Celebrate July 4th Weekend with Special Exhibits, Events, and Activities for All Ages, July 1 – 5

Welcome New U.S. Citizens at a Naturalization Ceremony and Enjoy a High-Energy Performance by the West Powelton Steppers and Drum Squad on July 1

View a Broadside Printing of the Declaration of Independence, Enjoy Walking Tours, Make a Craft to Take Home, and More

What do the American Revolution’s promises of liberty and equality mean for all people? Explore this question and more with special exhibits, events, and activities for all ages at the Museum of the American Revolution during Fourth of July Weekend from Friday, July 1 – Tuesday, July 5, 2022. Throughout the weekend, visitors can view a broadside printing of the Declaration of Independence on display, listen to pop-up talks in the galleries, pose for photos at a patriotic selfie station, and more.

On Friday, July 1, at 10 a.m., more than 25 candidates from across the globe will be sworn in as U.S. citizens during a naturalization ceremony in the Museum’s third-floor Liberty Hall, hosted by United States Citizenship and Immigration Services.

Then, from 10:45 – 11:30 a.m. on Friday, July 1, enjoy the heart-pounding, high-energy percussive sounds of the West Powelton Steppers and Drum Squad on the Museum’s outdoor plaza. All ages will enjoy the beats of snare, quad, and bass drum with a unique Philly flavor, accompanied by step dancers’ radical foot work and bold body movement. The performance is free and open to the public. 

Fourth of July Weekend Highlights:

• Special Exhibit: Liberty: Don Troiani’s Paintings of the Revolutionary War | Daily from 10 a.m. – 4:45 p.m.
  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 compelling stories about the diverse people and complex events of the American Revolution to life. More than 45 original paintings by Troiani are currently on view for the first time in a major museum exhibition and are paired with historic artifacts that illuminate the story in each scene. Don’t miss 10-minute pop-up talks at the new “Brave Men as Ever Fought” painting, which depicts free Black Philadelphian James Forten in a pivotal moment during the Revolutionary War.
• Crafts in Revolution Place Discovery Center | Daily, 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
  The Museum’s family-friendly discovery center, Revolution Place, will be open daily for visitors to explore recreated historical environments, including a military encampment, a tavern, a home, and an 18th-century meeting house. Create an “illumination” craft celebrating liberty and equality by tracing and coloring a “transparent scene” to take home and hang in the window, like those created by Philadelphia artist Charles Willson Peale. Guests can also create a personalized tile to add to a special mosaic project.
• Walking Tour: Revolutionary City | Saturday and Sunday, July 2 and 3, 2 p.m. | Additional Ticket Required
  Join an educator to explore our Revolutionary neighborhood and imagine what life was like in the 1700s. This one-hour guided tour covers about a mile and stops outside iconic sites including City Tavern, Independence Hall, and Carpenters’ Hall to discuss the experiences of everyday people in the Revolutionary era. 
• Meet the Revolution with Daryian Kelton | Friday and Saturday, July 1 and 2, from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
  The Museum welcomes the return of historical interpreter Daryian Kelton as part of the Meet the Revolution series. As a costumed interpreter, Kelton will present the story of Polydore Redman, a man of African descent who went on to become a drummer in the 5th Pennsylvania (Continental) Battalion. Learn more about his pursuit of liberty and how it differed from those he served alongside as the war proceeded.
• USCIS Naturalization Ceremony | Friday, July 1, 10 a.m.
  Welcome more than two dozen new American citizens from across the globe during a naturalization ceremony hosted by United States Citizenship and Immigration Services in the Museum's Liberty Hall. The ceremony is open to the public.
• West Powelton Steppers and Drum Squad | Friday, July 1, from 10:45 – 11:30 a.m.
  Enjoy the heart-pounding, high-energy percussive sounds of the West Powelton Steppers and Drum Squad on the Museum’s outdoor plaza. All ages will enjoy the beats of snare, quad, and bass drum with a unique Philly flavor, accompanied by step dancers’ radical foot work and bold body movement. The performance is free and open to the public.

• On Display: Broadside Printing of the Declaration of Independence | Daily
  A broadside printing of the Declaration of Independence, on loan from the David M. Rubenstein Collection, will be on display throughout the weekend. The printing is attributed to Robert Luist Fowle, Exeter, New Hampshire, ca. July 15-19, 1776.
• Pop-Up Talks: The Promise of Equality | Daily from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.
  Join a Museum educator in the Declaration of Independence gallery to explore what the “promise of equality” meant for all people, including women, native people, and free and enslaved people of African descent. Discover how different people, like formerly enslaved woman Elizabeth “Mumbet” Freeman, seized the opportunity to advocate for equal rights in 1776 and afterward. Plus, learn more about the connections between these Revolutionary-era events and later movements advocating for equal rights in America.
• Stories on Deck: Unpack a Sea Chest | Daily at 2:30 p.m.
  Climb on board the Museum’s replica sloop! Join a Museum educator on our life-size recreation of a privateer ship to explore what life was like for sailors and privateers during the Revolutionary War using replica handling objects from the sea chest.
• Discovery Cart: Season of Independence | Daily from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.
  Join a Museum educator to learn more about the spread of support for American independence through the colonies from January 1776 through the signing of the Declaration of Independence in July 1776. Plus, don’t miss our in-gallery touchscreen and online interactive to encounter the perspectives of real men and women on all sides of the debate.
• On Display: True Colours Flag Project | Daily from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
  Large, colorful handsewn flags will be on display in the Museum’s atrium throughout the weekend. Why did 18th-century ships carry flags from many countries during the Revolutionary War? And what did it mean for a ship to fly its “true colours”? Explore the American Revolution’s global connections with this display of replica flags and a printed True Colours Family Guide. Sponsorship for the project was provided by The Color Guard of the Pennsylvania Society of Sons of the Revolution.

Fourth of July Weekend offerings are included with regular Museum admission (walking tours are an additional charge). The Museum is open daily from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at www.amrevmuseum.org, by calling 215.253.6731, or at the front desk. Save $2 per adult ticket by purchasing online. Children ages 5 and under are always free.

Health and Safety Note
Masks and proof of vaccination are no longer required for daytime visitors to the Museum. More information about health and safety measures at the Museum is available here.

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.