Opening May 27
Wednesday–Sunday | 213 Water Street | $10–$25
In celebration of America’s 250th anniversary, experience this full-floor exhibition in the historic 1868 A.A. Thomson & Co. building and journey through the nation’s founding ideas—tracing how they have evolved over time through rare defining documents and pivotal moments in history. If the United States has a mission statement, it was written 250 years ago in the Declaration of Independence: “Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.” As you explore the fascinating and unique exhibition, you will see how this promise—established in 1776—was never fully realized and remains an aspiration we continue to pursue today.
Throughout the gallery, you will encounter some of the nation’s most iconic 18th century documents, including the Declaration of Independence, the United States Constitution, and the Bill of Rights. Alongside these are exceptional handwritten pages from an undelivered inaugural address by George Washington, as well as remarkable 19th and 20th century treasures such as the Emancipation Proclamation and an advance copy of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “March on Washington” speech. In it, King describes the Declaration of Independence and Constitution as “a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir.” Together, these extraordinary artifacts reveal how the pursuit of freedom has been redefined across generations.
Through rarely-seen documents and ephemera, you will discover key moments that pushed the nation closer to equality—from the fight for religious freedom and the abolition of slavery to the movement for women’s suffrage. Extraordinary pamphlets and treaties, one-of-a-kind personal correspondence from notable historical figures, striking broadsides, and first printings of landmark texts bring these pivotal episodes to life and connect you to the people who shaped them.
In the following sections, you will also experience how New York played a central role in this history. As the nation’s first capital and a major port and printing hub, Lower Manhattan was a place of rapid growth, cultural exchange, and political importance. You will see how printers helped shape public discourse, solidifying freedom of the press, and how news and ideas traveled through early America with historic typefaces, compelling broadsides, and a working printing press, offering a glimpse into this dynamic world.
Book Your Tickets in Advance
Reserve your ticket today to experience the ongoing story of a nation shaped by words—where ideals have been tested, expanded, and reimagined over centuries.
The Promise of Liberty: Words That Shaped a Nation requires a special ticket. Advance registration to guarantee your space is encouraged. Walkups can be accommodated as space allows. Access to the exhibition galleries requires walking up six steps, with wheelchair access available via a platform lift. This exhibition is located on the fourth floor, which is accessible by elevator or stairs.
Explore all that the Seaport Museum has to offer by booking a General Admission ticket. When you reserve General Admission and The Promise of Liberty in advance you can get a special discounted combo ticket! Seaport Museum members receive free General Admission and 20% off on The Promise of Liberty. Just select the exhibition-only tickets and sign in when prompted at checkout to receive your discount.
Add a commemorative gallery guide to your order for just $3 and get even more out of your exhibition visit! Designed in a style that celebrates the freedom of the press, this informative guide deepens the themes explored in the exhibition and highlights the South Street Seaport’s rich connection to the history of printing in Lower Manhattan.
Exhibition Highlights
More About the Exhibition
Housed within the A.A. Thomson & Co. warehouse—a historical artifact in its own right—The Promise of Liberty: Words That Shaped a Nation showcases incredible objects on loan as well as a selection of works from the expansive collections and archives of the South Street Seaport Museum.
A centerpiece of the exhibition is a rare copy of the 1787 “Official Edition” of the United States Constitution—one of just 14 surviving copies. Printed for delegates to the Constitutional Convention and Confederation Congress, this exceptionally rare document will be made accessible to the public for the first time in decades.
Cover, Page One, and Page Six of the Official Edition of the United States Constitution, September 17, 1787. Dunlap and Claypoole, printers. Ink on Whatman paper. Made possible by the Kenneth C. Griffin Collection.
Additional highlights of the exhibition include:
- A 1765 recounting of the landmark trial of John Peter Zenger, whose acquittal helped affirm the principle of freedom of expression and freedom of the press.
- The influential 1776 pamphlet Common Sense by Thomas Paine, which rejected monarchy and made a powerful case for independence.
- A rare 1776 broadside of the Declaration of Independence, printed for rapid distribution and often read aloud in town squares to rally support for the revolutionary cause.
- Eye-catching engravings commemorating George Washington’s 1789 inauguration, including one of his boat parade across New York Harbor to City Hall.
- The 1790 The Gazette of the United States publication of the Treaties of Hopewell, including the Choctaw treaty that ceded 69,120 acres in exchange for US protection.
- An outstanding first edition of Frederick Douglass’s 1855 autobiography, My Bondage and My Freedom, including a significant part of his speech “What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?”
