Visitors enter the museum through a domed bronze-clad entrance on Third Street into its rotunda, which features a dramatic window looking out onto Chestnut Street. A cross-vaulted ceiling features an illuminated laylight represent- ing the six-pointed star from Washington's Standard flag, which is on view as part of the museum's collection.


The Museum of the American Revolution pays homage to the history of America’s founding. Though the space is modern, it has a classic feel that harkens back to an earlier time.


“Philadelphia was the headquarters of the Revolution,” said Michael Quinn, president and CEO of the Museum of the American Revolution. “The museum will serve as a portal to Philadelphia’s great historic landmarks - Independence Hall, Carpenter’s Hall, Franklin Court and innumerable others - making the city the richest and most exciting destination for those interested in exploring the birth of our nation.”


The ground floor is organized around a sky lit central interior court that features terrazzo floors and an impressive grand staircase, which serves as a dramatic pathway up to the museum's second floor and its permanent exhibition gal- leries. This ground floor court area also leads to the 190-seat orientation theater where visitors will view a film that sets the stage for the American Revolution and transports them back to the nation’s very beginnings.


Meeting and event planners will note that the court itself could serve as an excellent reception space for an event, as could the adjacent 5,000-square foot temporary exhibit gallery, while and the orientation theater would be ideal for an afterhours presentation. Capable of accommodating groups of up to 300 guests, the museum is well suited to host corporate galas, meetings, social gatherings and weddings.


Also located on the first floor is a muse- um shop, and Cross Keys Café, which


offers seating inside and on a terrace that opens up to the sidewalk on Third Street during warmer months.


Upon ascending the sweeping staircase, the second-floor opens to a concourse that could easily serve as a cocktail reception space during a private event. This area also leads to the 18,000- square feet of permanent galleries and a smaller, 100-seat theater that is dedicat- ed to George Washington's Headquarters Tent.


The crown jewel of the museum’s collec- tion, General Washington’s authentic Headquarters Tent served as both his office and his sleeping quarters from about mid-1778 until 1783. The signifi- cant role that this "other home of George Washington" played in winning America's War for Independence has led some to call it the "first Oval Office."


For private functions and meetings dur- ing the day or in the evening, the muse- um’s third floor includes an elegant spe- cial event space that offers views of sur- rounding historic sites through large win- dows and an open-air balcony. The exclusive caterer for on-site events at the museum is Brûlée Catering, which also operates the museum’s first floor cafe.


The museum's lower level includes classrooms for students and other groups, collection storage, and future plans for a discovery center for children where they will be able to explore their own role in making history.


Still another impressive feature of the museum is that it has been designed to achieve Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certi- fication, incorporating eco-friendly ele- ments such as a 29,000-square foot green roof that covers 90 percent of the building, and state-of-the-art stormwater management, air-cycling, and heat recovery systems.


When it officially opens in April, the Museum of the American Revolution will


bring to life the events, people and ideals of the founding of the United States through original artifacts, immer- sive galleries, dynamic theaters and recreated historic environments. The experience will take visitors on a chrono- logical journey from the roots of conflict in the 1760s to the rise of armed resist- ance, and from the bold Declaration of Independence of 1776 through the long years of warfare that achieved victory.


Interactive exhibits and displays include a meeting of men and women from the Oneida Indian Nation as they debated whether to join the Revolutionary cause, a privateer ship on which visitors will learn about 14-year old free African American James Forten, a nearly two- story replica of Boston’s Liberty Tree, where the first stirrings of revolt were discussed and debated, plus a view of Independence Hall in disarray during the British occupation in Philadelphia.


Home to one of the premier collections of its kind, the museum’s exhibits include several hundred objects from the period of the American Revolution, including a number of George Washington’s personal belongings, as well as an impressive assortment of period weaponry, soldiers’ and civilians’ personal accoutrements, fine art and printed works and manuscripts.


This space brings to life the events lead- ing up to the American Revolution, the battles waged to win independence, and the earliest years of this nation’s found- ing. The Museum of the American Revolution is more than a space for meetings and events, and it extends beyond mere education with regard to the founding of this nation.


This museum more than holds its own among some of the oldest and most historic places in Philadelphia. Its inter- active displays, period exhibits, captivat- ing movies and riveting reenactments all come together in this unique and immer- sive space, bringing the story of America’s birth to life in a new and excit- ing way.


Mid-Atlantic EVENTS Magazine 29


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