A Fantastic Summer for The National Liberty Museum…. And Philly
What a summer for Philadelphia… and for the National Liberty Museum!
As I look back on the last several months, I keep landing on the same word: historic. Our city marked America’s 250th with an energy I (and I dare say, most Philadelphians) have never seen before, and I could not be prouder of how our small-but-mighty museum on Chestnut Street got to play a role in something so much bigger than ourselves.
A few highlights I want to share, and a lot of thanks to go around:
In March, we opened The Forgotten Freedom: American Assembly at 250, an exhibition series exploring what it really means to gather, protest, and show up for one another across 250 years of American life. Our VIP preview brought out an incredible crowd, including Eagles Legend Ron Jaworski and Ken Goldin of Goldin Auctions, who generously brought rare artifacts for display on opening night. And where would we be without Dr. Nicholas DePace and the DePace Sports Museum, who have generously loaned us a piece of the greatest private sports collection in the western hemisphere. And thank you to everyone else who helped us kick off this series in style; it set the tone for everything that followed there are too many of you to name, but know that your contributions and support are appreciated.
The series unfolds across four exhibits: Showing Up Since 1776, In the Arena, The Art of Free Assembly, and 2076: The Future of Free Assembly. In June, we opened Sports Jawn as an extension of In the Arena, and Philly, you did not disappoint. Mike Schmidt’s locker from the Vet. The original Connie Mack sign. A chair from the Baker Bowl. If you have not seen this exhibit yet, it is a love letter to what sports means in this city, and I mean that literally; everyone should come see it. And if you are a Sixers fan, we have some LeBron artifacts that you won’t want to miss!
Then there was Liberty on the Move. If you don’t know it yet, our museum has a Liberty Bell. Not THE Liberty Bell, but its younger sibling, by the same original foundry. And unlike the original, our bell is functional and can be rung by any visitor who steps through our doors. And like many other Philadelphians, our bell was busy spending the summer making friends all over the region. We were honored to be a featured attraction at Philly Fair 250, and we cheered right alongside the National Constitution Center as they welcomed His Holiness Pope Leo XIV to Philadelphia for the presentation of the Liberty Medal. Getting to be even a small part of a summer that brought that kind of history to our doorstep is something none of us on this team will forget. But don’t think for one second that this is the last time you will have the chance to see our bell out and about!
On July 9, we hosted The Great American Tailgate to celebrate the opening of 2076: The Future of Free Assembly, the final exhibit in the Forgotten Freedom series. Hundreds of you showed up to look fifty years ahead at what free assembly could become in this country, and despite some pivoting due to summer storms, it was truly one of my favorite nights of the year.
And finally, the highlight I am most excited about for what it means long-term: we launched LEAP (Learning and Engagement Across Perspectives). Fourteen teachers from the School District of Philadelphia are joining our first cohort this fall, training on a brand-new curriculum that culminates in a semester-long student project. This is the kind of work that does not make headlines the way a Pope does, but it may be the most important thing we do all year. Educating the next generation on how to assemble, advocate, and disagree effectively and respectfully is exactly why this museum exists.
And if you aren’t quite ready to finish celebrating the 250th, we have some great fall programming coming up…This fall, we’re thrilled to host a special screening of Cold War in Philly: Flyers vs. Russia 1976, a new documentary chronicling one of the greatest moments in Philadelphia sports history: the night the Flyers took down the Soviet Red Army team in 1976. If “Sports Jawn” left you wanting more, this one’s for you. And on a different note entirely, we’re honored to present the Flame of Liberty Award to Darryl Davis for his extraordinary, decades-long work building bridges across some of the deepest divides in this country. If there is anyone whose life’s work embodies what it means to assemble, engage, and disagree with humanity intact, it’s Darryl. We cannot wait to celebrate him with all of you.
None of this happens without a city that shows up. Thank you to the National Constitution Center, Welcome America Inc., our fellow museums and cultural institutions across Philadelphia, and every partner, lender, sponsor, and neighbor who made this summer what it was. Philadelphia did not just celebrate history this year; we made some as well.
And for those of you who have not visited us yet, there has never been a better time to do so. We hope to see you soon!
