Ted Kennedy served in the US Senate for nearly half a century. It is fitting, therefore, that his legacy should include an institute and museum designed to teach the public about the inner workings of democracy. Opened in 2015, this state-of-the-art facility uses advanced technology, multimedia exhibits and interactive designs to engage visitors and demonstrate the functioning (and sometimes non-functioning) of the legislative process. The museum centerpiece is a full-scale replica of the Senate chamber.
Exhibits cover how a bill becomes a law ('I'm just a bill…and I'm sitting here on Capitol Hill…'), the great debates and accomplishments of the Senate in history, contemporary hot topics, and ways for concerned citizens to get involved. As Senator Ted Kennedy remarked, 'We know the future will outlast all of us, but…all of us will live on in the future that we make.'
