Photos courtesy of ME Photo & Design LLC

Throughout the 5,000-square-foot exhibition, visitors will have the rare opportunity to view more than 150 items, including the outfit Springsteen wore on the cover of Born in the U.S.A.

The highly anticipated exhibition From Asbury Park to the Promised Land: The Life and Music of Bruce Springsteen officially opened to the public Friday, February 17th at the National Constitution Center. The exhibition—never before seen outside of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum—opens just weeks before the American singer/songwriter is set to release his new album and embark on a new world tour. From Asbury Park to the Promised Land runs at the Center through September 3, 2012.

“From Asbury Park to the Promised Land offers a unique perspective on our First Amendment freedoms, the meaning of the American dream and the role of artists in politics and protest,” said National Constitution Center President and CEO David Eisner. “And, of course, Bruce Springsteen strikes an even deeper chord here in Philly, where the love of Bruce runs almost as deep as the love of freedom.”

“I worked very closely with Bruce and his organization to put this exhibit together,” said Jim Henke, vice president of exhibitions and chief curator at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum. “It’s a comprehensive look at Bruce’s entire career and contains numerous items that have never been seen by the public. The exhibit was a huge hit when it was at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and I am very happy that even more people will be able to see it now that it’s at the National Constitution Center.”

From Asbury Park to the Promised Land takes a comprehensive look at Springsteen’s career and catalog, from such early bands as Child, the Castiles and Steel Mill through his work with the E Street Band and as a solo artist. Throughout the 5,000-square-foot exhibition, visitors will have the rare opportunity to view more than 150 items, including:

• Family photos of Springsteen’s childhood in Asbury Park, N.J.
• Scrapbooks containing newspaper clippings, photos and handbills from Springsteen’s early music endeavors
• Handwritten lyrics from all phases of Springsteen’s career
• Springsteen’s 1960 Chevrolet Corvette
• Springsteen’s Fender Esquire from the cover of Born to Run
• The outfit Springsteen wore on the cover of Born in the U.S.A.
• Springsteen’s 1993 Academy Award for Best Original Song for “Streets of Philadelphia”

The exhibition also features several listening stations where visitors can hear never-before-released songs by the Castiles; Springsteen’s successful 1972 audition for Columbia Records; and interviews with Springsteen on topics such as his songwriting process, his first recording session, and some of his best known albums. Video footage throughout the exhibition includes archival performances, an edited version of Wings for Wheels: The Making of Born to Run, and clips of Springsteen’s appearance on MTV Unplugged in 1992.

To complement the exhibition, the Center’s public programming staff has developed a variety of interactive programs and activities for students, teachers and families about the importance of free expression. The Center also is presenting a series of special events celebrating the music of Bruce Springsteen.

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Admission to From Asbury Park to the Promised Land: The Life and Music of Bruce Springsteen is $24.50 for adults, $23 for seniors and students and $12 for children ages 4-12. Group rates also are available. Admission to the Center’s main exhibition,The Story of We the People, including the award-winning theater production Freedom Rising, is included. For ticket information, call 215.409.6700 or visit constitutioncenter.org.