This is the full text from an interview with Julie Silverbrook, Chief Content and Learning Officer at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, PA. Originally published July 4, 2026.
What is your favorite clause in the Constitution, and why?
The constitutional language that has most inspired me throughout my life and career is the aspiration to form “a more perfect Union.” Those words capture the genius of the American experiment. The Framers believed they had created something more perfect, not perfect. They understood that the work of self-government would never be finished. Each generation would confront new challenges, new opportunities, and new tests of its commitment to liberty, equality, and the common good. Rather than claiming to have completed the American project, the Framers entrusted future generations with the responsibility of carrying it forward and bringing the nation ever closer to its highest ideals.
I am equally moved by the Preamble’s commitment to “secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity.” That language reminds us that the Constitution is about more than the present moment. It calls us to think across generations, to be faithful stewards of the freedoms we have inherited, and to leave them stronger for those who come after us.
The pursuit of a more perfect Union is never complete. It is the enduring charge left to every generation, and it is work we must do both for ourselves and for posterity.
Most visitors probably arrive with a version of civics class still rattling around in their heads. What’s the thing the Constitution actually says, or doesn’t say, that surprises people most?
One of the things that surprises people most is that the Constitution does not contain an explicit, affirmative statement that every citizen has a right to vote. Instead, the Constitution addresses voting primarily by limiting the grounds on which the right to vote may be denied. The Fifteenth Amendment prohibits denying or abridging the right to vote on the basis of race, the Nineteenth Amendment on the basis of sex, the Twenty-Fourth Amendment because of failure to pay a poll tax, and the Twenty-Sixth Amendment on the basis of age for citizens 18 and older.
The Center’s stated mission is to present the Constitution on a nonpartisan basis, which, in the current climate, sounds either heroic or impossible. How do you hold that line in practice?
What makes the National Constitution Center’s approach distinctive is that we focus on constitutional questions rather than political ones. Political questions often ask what the government should do. Constitutional questions ask what the government can do under the Constitution. We begin with the text, history, structure, and interpretation of the Constitution, using that framework to explore some of the most important issues facing the nation.
In practice, that means we engage seriously with scholars and perspectives from across the ideological spectrum and approach constitutional questions with rigor, intellectual honesty, and humility. We do not put our thumb on the scale for a particular outcome or viewpoint. Instead, we work to help people understand where there is broad agreement in constitutional interpretation, where there are genuine areas of disagreement, and why thoughtful people can reach different conclusions while remaining grounded in the same constitutional text and traditions.
We also believe that constitutional learning happens through storytelling. Through exhibits, public programs, podcasts, and educational resources, we connect constitutional principles to the people, events, and experiences that bring them to life.
Our goal is not to tell people what to think. It is to give them the knowledge, historical context, and constitutional framework they need to think for themselves. At a time when many institutions are pulled toward advocacy, we believe there is enormous value in creating a space where Americans can explore constitutional questions together, learn from one another, and engage in civil dialogue rooted in a shared commitment to the Constitution.
The 250th anniversary arrives at a moment when foundational institutions are under unusual scrutiny. Does that make your work feel more urgent, or does it complicate it?
It certainly makes the work feel more urgent, but I also think it highlights why the years ahead represent such an extraordinary opportunity.
At the National Constitution Center, we view the 250th anniversary not as a single commemorative moment, but as the beginning of what we call the Civic Decade: the period between the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence in 2026 and the 250th anniversary of the Constitution in 2037, continuing through the 250th anniversary of the Bill of Rights in 2041. At its heart, the Civic Decade is an opportunity to recommit ourselves to the Constitution’s enduring aspiration to form a more perfect Union and to ask what that charge requires of us today. We see this anniversary period not simply as a time to reflect on the past, but as an invitation to think about the future and the role each of us can play in strengthening our constitutional democracy for generations to come.
The scrutiny our institutions face today does not make this work less important; it makes it more important. Every generation of Americans has grappled with questions about how to strengthen the Union, expand opportunity, protect liberty, and fulfill the nation’s founding ideals. The generation that declared independence in 1776 faced enormous uncertainty. The generation that gathered in Philadelphia in 1787 recognized that the Articles of Confederation were not sufficient and undertook the difficult work of building a stronger constitutional framework. They understood that self-government would require continual work.
The Civic Decade is an opportunity to reinvest in civic education, strengthen civic institutions, rebuild connections across communities, and inspire a new generation of constitutional learners and citizens. The work of forming a more perfect Union has always belonged to the generations that follow. The question before us is whether we will seize this opportunity to carry that work forward. I believe we can and must.
If you could add one exhibit that doesn’t exist yet – something that would change how Americans understand the document – what would it be?
We’re actually in the process of redesigning our core gallery spaces right now, so this is a question I think about a lot.
One of the spaces we’re beginning to imagine is a highly interactive gallery centered on the story of We the People. The Constitution is often taught as the story of a document or a moment in history, but at its core it is the story of a people and their ongoing effort to govern themselves. I would love to create a space where visitors can explore not only the nation’s constitutional story, but also their own place within it.
I have a vision, and we’ll see if it comes to fruition, that our new Civic Spark Studio could one day find a permanent home in that gallery. Today, visitors are sharing stories about the moments that connected them to our national story and inspired them to engage in civic life. I can also imagine something akin to an Ancestry lab, building on a pop-up with Ancestry.com we’ll have in the lobby of the Center this summer, where visitors can explore their own family histories and discover how their personal stories intersect with the broader American story.
