Ken Griffin, Citadel CEO and billionaire collector, has announced a $15 million donation to the National Constitution Center (NCC) in Philadelphia. This is the largest donation in the history of the organization. The grant will fund the creation of two new galleries.
One will focus on America’s founding principles, while the other will center around the separation of governmental powers and federalism. These galleries are expected to open in 2026, coinciding with the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. In addition to the donation, Griffin will loan a rare first-edition copy of the U.S. Constitution and a copy of the Bill of Rights to the NCC for public display.
Griffin had outbid ConstitutionDAO, a coalition of around 17,000 people, for the Constitution copy at a Sotheby’s auction in 2021, paying $43.2 million. Jeffrey Rosen, the president and CEO of the NCC, expressed his gratitude, stating that Griffin’s generosity will allow the center to tell the story of America’s founding in a profound way. “Our new galleries on America’s founding principles, featuring rare original printings of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, will engage and inspire millions,” Rosen remarked.
Griffin’s historic $15M contribution
In recognition of Griffin’s contributions, the NCC will rename its central welcoming and convening space the Kenneth C. Griffin Great Hall.
Griffin stated, “The remarkable prosperity of America over the past 250 years is a testament to the genius of the republic, as enshrined in our Constitution.”
The NCC also plans to renovate its main exhibition, “The Story of We the People,” for the first time since its opening in 2003. The project’s completion is targeted for 2026. Griffin’s support for the center reflects a broader mission amid contemporary debates on constitutional governance.
The NCC aims to reduce polarization by fostering dialogues among Constitutional scholars with diverse political perspectives. Griffin’s philanthropy extends beyond this exhibit. He has donated over $2 billion to various charities and nonprofit cultural organizations, including significant gifts to the Art Institute of Chicago, the Museum of Modern Art in New York, and Harvard University.
The new galleries, “The Founding Principles” and the “Separation of Powers,” are set to open in February and May 2026, respectively. They will explore how Americans declared independence, fought a revolution, formed a new constitutional government, and how the Constitution defines and balances power among the branches and states.
