A historic loan of the US Constitution and Bill of Rights to the National Constitution Center will make America’s founding documents available to the public for the first time in history. As part of a $15 million donation, billionaire Ken Griffin is lending his rare private copies to the Philadelphia nonprofit ahead of its 250th anniversary celebration next year.
The hedge fund billionaire is lending his private copies of the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights to a Philadelphia nonprofit ahead of the nation’s 250th anniversary celebration next year.
Ken Griffin is an American billionaire and hedge fund manager.
He founded Citadel LLC, a global investment firm, in 1990.
Griffin's net worth is estimated to be over $30 billion, making him one of the richest people in the world.
He has been involved in various philanthropic efforts, including donating to universities and supporting conservative causes.
Griffin graduated from Harvard University and later received an MBA from Harvard Business School.
Ken Griffin, CEO of Citadel, has spent millions acquiring rare documents like first printings of the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights. Now, he is donating $15 million and lending several of his prized first editions to a Philadelphia nonprofit.
“The remarkable prosperity of America over the past 250 years is a testament to the genius of the republic, as enshrined in our Constitution,” said Griffin in a statement. “The authors of the Constitution had incredible foresight in designing a system of government that has withstood the test of time and now, more than ever, protects the American dream.”
Griffin’s gift to the National Constitution Center is the largest in the institution’s history. The funding will support the launch of two new galleries: one focused on America’s founding principles and another exploring the separation of powers and federalism, scheduled to open in February and May of next year, respectively.
In addition to the donation, Griffin is temporarily loaning his copy of the U.S. Constitution, one of only 14 known first-edition printings of the historic text. He purchased the document for $43.2 million at a Sotheby’s auction in 2021, outbidding a crypto collective known as ConstitutionDAO and setting a record for the most expensive book, manuscript or printed text ever sold at auction.
Griffin is also loaning another rare document: a first-edition copy of the proposed constitutional amendments passed by the House of Representatives in 1789 for Senate consideration—amendments that would later become the U.S. Bill of Rights. Griffin reportedly purchased the document for $1.5 million at a Sotheby’s auction held shortly after his acquisition of the Constitution, and it was also previously loaned to the Crystal Bridges Museum of Art.
Both documents will be on public display at the NCC through 2026. In recognition of Griffin’s gift, the institution will name its central welcoming space the Kenneth C. Griffin Great Hall. “All of us at the National Constitution Center are honored to tell the story of America’s founding in such a meaningful way thanks to the generosity of Ken Griffin,” said Jeffrey Rosen, CEO and president of the nonprofit, adding that its new galleries “will engage and inspire millions.”
Griffin has donated more than $2 billion to philanthropic causes, including funds for patriotic initiatives. His previous donations have included giving $30 million to a Texas museum honoring recipients of the U.S. Armed Forces’ Medal of Honor, funding the civic education video series The Constitution EXPLAINED, and supporting efforts like the Navy SEAL Foundation and FIRE, a nonprofit that defends free speech on college campuses.
