Philadelphia celebrated an out-of-the-ordinary Independence Day this year.
Amidst a festive grand opening of the new National Constitution Center, a large piece of the stage came toppling down on local and national politicians gathered for the event.
NCC President Joseph Torsella, was struck in the head and was taken to Thomas Jefferson University Hospital. Senator Arlen Specter and Mayor John Street were also struck by the frame. Both suffered minor injuries.
Although sabotage was originally considered, officials have since determined faulted construction to have been at fault. The company that designed the frame has since taken responsibility for not making ensuring that the frame was properly secured.
The museum itself -- the intended focus of the holiday celebration -- is the nation's first museum dedicated to the U.S. Constitution.
The NCC is home to numerous interactive displays, including photographs, short films and the original drafts that preceded the Constitution.
The star-studded the opening ceremonies were kicked off on July 4 with a rendition of the National Anthem played by Wynton Marsalis, honoring the document for which the NCC was built.
To the backdrop of the Philadelphia Orchestra, the entire Constitution was read by a multitude of the guests, including Governor Ed Rendell, actor Richard Dreyfuss, and Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, who was presented with the Liberty Medal by Street.
The Medal, established in 1988, aims to honor those who represent and uphold the principles on which the U.S. was founded. Past recipients include Secretary of State Colin Powell, former President Jimmy Carter and other renowned figures.
Appointed to the Supreme Court by Ronald Reagan, O'Connor, was the first woman on the Supreme Court and is notorious for being the court's steadfast "swing vote." Standing in front of the large contingent, O'Connor reiterated her faith in the American system of checks and balances as it is outlined by the Constitution.
"By spreading the responsibility to uphold the Constitution among so many, the framers enlisted a legion of defenders for their new charter," O'Connor said.
The NCC is located at 5th and Arch streets, directly across from Independence Hall. It is open everyday from 9:30am to 5pm.
In addition, visitors will also find bronze statues of all the original signatories of the Constitution -- as well as those who dissented,the ink well that Lincoln used to sign the Emancipation Proclamation, as well as a multitude of other items that have come to represent the values on which the American system of government was built.
