Celebrate a Virtual Thanksgiving Weekend with the Museum

Enjoy Make-at-Home Crafts and Online Colonial Cooking Demonstrations 

Explore Stories of Native People During Native American Heritage Month  

Please note: The Museum is temporarily closed to the public through Jan. 1, 2021, due to new guidelines from the City of Philadelphia to reduce the spread of COVID-19. Visit our health and safety page for more information.  

In 1789, President George Washington issued a proclamation designating a national day of thanks each November. Nearly 75 years later, President Abraham Lincoln made it an official Thanksgiving holiday. This Thanksgiving Weekend, join us online to explore the foods and festivities that Revolutionaries used to celebrate harvests and victories with make-at-home craft activities and virtual cooking demonstrations for all ages from Thursday, Nov. 26 - Sunday, Nov. 29, 2020. 

Make-at-Home Crafts 
Download instructions and collect your materials to learn the art of paper-cutting, “scherenschnitte,” brought to America by German immigrants, and create paper decorations inspired by artifacts in the Museum’s collection. Kids can also download instructions to create their own miniature paper version of General George Washington's War Tent, the crown jewel of the Museum's collection.  

Living History at Home Cooking Demos 

Enjoy special online cooking demonstrations as part of our virtual “Living History at Home” series. Tune into the Museum’s Facebook, Instagram and Twitter as Manager of Gallery Interpretation Tyler Putman demonstrates how to make common colonial recipes. On Saturday, November 28 at 10 a.m., tune into our Facebook page as Putman prepares a simple dish of rice and vinegar that Joseph Plumb Martin, a Continental soldier, remembered having as a Thanksgiving meal. 

Native American Heritage Month 
November marks Native American Heritage Month. During Thanksgiving Weekend, visit the Oneida Nation Gallery in the Virtual Museum Tour to explore a debate among the Nation’s leader about whether to side with the British or Continental Army during the Revolutionary War. Learn the story of Two Kettles Together who fought alongside her husband at the Battle of Oriskany. At a Virtual Discovery Cart, discover the story of Lieutenant Colonel Joseph Louis Cook (Akiatonharónkwen), the highest-ranking Native American officer in the Continental forces during the Revolutionary War. Cook was born to an African American father and Abenaki mother. 

About Museum of the American Revolution 

The Museum of the American Revolution uncovers and shares compelling stories about the diverse people and complex events that sparked America’s ongoing experiment in liberty, equality, and self-government. Through the Museum’s unmatched collection, immersive galleries, powerful theater experiences, and interactive elements, visitors gain a deeper appreciation for how this nation came to be and feel inspired to consider their role in ensuring that the promise of the American Revolution endures. Located just steps away from Independence Hall, the Museum serves as a portal to the region’s many Revolutionary sites, sparking interest, providing context, and encouraging exploration. The Museum, which opened on April 19, 2017, is a private, non-profit, and non-partisan organization. For more information, visit www.AmRevMuseum.org or call 877.740.1776.