Over the past few months, cultural institutions have been ramping up exhibits and activities in anticipation of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. While the rush began back in the spring — including the debuts of American-themed shows at Glenstone and the National Gallery of Art and new Revolutionary War-themed activities at Mount Vernon, all of which run through 2026 — the weeks between Memorial Day and July 4 bring another wave of events and exhibits timed for maximum patriotism. From a parade of tall ships to a downtown block party to glimpse of some of our country’s iconic treasures under one roof, this is the time to celebrate the American Experiment.
‘We Make History’ at Smithsonian’s Anacostia Community Museum
The Smithsonian’s only locally focused museum wants to remind Washingtonians that history is not just about long-dead presidents and generals, but the experiences of everyday people, too. “We Make History” builds on a collection of objects, including the diary of Adam Francis Plummer, an enslaved man who began keeping a journal in May 1841; Chuck Brown’s Gibson guitar; a collection of family photographs from the 1950s; and a modern Washington Spirit jersey to show how everyone contributes to the idea of a shared community and national identity. Through January 2028. anacostia.si.edu. Free.
‘American Aspirations’ at the Smithsonian Castle
The Smithsonian Institution is the repository for an estimated 157 million objects, from ancient fossils to the space shuttle Discovery. How do you tell the story of America in just a few dozen objects? Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie G. Bunch III has curated a one-room exhibit in a wing of the Smithsonian Castle called “American Aspirations,” where objects are grouped under themes like “In Pursuit of Progress” and “In Pursuit of Fairness.” The exhibit juxtaposes items from multiple museums, so Amelia Earhart’s flight suit, in the collection of the National Postal Museum, is in a case next to Sally Ride’s NASA jacket, lent by the National Air and Space Museum. Of note: When “American Aspirations” opens, it will display the original copy of Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech, but the document is too fragile to be on exhibit the entire time, so it will be swapped out for Harriet Tubman’s hymnal after a few weeks. June 2 through July 26. si.edu/castle. Free.
Spirit of Independence Festival at the National Archives
Think of the Spirit of Independence Festival as the beginning of the official countdown to the Declaration of Independence’s 250th birthday. Just as Constitution Avenue is closed on July 4 for the National Archives’ annual reading of the Declaration, plus live music and the annual National Independence Day Parade, it’s being closed Thursday, Friday and Saturday on the first weekend of June for a multiday, family-friendly party in front of the National Archives building.
The daytime events are free, though timed entry tickets are strongly encouraged. Friday’s “Stars and Stories Fest” mixes historical reenactors, face painting, Disney music and genealogy research. Saturday begins with Yappy Hour, welcoming dogs and humans for giveaways, music, caricatures and a “Patriotic Pooch” costume contest, and also highlights a Salute to Service program featuring military bands, hands-on activities and the display of a helicopter from the Vietnam War. All these events take place outside the Archives, which will be open as usual; Visitors who want to see the Declaration, Constitution and other documents receive admission to the Archives museum when they reserve tickets to the Spirit of Independence Festival. (Friday and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Free.)
The three evening events are fundraisers for the National Archives Foundation. The Taste of the Nation celebration on Friday night is a gala with chef-driven menus paired with drinks (including nonalcoholic cocktails) and live music, emceed by D.C. celebrity bartender L.P. O’Brien. (Friday at 7 p.m. $200.) Saturday’s black tie optional “One Nation, Many Stories” dinner is followed by a discussion with award-winning documentary filmmaker Dawn Porter and history educator Lauren Cella about the future of storytelling. (Saturday at 7 p.m., $500-$600.) On Thursday night, country music legend Garth Brooks hosts an event called “Celebrating 250 Years of American Music,” but tickets are only available as part of a sponsorship package — starting at $1,000 — that includes tickets for all three nights. June 4-6. archivesfoundation.org. Free-$600.
Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra “Let Freedom Ring” concert at the National Museum of American History
Jazz is a uniquely American art form, born in New Orleans and nurtured in clubs from New York to Chicago to Los Angeles. This concert, featuring the Smithsonian’s jazz orchestra in residence under the direction of Charlie Young, looks across the spectrum of jazz, as protest music, as an expression of joy, and an exploration of spirituality, including works by Max Roach and Billy Taylor. June 5 from 7 to 9:30 p.m. americanhistory.si.edu. $30-$40.
Block Party at National Gallery of Art
The largest public program in the history of the National Gallery of Art takes over the East and West buildings, the Fourth Street plaza and the Sculpture Garden for a full day of artsy activities. Visitors can help artists create collaborative murals, make their own portraits or zines, listen to marching bands and steel drum musicians, build sculptures with Lego, participate in family yoga, and learn more about the museum’s collection with pop-up talks about featured works. June 6 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. nga.gov. Free.
‘American Icon: The U.S. Flag in Art’ at the National Gallery of Art
An exhibition in the National Gallery’s East Building shows how the American Flag has been used as a potent symbol of nationalism and protest in works of art, including paintings and photographs by artists like Jasper Johns, Faith Ringgold and Neil Armstrong. (Yes, that Neil Armstrong.) June 6-Dec. 6. nga.gov. Free.