Ultimately, I would love to create a space where people can find their place in our constitutional story. The Constitution begins with the words “We the People,” and I think one of the most powerful things our museum can do is help visitors see that those words are not just about the past. They are about us. They are about how our individual stories, family histories, and civic experiences become part of a larger American story that continues to unfold.
Philadelphia is one of the most historically significant cities in the country, but it doesn’t always get the same cultural cachet as New York or DC. What does Philly have that those cities don’t?
Philadelphia has something no other city can claim: it is the nation’s constitutional birthplace. This is where the Declaration of Independence was debated, drafted, and signed. It is where the Constitution was framed and signed. The ideas that shaped the United States and continue to influence democracies around the world were forged just steps from where we are sitting today.
There is something incredibly powerful about standing in the places where those debates unfolded and realizing that the American experiment was neither inevitable nor complete. It was built by people who came together to confront difficult questions and imagine a better future.
That is one of the reasons the National Constitution Center is proud to be in Philadelphia. If Philadelphia is the nation’s constitutional birthplace, then the National Constitution Center is America’s constitutional home. Together, they offer an unparalleled opportunity to explore not only how the nation was founded, but also how each generation has worked to carry forward the Constitution’s promises. For anyone seeking to understand the American story and their place within it, there is simply no substitute for Philadelphia.
You work in a place that draws visitors from across the world. What do international visitors understand about America that Americans tend to miss?
One of the things that has always struck me is that many international visitors, particularly those from countries that are not free or democratic, have a profound appreciation for just how precious and fragile constitutional democracy can be.
For many Americans, constitutional rights and democratic institutions can feel permanent because they have been part of our lives for generations. But visitors who have experienced censorship, political instability, restrictions on individual liberty, or governments without meaningful checks and balances often see the Constitution through a different lens. They are sometimes more immediately attuned to the significance of freedoms that many Americans take for granted, including freedom of speech, freedom of religion, due process, and the ability to participate in self-government.
Their perspective serves as an important reminder. Constitutional democracy is not self-sustaining. It depends on institutions, certainly, but it also depends on civic culture, public trust, and the active engagement of citizens.
In that sense, international visitors often help Americans see our constitutional democracy with fresh eyes. They remind us not only of what we have inherited, but also of our responsibility to sustain it for future generations.
What’s a corner of Philadelphia that has nothing to do with the Constitution but that you’d send a curious traveler to anyway?
I would encourage them to spend time exploring Philadelphia’s extraordinary arts and cultural institutions, especially the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Barnes Foundation. Philadelphia is rightly celebrated for its role in the founding of the nation, but it is also one of America’s great cultural cities.
The Philadelphia Museum of Art offers an incredible journey through centuries of artistic achievement from around the world, while the Barnes Foundation houses one of the most remarkable art collections anywhere, presented in a way that invites visitors to see connections across time, place, and artistic traditions. I would also encourage visitors to explore the Rodin Museum, the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, and the city’s extraordinary collection of public art and murals.
What I love about Philadelphia is that it tells the American story through both civics and culture. You can spend the morning exploring Independence Hall and the National Constitution Center, and the afternoon immersed in world-class art. Together, those experiences reveal something important about the nation itself. America is not only a constitutional project; it is also a creative, cultural, and artistic one. Philadelphia offers a unique opportunity to experience both.
Is there a trip you’ve taken that changed how you think about democracy, governance, or civic life?
One of the experiences that has stayed with me the longest was not a grand journey across the country or around the world. It was a short trip from my childhood home to the annual Christmas Day reenactment of Washington’s crossing of the Delaware in my hometown of Washington Crossing, Pennsylvania.
As a child, I remember standing along the river and watching history come to life. The American Revolution was no longer something I read about in a book. I could see the river, the boats, the soldiers, and begin to imagine the uncertainty and courage of that pivotal moment. It helped me understand that history happened in real places and that the people who shaped our nation were human beings facing difficult choices.
Looking back, I would describe that experience as one of my earliest Civic Sparks. A Civic Spark is a moment or experience that connects us to the larger American story and inspires us to learn more about our communities, our country, and the ideals that shape our civic life. For some people, it is a visit to a historic site. For others, it might be a teacher, a family tradition, military service, a national park, a museum visit, or a meaningful conversation. Civic Sparks can happen anywhere, but they often stay with us for a lifetime.
That experience helped shape my own lifelong interest in history, civic learning, and constitutional democracy. More importantly, it taught me that civic education is often deeply personal. We connect to big ideas through stories, places, and experiences that make those ideas feel real. That is why I believe so strongly in helping people discover and share their own Civic Sparks. When we do, we begin to see that the American story is not just something we inherit. It is something we become a part of.
If someone gave you a free afternoon in the city with no professional obligations, where would you go?
With a free afternoon, I’d probably head to South Philadelphia. There are few things I enjoy more than finding a great neighborhood restaurant, settling in with a good meal, a glass of red wine, and a book. And yes, more often than not, the book is about the Constitution, American history, or some aspect of civic life.
What I love about South Philly is that it captures so much of what makes Philadelphia special. It’s a place where generations of families have built communities, where different cultures and traditions come together, and where every block seems to tell a story. There is an authenticity to it that I find deeply appealing.
For me, some of the best moments of learning and reflection happen away from a podium or a classroom. They happen over a shared meal, in conversation with friends, or while turning the pages of a good book in a neighborhood that feels alive with history and possibility.
A free afternoon spent exploring South Philly’s food scene, enjoying a great read, and lingering over a glass of red wine sounds pretty close to perfect.
Article by
Jason Claire
