 |
| Apollo Replica |
Philadelphia, PA (June 14, 2013) – The 1968 Exhibit—a summer exhibition with bright, funky colors, iconic memorabilia, and multigenerational appeal—officially opened to the public today at the National Constitution Center. The opening festivities included a ribbon-cutting ceremony and a live musical performance by Philadelphia’s School of Rock. The exhibition—which brings to life one of America’s most colorful, chaotic, culture-shifting years—runs at the Constitution Center through September 2, 2013.
The 1968 Exhibit is organized by the Minnesota History Center in association with the Atlanta History Center, the Chicago History Museum, and the Oakland Museum of California, and is funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.
“As we were developing the exhibit and talking to people who experienced that year, the one word that came up over and over was ‘overwhelming,’” says Minnesota Historical Society Exhibit Curator Brian Horrigan. “People described being caught up in this seemingly endless cascade of shocking events, shaking the country—the world, really—to its very core.”
A turning point for an entire generation coming of age and a nation engaged in war, 1968 comprised 12 months of memory-stamping events including the peak of the Vietnam War; the assassinations of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Robert Kennedy; riots at the Democratic National Convention; Black Power demonstrations at the Summer Olympics; feminist demonstrations at the Miss America pageant, and much more. The year also featured memorable moments in pop culture history, including movies like 2001: A Space Odyssey, television shows like Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, the opening of the musical Hair, and the release of the Beatles’ “The White Album.
“The year 1968 was a pivotal chapter in our nation’s history, as ‘We the People’ pushed the boundaries of the Constitution and our freedoms by exercising our right to free expression, protest, and petition in revolutionary ways,” says National Constitution Center President and CEO Jeffrey Rosen. “It was a year of extremes, with both turbulent lows and spectacular highs. I am excited that the exhibition will inspire conversations among visitors about a time in our history that has left an indelible impact.”
Organized by the months of the year, the 5,000-square-foot exhibition features over 100 artifacts, including:
· A reconstructed Bell UH-1 Iroquois “Huey” helicopter used in the conflict in Vietnam
· A full-size replica of the Apollo 8 command module and the actual pressure bubble helmet used by James Lovell, who served as the command module pilot for Apollo 8
· Funeral program for Martin Luther King, Jr.
· Chicago police riot helmet from the Democratic National Convention in Chicago
· Mattel Co.’s talking “Mrs. Beasley” doll from the television show Family Affair
· Sweater and sneakers worn by Fred Rogers in the television show Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood
The exhibition also features four immersive, interactive “lounges” focusing on movies, music, television, and design from 1968.
· Visitors can settle into bean bag chairs in the Television Lounge and watch clips from shows such as Laugh-In,Gunsmoke, and The Monkees and films such as Bonnie and Clyde and Funny Girl. Highlights from the Olympic Games, Super Bowl II, and the ’68 World Series also are shown on monitors.
· In the Music Lounge, original albums cover the wall and shadow boxes display concert tickets, programs, posters, and autographs from musicians of the era. Visitors also can take a 1968 music quiz and make their own album covers that they can share on Facebook.
· In the Style Lounge, visitors can explore the world of consumer goods from 1968, including plastics—molded into furniture, stitched into clothing, and shaped into household goods—along with denim jeans, wood paneling, and shag carpeting.
· The Community Lounge was created by the National Constitution Center as a space where visitors can share memories (through post-it notes) of subject matter including politics, the Vietnam War, pop culture, innovation, and civil rights. The lounge also features a special program titled Stories of ’68, where members of the public, local television and radio personalities, and other well-known Philadelphians will be invited to share their recollections of the extraordinary year with visitors in a discussion led by a member of the museum’s staff.
The Center is also partnering with local businesses for special groovy promotions and deals throughout the run of the exhibition. City Food Tours has developed a new “Peace, Love, and Cocktails Tour” inspired by the sights and sounds of the 1960s. Offered the first, third, and fifthSaturday of each month, this two-hour tour stops at three of Philadelphia’s hottest cocktail spots—Stratus Rooftop Lounge, Continental Martini Lounge, and Positano Coast Restaurant. For more information, visit CityFoodTours.com.
The 1968 Exhibit is included in the cost of general museum admission, which includes the Center’s main exhibition, The Story of We the People, the award-winning theatrical production Freedom Rising, and Signers’ Hall. General museum admission prices are $14.50 for adults, $13 for seniors ages 65 and over, and $8 for children ages 4–12. Active military personnel and children ages 3 and under are free. Group rates also are available. During the opening weekend of the exhibition, all visitors who were born in the year 1968 will receive FREE admission. For ticket information, call 215.409.6700 or visit www.constitutioncenter.org.
__________________________
Advertisement
_________________
Advertisement
No comments:
Post a Comment