PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — The National Constitution Center in Philadelphia will play a central role in the race for the White House on Tuesday as it hosts the first and only scheduled presidential debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump.
Both the candidates and their running mates have spent a lot of time in Pennsylvania and Philadelphia in recent weeks, trying to win over voters in the crucial states.
Harris came to Temple University in Philadelphia to officially announces Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her running mate in August. On the same day, Trump’s running mate, Ohio Senator J.D. Vance, spoke to supporters at a rally in South Philadelphia.
While Tuesday’s debate at the National Constitution Center, hosted by ABC News at 9 p.m. ET, will mark the first time the candidates have met in person to address voters, it is not the first time the institution has served as the setting for major milestones in political history.
Where is the National Constitution Center?
The National Constitution Center, which opened in 2003, is located on the north side of Independence Mall, near Philadelphia’s Old City neighborhood.
The Independence Visitor Center, Liberty Bell, and Independence Hall are also all located along Independence Mall.
Debates and events hosted at the National Constitution Center
In 2008, the NCC hosted the 2008 Democratic primary debate and two ABC News town halls leading up to the 2020 election.
In March 2020, then-presidential candidate and former vice president Joe Biden spoke at the center after winning the state of Michigan in the primaries. In September of that year, then-president Donald Trump would participate in a private event at the National Constitution Center.
Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Senator John McCain, Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy and President George W. Bush have all received the National Constitution Center’s Liberty Medal. The medal honors “men and women of courage and conviction who strive to secure the blessings of liberty for people throughout the world.” The 2024 recipient of the Liberty Medal is filmmaker Ken Burns.
What’s inside the National Constitution Center?
While the National Constitution Center is not actually home to the U.S. Constitution (which is permanently housed at the National Archives in Washington, D.C.), the Philadelphia museum is the first and only museum in the country dedicated to the document.
That’s fitting, since the Constitution was signed by America’s Founding Fathers just a few blocks away.
However, the National Constitution Center is home to hundreds of rare artifacts displayed in various exhibits, including documents from the drafting of the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights, a commemorative copy of the Emancipation Proclamation signed by President Lincoln in 1864, 42 bronze, life-size statues of the Founding Fathers, posters and programs from the 20th century women’s suffrage movement, and much more.
The NCC also hosts numerous events and discussions with authors, politicians, and professors. On September 17, Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch and NCC honorary co-chair will be in conversation with Janie Nitze to discuss their new book, Dominated: The Human Toll of Too Many Laws.
How to Visit the National Constitution Center
The National Constitution Center is open Wednesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The museum will remain closed on Wednesday, September 11, after the presidential debate.
Tickets are required to visit the museum and cost $19 for adults and $15 for seniors 65 and older, students with ID, and children ages 6 to 18. Children under 5, active and retired military personnel, and members are admitted free.
