America 250
Celebrating the Nation's Semiquincentennial in 2026
In 2026, the United States will celebrate its semiquincentennial—the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Watch this national coverage on CBS Saturday Morning to hear our CEO David Brigham discuss HSP's importance to the Semiquincentennial.
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This historic milestone will be honored with events and commemorations across the country. As part of this work, HSP is contributing to the Revolutionary City Portal, a digital resource highlighting Philadelphia’s role in the founding era. We are also marking the occasion with a series of exhibits and programs that explore both the nation’s founding and its evolution.
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As we approach 2026, we also recognize other significant anniversaries, including the 250th anniversary of the founding of the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps this year. Learn more below.
Exhibits
"To Provide a Naval Armament:" U.S. Navy & Marine Corps History, 1775 – 1958
On view October 8, 2025 to January 9, 2026
In collaboration with Homecoming 250
Celebrating the 250th Anniversary of the U.S. Navy and Marines
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On October 13, 1775, the Continental Congress met in Philadelphia and authorized a fledgling fleet that became America’s first Navy. Disbanded after independence, it reemerged in 1794 as the permanent naval force of the early republic. This new service reflected the young nation: ships designed by Quakers, built in East Coast shipyards, constructed of wood harvested by enslaved people, led by white officers, and crewed by a diverse mix of nationalities, ethnicities, and religions. Together with the Marines, these early forces laid the foundation for the United States’ naval and amphibious operations.
While prominent Philadelphians appear in naval history, the story also lives in the letters and journals of sailors, medical personnel, and shipyard workers. In partnership with Homecoming 250, "To Provide a Naval Armament:" U.S. Navy & Marine Corps History, 1775–1958 explores the Navy and Marine Corps through the Historical Society of Pennsylvania’s collections, tracing their evolution from the American Revolution to the early Cold War, all while remaining anchored in Philadelphia.
Support for this exhibit comes from Hannah Lowell Henderson.
The Changing Faces of Independence
Pennsylvania in the 1800s, On view January 22 to April 24, 2026
Pennsylvania in the 1900s, On view October 1, 2026 to January 8, 2027
How has the make-up of who is an American changed since the American Revolution? How have the people in that changing face of America continuously re-invigorated and re-asserted the founding ideals of the country? By examining the documents left by our ancestors in the time leading to America’s 100th and 200th birthdays, these two displays will ask those questions of their descendants. These two exhibits draw on collections at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, and they will be curated in partnership with ethnic and genealogical societies that seek to connect Americans to their ancestors through research, programs, and networking opportunities.
Paths to Independence, 1765-1776
On view May 7, 2026 to September 18, 2026
In 1763, following the French and Indian War, most American colonists cherished their place in the British Empire and expressed loyalty to King George III. Yet by 1776, many of those same colonists were ready to declare independence, denouncing the king as a “Royal Brute.” Paths to Independence explores how such a dramatic transformation in political allegiance and public sentiment occurred in just over a decade. ​
Featuring rare original documents from the Historical Society of Pennsylvania’s collections—including letters, pamphlets, broadsides, and drafts of the Articles of Confederation, which was the first constitution of the United States—the display traces the complex path to American independence. It highlights not only the perspectives of well-known figures such as Benjamin Franklin, John Dickinson, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and James Wilson, but also the experiences and evolving views of ordinary Philadelphians.
The exhibit will be organized into four thematic sections: The Stamp Act Crisis (1760s), The Early 1770s and the March Toward War, Philadelphia in 1776, and Constitutional Thinking and James Wilson’s Manuscript.
Support for these exhibits comes from the Philadelphia Funder Collaborative for the Semiquincentennial.
