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Bruce Springsteen purchased this Corvette in 1975, after the success of Born to Run. Photos of the car have appeared on various album and single sleeves. It will be on display at the National Constitution Center, starting next Friday, February 17.
(Photo credit: Frank Stefanko courtesy Bruce Springsteen)

The sure-to-be epic Bruce Springsteen exhibition — From Asbury Park to the Promised Land: The Life and Music of Bruce Springsteen — opens next Friday at the National Constitution Center.

Yesterday, one of the signature pieces from the exhibition — Springsteen’s 1960 Chevrolet Corvette — arrived at the NCC.

Bruce Springsteen purchased this Corvette in 1975, after the success of Born to Run. Photos of the car have appeared on various album and single sleeves.

The classic Corvette is just one of more than 150 artifacts from the iconic musician’s career that will be featured in the 5,000-square-foot exhibition, including:

• Family photos of Springsteen’s childhood in Asbury Park, N.J.
• Scrapbooks containing newspaper clippings, photos and handbills from Springsteen’s early music endeavors
• Handwritten lyrics from all phases of Springsteen’s career
• Clarence Clemons’ microphone used for his saxophone
• Springsteen’s Fender Esquire from the cover of Born to Run
• The outfit Springsteen wore on the cover of Born in the U.S.A.
• Springsteen’s 1993 Academy Award for Best Original Song for “Streets of Philadelphia”

From Asbury Park to the Promised Land: The Life and Music of Bruce Springsteen is a must-see exhibition, featuring a collection never before seen outside of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum. It’s the first major exhibition about the American songwriter that takes a comprehensive look at Springsteen’s catalog, from such early bands such as Child, the Castiles and Steel Mill through his work with the E Street Band and as a solo artist.

Bruce fans, plan ahead and get your tickets now. You’re not going to want to miss this.

From Asbury Park to the Promised Land: The Life and Music of Bruce Springsteen
Where: National Constitution Center
When: February 17 to September 3, 2012
Cost: $24.50 for adults, $23 for seniors and students and $12 for children ages 4-12
More info: www.constitutioncenter.org

 
Few documents have inspired as much conversation, argument and adoration as the U.S. Constitution.

It’s surely open to interpretation, but one thing is clear: the Constitution deserves one heck of a celebration to honor its 225 anniversary, and its getting one from the place bested suited for the occasion, the National Constitution Center.

The center is marking the historic occasion with programs and events running throughout the year until September. Check out the center’s brand new commercial, above, for a stirring reminder of both the power of the document itself and the immersive experience that awaits you when you visit the NCC in person.

A sampling:

• Sign the Constitution: The center invites you to reaffirm your commitment to American freedom by signing the Constitution. Not the actual parchment, mind you, they’ve set up a web application online. If you visit the center in person you can also sign a special commemorative 225th anniversary Constitution on display in Signers’ Hall.

• Share Your Freedom Story: Come springtime the center invites you share your American pride by submitting a 90-second video about someone (or a group) who has answered the call of freedom, and thus contributed to the story of “We the People.” Submissions air on the Center’s website and viewers select their favorite entries via online voting. The top three will earn a starring role in the Constitution Day extravaganza in September.

• ElectNext in Voting Booths: In partnership with ElectNext, the Center revolutionizes how we vote. Like online dating for voters, the interactive technology inside these voting booths will feature issues-based questions to match visitors to the presidential candidate who best fits their political values. Screens outside the booths display live, on-site poll results, highlighting issues that are most important to visitors.

• Election Lounge: As the 2012 election heats up the NCC will present its own campaign headquarters on the Grand Hall Overlook. Here you can watch presidential campaign ads, cast a vote in a gumball poll, track primary results, create campaign buttons and more.

• Constitution Day and Liberty Medal 2012: The 225th anniversary closes out with a bang in September, when the center welcomes audiences nationwide to participate in programs and star-studded events during the weeklong Constitution Day celebration and the 2012 Liberty Medal ceremony. This special event always draws distinguished guests. Perhaps you’ll be one of them.