- A one-of-a-kind collection of broadsides and ephemera documenting the struggle for women’s voting rights from 1914 to 1918.
- A unique signed and inscribed 1937 press release for a speech commemorating the 150th anniversary of the signing of the Constitution by President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
Acknowledgements
The Promise of Liberty: Words That Shaped a Nation is organized in cooperation with Sail4th 250 and made possible through the generous support of Citadel founder and CEO Kenneth C. Griffin and his civic engagement initiative Griffin Catalyst.
The exhibition is curated by Seth Kaller and the South Street Seaport Museum. The Promise of Liberty: Words that Shaped a Nation is a companion exhibition of The Promise of Liberty at the Peoria Riverfront Museum. Special thanks to William B. Roka.
Additional support for this exhibition and Sail4th 250 is provided by Bulova and Jefferson’s Bourbon.
South Street Seaport Museum’s work is supported, in part, by public funds from New York State Council on the Arts, with support from Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature, and the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, in partnership with the City Council.
Collection Management and Exhibitions team: Martina Caruso, Director of Collections and Exhibitions; Christina Johnson, Exhibitions Registrar; Christine Picone, Senior Designer; Rob Wilson, Art Director and Operations Manager – Bowne & Co..
Thank you to all the Seaport Museum staff and interns for their collaboration on the development of The Promise of Liberty: Words That Shaped a Nation.
Enjoy More That the Museum Offers
The Promise of Liberty: Words That Shaped a Nation requires a special ticket.
Due to the sensitive nature of the materials on display and to make sure all visitors have the best possible experience, the number of people allowed in the exhibition at one time is limited. Admission for ticket holders is on a first-come, first-served basis. Explore more that the Seaport Museum has to offer by adding a General Admission ticket.
With the opening of Promise of Liberty the Seaport Museum will transition to a Summer General Admission schedule of Wednesday–Sunday, from 11am–5pm. Adding a General Admission ticket to your special Promise of Liberty ticket will bring you aboard the 1885 tall ship Wavertree and 1908 lightship Ambrose at Pier 16, and into all additional current exhibitions on view. This includes Maritime City, the immersive exhibition that spans the first three floors of A.A. Thomson & Co. and the two exhibitions on view in the first-floor Schermerhorn Row galleries at 12 Fulton Street.
About Sail4th 250
Sail4th 250 is a non-partisan, 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and the successor to Operation Sail, Inc.—the organization President Kennedy endorsed in 1961 to use spectacular tall ship gatherings to “promote international friendship, maritime heritage, and support for sail training.” Operation Sail produced landmark events in the Port of New York and New Jersey in 1964, 1976, 1986, 1992, 2000, and 2012, including the legendary Bicentennial gathering that drew six million New Yorkers to the region on July 4, 1976.
For America’s 250th anniversary, on July 4, 2026, Sail4th 250 will host an International Parade of Sail alongside an International Naval Review 250 (INR250), creating the largest maritime gathering in U.S. history. 48 tall ships from 22 nations, joined by allied naval vessels, will represent 46 countries in total in New York Harbor. The visiting tall ships serve as floating classrooms and goodwill ambassadors. They will be open for free public visitation from July 5–7 at berths situated in and around the harbor.
Sail4th 250 is part of Sail250®, a consortium of five U.S. coastal cities, including New Orleans, Norfolk, Baltimore, New York, and Boston, playing host to the tall ships for America’s Semiquincentennial.
About Griffin Catalyst
Griffin Catalyst is the civic engagement initiative of Citadel founder and CEO Ken Griffin, encompassing his philanthropic and community impact efforts. Tackling the world’s greatest challenges in innovative, action-oriented, and evidence-driven ways, Griffin Catalyst is dedicated to expanding opportunity and improving lives across six areas of focus: Education, Science & Medicine, Upward Mobility, Freedom & Democracy, Enterprise & Innovation, and Communities.
Plan Your Visit
We look forward to welcoming you! Before your visit, please review the Visitor Guide and Frequently Asked Questions. You’ll find helpful information on ticketing and discounts, planning a family visit, directions and accessibility at each of our historic sites, the visitor code of conduct, what is and isn’t permitted across the Museum campus, tips for using technology during your visit, and more.
Ready for more?
Head over to our Programs and Events page to see what else is happening at the Museum. Sign up for an upcoming talk, learn more about visiting Wavertree, or explore our virtual offerings.