Presidents Day Weekend at the Museum

Join us at the Museum to explore the life, leadership, and legacy of the nation’s first president, George Washington, and the diverse range of people who made it possible over Presidents Day Weekend from Feb. 19-21. Throughout the weekend, guests of all ages are invited to participate in family-friendly crafts and activities, watch special presentations and performances, discover surprising stories in our galleries, and much more.

A Walk Through Washington’s Philadelphia: A Special Presidents Day Virtual Walking Tour
Online | Monday, Feb. 21
Authors and historians David O. Stewart and Talmage Boston join Museum President & CEO Dr. R. Scott Stephenson for a walking tour through Washington’s Philadelphia, including stops at Independence Hall, the President’s House, and Congress Hall. Following stops at key moments in the Museum’s core exhibition and our special exhibition, Liberty: Don Troiani’s Paintings of the Revolutionary War, the trio will warm up in Revolution Place for a fireside chat about the nation’s first president.

Washington's War Tent Film
Alan B. Miller Theater (second floor) | Daily
Don’t miss our signature experience, Washington’s War Tent, a dramatic presentation of the linen field tent that served as Washington’s command center during the Revolutionary War. The tent is a stirring testament to his leadership and to the diverse people like William Lee and Selina Gray who were critical to the tent’s endurance through the years. One of the most iconic surviving artifacts of the Revolution, the tent remains a powerful symbol of the survival of our fragile republic.

Liberty: Don Troiani’s Paintings of the Revolutionary War
Patriots Gallery (first floor) | Daily
The Museum's special exhibition, now open through Sept. 5, 2022, immerses visitors in the dramatic and research-based works of nationally renowned historical artist Don Troiani to bring the compelling stories about the diverse people and complex events of the American Revolution to life. Explore paintings from crucial moments for Washington in the Revolutionary War, including at the Battle of Trenton, the Battle of Princeton, and at Yorktown.

Meet James Forten Performances
Alan B. Miller Theater (second floor) | Saturday, 1:15 & 3:15 p.m. & Sunday, 1:15 p.m.
Experience the Museum's latest first-person theatrical performance, Meet James Forten, exploring Forten’s life as a free Black Philadelphian, Revolutionary War veteran, and abolitionist. Nathan Alford-Tate performs as Forten in his formative years in a performance written by playwright Marissa Kennedy.

Washington’s Camp Furniture Activity
Rotunda (first floor) | Daily, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Washington slept where!? Join a Museum educator to set up the interior of Washington’s tent with replicated furniture, including his camp bed, stools, and accoutrements, for visitors to explore Washington’s day-to-day experience as Commander in Chief of the Continental Army and the unsung role of William Lee, Washington’s enslaved valet.

Color-Your-Own Inaugural Button Craft
Revolution Place (lower level) | Daily, 11 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Check out original inaugural buttons from Washington’s campaign The Constitution gallery in our core exhibition before heading on down to Revolution Place on the lower level to create your own inaugural button to take home.

Discovery Cart: Washington's War Tent 
Onsite | Daily
Join a Museum educator at a hands-on discovery cart to explore replica objects and documents based on the tent that served as Washington’s mobile command center during the Revolutionary War. Plus, learn more about the little-known stories of William Lee, who was Washington’s enslaved valet throughout much of the war, and Selina Gray, who saved the tent and other Washington family heirlooms from Arlington House during the Civil War.

10-Minute In-Gallery Talk: The Promise of Equality
Onsite | Daily
Join a Museum educator in the Declaration of Independence gallery to discuss the promises of the Declaration and how different people, like Elizabeth Freeman and William Findley, seized the opportunity to advocate for equal rights in 1776 and afterwards. Plus, learn more about the connections between these Revolutionary-era events and figures to later movements advocating for equal rights in America.

Virtual Tour of Washington's Field Headquarters
Online | Anytime
Immerse yourself in 360-degree panoramic images of a recreated Revolutionary War encampment, including the Museum's handsewn, full-scale replicas of Washington's sleeping marquee, dining tent, baggage tent, and common tents. Plus, step inside Washington's sleeping marquee, view high-resolution images of replica artifacts and wartime equipment, watch a timelapse of the encampment set-up, and learn more about Washington's mobile headquarters while on campaign with the Continental Army.

A Reading of Washington's "Letter to the Hebrew Congregation"
Offsite at Congregation Mikveh Israel | Feb. 21, 1 p.m.
44 North 4th Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19106
Join our neighbors at Congregation Mikveh Israel on Monday, Feb. 21, 2022, at 1 p.m. and visit Philadelphia’s oldest synagogue to hear a special presentation of the words written by George Washington in 1790, responding to Mikveh Israel’s letter of congratulations for being sworn in as the first President of the United States from the Hebrew congregations in Philadelphia, New York, Charleston, and Richmond. At 12:30 p.m., interested Museum guests are invited to meet a Museum educator in the Museum’s Rotunda for a short walk to arrive at this free public presentation at Congregation Mikveh Israel.

Health & Safety Note
Due to declining COVID-19 cases in the Philadelphia area, proof of vaccination is no longer required for daytime visitors to the Museum. Masks are required for visitors ages 2 and up, regardless of vaccination status.