There is perhaps no person or object associated with the concept of liberty more than the Liberty Bell. Made in England in 1751 to hang in the tower of the Pennsylvania State House (now known as Independence Hall), the Liberty Bell has been used as a symbol of liberty throughout our country’s history. The first documented case of its being used as such was in the 19th century during the American Civil War, when abolitionists used its famed crack to represent the divide in the country. The bell continued to be used as a symbol throughout the 20th century by suffragists fighting for the right of women to vote in the 1910s, and civil rights leaders in the 1960s and 70s to promote legal protection for minorities and to protest foreign wars. The replica Liberty Bell at the NLM was commissioned exclusively for the National Liberty Museum shortly after its opening. Visitors are welcome to touch our replica, and hear it ring with assistance from NLM staff.
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