Celebrate the Semiquincentennial Summer at the Museum of the American Revolution

The Declaration’s Journey Highlights Rights and Independence Movements in the United States, Across the World in Honor of 250th Anniversary 

Museum to Feature Eight Historic Printings of the Declaration of Independence, Special Programming During Declaration Days, July 1-5

There’s no better place to be this Semiquincentennial summer than the Museum of the American Revolution in Old City Philadelphia. Celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence at the Museum with special programming for Flag Day, Juneteenth, Fourth of July, and Labor Day weekends. 

New this year, from Wednesday, July 1 – Sunday, July 5, 2026, the Museum will host Declaration Days, highlighting the Declaration of Independence with in-gallery talks, historical interpretation, and hands-on demonstrations. On July 2 and 3, historical interpreter Michele Gabrielson will bring Baltimore printer and postmaster Mary Katharine Goddard to life through costumed interpretation. Goddard was the first woman to print the Declaration through the newspaper she published, and the first person to include the signers’ names through the broadside she printed in January 1777. From July 2–4, the Museum will also host printing workshops and a papermaking demonstration with Common Press. Each day from 11 a.m.–2 p.m., visitors can learn how paper was made, and printing presses were used to spread the word about independence. 

Also, during Declaration Days and throughout the Semiquincentennial summer, explore the Museum’s special exhibition, The Declaration’s Journey, presented by Griffin Catalyst, which celebrates the Declaration of Independence’s legacy from 1776 to today. Visitors can discover how the words of Philadelphia’s most famous export inspired independence movements and the world over the last 250 years. The exhibition features over 120 artifacts and documents from several nations and the United States and explores the stories of the diverse people who drew inspiration from its promise of liberty and equality. Six historic printings of the Declaration are on display in The Declaration’s Journey, including broadsides printed by John Dunlap and Mary Katharine Goddard, as well as the first newspaper printing and the first translation of the Declaration. Two additional July 1776 printings of the Declaration from New York and Massachusetts will be on view in the Museum’s core galleries. 

Visitors can also check out the Museum’s family-friendly daily programs, which include discovery carts with replica 18th-century objects, hang out in Revolution Place, unpack a sea chest, watch Washington’s War Tent film, and more. The Declaration’s Journey also offers kid-friendly features, including a family guide full of key terms, helpful questions, and fun activities, a talk-back wall where visitors can share how the Declaration has affected their lives, and a selfie station with try-on clothing.    

The Museum will extend its operating hours from 9:30 a.m. – 6 p.m. beginning Saturday, June 13, 2026, and continuing throughout the Semiquincentennial summer. 

Summer Event Highlights:

• Join the Museum for Flag Day Weekend from Saturday, June 13-Sunday, June 14, 2026, to learn more about flags from the Revolutionary era with in-gallery talks and activities for the whole family.

• Celebrate Juneteenth, the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the legal abolition of slavery in the United States, with the Museum of the American Revolution from Friday, June 19 – Sunday, June 21, 2026.  In partnership with ArtPhilly and Black City Music, join the Museum on June 19 for the Sound of History event, which will premiere compositions of two artist fellows whose projects were informed by the Museum’s galleries and collection.

• Commemorate the 250th anniversary of our nation’s founding during our Declaration Days, July 1-5, 2026. Highlights during and leading up to Fourth of July Weekend include the Red, White, and Blue To-Do Pomp & Parade and Wawa Welcome America’s All-American Block Party on July 2. 

• Children 12 and under will receive free admission during Labor Day Weekend from Saturday, Sept. 5 – Monday, Sept. 7, 2026. Free admission is available at the front desk and not redeemable online.  
   

Resources for International Visitors 

• Our core exhibition audio tour is available in English, Spanish, and French. With the English version narrated by the Museum’s President and CEO Dr. R. Scott Stephenson, visitors can listen on sanitized, Museum-issued devices available to pick up at the front desk as well as pre-purchased with admission. Audio tours are $3 for Members, $4 for groups, and $5 for the general public with regular admission.  The Museum’s current special exhibition, The Declaration’s Journey, also has an audio tour available (with transcriptions) in English, Spanish, French, Italian, Mandarin Chinese, and Brazilian Portuguese. 

