Veterans Day Weekend with the Museum

This Veterans Day and Veterans Day Weekend, join the Museum onsite and online in honoring America’s first veterans as well as those who have served and continue to serve the nation today. Throughout the weekend, the Museum will offer free admission to those currently serving in the military, veterans, and Blue Star Families, courtesy of Comcast NBCUniversal.

Liberty: Don Troiani's Paintings of the Revolutionary War
Onsite | Daily
The Museum's newest special exhibition (opens Oct. 16), Liberty will plunge visitors into some of the most pivotal events of America’s fight for independence and reveal nationally renowned historical artist Don Troiani’s research-based artistic process. For the first time in a museum, this special exhibition will bring together over 40 of Troiani’s original Revolutionary War paintings and pair them with 40 artifacts from his personal collection, that of the Museum, and several private collectors. The exhibit will also unveil one of Troiani’s latest works, a painting of the young African American sailor and Philadelphian James Forten witnessing Black and Native American troops in the ranks of the Continental Army as they march past Independence Hall on their way to Yorktown, Virginia. The painting was commissioned in 2019 by the Museum with funding provided by the Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route National Historic Trail of the National Park Service.  

AmRev Presents: A Veterans Day Premiere of "Meet James Forten"
Onsite & Online | Nov. 11 at 6:30 p.m. (Ticketed)
Experience the premiere of the Museum's newest first-person theatrical performance, "Meet James Forten," exploring Forten’s life as a free Black Philadelphian, Revolutionary War veteran, and stalwart abolitionist. Following the live performance, join playwright Marissa Kennedy and actor Nathan Alford-Tate along with Museum staff members Michael Idriss, African American Interpretive Fellow, and Tyler Putman, Senior Manager of Gallery Interpretation, for a talkback discussion about how and why this new theatrical piece was created and why Forten’s story continues to resonate with audiences today.

Postcards & Poppies
Onsite | Daily
Guests of all ages are invited to write a special message of gratitude for service members and their families throughout the weekend. The Museum will mail the messages to organizations supporting Blue and Gold Star Families. Visitors also can donate to the American Legion Auxiliary and receive a red crepe paper poppy that was handmade by veterans as part of their therapeutic rehabilitation. Proceeds will assist disabled and hospitalized veterans.

10-Minute Gallery Talks
Onsite | Daily
Join an educator for 10-minute pop-up talks exploring the stories of specific veterans of the American Revolution through themed gallery programs. 

Discovery Cart: Louis Cook
Onsite | Daily
Join a Museum educator at a discovery cart featuring replica artifacts and documents to learn about Akiatonharónkwen (Louis Cook), one of the highest-ranking Native American officers in the Continental forces during the Revolutionary War. This cart features brand-new replica wampum belts recently commissioned by the Museum.

Joseph Plumb Martin Performance
Online | Anytime
Meet Joseph Plumb Martin, a young Continental soldier, as he concludes his Revolutionary War service and considers what’s next in a captivating one-man theatrical performance.