NMAJH In Philly Open On July 4

Normally closed on Mondays, the National Museum of American Jewish History will be open on July 4  to participate in the city of Philadelphia's Welcome America! programs and allow visitors to the Museum to explore how the Jewish experience is intertwined with American history.

Special self-guided tours exploring Revolutionary War-era artifacts, docent presentations of a letter written by George Washington, and spectacular views of Independence Mall are among the family-friendly activities on tap for that day. The Museum will be open from 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Visitors who join the Museum on July 4 will receive a Museum branded t-shirt in addition to other benefits members receive.

July 4 Museum activities and events include:

Showings throughout the day of the four-minute film,"We have the world to begin againe...," made for the Museum by Emmy-award winning director David Grubin.

In conjunction with the film, Museum docents will share the motivation behind a letter President Washington wrote to the Jewish community expressing his commitment to religious liberty in America.

All visitors will be given a booklet to assist them in exploring artifacts that help to tell the story of Jews and the American Revolution, along with questions to inspire family discussions. On the 5th floor, where families can sit and relax, children will be given crayons to color the illustrations and do the puzzles in the booklet.

Kosher hot dogs and other refreshments will be for sale on the Sidney and Caroline Kimmel Plaza.

Lunch and snacks will be for sale on the Museum's 5th floor. The floor includes the only view in the city of Independence Mall icons Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell Center, the President's House and the National Constitution Center. They can be seen from the Robbi and Bruce Toll Terrace which is generally closed to the public.

Customers who make purchases of $50 or more in the Museum Store will receive a free map of the United States, published in 1913, that has the names of the states in Yiddish and English,in the "Guide to the United States for the Jewish Immigrant."

More information about July 4 activities at the Museum will be posted shortly on the Museum's website.