National Liberty Museum
ABOUT OUR OLD CITY MUSUEM
Our Purpose
From our home in Historic Philadelphia, the cradle of American democracy, the National Liberty Museum (NLM) offers a contemporary perspective on the boldest, most innovative concept in American history: that liberty is – and must be – a shared pursuit if it is ever truly to be “for all.”
Our Mission
The National Liberty Museum connects, educates, and inspires people to explore and advance the complex practice of liberty.
Our Vision
We are committed to building a society that values freedom of thought, civil discourse, respect for all people, and the essential pursuit of liberty.
What We Do
Our Old City museum makes space for generative and inclusive public conversations about shared values and for civic skill-building, inviting visitors to investigate liberty’s many facets together. We are more than a collection—we are a space for open dialogue and challenging ideas. Our Old City museum to create opportunities for authentic, nuanced, peaceful interactions around the concept and practice of liberty, with all of its benefits, challenges and tensions. Visitors can develop skills for meaningful conversation, widen their understanding, build empathy, resolve conflict and collaborate on solutions.
Exhibitions
NLM collaborates with scholars, artists, community partners, and external advisors to present dynamic and interactive exhibitions that challenge and enrich how visitors think about liberty, what it means, and how it is expressed and experienced today.
Education
NLM is a leader in providing curriculum-linked civics programs for K-12 students and educators. Our flagship Young Heroes Outreach Program, a year-long civic learning program for grades 4-8, prepares participants to create and execute action projects addressing issues and inequities in their communities.
Programs
Through powerful speaker programs, talks, tours, workshops, and more, our Old City museum creates unique experiences for a variety of audiences that encourage them to ask questions, share ideas, and make connections with others. NLM also acknowledges the more current contributions of individuals who have gone to great lengths to preserve liberty with annual awards programs. This is an opportunity to honor educators and first responders who exemplify civic leadership.
Liberty Lives On
Liberty is central to the American experiment, and dialogues over what liberty is and how it is to be preserved and expressed are central to the American story. Liberty is evolving, subjective, and contextual, and is at the center of how we perceive and respond to issues that impact our lives.
The tensions inherent in liberty – between individual and collective liberty, and between liberty and other values, such as equality, civic responsibility, or safety – challenge us to listen and learn from one another, to engage in shared values and practices, and to commit to liberty as an ongoing, lifelong pursuit.
