Discover the Impact of America’s First Allies During Native American Heritage Month, Thanksgiving Weekend at the Museum of the American Revolution

Don’t Miss Your Chance to Visit The Declaration’s Journey Before It Closes Jan. 3, 2027

Discover the impact and roles of Native Americans during Native American Heritage Month and Thanksgiving Weekend, Friday, Nov. 27–Sunday, Nov. 29, 2026.The Museum will be closed on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, Nov. 26, 2026.

Visitors can learn more about how Native American nations served as the first foreign powers to formally recognize the United States’ independence and their allyship with the U.S. during the Revolutionary War in The Declaration's Journey through objects like the Treaty of Watertown from 1776, on loan the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library at Yale University. Objects on view that highlight Native Americans' pivotal role throughout history in the special exhibition include spectacles owned by Joseph Amos, the first ordained Mashpee Wampanoag minister, on loan from the Eleanor Pocknet Harding estate, and a recognition of Cherokee sovereignty written by then-governor of Arkansas, Henry Massie Rector, on loan from The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. The Declaration’s Journey closes on Jan. 3, 2027. 

Throughout Thanksgiving Weekend, enjoy special talks, discovery carts, and activities for the whole family. Welcome the season during your visit as we deck the Museum with holiday cheer, and find the history buffs in your life the perfect gift in the Museum Shop!

Native American Heritage Month Highlights:

10-Minute Talk: Akiatonharónkwen/Louis Cook | Daily at 12:30 p.m.
Join a Museum educator in the Museum's core galleries for a 10-minute talk to learn about Akiatonharónkwen (Louis Cook), one of the highest-ranking Native American officers in the Continental forces during the Revolutionary War. 

Native Americans in the Revolution Discovery Cart | Weekdays at 1:30 p.m.
Join a Museum educator at a discovery cart featuring replica artifacts and documents to learn about Tyonajanegen (Two Kettles Together), an Oneida woman who participated in the Battle of Oriskany during the Saratoga Campaign.

Meet the Revolution: Hartman Deetz | Nov. 21–22 at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.
Join artist and educator Hartman Deetz (Mashpee Wampanoag) as he discusses how wampum belts record history, law, and identity; how these living documents are made; and why they still matter today.

10-Minute Talk: Objects of Reflection | Daily at 1:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m.
What did the Declaration of Independence mean in 1776 compared to 1963? Join an educator to learn more about two objects in the exhibition!

Meet the Figures: Oneida Nation Theater
Meet people of the Oneida Nation in the midst of a debate about how they will engage in the Revolutionary War. A film and six life-cast figures, bring the discussion to life at the Museum's Oneida Nation Theater. Each of the figures is based on a real Oneida person and dressed in garments representative of what these people wore in the 1770s, combining Native fashion and Euro-American textiles and trade goods. Their words are drawn from a variety of sources and written in the style apparent in recorded Native American speeches, treaty negotiations, and conversations.

Film Screening: The People of the Standing Stone

The People of the Standing Stone explores the crucial but little-known history of the extraordinary contributions of one Native American people who chose to commit themselves to the Revolutionary cause when nearly all others fought on the side of the British during America’s War for Independence. The moving 25-minute film was directed by Emmy Award-winning director Ric Burns and narrated by Academy Award-winning actor Kevin Costner. 

Thanksgiving Weekend Highlights:

Native Americans in the Revolution Discovery Cart | Nov. 27–29 from 11 a.m.–3 p.m.Join a Museum educator at a discovery cart featuring replica artifacts and documents to learn about Tyonajanegen (Two Kettles Together), an Oneida woman who participated in the Battle of Oriskany during the Saratoga Campaign.

10-Minute Talk: Children’s Toys | Nov. 27–29 at 12:30 p.m.
Join a Museum educator to learn about what children played with, as well as the role of camp followers in the Revolutionary era!

Make Your Own Cookie Mold Ornament in Revolution Place | Daily 10 a.m.–5 p.m.
Kick off the holiday season by making your own 18th-century cookie ornaments. Use wooden cookie molds, air-dry clay, and ribbon to decorate "cookies" in the style of 1776 gingerbread cookies.

The Museum is open daily from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. The Declaration’s Journey is open from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. daily and is included with regular Museum admission. Tickets to the Museum can be purchased by calling 215.253.6731, at AmRevMuseum.org, or at the front desk. Save $2 per adult ticket by purchasing online. Kids ages 5 and under are always free. All tickets are valid for two consecutive days.

The Museum's Native American Interpretive Program is sponsored by Comcast NBCUniversal. 

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 an independent, non-profit, and non-partisan organization. For more information, visit www.AmRevMuseum.org or call 877.740.1776.