Posted on 04/07/2017 1:09:42 PM PDT by huldah1776
Walk in George Washington's footsteps at the new Museum of the American Revolution.
The new Museum of the American Revolution is home to many of George Washington’s personal belongings.
If the presidential election left you wondering how government works, then Old City’s new Museum of the American Revolution, opening on April 19, may hold a few of the answers. Former governor Ed Rendell serves on the museum board and has been involved in the project since his early days in office. “It’s filled with one great story after another—and these are stories that need to be told,” he says. Here, Dr. R. Scott Stephenson, the museum’s VP of exhibits, details the top stops.
MUST-DO: PHOTO OPPS Boston’s famed Liberty Tree, a re-creation of Independence Hall during the British occupation, and a towering replica of an 18th-century ship are just a few of the museum’s major selfie moments. Says Stephenson: “This is a sensory experience: What was it like to stand under the Liberty Tree? Or sit in a chair in Independence Hall?” Outside, take a photo astride one of the cannons that decorate the museum’s permanent welcome pedestal.
MUST-GO: TENT TALK Tucked behind glass in a dedicated 100-seat theater, the centerpiece of this vast collection is the sizable headquarters tent where George Washington conducted business and slept during much of the war. “This was essentially another home of Washington’s,” says Stephenson. The tent was made in Reading and used by Washington for nearly five years. Some historians even call it the first Oval Office.
MUST-SEE: UP IN ARMS “We have an amazing collection of 50 weapons never displayed in public before that trace the history of the arms that won our independence,” says Stephenson, who encourages visitors to check out what he calls a hi-def, touchscreen “virtual petting zoo” for artifacts. Third and Chestnut Streets, 215-253-6731
"Grand Opening – Wednesday, April 19"
http://www.americanrevolutioncenter.org/grand-opening-april-19
"The Museum’s grand opening festivities will begin on Wednesday, April 19, the 242nd anniversary of the ‘shot heard round the world’ that ignited the Revolutionary War. The opening events will begin at 8 a.m. with a program that stretches from Washington Square to Independence Hall, and culminates on the plaza in front of the Museum, highlighting the rich Revolutionary history of Philadelphia and engaging as many people as possible."
sorry about the link to museum page...just wouldn’t go live for me. copy and paste.
I live in the area and I’m excited for this. Can’t wait to check it out!
It’d have been nice for this to have landed where the war was won and the majority of the populace actually would appreciate it. Somewhere like King’s Mountain, Cowpens or Yorktown.
Folks in nearby Valley Forge have an appreciation. And I recall Washington being in Philadelphia for a few meetings in ‘87.
Yorktown would be perfect. The last time I was there and IIRC, it was a fairly underdeveloped area.
Newt Gingrich wrote a great historical novel about it. Paperback, cheap...worth every penny.
Great even for younger kids....say 5th grade and up.
Washington was a member of the first continental congress in 1775 and later the head of the Constitutional convention that drafted the constitution, both in Philly. He lived in a borrowed house which is now gone but for a few artifacts and an outline drawn on the ground in independence mall (right across from Independence Hall). He spent lots of time in Philadelphia.
I think he was in Philly for his second term as President.
I have two tickets for the 19th. They are timed tickets and are good for two days. I called and asked if the second day entry had to be according to the time on the ticket, and she said, NOPE. If it is busy we may just have to wait in line.
I brought them online to make certain we had tics for opening day.
I have never once had the desire to go to Philadelphia, but now I do. It is going on the list.
The farm across the street from ours had a main house that was built several decades before our circa 1745 stone pile and Washington was documented as spending at least one night in it. We were about 15 miles due north of Valley Forge in what is now the Evansburg State Park. The Commonweath of Pennsylvania thieves took it by eminent domain for a high damn project in the mid ‘60’s or else I would be typing right there right now. Oh well.
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