National Constitution Center April Events

Spring programs for students and families also include the launch of a new season of Living News, a dynamic performance which explores controversial constitutional issues; the Stripes and Stars Festival, Philadelphia's celebration of the American flag and the U.S. Army; and the All-American Celebration, featuring patriotic festivities in celebration of freedom and America's independence.

Through its popular America's Town Hall program series, the Center continues to bring the leading conservative and liberal thought leaders together to explore the most important constitutional issues facing our country. Topics of the spring/summer 2018 lineup include the 150th anniversary of the 14th Amendment, the constitutional legacies of President Trump, and the rise and fall of Alexander Hamilton. Featured guests include National Review's Charles Cooke, University of Virginia School of Law Dean Risa Goluboff, Slate's Dahlia Lithwick, Harvard's Laurence Tribe, Princeton's Julian Zelizer, and NAACP Legal Defense Fund's Sherrilyn Ifill.

Wawa Hoagie Day, Thursday, June 28 – Extended museum hours, 9:30 a.m. – 8 p.m.
All-American Celebration, Monday, July 2, and Tuesday, July 3 – Extended museum hours, 9:30 a.m. – 8 p.m.

April Events

Alexander Hamilton Experience at the National Constitution Center
Regular museum hours, Friday, March 23 – Monday, December 31
Free with general admission
This year, the National Constitution Center celebrates Constitution signer, Father of American Banking, and the inspiration behind a smash Broadway musical, Alexander Hamilton. Visitors can learn about this Founding Father with the ultimate Hamilton museum experience. Visitors will:

Discover the Center's compelling new EXHIBIT highlighting the competing ideas of Alexander Hamilton and his legendary rivals. Created in-house, Hamilton: The Constitutional Clashes That Shaped a Nation explores Hamilton's fraught relationships with James Madison, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and Aaron Burr.
View the Center's iconic exhibits through a new lens as museum staff share favorite tales of Alexander Hamilton at STORY STATIONS throughout Signers' Hall and The Story of We the People.
Stop by the lobby for a riveting, interactive SHOW about Hamilton's early life.
Put their knowledge to the test at the Center's Hamilton TRIVIA game.

Living News Spring 2018
Available between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. daily, Monday, April 9 – Friday, June 15
Free with general admission, group reservations recommended. *Includes special curriculum package.
Today's headlines are brought to life in this dynamic, 25-minute performance incorporating video, contemporary music, and current news broadcasts. Featuring three engaging actors who play multiple roles, Living News introduces controversial constitutional issues and encourages students to explore the Constitution's relevance in their own lives. Following the performance, students engage in dialogue about these timely issues with the museum's education staff.

Hamilton: The Constitutional Clashes That Shaped a Nation
6:30 p.m., Monday, April 16
Free for 1787 Society Members – $10 Members, teachers & students – $18 Non-Members
Guests are invited to a discussion with historians, including Carol Berkin, as well as Hamilton biographers Jay Cost and Tony Williams, as the Center unveils its new Hamilton exhibit, exploring Hamilton's constitutional clashes with Madison, Jefferson, Adams, and Burr. Guests will have access to Hamilton: The Constitutional Clashes That Shaped a Nation before the program from 5:30 – 6:30 p.m.

Tax Day
9:30 a.m. – 5 p.m., Tuesday, April 17
Free with general admission
On Tax Day, visitors can learn about the history and significance of taxation and the role that Alexander Hamilton played in the creation of the American financial system. Visitors can also learn more about the Father of American Banking at interactive shows, and make piggy banks and other handy crafts.

Earth Day
12 p.m. – 5 p.m., Sunday, April 22
Free with general admission
As part of the Center's Earth Day celebration, visitors can learn about green pioneers like President Teddy Roosevelt and First Lady Claudia "Lady Bird" Johnson. Programming on the Center's front lawn will include a gardening activity and 18th century games. Visitors will also be able to create cootie-catchers that provide helpful tips on going green.

Equal Protection for All: The 14th Amendment at 150
1 – 4:15 p.m. and 5 – 6 p.m., Monday, April 23
The Center celebrates the 150th anniversary of the 14th Amendment's ratification with three daytime panels featuring noted scholars ranging from Eric Foner and Thavolia Glymph to Randy Barnett and Martha Jones, as well as an evening keynote. In partnership with the Thurgood Marshall Institute at the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund.

Public Panels
1 p.m. – 4:15 p.m.
Free for Members – $5 Teachers & students – $8 Non-Members

Keynote Conversation
5 – 6 p.m.
Free for 1787 Society Members – $10 Members, teachers & students – $18 Non-Members

We the Corporations: The Constitutional Rights of Businesses
12 p.m., Monday, April 30
Free for Members – $5 Teachers & students – $8 Non-Members
Adam Winkler, author of We the Corporations: How American Businesses Won Their Civil Rights, and Kent Greenfield, author of Corporations Are People Too, discuss the Citizens United ruling, corporate rights, and the history of corporations in America. Includes book sale. CLE credit available.