Celebrate Revolutionary women throughout Women's History Month this March at the Museum. Plan Your Visit

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Digital Discovery Carts

Themed discovery carts offer digital guests a chance to view replica objects and documents to dig deeper into stories and people of the Revolution.

Protest in Early America Discovery Cart
 

Protest in Early America Discovery Cart

Learn how early Americans used boycotts, printed propaganda, violence, and public demonstrations to advocate for various causes, and consider the similarities and differences between the 18th century through to today.
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Sergeant John Hawkins' Lost Pack Discovery Cart

Explore the contents of 2nd Canadian Regiment Sergeant John Hawkins' knapsack, which he lost on Sept. 11, 1777 at the Battle of Brandywine.
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James Forten Discovery Cart
 

James Forten Discovery Cart

View replica objects from the time James Forten, a free Revolutionary War veteran, wealthy sailmaker and prominent Philadelphia abolitionist, spent as a teenager at sea to learn more about his life.
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Archaeological dig at the Museum
 

Archaeology at the Museum Discovery Cart

View a sample of the artifacts found during the archaeological dig at the site of the Museum of the American Revolution in Old City, Philadelphia, prior to construction.
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Image 120820 Hessian Caps Discovery Cart Hessians Img 1696 1694
 

Hessians and the 10 Crucial Days Discovery Cart

Take a closer look at items featured in this digital discovery cart about Hessian soldiers and the Battles of Trenton and Princeton that turned the tides of the Revolutionary War.
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Image 111720 Discovery Cart Joseph Louis Cook Main
 

Louis Cook Discovery Cart

Learn more about Lieutenant Colonel Louis Cook's (Akiatonharónkwen) life and story using reproduction objects at this digital discovery cart.
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Image 10142020 Harrywashingtonobjects Hwashingtondiscoverycart
 

Harry Washington Discovery Cart

Explore replica objects related to the life of Harry Washington, who was enslaved by the Washingtons and found freedom through service in the British army.
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Image 050420 Camp Follower Discovery Cart Img 0695
 

Forgotten Revolutionaries: Camp Followers Discovery Cart

Learn about the women and children who served vital roles while traveling with both the British and Revolutionary armies during the Revolutionary War.
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Image 040720 Artisans Makers Discovery Cart Img 9439
 

Artisans and Makers Discovery Cart

Learn more about tools used by artisans and makers working in specialized, skilled trades during the Revolutionary era.
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Virtual "Walking" Tours

Explore Revolutionary sites and spaces around historic Philadelphia with facts and commentary on these little-known histories.

left to right, sitting on stools: David O Stewart, R. Scott Stephenson, Talmage Boston
 

A Walk Through George Washington's Philadelphia

Authors and historians David O. Stewart and Talmage Boston joined Dr. R. Scott Stephenson for a walking tour through George Washington’s Philadelphia, including stops at Independence Hall, the President’s House, and Congress Hall.
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Michael Idriss Mother Bethel Ame Walking Tour
 

Mother Bethel AME Virtual Walking Tour

Join the Museum's African American Interpretive Fellow, Michael Idriss, for a virtual tour of the historic Mother Bethel AME Church in Philadelphia.
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Portrait of Thaddeus Kosciuszko
Karl Gottlieb Schweikart, Portrait of Tadeusz Kościuszko, National Museum in Warsaw 

Thaddeus Kościuszko Virtual Walking Tour

Learn more about one of Poland’s most famous national heroes, Thaddeus Kościuszko, his contributions to the American Revolution, and his influence right here in Philadelphia.
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Nastassia Parker as Ona Judge
 

Ona Judge Virtual "Walking" Tour

Hear the extraordinary story of Ona Judge and visit the sites that played a part in her journey towards freedom with Museum educator Michael Idriss.
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The Tomb of the Unknown Revolutionary War Soldier with a statue of George Washington in Washington Square Park in Philadelphia.
 

Virtually Tour the Tomb of the Unknown Revolutionary War Soldier

Read more about the Tomb of the Unknown Revolutionary War Soldier, which stands in Washington Square Park, just a couple blocks from the Museum.
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Image 101520 16x9 Hamilton Tour Citytavern
image left: The Library Company of Philadelphia 

Hamilton Was Here Virtual Walking Tour

Without Philadelphia, there might not have been the Alexander Hamilton we know today. Check out notable sites from Hamilton's time in Revolutionary Philadelphia.
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Case Studies

Take a closer look objects, artwork, and documents featured in the galleries of the Museum's core exhibition.