Sails on the Potomac
Decades before the Revolutionary War, Alexandria was the area’s most important port, utilized for both commercial and military purposes. As part of its America 250 celebrations, Alexandria welcomes the tall ships Gazela, Kalmar Nyckel and Sultana to “Sails on the Potomac,” where they join the Providence, a reproduction of a Revolutionary War sloop that is docked in Alexandria. Of the visitors, Kalmar Nyckel is a recreation of the ship that brought the first Swedish settlers to Delaware in 1638. The ships will be open for tours — timed reservations are suggested, but not required — and an onshore “History Village” offers exhibits and hands-on activities. The festival coincides with the ALX Jazz Fest, also held Friday through Sunday. June 12-14. alexandriava.gov. Friday and Sunday from noon to 6 p.m.; Saturday from noon to 9 p.m. Free.
Declaration Day at Gunston Hall
“All men are by nature equally free and independent and have certain inherent rights, of which, when they enter into a state of society, they cannot, by any compact, deprive or divest their posterity; namely, the enjoyment of life and liberty, with the means of acquiring and possessing property, and pursuing and obtaining happiness and safety.”
If the themes of this passage sound familiar — life, liberty, pursuing happiness — but the phrasing sounds slightly off, that’s because it was written by founding father George Mason in the Virginia Declaration of Rights, a 1776 document that the National Archives notes was “drawn upon by Thomas Jefferson for the opening paragraphs of the Declaration of Independence.” Mason has long been overshadowed by other Founding Fathers — note the placement of his D.C. memorial, tucked behind the Jefferson Memorial — but there’s no better time to learn about him. Mason’s plantation, Gunston Hall, located in Mason Neck, opens its doors for two days of celebrating the Virginia Declaration of Rights. Friday’s main event is a naturalization ceremony for 50 new American citizens, followed by house tours and refreshments. Saturday is packed with tours, live music, birthday cake, and theatrical performances portraying Thomas Jefferson and George Washington. June 12-13. Friday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.; Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. gunstonhall.org. Free.
Smithsonian Arts and Industries Building reopens
America’s first “National Museum” has, over the years, displayed triceratops bones, the Star-Spangled Banner and dresses worn by first ladies. But for most of this century, it’s only opened to the public for special events. This summer, it’s open regular hours to showcase the traveling exhibit “Voices and Votes,” about participation and democracy, and to house the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage’s activities, including music, demonstrations and hands-on workshops. Opening day features “Latin Music Fans: Making Culture & Keeping Tradition,” a conversation that includes DJs and the curator of the new “¡Puro Ritmo!” exhibition at the American History museum. See the Smithsonian’s website for a full schedule. June 16-Sept. 7. si.edu/arts-and-industries. Free.
‘From These Lands’ at the National Museum of Natural History
The National Museum of Natural History welcomes more visitors than any other Smithsonian museum, and all those (American) tourists will find something representing their home in a new exhibit. “From These Lands” features artifacts from all 50 states and six territories. Highlights among the gemstones and mounted insects include a carved walrus tusk from Alaska, buttons made from mussel shells in Iowa, and the last known passenger pigeon, which was preserved as a taxidermy mount after it died at the Cincinnati Zoo in 1914. June 18 through 2029. naturalhistory.si.edu. Free.
The Lincoln Memorial’s Undercroft reopens
Unseen by visitors to the Lincoln Memorial: 122 concrete pillars that support the weight of the structure. The area around them, known as the undercroft, is a vast, cave-like space big enough to hold the memorial itself. The National Park Service first proposed opening the undercroft to visitors a decade ago, and after a series of delays, the public will get a look at the remodeled space, which houses a museum examining the memorial’s construction and cultural history, a bookstore and restrooms. Admission is free, though tickets will be available 30 days in advance from recreation.gov for a $1 fee. Same-day tickets will be available daily at 8:45 a.m. at the Korean War Veterans Memorial kiosk next to the Lincoln Memorial. One person can claim up to six tickets. Reopens June 25. Open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. March through October, and 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. November through February. nps.gov/linc/. Free.
National Air and Space Museum galleries reopen
The National Air and Space Museum is celebrating its own anniversary this year: The museum opened July 1, 1976 — just in time for the Bicentennial celebrations. Half a century later, the building is nearly finished with extensive renovations. Five of the final seven galleries will fully reopen this summer, including “How Things Fly,” which is packed with hands-on activities for all ages, and the ever-popular “World War II in the Air.” There’s more than just rockets and propellers on display, too: The expanded Flight and the Arts gallery is hosting “The Ascent of Rauschenberg: Reinventing the Art of Flight,” which features 30 lithographs, sculptures and other flight-themed works by American artist Robert Rauschenberg. Visitors should register for timed entry passes, which are available up to 30 days in advance.
The final two galleries, At Home in Space and Modern Military Aviation, are scheduled to open this fall.
Grand reopening July 1, then open daily. airandspace.si.edu. Free; timed entry passes required.
‘The Declaration’s Promise’ at the Library of Congress
Thomas Jefferson’s rough draft of the Declaration of Independence and Abraham Lincoln’s handwritten copy of the Gettysburg Address get top billing in a new exhibit that will “explore the foundational principles of the Declaration of Independence and their impact on American history.” Look for multimedia stations and displays highlighting documents and objects drawn from 181 million items in the Library’s collection. July 3-July 3, 2027. loc.gov. Free; timed entry passes required.
“The Two Georges,” an exhibition looking at parallels in the lives of George Washington and King George III, has been extended through July 4, so July 3 and 4 are the only days you’ll be able to see these two revolutionary exhibitions in one visit.
While you’re at the Library, you might want to seek out two small temporary exhibitions in the mezzanine of the Great Hall that also celebrate America’s 250 anniversary: “Fashion at the Library of Congress: Threads That Connect Us” (on view June 8-July 20) and “Our History in the Headlines: American Independence in Newspapers” (June 23-July 11).
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