Free speech exhibit at Philly museum explores Americans’ rights

The National Liberty Museum in Philadelphia unveiled a new exhibition series that explores freedom of speech as a fundamental human right and a cornerstone of our society. 
“We wouldn’t have freedom of religion, freedom of the press, freedom of assembly if the cornerstone of our democracy wasn’t free speech,” said Alaine Arnott, president and CEO of the museum located in Old City.
Visitors to each of the three exhibitions in the series are able to explore the past, present and enduring promise of this fundamental right through a neutral lens, beginning with Free Speech: Our Right, Our Responsibility, an interactive and multimedia exploration of free speech that invites visitors to consider its significance and why it can be a contentious and polarizing topic in an era of loud voices, online cancel culture and protests.
“We talk about the Constitution and First Amendment, which are great, but unless you can put those into practical and applicable situations, people lose what it means to have these rights as Americans,” Arnott said.
At the exhibit, visitors can trace the history of free speech from its roots to the present. The centerpiece of the exhibition is a 20-foot glass sculpture called the “Flame of Liberty” created by Dale Chihuly.
The exhibition comprises four sections: