The Museum of the American Revolution is in the middle of its construction in Old City, Philadelphia. It replaces the Independence Park Institute, which was a blank, unattractive brick monster. I’m not sorry to see it go.

Despite having read about the coming Museum of the American Revolution, I hadn’t originally realized that it was going in that space at 3th and Chestnut. It’s not opening until 2017, but the renderings look like a significant improvement. It’s also great to see that despite a $119 million pricetag the Museum won’t be taking on any debt to complete construction. Lingering debt has been a major problem for many city arts/culture institutions as a result of the recession. Two recent overviews worth reading: Revolutionary doings on South Third Street and American Revolution Museum to immerse visitors into the war with new exhibit.

The photos with the Business Journal piece are great, and I especially love the rendering of the “living” exhibit of Boston’s Liberty Tree. I’ve always loved grand trees and the rootedness and timelessness they embody, and also the idea of the Liberty Tree that the ideals of the American founding would take root in her people:

One thing I haven’t noticed that has surprised me is a lack of any apparent connection between the Museum and the Sons & Daughters of the American Revolution. I joined the Sons in November 2013, and haven’t heard anything about the Museum from their channels either. It seems like a natural partnership should exist, even if only minor. The Sons are national, but locally have helped create iconic memorials like Washington Square’s Tomb of the Unknown Revolutionary War Soldier.

I’ll be contacting the Sons to see if I can find out more, but hopefully they come on board to support the Museum at least financially in the years to come.