A photo of our Lexington-Concord gallery
 

Witnesses of the “Shot Heard Round the World"

Explore objects from the Battles of Lexington and Concord, which began the Revolutionary War on April 19, 1775.
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Image 10142020 16x9 Casestudy Gallery13
 

General George Washington's 'Military Family'

Explore art and objects related to General George Washington's "military family," featured in the Museum's "Winter Patriots, 1777-1778" gallery.
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Image 10142020 Casestudy Gallery2
 

Before Equality: The King in American Life

Explore the Museum's "Rule Britannia" gallery, featuring objects that reveal how present symbols of the monarchy were in everyday colonial life.
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Symbols of a Developing American Republic

Explore symbols of the republic on objects and artifacts found in the Museum's gallery on the New York Campaign.
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Painting Breakdowns

Dive deeper into iconic paintings from the Revolutionary War that are featured in the Museum's collection.

Numbered version of Don Troiani's painting Artillery of Independence, Siege of Yorktown, Virginia, October 9, 1781 from the Museum's Liberty exhibit.
 
Liberty Exhibit

Breaking Down Don Troiani's "Artillery of Independence, Siege of Yorktown" Painting

Take a detailed look at Don Troiani's "Artillery of Independence, Siege of Yorktown" painting depicting General George Washington firing the first shot at Yorktown on Oct. 9, 1781.
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A version of Don Troiani's painting of the Boston Massacre with numbered hotpots to highlight different parts of the scene.
 
Liberty Exhibit

Breaking Down Don Troiani's "The Boston Massacre, March 5, 1770" Painting

Take a detailed look at Don Troiani's "The Boston Massacre, March 5, 1770" painting that depicts the chaotic scene in Boston that left five people dead and was used to turn colonists against King George III's rule.
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Numbered Victory Or Death Advance on Trenton painting by Don Troiani Painting in the Liberty exhibit.
 
Liberty Exhibit

Breaking Down Don Troiani's "Victory or Death, Advance on Trenton" Painting

Take a detailed look at Don Troiani's "Victory or Death, Advance on Trenton" painting that depicts the Continental Army en route to Trenton after their Christmas night crossing of the Delaware River.
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Paoli Numbers 0
 

Breaking Down Xavier della Gatta's Battle of Paoli Painting

British Army officer Richard St. George remembered Paoli as a “nocturnal bloody scene” and helped create the detailed painting of the battle.
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Germantown Numbers
 

Breaking Down Xavier della Gatta's Battle of Germantown Painting

British Army officer Richard St. George worked with Italian artist Xavier della Gatta to create the painting of the Battle of Germantown.
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Valley Forge Numbered 0
 

Breaking Down Trego's March to Valley Forge Painting

Painted by Philadelphia artist William B. T. Trego in 1883, The March to Valley Forge, December 19, 1777 is one of the most iconic paintings of the Revolutionary War.
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Dive Even Deeper

Take a closer look at compelling stories about the diverse people and complex events that sparked America’s ongoing experiment in liberty, equality, and self-government.

On the left a close-up image of the James Forten portrait. On the right, an image from a microscope of the same painting.
 
Black Founders

Conserving Black Founders: How Artifact Conservation Brought an Exhibition to Life

Read from five conservators who worked on conserving artifacts ahead of being displayed in the Museum's special exhibition, Black Founders: The Forten Family of Philadelphia.
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Force10 Sailmaking's Nahja Chimenti works on a sail in the family business's workshop.
 
Black Founders

From James Forten to Force 10, the Craft of Traditional Sailmaking Continues Today

Nahja Chimenti and Sean Bunting of Force 10 Sailmaking and Rigging reflect on their work, compare their workshop to the recreated sail loft that was in our Black Founders exhibit, and look at how James Forten's Revolutionary-era sailmaking work is similar to their own.
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A painted portrait of James Forten is installed next to a small photograph of his wife Charlotte Vandine Forten in the Museum's Black Founders exhibit.
 
Black Founders

Triumphant Lives: The Forten Legacy Fosters Scholarship and Historical Insight

Dr. Janice L. Sumler-Edmond recounts the past 50 years of academic scholarship on James Forten and his descendants that helped lead to the Museum's Black Founders special exhibition.
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A family views the Forten family tree and family bible in the Museum's Black Founders exhibit.
 
Black Founders

Forten Family Heirlooms on Loan from Descendants in Black Founders Exhibit

Learn more about the rare surviving objects on loan from Forten family descendants that are on display in our special exhibition, Black Founders: The Forten Family of Philadelphia.
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A museum curator places a photograph of Charlotte Vandine Forten in its case for display in Black Founders.
 
Black Founders

Forten Family Artifacts on Loan from Howard University in Black Founders Exhibit

Take a closer look at the Forten family artifacts that the Howard University Moorland-Spingarn Research Center loaned to the Museum for our special exhibition, Black Founders: The Forten Family of Philadelphia.
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Silhouette artist T.J. Steussy shows a young visitor his silhouette during Winter Weekends at the Museum.
 

