Honor Fallen Heroes, Revolutionary Women Throughout History and Today During Mother’s Day and Memorial Day Weekends at the Museum of the American Revolution

View Rare Photo of Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Sons in The Declaration’s Journey Special Exhibition  

Free Admission for Veterans, Military, and Blue Star Families During Memorial Day Weekend 

Honor the everyday sacrifices of both the revolutionary women and fallen heroes of the past and present this May at the Museum during  Mother’s Day Weekend, Saturday, May 9 –Sunday, May 10, 2026 and Memorial Day Weekend, Saturday, May 23 – Monday, May 25, 2026. From May 23-25, the Museum will offer free admission to veterans, military, and Blue Star families. 

Mother’s Day Weekend will include a Revolutionary Women Highlights tour, and explore the roles of Revolutionary-era women who played vital roles in supporting the cause. The Declaration’s Journey, presented by Griffin Catalyst, features the stories of women who used the words of the Declaration to advocate for their civil and voting rights. Visitors can view objects related to suffragist Elizabeth Cady Stanton, including her writing desk used in both New Jersey and New York City, on loan from her great-great-granddaughter Coline Jenkins, and a rare photo of her and two of her sons from around the time she attended the Seneca Falls Convention in 1848. Also, enjoy a 10-minute talk to learn how Stanton used the Declaration’s words in her advocacy for women’s suffrage.  

Memorial Day Weekend programming will include living historian Daniel Sieh as part of the Museum’s Meet the Revolution series and indoor and outdoor walking tours, including one to the Tomb of the Unknown Revolutionary War Soldier in Washington Square. More information about tour options is available on the Museum’s website. 

Both weekends will feature special discovery carts, 10-minute talks, and performances. Visitors can also explore our daily programming, like Washington’s War Tent film, The Declaration’s Journey, and in the Museum’s Revolution Place discovery center. 

Mother's Day Weekend Highlights:

10-Minute Talk: Let Us Vote | Daily, 12:30 p.m. 

Join a Museum educator at the When Women Lost the Vote tableau in our core galleries for a 10-minute talk to learn about voting rights for women and people of color in New Jersey from 1776-1807. 

10-Minute Talk: Women Claim the Declaration | Daily, 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. 

How did women claim ownership of the ideals of the Declaration? From objects like its first printing naming the signers by Mary Katherine Goddard to its adaptation reinforcing women's suffrage by Elizabeth Cady Stanton in The Declaration’s Journey, explore with a Museum educator the journey to "all men and women are created equal." 

Camp Followers Discovery Cart | Daily from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. 

Join a Museum educator to learn about the important role of the women and children who traveled with both the British and Revolutionary armies through replica objects. 

Revolutionary Women Highlights Tour | Daily at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. 

Join a Museum educator for a 60-minute gallery highlights tour exploring the roles of Revolutionary-era women on the home front and on campaign during the Revolutionary War. Along the way, learn what the stories of Revolutionary women like the Baroness von Riedesel, Tyonajanegen (Two Kettles Together), and Elizabeth Freeman reveal about how different people experienced and remembered the Revolution. 

First-Person Performance: Meet Elizabeth Freeman | Daily at 1:15 and 3:15 p.m.  

Watch a 30-minute first-person theatrical performance portraying the life and experiences of Elizabeth Freeman, also known as Mumbet, a Massachusetts woman who sued for her freedom from enslavement and won. The performance stars Katelyn E. Appiah-Kubi as Elizabeth Freeman and was written by Teresa Miller. 

“Let Mother Vote” Design Your Own Suffrage Banner 

Create your own banner inspired by the early 20th-century suffrage movement in the Museum's family discovery center, Revolution Place. 

Memorial Day Weekend Highlights: 

Meet the Revolution: Daniel Sieh | May 23, 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. 

Living historian Daniel Sieh will join us at the Museum to explore the lives of Asians in the United States during the 18th century. Through historical documents, interactive activities, and objects, Daniel will unpack how global trade connected the lives of Asian sailors, soldiers, traders, and enslaved people, and how they navigated American society as strangers from a distant land. 

10-Minute Talk: Objects of Reflection | Daily at 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.    

What did the Declaration of Independence mean in 1776 compared to 1963? Join an educator to learn more about two objects in the exhibition! 

10-Minute Talk: Hugh Mercer's Sword | Daily, 12:30 p.m. 

Enjoy a 10-minute pop-up talk to learn about a sword belonging to General Hugh Mercer, who was killed at the Battle of Princeton. Discover the sword's history from the battlefield to the St. Andrew's Society of Philadelphia to its current home at the Museum. 

Discovery Cart: Sailor's Pack | Daily, 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.  

Join a Museum educator at a discovery cart featuring replica handling objects to learn more about what Continental Army soldiers would carry in their knapsack, such as a fire-starting kit and an 18th-century whirligig. 

Walking Tour to Tomb of the Unknown Revolutionary War Soldier | Daily, 11 a.m. 

Join a Museum educator for a 30-minute free walking tour to the memorial and Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Washington Square Park to remember those who served. Sign up for this tour at the front desk during your visit over the weekend. Space is limited. 

First-Person Performance: Meet Elizabeth Freeman | Daily at 1:15 and 3:15 p.m.  

Watch a 30-minute first-person theatrical performance portraying the life and experiences of Elizabeth Freeman, also known as Mumbet, a Massachusetts woman who sued for her freedom from enslavement and won. The performance stars Katelyn E. Appiah-Kubi as Elizabeth Freeman and was written by Teresa Miller. 

Gallery Guide: Remembering Fallen Revolutionaries | Daily from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. 

The Museum tells the stories of many of our nation’s first fallen soldiers and honors those whose names we don’t know. The Museum’s artifacts and exhibits explore these stories, including the sword of fallen Revolutionary General Hugh Mercer and the gravestone of Maryland Captain Michael Cresap, among many others. Pick up a copy during your visit or download this gallery guide online to find these stories and more around the Museum.

Make-Your-Own Commemorative Ribbon Craft | Weekends from 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. 

Follow the Museum’s how-to instructions to create your own commemorative ribbon craft, based on silk ribbons given at a ceremony in 1825 to surviving veterans of the Battle of Bunker Hill to commemorate their service at the battle 50 years prior. 

Indoor and Outdoor Walking Tours | Weekends Only 

Explore the Museum and its historic neighborhood with an expert guide! Tours include 90-minute outdoor walking tours that explore iconic sites in the Museum’s historic Old City neighborhood, hour-long tours of our core galleries, hour-long early-access guided tours for a private experience, and audio tours. For additional tours and more information, visit AmRevMuseum.org/visit-tour. 

Walking tour tickets can be purchased here. All Mother’s Day and Memorial Day Weekend programming is included with regular Museum admission.  The Museum is open daily from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. The Declaration’s Journey is open daily from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. 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. From Saturday, May 23 – Monday, May 25, 2026, veterans, military, and Blue Star Families will receive free admission (free admission tickets cannot be reserved in advance and are available at the front desk only). 

Memorial Day Weekend 2026 at the Museum is sponsored by Comcast NBCUniversal. 

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.