The Omni's decadent lounge is the perfect setting to nestle into a warm chair and enjoy a warm cup of hot chocolate. (Photo courtesy Omni)

Few things are better than warm, creamy hot chocolate on a cold winter day.

Salon 401 at the Omni Hotel at Independence Park delivers with their brand new hot chocolate menu, offered daily 3-7 p.m. in the hotel’s magnificent lobby lounge. Bonus: the lounge includes a fireplace.

The hot chocolate menu, a twist on your standard happy hour, features an array of hot chocolate flavors and toppings and even an adult version capped with Bailey’s Irish Cream or Kahlua.

The hot chocolate menu features the option of a dark hot chocolate with a hint of espresso, Ghirardelli White Mocha, Ghirardelli Chocolate Hazelnut or classic milk chocolate.

All are served with a side offering of whipped cream, shaved chocolate, mini marshmallows, crumbled Oreo’s, Heath Bar bits, mini M & M’s, S’mores and white chocolate morsels. Toppings are unlimited.

Hot chocolate is $5 per steaming, sweet mug or $6 with the alcohol additions.

Located in the heart of the historic district, the Omni is the perfect place to stop in after ice skating at the RiverRink or catching the sights in historic Philadelphia.

Omni Hotel at Independence Park’s Hot Chocolate Bar
Where: 401 Chestnut Street
When: Daily, 3-7 p.m.
Cost: $5/cup, $6/alcoholic version
More info: www.omnihotels.com

Acclaimed photographer Tal Shochat's work will be on display courtesy of the Andrea Meislin Gallery in New York. (Photo courtesy Andrea Meislin Gallery)

The National Museum of American Jewish History invites you to help celebrate Tu B’Shevat, the Festival of the Trees, as it opens its new exhibit “In Praise of a Dream,” a special photo collection by acclaimed Israeli artist Tal Shochat.

Shochat’s work will keep with this theme as she highlights only the most beautiful fruit trees that she has found in her travels throughout Israel.

Shochat’s distinctive photographs produce an ethereal, dream-like feel, as each tree is impeccably pruned and photographed against a black background. The result is a symbol of strength in an otherwise unnatural environment, and a hand-picked reminder of the beauty in nature that surrounds us daily.

“In Praise of a Dream” will be the inaugural exhibit on the Museum’s concourse level, opening up an exciting new chapter for the Museum.

In case you haven’t had a chance to make it over to this phenomenally-designed building, “In Praise of a Dream” will be running, very appropriately, through Earth Day, April 22.

Advance ticket purchase is required for Saturday visits, and is available online.

“In Praise of a Dream”
When: Wednesday, February 1-April 22
Where: National Museum of American Jewish History, 101 S. Independence Mall East
Cost: $11-$12, Free for members, active military and children under the age of 12
More info: www.nmajh.org

Watch the State of the Union at the National Constitution Center January 25. (Photo by G. Widman for GPTMC)

The National Constitution Center is hosting a State of the Union Viewing Party, Tuesday, January 24, the night of President Obama’s State of the Union address.

State of the Union Bingo, starting at 9 p.m., will have guests paying close attention to the commander-in-chief’s remarks as they compete for prizes.

Visitors who play will fill in their cards with current events (e.g. “Occupy Wall Street”), phrases the president might say (like “bipartisanship” or “economy”), and actions he or others might make (such as “standing ovation” and “Vice President stands”).

Winners will receive cool prizes, like tickets to the Center’s upcoming Bruce Springsteen exhibition!

During the address, audience members can also participate in a live, interactive poll using individual keypads. Results displayed on a large screen will track viewers’ reactions to issues raised.

And for trivia buffs, the evening will also include Constitutional Quizzo; the “Lurid Lives of the Founding Fathers” tour of Signers’ Hall, which offers a glimpse into the secrets and scandals of the signers of the Constitution; and an interactive program about the history of the State of the Union.