Silhouette Art's Unique Connection to Revolutionary-era Philadelphia

Silhouette artist Ted Stuessy explores a brief history of the artform and its unique connection to the Peale Museum in Revolutionary-era Philadelphia.
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Portrait painted of John Adams, who had white hair, balding, wearing a black formal jacket and a white shirt underneath.
National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution 

John Adams and Revolutionary Philadelphia's Summer Heat

Here are five times John Adams, signer of the Declaration of Independence and eventually the second President of the United States, wrote about his hatred for the heat during the summers of 1776 and 1777.
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Battle Of Bunker Hill Credit Don Troiani
 
Liberty Exhibit

Battle of Bunker Hill in Liberty: Don Troiani's Paintings of the Revolutionary War Exhibit

Take a closer look at two paintings by nationally renowned historical artist Don Troiani as well as four objects related to the Battle of Bunker that are on display in our special exhibition.
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Portrait of William Shakespeare from the collection of the National Portrait Gallery in London.
© National Portrait Gallery, London 

Founders' Writings on Their Admiration of William Shakespeare

Take a look at the deep appreciation many founders, like George Washington, John and Abigail Adams, and Thomas Jefferson, had for William Shakespeare and their recurring citations of his work.
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A painting of Washington at the Battle of Princeton, 1777
Courtesy Don Troiani 
Liberty Exhibit

10 Crucial Days Liberty Exhibit Scavenger Hunt

Using paintings by artist Don Troiani of the Battles of Trenton and Princeton, complete a scavenger hunt about objects and people from the 10 Crucial Days.
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Oneida Gallery Small
 

Meet the Figures: Oneida Nation Theater

At the Museum's Oneida Nation Theater, featuring six life-cast figures and a film, meet Oneida people in the midst of a debate about how they will engage in the Revolutionary War.

Explore Online
George Dance Drawing of an 18th-Century Chinese Man
© The Trustees of the British Museum 

Looking Through the Silk Screen: Asian People in the American Revolution

Historian Daniel Sieh explores how the story of Charles Peters provides a fascinating window into the contributions made by Asian people to the American Revolution.
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"Boston Massacre, March 5th, 1770" by John H. Bufford
Boston Athenaeum 

Boston Massacre and Propaganda: Changing Depictions of Crispus Attucks

Depictions of the Boston Massacre, the chaotic melee on March 5, 1770 that left five Bostonians dead, including Crispus Attucks, offer a glimpse into the blurred lines between reality and propaganda.
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American Flag’s Origins: A Symbol of Unity or Dissent?

Now-former Museum Chief Historian Dr. Philip Mead takes a closer look at the evolution of the American flag as a symbol during the Revolutionary era.
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Martin Luther King Jr. speech
 

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the Promises of the American Revolution

Learn about the life, service, and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. through many of his speeches and writings that reference the America's founding documents.
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Image 110420 Rtr Turncoat Crop
 

5 Pop Culture Portrayals of Benedict Arnold

Benedict Arnold’s journey from a once-ardent hero of the Revolutionary cause to its most dishonored traitor is well-documented in historical works.
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George Washington's Whiskey Cake
 

A Recipe for a Revolutionary Birthday

Download the recipes for a "whisky cake" favored by George Washington as well as a rum shrub cocktail for your next celebration.
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Video Explorations

Wondering how General George Washington's headquarters tent ended up at the Museum? Thinking about how individual artifacts give us a glimpse into Revolutionary events? Browse a selection of videos to explore the American Revolution even further.

Philly Jazz Project We Shall 2019
 

We Shall Continue: Celebrating MLK Weekend with the Philadelphia Jazz Project

Watch the Philadelphia Jazz Project's We Shall Continue, pulling together interviews and their past performances at the Museum to look at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s enduring impact on the struggle for human rights and ongoing American Revolution.
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Image 090420 George Washington Tent Film 085 Theater
 

Making the Museum: Washington's War Tent

The Museum opened in April 2017, but its collection has been in the making for more than a century. Learn more about the "rockstar" of our collection, General George Washington's headquarters tent.
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Image 090420 Shot Heard Round The World Gallery 096 Moar Displays
 

Remembering the First Shot of the Revolutionary War

April 19, 2020 marked the 245th anniversary of the first shot of the Revolutionary War – later called the “shot heard round the world” – at the Old North Bridge in Concord, Massachusetts.
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Image 110420 Baroness Von Riedesel Mar Gallery 10 013
 

Discovering History: Baroness von Riedesel

Learn the fascinating but little-known story of Baroness von Riedesel with a video presentation from Hannah Boettcher, the Museum’s Manager of Special Programs.
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Powder horn belonging to Gershom Prince
 

Discovering History: Memorialization at the Museum

Associate Curator Matthew Skic takes you through the stories of Revolutionary soldiers and officers such as Polish cavalryman Casimir Pulaski, Colonel Jonathan Pettibone, and Gershom Prince.
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Image 110420 Educating Citizens Sampler Mar Gallery 15 030
 

Object Stories: Educating Citizens

Learn how important education became in the years following the Revolutionary War, and discover how parents were teaching their children from home in the early republic, much as people are doing today.
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