The National Constitution Center was established by the Constitution Heritage Act of 1988, which was passed by Congress and signed at the time by President Ronald Reagan. The Act created the Center as an organization and first established building the facility as an important national goal. On September 14, 1998, the architectural firm of Pei Cobb Freed & Partners and the exhibit design firm Ralph Appelbaum Associates -- both of New York -- were commissioned for the project, which is the first museum devoted to honoring and explaining the U.S. Constitution. The design of the 285,000-square-foot building was conceived by Henry N. Cobb with partner Ian Bader, along with exhibit designer Ralph Appelbaum.
And while the building’s design was applauded by architectural critics, it does veer away from the traditional red brick found in the majority of neighboring structures. But the soft tones of Indiana limestone, which are broken up by 8-inch-high bands of light gray-colored Chelmsford granite -- create an unobtrusive design that meshes well with the surrounding environment. Introducing the granite bands into the design of the exterior facade helps to provide a less formal look -- reducing the scale of the structure and emphasizing its horizontality.