You can also submit your own “Six Word State of the Union” via text, which will appear on the talk-back wall as well as on the Center’s Facebook page and Twitter feed (use the hash tag #NCCSOTU).

Admission is free, and light fare and cash bar will be available. Register in advance at programs@constitutioncenter.org or by calling (215) 409-6700.

Can’t make it, but don’t want to miss out on the fun? Bingo cards are available for download online. In addition, home viewers can tap into the Center’s blog, Constitution Daily, which will feature expert coverage of the State of the Union and live blogging from the event at the Center.

State of the Union Bingo and Viewing Party
When: January 24, 7:30 p.m.
Where: National Constitution Center, 6th and Arch Streets
Cost: Free
More info: www.constitutioncenter.org

Acclaimed author and magazine editor Cullen Murphy will spend an intellectually stimulating evening at the National Constitution Center next Tuesday. (Photo courtesy Cullen Murphy)

From the torture chambers of the Spanish Inquisition to the burning of books in modern day Florida, Cullen Murphy, award-winning author and editor-at-large of Vanity Fair, takes you on a historical journey with his latest book, God’s Jury: The Inquisition and the Making of the Modern World.

If political page-turners are your cup of tea, then join Murphy for a mind-reeling discussion at the National Constitution Center on Tuesday, January 24 at 6:30 p.m. as he traces the Inquisition and its legacy through an insightful analysis that sounds very Robert Langdon-esque.

James B. Steele, contributing editor for Vanity Fair, will facilitate the discussion.

A book sale and signing will follow the program, courtesy of Joseph Fox Bookshop.

Reservations are required and can be made online or by calling (215) 409-6700.

Cullen Murphy at the National Constitution Center
Where: 525 Arch Street
When: Tuesday, January 24, 6:30 p.m.
Cost: $7 members, students and teachers; $10 non-members
More info: www.constitutioncenter.org

This Thursday, January 12, join fellow social media junkies as the National Constitution Center hosts “What Would the Founding Fathers Think of Facebook?,” a discussion on the often unrealized effects of social networking on both our private and public lives.

On hand will be New York Times political reporter Jennifer Preston, Forbes social media blogger Kashmir Hill and famed privacy lawyer and author Lori Andrews, who’s celebrating the release of her new book, I Know Who You Are and I Saw What You Did: Social Networks and the Death of Privacy.

While most of us just use Facebook to keep up with friends and check out our favorite brands and businesses, Andrews found that the lives of people around the world had been upended by oftentimes harmless social media posts.

Her book and the discussion will delve into ways that we can protect ourselves and our children, and posit ways in which our legal system can deal with changing trends in tech.

Because our Founding Fathers never could have guessed what a Facebook Timeline would be, hear how social media could in fact be at the center of the next Amendment to the Bill of Rights.

Advance ticket purchase is required and available online.

“What Would the Founding Fathers Think of Facebook?” at the National Constitution Center
When: Thursday, January 12, 6:30 p.m.
Where: 525 Arch Street
Cost: $10, $7 for Members, students and teachers
More info: www.constitutioncenter.org

Commemorate Ben Franklin's 306th birthday with a special ceremony and wreath-laying at his grave, plus the man himself! (Photo courtesy "Celebration! Benjamin Franklin, Founder")

These days we take it for granted that lightning is a form of electrical current, but it took one of our most famous Revolutionary patriots to prove it.

Yes, that would be Ben Franklin, whose kite-flying adventure during a thunderstorm led to his invention of the lightning rod. The kite tale is sure to crop up during the celebration commemorating the 306th anniversary of Franklin’s birthday, on January 20.

The event, organized annually by the group “Celebration! Benjamin Franklin Founder,” includes a free seminar at Benjamin Franklin Hall called “Franklin & Energy: Resources, Uses & Efficiencies,” which will shine a light on various energy-related topics that date from Franklin’s time to the present.

