First Amendment Museum looks to inspire Americans to understand their rights
How well do you know the First Amendment and the history behind the five basic rights it affords all Americans?
Everything you might want to know, you can now find in the newly opened non-partisan First Amendment Museum in Augusta.
The museum is located inside the historic 1911 Gannett House, home of Guy and Ann Gannett.
The museum’s creation was first envisioned by family descendants to honor the legacy of the Gannetts, who were both closely tied to First Amendment rights.
“You couldn't pick two better first amendment people — Guy was a newspaper owner, a media guy. Ann Gannett was a suffragist,” Max Nosbisch with the First Amendment Museum said.
The narrative of the museum centers around the First Amendment’s 45 words and its five guaranteed rights: Freedom of religion, speech, the press, and the right to assemble and petition the government.
“Most museums, they cover tangible events or people that lead full lives and we're talking about 45 words,” Nosbisch said.
"We're not about a bunch of old stuff behind glass, we're a concept museum. We're inspiring people to get out and use their first amendment in whatever way seems best to them," the museum’s executive director Christian Cotz said.
While the museum does include an array of displays and historic artifacts, they’re more so to encourage non-partisan conversation.
Cotz says the more people talk about the First Amendment, the better handle they’ll have on the role it plays in their own lives.
“It's frightening how many people have no idea what's in the first amendment,” Cotz said.
“If we can give people a clear understanding of the First Amendment and what it enables then I would consider that a job well done no matter what political camp you come from,” Nosbisch said.
The museum is currently open for public tours, but renovations are still being done on the building, including installing more interpretive exhibits.
To learn more about the museum, including how to visit, click here.