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National Constitution Center Fast Facts
The National Constitution Center was created by the Constitution Heritage Act in 1988. The Center is an independent, non-partisan, non-profit organization dedicated to increasing awareness about the Constitution and its relevance in Americans’ daily lives.

On September 17, 2000, the Center broke ground at 525 Arch St. in Philadelphia’s Independence National Historical Park – America’s most historic square mile – 213 years to the day the U.S. Constitution was signed. The Center is the first-ever museum dedicated to the U.S. Constitution.

The architectural firm of Pei Cobb Freed & Partners designed the National Constitution Center. The firm is responsible for the expansion of the Louvre and the East Building of the National Gallery of Art. Ralph Appelbaum Associates designed the Center’s visitor experiences and exhibition hall. Appelbaum also created the visitor experiences and exhibition halls at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, the Newseum and the Rose Planetarium.

The total square footage of public space is 160,000 square feet including galleries.

The Center contains 67,785 square feet of exhibit space that includes:

The Story of We the People - the permanent exhibit in DeVos Hall which includes:

• The Kimmel Theater, a 350-seat star-shaped theater featuring “Freedom Rising,” a multimedia production combining film, a live actor and video projection on a 360-degree screen.
• The American Experience, which includes a history of the Constitution as well as more than 100 interactive and multimedia exhibits for all ages.
• Signers’ Hall contains 42 life-size bronze statues of the 39 men who signed the Constitution as well as the three who dissented.

Through the Annenberg Center for Education and Outreach, the Constitution Center offers educational programming, a study center that develops and distributes teaching tools such as lesson plans and lectures, a Visiting Scholars program, as well resources through the Center’s Web site – www.constitutioncenter.org.

The National Constitution Center is the first museum in the country designated as a member of the National Archives Experience Alliance Initiative.

Admission is $12 for adults, $11 for seniors (65+), and $9 for children (4-12), and $7.50 for groups of 20 or more. Active military personnel and children ages three and under are free.

Parking is available at the Center: National Constitution Center visitors are $6 for up to 1 hour, $8 for up to 3 hours, and a maximum of $17 for the day. Parking rates for the general public are $10 for up to 2 hours, and a maximum of $17 for the day.

There is also a surface drop-off area for the loading and unloading of school and tour buses.

Facility rental services at the National Constitution Center offer a variety of spaces, including the Grand Hall Overlook, which can accommodate 600 people for a sit-down dinner and features an incredible view of Independence Hall.

Visitor amenities include The Delegates’ Cafe, a 225-seat, glass-enclosed restaurant overlooking Independence Mall, as well as a museum store featuring constitutional and historically-related merchandise offering something for everyone – from families and the casual visitor to more serious-minded scholars.

The NCC is made of the following American products including:

• 85,000 square feet of Indiana limestone
• 2.6 million pounds of steel
• A half-million cubic feet of concrete