The Duc Pond

Amy and I checked out the National Constitution Center in Philly yesterday. We were supposed to see the U.S. Mint, since I’m a big fan of money, but it was not to be. You have to arrange tours ahead of time. I later found this (at the U.S. Mint website) to mean you need a Congressperson to arrange the visit.

It was more impressive than I had thought it would be. There was a neat “pre-show” presentation that would’ve been cooler if they used holograms of dead Founding Fathers instead of an actual person talking. There were lots of projectors and neat stuff projected, but nothing 3D. Holograms, man. Gotta have holograms!

The exhibit itself was well done. It’s a huge doughnut, with the theatre where the pre-show was presented in the middle. Up above were the contents of the Constitution etched in glass. The outer edge of the doughnut is in chronological order, detailing all kinds of historical challenges involving the Constitution. There are video stations at each one with point/counterpoint arguments for each issue. There was a Bill of Rights kids show that we watched (surprisingly entertaining). Interactive kiosks on how a bill gets proposed and passed. Interactive things detailing U.S. v. Nixon (executive privilege), Katz v. U.S. (wiretapping), and Texas v. Johnson (flag burning). Other cool things too.

Anyway, it’s quite worthwhile. I’d encourage people to go there. Kids and adults. A lot of people don’t really know how our government works, and the NCC is more fun than the civics lessons in high school.

http://www.constitutioncenter.org/