Former Newseum’s iconic ‘First-Amendment Tablet’ heading to Philadelphia
WASHINGTON - The massive "First-Amendment Tablet" that once adorned D.C.'s Newseum's facade has a new home in the City of Brotherly Love.
Freedom Forum Chief Outreach Officer and Vice President Jonathan Thompson confirmed for FOX 5 on Thursday morning that the 50-ton, 74-foot-tall will soon be located at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia.
READ MORE: Newseum pays price in DC, closing amid newspaper downfall and pressure from free museums
"We are thrilled to bring this heroic marble tablet of the First Amendment to the National Constitution Center, to inspire visitors from across America and around the world for generations to come," said National Constitution Center President and CEO Jeffrey Rosen.
"It was important to us to find a location for the tablet where it could be on public display, and where millions of Americans could continue to expand their understanding of and appreciation for our First Amendment freedoms," said Jan Neuharth, chair and CEO of the Freedom Forum, who recently joined the National Constitution Center Board of Trustees. "We are incredibly pleased that the tablet will have a prominent new home at the National Constitution Center where it can be part of their efforts to increase awareness and understanding of the Constitution."
READ MORE: Johns Hopkins University to acquire Newseum building in DC
The Newseum closed its doors in D.C. at the end of 2019.
The private museum opened in the nation’s capital in 2008 – providing a destination for seasoned and aspiring journalists alike.
The multi-story exterior rendition of the First Amendment was located practically equidistant between the White House and the Capitol building.
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A "mosaic of factors" contributed to its closing, former Director of Public Relations Sonya Gavankar said in 2019. Founded in 2008, the Newseum was established during the Great Recession, which saw the rapid deterioration of print media nationwide.
In addition, its independence helped its undoing as it sought to compete with numerous free Smithsonian museums just a few blocks away.
The building was ultimately sold for $372.5 million to Johns Hopkins University.
The university hopes a location will solidify its footprint in the nation’s capital, and complement its flagship Baltimore campuses.