Philadelphia's National Constitution Center set to host presidential debate between Trump, Harris
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The National Constitution Center in Philadelphia will take center stage in the race for the White House Tuesday as it hosts the first and only scheduled presidential debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump.
Both candidates and their running mates have spent significant time in Pennsylvania and Philadelphia in recent weeks as they work to woo battleground state voters.
Harris came to Temple University in Philadelphia to officially announce Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate in August. On the same day, Trump's running mate, Ohio Sen. JD Vance, spoke to supporters at a rally in South Philadelphia.
While Tuesday's debate at the National Constitution Center, hosted by ABC News at 9 p.m. ET, will be the first time the candidates meet face-to-face in their appeal to voters, it's not the first time the institution has served as the backdrop to major milestones in political history.
Where is the National Constitution Center?
The National Constitution Center, which opened in 2003, is located on the north end of Independence Mall, near Philadelphia's Old City neighborhood.
The Independence Visitor Center, Liberty Bell and Independence Hall are all also located along Independence Mall.
Debates and events hosted at the National Constitution Center
In 2008, the NCC hosted the 2008 Democratic primary debate and two ABC News town halls leading up to the 2020 election.
In March 2020, then-presidential candidate and former vice president Joe Biden spoke at the center after winning the state of Michigan in the primary election. In September of that year, then-President Donald Trump was slated to participate in a closed event at the National Constitution Center.
Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Sen. John McCain, Ukrainian Volodymyr Zelenskyy and President George W. Bush have all been awarded the National Constitution Center's Liberty Medal. The medal honors "men and women of courage and conviction who strive to secure the blessings of liberty to people around the globe." The 2024 Liberty Medal recipient is filmmaker Ken Burns.
What's inside the National Constitution Center?
While the National Constitution Center is not actually home to the U.S. Constitution — which is permanently housed at the National Archives in Washington, D.C. — the Philadelphia museum is the first and only in the country dedicated to the document.
It is fitting, considering that the Constitution was signed by America's founding fathers just a few blocks away.
The National Constitution Center is home however to hundreds of rare artifacts displayed throughout multiple exhibits, including documents from the drafting of the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights, a commemorative copy of the Emancipation Proclamation signed by President Lincoln in 1864, 42 bronze, life-sized statues of the Founding Fathers, posters and programs from the 20th century women's suffrage movement and more.
The NCC also hosts numerous events and discussions with authors, politicians and professors. On Sept. 17, Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch and NCC honorary co-chair will appear in conversation with Janie Nitze to discuss their new book, Over Ruled: The Human Toll of Too Much Law.
How to visit the National Constitution Center
The National Constitution Center is open Wednesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The museum will remain closed on Wednesday, Sept. 11, following the presidential debate.
Tickets are required to visit the museum and cost $19 for adults and $15 for seniors 65 and older, college students with ID and children ages 6-18. Kids under 5, active and retired military and members can access the museum for free.