National Liberty Museum

"Fun with the Family"

The National Liberty Museum was created to celebrate our nation’s history of freedom and the wonderfully diverse society it has produced. After your family has seen the places where our liberty was born, bring them here to learn what we all must do to preserve our liberty.
Using artwork, dioramas, displays, and hands-on experiences, visi-tors are encouraged to think about the responsibilities we all share. Visitors can “vote” on real contemporary issues and learn about more than 350 modern-day heroes of all backgrounds. They can see a model of Nelson Mandela’s cell or Anne Frank’s attic. (For parents of younger children, it is easy to bypass the more disturbing images.) First, view the introductory film, and then go up to the third floor and work your way down. Doing this, you’ll end your experience atthe shredder machine, where kids are encouraged to write down “mean words” they’ve heard or used and put them into the shredder, where they are ripped into colorful shards. A walk across the “Bridge of Forgiveness” completes the experience.
Highlighted in the museum are many beautiful glass sculptures. Glass is used as a metaphor for, and illustrtion of, liberty because once broken, it cannot be put back together the same way. This is an inspiring trip, especially for older children who are beginning to be aware of social issues.