Philadelphia Museums to Launch US 250th Anniversary Exhibitions in 2026

Several Philadelphia-based museums and cultural arts institutions will mark the semiquincentennial (250th anniversary) of the United States in big ways starting Jan. 1, 2026.

The African American Museum in Philadelphia highlights the 250th celebration with "Ruth Carter: Afrofuturism in Costume Design." This touring costume exhibition showcases the story of Ruth E. Carter's work as an artist and storyteller, who found a passion in costume design as she moved from Springfield, Massachusetts, to the legendary Dolby Stage in Hollywood, California, to becoming a two-time Oscar-winning costume designer.

The museum will also expand its focus on "Audacious Freedom" to the modern era through 2026–2027 with new programming and artists.

Location: 701 Arch St., Philadelphia

Carpenters' Hall will celebrate the 250th anniversary of the United States with exhibitions, markers, town halls, and a year-long virtual lecture series.

Location: 320 Chestnut St., Philadelphia

Germantown's Colored Girls Museum marks its 10th anniversary with a fall 2026 premiere of a rare Vanessa German show.

Location: 4613 Newhall St., Philadelphia

The Franklin Institute will launch "Universal Theme Parks: The Exhibition" in February 2026, offering a virtual tour of beloved American theme parks from Jaws to Jurassic World.

Location: 222 N. 20th St., Philadelphia

The Museum of the American Revolution will host an exhibition called "The Declaration's Journey," featuring a collection of more than 100 historically significant objects, including Thomas Jefferson's chair and Martin Luther King Jr.'s prison bench, that tell the story of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.

Location: 101 S. Third St., Philadelphia

At the National Constitution Center, "America's Founding" will open in February 2026, followed by a second gallery exhibition on constitutional balance launching in May 2026.

Location: 525 Arch St., Philadelphia

The Penn Museum unveils a new Native North American gallery. The gallery offers first-person perspectives from four regions with strong connections to the Museum's collections: Northeast (Delaware/Lenape), Southeast (Eastern Band Cherokee, Muscogee (Creek), Southwest (Pueblo), and Northwest (Lingít, Alutiiq).

Location: 3260 South St., Philadelphia

At the Philadelphia Art Museum, special exhibitions will feature the works of Noah Davis, a cross-generational survey titled "A Nation of Artists" with John Middleton and Leigh Middleton, and "Rising Up: Rocky and the Making of Monuments," a Rocky film anniversary exhibit connecting the famed Rocky statue to significant moments in popular culture.

Location: 2600 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia

The Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History presents "The First Salute," detailing the Jewish experience during the American Revolution. This exhibition will run from April 2026 to April 2027.

Location: 101 S. Independence Mall East, Philadelphia