Guest speakers include Derrick Pitts, Chief Astronomer at the Franklin Institute, PECO President & CEO Denis P. O’Brie and more.

After the seminar everyone is invited to join a lively procession with flags and music that leads to Franklin’s grave at Christ Church Burial Ground for a wreath-laying ceremony that pays tribute to Ben’s contributions.

Then it’s time to break bread at a luncheon at the Down Town Club, where U.S. Secretary of Energy Dr. Steven Chu will be presented with the Franklin Founder Award in recognition of his activities and research devoted to finding new solutions to long-term energy problems.

Check out the full schedule, and register, online.

Celebration of Benjamin Franklin’s 306th Birthday
When: Friday, January 20, seminar at 9 a.m., procession at 11 a.m., luncheon at noon
Where: Seminar at Benjamin Franklin Hall, 427 Chestnut Street; grave at 5th & Arch Streets; luncheon at Down Town Club, 600 S. Chestnut Street
Cost: Seminar, procession and wreath laying are free, luncheon is $65 per person.
More info: www.ushistory.org

Pay homage one of our nation’s most iconic leaders at one of Philadelphia's most iconic museums.
(Photo courtesy NMAJH)

On January 16, 2012, in honor of Martin Luther King Day, the National Museum of American Jewish History (NMAJH) located on Independence Mall, will celebrate the birthday of the civil rights hero with a family-filled day of programming.

Free admission is granted for all who visit the museum between 10 a.m.-5 p.m. to take part in a selection of events including self-guided tours which pay tribute to the struggles and efforts made for equality in America.

A screening of Eyes on the Prize, a TV series documenting interviews and historical footage during the civil rights movement will be shown in the museum’s Dell Theater.

In addition, NMAJH is partnering with the Fleisher Art Memorial, a tuition-free visual art school in Philadelphia, to inspire the little ones to get a bit creative with a special watercolor project from 10:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

For other MLK Day ideas, check out our previous coverage.

The National Museum of American Jewish History MLK Day Programming
Where: 101 S. Independence Mall East
When: Monday, January 16, 10 a.m.–5 p.m.
Cost: Free
More Info: www.nmajh.org

The center's highly relevant Fighting for Democracy exhibition closes simultaneously with the MLK day of remembrance programming; make sure to check it out. (Photo by Jeff Fusco courtesy NCC)

The National Constitution Center will participate in a big way in the 17th Annual Greater Philadelphia Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service on Monday, January 16.

The center’s day of remembrance will include dramatic performances, an opera, service projects and craft activities, all of which are free with museum admission.

In the F.M. Kirby Auditorium, there will be two performances of “Two of a Kind” (11 a.m. and 1 p.m.), an award-winning, nationally touring husband and wife duo who specialize in interactive musical programs for children. Visitors can participate in their sing-along tailored to the life and legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr.

At noon, a live reading of Dr. King’s iconic “I Have a Dream” speech will be performed by local actors and students.

Throughout the day, you can make crafts like “Hands Across the World” chains and “I Have a Dream” mobiles, or participate in quilting and sewing projects that benefit the Women Against Abuse shelter. Sew quilts, baby blankets and pillows for those in need while discovering the history of quilting in communities.

Concluding the day at 3 in the F.M. Kirby Auditorium is a performance by International Opera Theater, who will present an excerpt from their opera, The Heart of a Hero. The opera combines gospel, opera, movement, poetry and spirituals, and tells the little-known stories of three posthumously-awarded Congressional Medal of Honor minority recipients.

Make sure you check out the relevant exhibition Fighting for Democracy: Who is the “We” in “We the People, which closes that day.

Interested in other ways of participating in MLK Day in Philly? Register to volunteer at one of the 1,200 service projects throughout the city that day, or create your own personal service project within your own community.

MLK Day at the National Constitution Center
Where: 525 Arch Street
When: Monday, January 16, beginning at 11 a.m.
Cost: Free with museum admission
More info: www.constitutioncenter.org