Audacious Freedom
Permanent | African American Museum in Philadelphia
The African American Museum in Philadelphia, the first institution
built by a major U.S. city to house and interpret the life and work of
African Americans, presents its newest permanent exhibition, Audacious Freedom: African Americans in Philadelphia 1776-1876, bringing African American trailblazers from early Philadelphia to life with amazing technology.
In Audacious Freedom, ten African American men and women
come to life as full-size 3-D characters. Activated by approaching
visitors, these figures tell their experiences as African Americans
living in 17th- and 18th-century Philadelphia. Using cutting-edge
technology, the museum creates an engaging, life-like atmosphere in
which visitors can learn about the trials, tribulations, achievements,
and overall life of these men and women.
Keeping with the museum's core mission to educate visitors on the significant role African Americans played in early Philadelphia history and culture, Audacious Freedom presents information through revolutionary, high-tech displays in two galleries. This $1.5 million exhibit, the centerpiece of a complete renovation for the entire institute, celebrates African Americans that thrived in Philadelphia from the Revolution through abolition.
The first gallery features an interactive timeline tracing Philadelphia's African American experience in the century following the Declaration of Independence. Visitors can discover how this group of people contributed to the city's life in a myriad of ways, from education to business to religion.
The second gallery, which prominently features the ten video projections telling their personal stories, also has a Children's Corner (for ages of 3 and 8), which captures the African American child's daily routine.
Connecting the two galleries is a ramp with a map of historic Philadelphia, giving guests the opportunity to picture the world in which one of our nation's earliest and largest free African American populations lived.
