As the calendar nears July 4, states, counties and towns across the country are digging into their histories to celebrate 250 years of America, with D.C. at the center of the festivities, boasting national artifacts, artwork and parties to honor the American anniversary.
Now that the academic year has wrapped up and summer is in full swing, so are celebrations of the country’s semiquincentennial as the anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence looms. From block parties to dog contests, each event is carefully curated to celebrate the country, so take a quick break from your hillternship this summer and check out the exhibits and festivities around D.C.
“In Pursuit of Life, Liberty, and Happiness” exhibit at the National Museum of American History
In a museum-wide exhibition launched May 14, spanning the 250,000 square feet of the National Museum of American History’s three floors, museum curators chose 250 objects from 1776 through the modern day that depict how Americans “pursued the promises” of the nation’s founding.
Items range from a Special Olympics torch from the 2015 World Games in Los Angeles, representing how people with disabilities have participated in competitive sports on the world stage, to a pink “pussy hat” worn by a participant in the 2017 Women’s March in D.C. that depicts how people hoped to revitalize the fight for social justice for women around the world.
Dating back to 1776, the exhibit also displays Thomas Jefferson’s desk, where he wrote the Declaration of Independence, complete with a hinged writing board and a drawer for papers, pens and an inkwell.
The exhibit is on display until the end of 2026.
Brew to the People: A Coffee House Conversation at Tudor Place Historic House & Garden
Among the residential streets of Georgetown lies Tudor Place, a mansion with sprawling gardens that was once the home of Thomas Peter and Martha Parke Custis Peter, descendants of Martha Washington. From 6:30 to 8 p.m. on July 2, Tudor Place will host an after-hours experience inspired by colonial coffeehouses catered exclusively to the Gen-Z crowd.
The event will provide coffee-flavored mocktails and treats, with an opportunity for attendees to deepen their historic knowledge of the Washington family while exploring the featured exhibition, “Founding Fortunes: The Estate Sale of Martha Washington,” that follows the public sale of Washington’s household contents at Mount Vernon in 1802.
Admission is $10 for non-members.
National Museum of Women in the Arts exhibits
Right in Penn Quarter, the National Museum of Women in the Arts is showing multiple exhibits to honor American womens’ artistic perspectives around the country.
In the museum’s Great Hall, “Ms. Americana” is on display from April until October 2027, featuring a selection of 10 works by American women, including still-life paintings, portraits and landscapes from the 18th to 20th centuries by artists like Miriam Peale, known as the first woman to make a profession of painting and Cecilia Beaux, who painted prominent writers and politicians.
On display from May 8 to September 27, “Burnished: Pueblo Pottery at NMWA” is the first time the museum is displaying its pottery collection in a focus exhibition. The 24 clay vessels reflect varying material cultures and traditions across Pueblo communities in the southwestern regions of the United States, featuring Santa Clara artist Margaret Tafoya and Acoma potter Emma Lewis Mitchell.
Museum admission is $13 for D.C. residents.
Spirit of America Festival
In addition to displaying never-before-seen documents like Benjamin Franklin’s 1775 postal ledger and George Washington’s signed Oath of Allegiance from Valley Forge, the National Archives Building is hosting a “Spirit of Independence Festival” June 4-6.
On June 5, the Archive building’s lawn will be transformed into a July 4 celebration, featuring historical reenactors, free activities and the opportunity to trace back family roots with AncestryDNA.
On June 6 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Mars Incorporated and other brands will host a “Yappy Hour” on the National Archives lawn, where guests can bring their dogs dressed in patriotic attire for a “Patriotic Pooch Contest.”
From 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on June 6, in honor of the 250th anniversaries of the U.S. Army and Navy and 82nd anniversary of D-Day, the festival will feature live performances from military bands. Guests will have the opportunity to step inside a Vietnam War Army helicopter and participate in activities to better their knowledge of the U.S. military.
Attendees must reserve free timed tickets to attend.
National Gallery of Art Block Party
A self-proclaimed “biggest party ever,” the National Gallery of Art is hosting a block party on June 6 to celebrate the legacy of American art and creativity across the museum’s campus in the East and West Buildings as well as the Fourth Street Plaza that connects the two facilities.
Visitors can get an inside look into the museum with art talks in the American galleries and special exhibitions, like “Dear America: Artists Explore the American Experience” that features over 100 works from the 18th century through the modern day, take part in creating a community collage quilt, make a zine and listen to a sound bath. Local groups like the Batalá Washington Drum Band, East of the River Steel Drum Band and the Eastern High School Marching Band will perform, and refreshments will be provided, with a full timed schedule to be released closer to the event date.
Attendees must reserve free timed tickets to attend.