• Maps of the Museum are available at the front desk in English, Spanish, French, Italian, German, Vietnamese, Mandarin Chinese, and Japanese.

• The Museum also offers resources for kids and families, as well as people with disabilities, including mobility and sensory needs, as well as those who are Deaf, hard of hearing, Blind, or low vision. Find more details on our Frequently Asked Questions page. 

Ways to Save

• With the Museum’s Family Four Pack, get two adult tickets and two youth (ages 6-17) tickets for $64. Available for online purchase only.

• Get discounted admission to the Museum using Philadelphia CityPASS to visit the city’s top attractions or show your SEPTA Key card at the front desk for $2 off admission.

• ACCESS cardholders receive free admission for themselves and their family members by presenting their card and photo ID. Through Museums for All, people receiving food assistance (SNAP benefits) receive free admission to the Museum by presenting their EBT card at the front desk (walk-up only). 

• Students in grades 9-12 in the School District of Philadelphia receive free admission to the Museum when they show a valid student ID at the front desk.  

For additional ways to save, visit here. 

Summer Guided Tours: 

• The Revolutionary City Outdoor Walking Tour explores the Old City neighborhood and imagines what life was like in the 1700s, stopping at sites, including City Tavern, Independence Hall, and Carpenters’ Hall.

• The Declaration’s Journey Outdoor Walking Tour takes you beyond the Museum and into the neighborhood where Thomas Jefferson drafted the Declaration of Independence. Visit sites connected to the creation, printing, and enduring legacy of America’s founding document.

• The Public Universal Friend Walking Tour covers about a mile and stops at iconic places like Elfreth’s Alley, Carpenters’ Hall, and the site of diarist and Quaker Elizabeth Drinker's home to discuss how the Revolution in Philadelphia provided people like the Public Universal Friend opportunities to test boundaries and challenge the social norms of a rapidly changing society. This tour will only be available on Saturdays throughout Pride Month. 

• The one-hour Gallery Highlights Tour showcases objects and explore how the diverse groups of people living in North America experienced the American Revolution, including Loyalists, Hessians, free and enslaved people of African descent, women at home and at war, and other Revolutionaries.

• The Black Voices of the Revolution Tour highlights the diverse stories, experiences, and objects related to people of African descent during the American Revolution in the Museum’s core galleries. 

• Hour-long Early Access Guided Tours, which offer guests an exclusive, private opportunity to experience a guided tour of the Museum’s core galleries or special exhibition before opening to the public.

• Audio Tours, which offer guests insight into the Museum’s core galleries and special exhibition. The Museum also offers a History Explorers Audio Tour for younger visitors to explore our core exhibition. 

• Audio Descriptive Tours, which are available free of charge for blind or low-vision guests and accompanied by a tactile map featuring braille and raised, touchable guides of the Museum’s public spaces available at the front desk.

For additional tours and ticket information, visit here.

The Museum is open daily from 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Starting June 13, the Museum will have extended summer hours from 9:30 a.m.–6 p.m. The Declaration’s Journey is open daily during regular Museum hours and is included with regular Museum admission. Tickets can be purchased by calling 215.253.6731, at AmRevMuseum.org, or at the front desk. Save $2 per adult ticket by purchasing online. Children ages 5 and under are always free. All tickets are valid for two consecutive days.  Revolution Place, the Museum’s family-friendly discovery center, and the Museum gift shop will also be open daily from 9:30 a.m.–6 p.m. beginning June 13.  

About Museum of the American Revolution

The Museum of the American Revolution uncovers and shares compelling stories about the diverse people and complex events that sparked America’s ongoing experiment in liberty, equality, and self-government. Through the Museum’s unmatched collection, immersive galleries, powerful theater experiences, and interactive elements, visitors gain a deeper appreciation for how this nation came to be and feel inspired to consider their role in ensuring that the promise of the American Revolution endures. Located just steps away from Independence Hall, the Museum serves as a portal to the region’s many Revolutionary sites, sparking interest, providing context, and encouraging exploration. The Museum, which opened on April 19, 2017, is an independent, non-profit, and non-partisan organization. For more information, visit www.AmRevMuseum.org or call 877.740.1776.