Philadelphia recalls the “Shot Heard ’Round the World”

On April 19—the date the “shot heard ’round the world” ignited the Revolutionary War in 1775—Philadelphia opened its $120 million Museum of the American Revolution. Artifacts such as George Washington’s Headquarters Tent and the first newspaper printing of the Declaration of Independence will take visitors on a chronological journey through the events that led to the founding of the United States. Also here: the 13-star flag known as the Commander-in-Chief’s Standard, which was used to mark Washington’s presence on and off the battlefield.

Robert A.M. Stern Architects designed the three-story, 118,000-square-foot building  to reflect the rich history of its neighborhood. In addition to 16,000 square feet of galleries, the facility incorporates two theaters, 5,000 square feet of temporary exhibition and program space, a retail shop, and a café. Floor-to-ceiling windows offer a view of Independence National Historical Park. There’s also an outdoor plaza with cannons from the Revolutionary era and a 29,000-square-foot green roof covering 90 percent of the building.