All weekend long, the National Constitution Center will honor the nation’s fallen servicemembers by highlighting the history of Memorial Day, taking a closer look at famous memorials and monuments, and uncovering the complexities of how a nation remembers. In addition to access to all the Center’s exhibits and artifacts, programming includes flag ceremonies, trivia, artifact highlights, family-friendly scholarly talks, as well as crafts for learners of all ages.

Programs at the Museum
Coffee and Conversations - Memorial Day: American Made and Re-Made

12:45 p.m.
For many Americans, Memorial Day signifies the “unofficial start of summer.” It begins the season of “baseball, hot dogs and apple pie.” The holiday is rooted though in somber grounds. It began as Decoration Day to memorialize America’s Civil War dead, which resulted in both reconciliation and division. Join Dr. Robert J. Kodosky for coffee and a conversation about the power of the past, the costs of liberty and the enduring struggle for civil liberties.

Robert J. Kodosky chairs the department of history at West Chester University where he teaches courses in American military and diplomatic history and serves as the faculty adviser for the Student Veteran Group. He is also the author of Psychological Operations American Style: The Joint United States Public Affairs Office, Vietnam and Beyond, Tuskegee in Philadelphia: Rising to the Challenge, and co-author of Construction Ahead: Making American History Since 1865.

Memorials: How A Nation Remembers
10:45 a.m. and 1:45 p.m., Grand Hall Overlook
Explore some of the most recognizable memorials and monuments in the United States, from the Lincoln Memorial and Little Bighorn, to the Vietnam War Memorial and the National Memorial for Peace and Justice. Learn about the history of memorials, how memorials and monuments remember and honor the past, and consider why these memorials are important.

Gallery Talk: The Origins of Memorial Day
11:45 a.m. and 2:45 p.m., Civil War and Reconstruction: The Battle for Freedom and Equality exhibit
Join us to learn about the history of Memorial Day with a special highlight of artifacts from the Civil War. Explore how the American Civil War forever changed the traditions honoring and mourning those who gave their lives in military service to the nation.

Giant Flag Folding
12:45 p.m., National Constitution Center Front Lawn
Join us on the Front Lawn for a flag folding demonstration featuring our giant American flag! We’ll uncover the flag’s symbolism and learn how to properly fold the flag.

Family Fun Activities
10 a.m.–4 p.m., National Constitution Center Front Lawn
Weather permitting
Join us on the Front Lawn to play graces, hoop and stick, nine pin, and other games popular during the Revolutionary era!

Make and Take a Memorial Craft
10 a.m.–4 p.m., Grand Hall Lobby
Can you think of a figure or event from history that needs to be remembered? Visit our creation station to design your own memorial for historic figures and events.

Poppy Pins
10 a.m.–4 p.m., Grand Hall Lobby 
How did poppies become the symbol of Memorial Day? Stop by our poppy pin station to uncover the connection between the poppy and the armed forces. Create your own poppy pin to honor those who have served and died for our country. 

Flag Folding Craft
10 a.m.–4 p.m., Grand Hall Lobby 
Learn how to properly fold an American flag with our make-and-take craft! Color your own flag and then fold it up into the traditional triangle.

Click here for Tickets