National Constitution Center for an array of patriotic festivities surrounding Independence Day, exploring the history of the Declaration of Independence and how the definition of "We, the People" has expanded since Thomas Jefferson penned the famous words "all men are created equal" in 1776. Attend the interactive Independence Day show and American Flag history and etiquette workshops, as well as create Colonial-era arts and crafts and stop by the museum’s Revolutionary War encampment on the Center’s Front Lawn. Throughout the week, we’ll host special scholarly talks that explore the expanded understanding of Independence Day.

Daily Programs at the Museum

Flag Ceremonies  
10 a.m. and 5 p.m.; Front Lawn
Join the National Constitution Center staff each morning as we raise the American flag over our building on Independence Mall, and then again in the evenings as we reverently lower it.    

History of Independence Day Show
From parades to protests, cannons to flag waving, explosive words to fiery demonstrations, this show takes an in-depth look at this exciting celebration of freedom from the early days of American independence to the present day.

American Flag History and Etiquette Workshop
At special workshops, discover the history and symbolism of the American flag and learn all about the proper way to treat it.

Road to Freedom: The Story of Slavery in America Program
This interactive program explores the story of slavery in the United States through a constitutional lens, taking visitors on a journey from the time of the Constitutional Convention to the start of the Civil War. It will spotlight historic figures, like George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Ona Judge, Angelina Grimke, Harriet Tubman, William Still, and Abraham Lincoln, and key events, such as the Missouri Compromise, the Compromise of 1850, the Kansas-Nebraska Act, the Dred Scott case, and the secession of the South.

The Four Harriets of History Show
Visitors can explore the lives of four American women—Harriet Robinson Scott, Harriet Tubman, Harriet Jacobs, and Harriet Beecher Stowe who confronted slavery through literature, lawsuits, and direct action in their efforts to free themselves and others from bondage.

Family Fun Activities
10 a.m. – 5 p.m.; Front Lawn  
Outside, visitors can play graces, hoop and stick, nine pin, and other games popular during the Revolutionary era. There will also be great make-and-take craft projects for visitors to create!

National Constitution Center Exhibits
Explore all of our signature exhibits, including The Story of We the People, Signers’ Hall, American Treasures, Constituting Liberty, Civil War and Reconstruction: The Battle for Freedom and Equality, and our newest exhibit The 19th Amendment: How Women Won the Vote, and delight in hourly live performances in the Sidney Kimmel Theater of the Center’s immersive Freedom Rising, a 360-degree live theatrical production that tells the story of the U.S. Constitution and the American quest for freedom.