The Promise of Liberty:
Words That Shaped a Nation s+6
at The Seaport Museum

Visit the South Street Seaport Museum to experience their landmark exhibition and journey through the nation’s founding ideas – tracing how they have evolved over time through rare defining documents and pivotal moments in history.

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.

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. 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.