Can't travel this summer, follow George ....

NATIONAL CONSTITUTION CENTER COUNTS DOWN TO

SUMMER OF GEORGE WASHINGTON WITH TWITTER CAMPAIGN

Follow @GeorgeInPhilly as he visits his favorite sites

and tweets clues about his location

Philadelphia – George Washington is coming back to Philadelphia – and this time, he’s tweeting! To kick off the countdown to this summer’s must-see exhibition, Discover the Real George Washington: New Views from Mount Vernon at the National Constitution Center (July 1 – Sept. 5, 2011), George will tweet daily clues about his whereabouts in the Philadelphia region. From May 24, 2011 – the day before the start of the Constitutional Convention – to Sept. 17, 2011 – Constitution Day – follow George at @GeorgeInPhilly as he revisits his favorite Philadelphia-area haunts, all the while sharing personal stories and dispelling pesky rumors about cherry trees and wooden teeth!

Each Saturday beginning June 4, and culminating with his arrival at the National Constitution Center on June 30, George will make in-person appearances at popular historic sites that held significance to him during his time in Philadelphia. Sites currently include Brandywine Battle Historic Site (June 4) and Valley Forge Historical Park (June 25). Additional appearances will be announced. At each site, George will pose for photos and answer questions from fans. Constitution Center staff members also will provide coupons to the Discover the Real George Washington exhibition.

Beyond the Center’s exhibition, organizations across the Philadelphia region are coming together to make the “Summer of Washington” a can’t-miss experience. A special “Summer of Washington” map, a dynamic mobile application, and Washington’s tweets, will lead visitors to sites offering a myriad of options for Washington fans of all ages.

Discover the Real George Washington provides a new and refreshing perspective on Washington, his achievements, legacies, family, intellectual pursuits, and entrepreneurial ventures. Architectural models, decorative and fine art items, maps, manuscripts, and paintings reveal his personal side and uncover his roles as an entrepreneur, farmer, and businessman. Three life-size models of Washington at ages 19, 45, and 57, developed through an unprecedented two-year forensic investigation, serve as focal points of the exhibition.

The Center is pairing the exhibition with its first-ever Kids Free Summer promotion! Families can save a pocketful of “Washingtons” with this special deal: free admission to the Center for up to four children (ages 12 and under) with one paying adult. The promotion applies to both general admission and group reservations.

Admission to Discover the Real George Washington is $15 for adults and $14 for seniors (ages 65 and up) and students. Children ages 12 and under and active military are FREE. Group rates also are available. Admission to the Center’s main exhibition, The Story of We the People, including the award-winning theater production “Freedom Rising,” is included. iPod audio tours cost an additional $5. For ticket information, call 215.409.6700 or visit www.constitutioncenter.org.

Discover the Real George Washington: New Views from Mount Vernon was organized by the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association and funded by the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation, a philanthropic organization founded in 1954 by the late media entrepreneur for whom it is named.

“Summer of Washington” regional partners include: African American Museum in Philadelphia, American Revolution Center, Brandywine Battle Historic Site, Chester County Conference and Visitors Bureau, City of Philadelphia, Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation, Historic Germantown, Historic Philadelphia, Inc., Historical Society of Pennsylvania, Independence National Historical Park, Independence Visitor Center, National Museum of American Jewish History, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau, Valley Forge National Historical Park, Visit Bucks County, and Washington Crossing Historic Park.

The National Constitution Center, located at 525 Arch St. on Philadelphia’s Independence Mall, is an independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing public understanding of the U.S. Constitution and the ideas and values it represents. The Center serves as a museum, an education center, and a forum for debate on constitutional issues. The museum dramatically tells the story of the Constitution from Revolutionary times to the present through more than 100 interactive, multimedia exhibits, film, photographs, text, sculpture and artifacts, and features a powerful, award-winning theatrical performance, “Freedom Rising.” The Center also houses the Annenberg Center for Education and Outreach, which serves as the hub for national constitutional education. Also, as a nonpartisan forum for constitutional discourse, the Center presents – without endorsement – programs that contain diverse viewpoints on a broad range of issues. For more information, call (21).409-6700 or visit www.constitutioncenter.org.