Press Releases
How Will You Be the Revolution? Museum to Create Flag with 10,000 Personalized Ribbons During Weeklong July 4th Celebration
May 20, 2019Sign a Giant Declaration of Independence, Meet Thomas Jefferson and Enjoy a Free Slice of Cake for America’s Birthday
View Limited-Run Exhibit "A New Constellation," Featuring 40 Historic 13-Star Flags
How will you be the Revolution? In celebration of Independence Day, the Museum of the American Revolution is asking visitors to declare how they are carrying forward the promises of the American Revolution by adding a personalized ribbon to a giant flag-shaped installation. The installation will be on the Museum’s outdoor plaza from Saturday, June 29 – Sunday, July 7, 2019 from 9:30 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Beginning Flag Day, June 14, ribbon submissions will be collected onsite and online on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram using #BeTheRevolution. The goal is to collect 10,000 ribbons from people of all ages nationwide.
Also on display, from Flag Day, Friday, June 14 – Sunday, July 21, 2019 in the Museum’s Patriots Gallery, the special exhibit “A New Constellation: A Collection of Historic 13-Star Flags” will feature 40 historic 13-star flags, most of which have never been exhibited before. The flags feature 32 different arrangements of 13 stars, representing the 13 colonies that declared independence from Great Britain during the Revolutionary War. The flags are on loan from Jeff Bridgman, a leading dealer of antique flags and political textiles. In an adjacent activity space, visitors of all ages can try on Revolutionary-inspired clothing, handle replica objects, and participate in activities like designing their own flag and other crafts.
Inside the Museum, visitors can explore the history and continuing legacy of the Declaration with a display featuring declarations of independence from around the world that have been inspired by it. Throughout the holiday weekend, visitors can sign their name to a giant Declaration of Independence and take home a complimentary pocket-sized Declaration.
On Monday, July 1, visitors will receive free admission to the Museum as part of the Wawa Welcome America celebration. Tickets will be available to be reserved in advance at www.welcomeamerica.com, while supplies last. Tickets to Washington’s War Tent, the Museum’s signature theater experience, will be available for $5/person at the Museum’s front desk.
On Tuesday, July 2 from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m., a costumed historical interpreter portraying Thomas Jefferson, the original author of the Declaration, will meet and greet visitors and pose for photos. At 1 p.m., visitors can sing happy birthday to America and enjoy a free slice of cake in honor of the nation's real birthday – July 2 – the date that Continental Congress declared independence from Great Britain. At 2 p.m, 50 eligible candidates from across the globe will become American citizens during a naturalization ceremony in the Museum's Liberty Hall.
On Monday, July 1 and Wednesday, July 3 from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m., representatives from Philadelphia’s The Fabric Workshop will be onsite to teach visitors historic techniques of flag making and invite guests to make their own craft to take home.
In the Museum’s core exhibition, a gallery dedicated to the Declaration of Independence will feature a rare 1776 broadside printing of the Declaration, on loan from the descedant of a signer of the Declaration, John Witherspoon. In a mini-theater that evokes the inside of Independence Hall, visitors can watch a film about the tumultuous weeks leading up to the adoption of the Declaration. Through a touchscreen installation, visitors learn about the 88 local declarations of support for independence that preceded the one issued by the Continental Congress. Galleries also explore what “the promise of equality” meant for all people, including women, native people, and enslaved people.
All festivities are included with regular Museum admission. Tickets to the Museum can be purchased by calling 215.253.6731 or at www.amrevmuseum.org, and are $21 for adults; $18 for seniors and students; and $13 for children ages 6 and up. Children ages 5 and under are free.
About Museum of the American Revolution
The Museum of the American Revolution explores the dramatic, surprising story of the American Revolution through its unmatched collection of Revolutionary-era weapons, personal items, documents, and works of art. Immersive galleries, powerful theater experiences, and interactive digital elements bring to life the diverse array of people that created a new nation against incredible odds. Visitors gain a deeper appreciation for how this nation came to be and feel inspired to consider their role in the ongoing promise of the American Revolution. 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.