American Spirits:
The Rise and Fall of Prohibition

Dates
October 19, 2012-April 28, 2013

Overview

Explore the fascinating era of flappers, suffragists, bootleggers and temperance lobbyists and real-life legends like Al Capone during the world-premiere exhibition American Spirits: The Rise and Fall of Prohibition at the National Constitution Center.

The first comprehensive exhibition about Prohibition, American Spirits spans the dawn of the temperance movement in the early 1800s through the Roaring Twenties to the unprecedented repeal of a constitutional amendment during the Great Depression.

The 5,000-square-foot exhibition features more than 120 rare artifacts including:

• Original ratification copies of the 18th and 21st Amendments
• A hatchet used by Carry Nation during one of her barroom-smashing raids
• A Prohibition Bureau Badge issued by the Department of Justice in 1931
• Temperance propaganda, including pamphlets, school lesson manuals, speeches, and hymnals

Interactive elements and immersive environments will bring to life the sights, sounds, and experiences of the time period. Wayne Wheeler’s Amazing Amendment Machine, a dazzling 20-foot-long, eight-foot-tall carnival-inspired contraption, will trace how the temperance movement culminated in the 18th Amendment. In addition, visitors can:

• Sit in a pew of a recreated early 1900s church to learn about the rise of the Anti-Saloon League and take a quiz to find out if you would have been a “wet” or a “dry.”
• Test their knowledge of what could and could not be consumed under the rules of the 18th Amendment during the “Is it Legal?” interactive touchscreen game.
• Explore a re-created speakeasy complete with a bar, dance floor, bandstand, and powder room and learn how to dance the Charleston.
• Play the role of a federal Prohibition agent chasing rumrunners in a custom-built video game where you drive your own speedboat.
• Join gangsters in a criminal lineup for a memorable photo opportunity.

Visitors will have an opportunity at the end of the exhibition to explore the legacy of Prohibition in today’s regulatory landscape. Displays will show why and how laws differ from state to state and how the idea of drinking responsibly has evolved since the 1930s to reflect what we know about alcohol today.

Daniel Okrent, Ken Burns, and Lynn Novick will lend their voices and commentary to a special iPod audio tour that will guide visitors through the exhibition. Additionally, a theatrical performance – a hallmark of the Center’s exhibition experience – will take place inside the speakeasy. There, an actor playing the role of a bartender will explore the impact of the speakeasy on fashion, music, and culture during the Roaring Twenties.

American Spirits will debut at the Center from October 19, 2012 to April 28, 2013, before embarking on a nationwide tour. The tour will extend into 2016, bringing the exhibition to cities across the country, including Seattle, WA; St. Paul, MN; St. Louis, MO; Austin, TX; and Grand Rapids, MI.

Tickets and Hours

Admission to American Spirits: The Rise and Fall of Prohibition is $17.50 for adults, $16 for seniors and students, and $11 for children ages 4-12. Group rates also are available.

Admission to the Center’s main exhibition, The Story of We the People, including the award-winning theatrical production Freedom Rising, is included.

For ticket information, call 215-409-6700 or visit constitutioncenter.org

Prohibition Hotel Package

Plan your visit to American Spirits in advance and save with the Prohibition Hotel Package. Get overnight accommodations, tickets to the exhibition at the National Constitution Center and more. Browse participating hotels, below.

Participating Hotels Rate* Package Features Book Now From $259 The Inn at Penn, a Hilton Hotel Deluxe Guest Room for two with Breakfast in the University Club Tickets to the exhibition at the NCC Tokens for round trip transportation on SEPTA bus or trolley Two five Cent cocktails in Penne Restaurant and Bar. From $239 Sonesta Hotel Philadelphia Deluxe overnight accommodations Breakfast for two Overnight parking Two tickets to American Spirits: The Rise and Fall of Prohibition Radisson Plaza-Warwick overnight accommodations Two tickets to American Spirits: The Rise and Fall of Prohibition Complimentary in-room viewing of “The Roaring Twenties” or episodes of “Boardwalk Empire” Prohibition-era inspired cocktails at Tavern 17 served in keepsake mason jars DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Philadelphia Overnight accommodations Self-parking Admission to the National Constitution Center and American Spirits: The Rise and Fall of Prohibition Hampton Inn Philadelphia Center City Overnight accommodations One ticket to American Spirits: The Rise and Fall of Prohibition. Additional tickets may be purchased at the discounted rate of $10 a piece through the front desk. * All packages are based on availability and price is subject to change. Prices shown are starting rates without tax.