Gekopieerd naar Klembord
Philadelphia — the genesis of democracy as we know it and the bedrock of the ambitious ideals written into our foundational documents — earned its “birthplace of the nation” title.
But that doesn’t mean America — or Philadelphia, for that matter — is perfect.
As the city rolls out star-spangled celebrations commemorating the nation’s milestone 250th anniversary, cultural institutions, galleries, universities and residents are also reflecting on America’s complicated past, present and future.
New collaborations, like the Native North America gallery at the Penn Museum, and bigger-than-ever annual events, like the Juneteenth Parade en Festival in West Philly, amplify stories that have historically been undertold from the nation’s story, including those of Indigenous peoples, enslaved Americans, immigrant communities and religious minorities.
And installations across the city — like Radicale americana — pass the mic to activists and artists who push America forward, challenging this big, multicultural nation to realize the very values the Founding Fathers debated, drafted and enshrined right here in Philadelphia.
Read on for a guide to special Semiquincentennial events, exhibitions and experiences in Greater Philadelphia that challenge, enhance and expand America’s story.
Nu geopend
De Penn Museum celebrates the first Americans — the Indigenous tribes that lived here long before the Founding Fathers touched pen to paper — with this ruime galerij, which opened in November 2025.
Curated in close collaboration with several Indigenous consulting curators, the new gallery explores “the political, religious, linguistic and artistic self-determination” of America’s Indigenous peoples. Over 250 artifacts and art pieces showcase Indigenous history and culture from tribes throughout the country, including the Delaware/Lenape tribe, the Eastern Band Cherokee tribe, the Lingít tribe and more.
Waar: Penn Museum, 3260 South Street, Philadelphia, PA
Philadelphia is gebaseerd op principes van gelijkheid en is een gastvrije en inspirerende plek for LGBTQ+ travelers, offering inclusive arts and nightlife, vibrant shopping and dining, and a long history of LGBTQ+ activism. Philly begins a new chapter of inclusion with the February 2026 opening of one of America’s first dedicated LGBTQ+ visitor centers.
De Philly Pride Bezoekerscentrum in de Gaybuurt biedt souvenirs, kaartverkoop voor attracties, routeplanning en andere reisinformatie, met de nadruk op LGBTQ+ en aanverwante bedrijven, bestemmingen en culturele instellingen. Het centrum benadrukt ook de rol van Philly in de rechten en geschiedenis van LGBTQ+.
Waar: Philly Pride Visitor Center, 1139 Locust Street, Philadelphia, PA
Data variëren per tentoonstelling
De Barnes Foundation wades into the 250th anniversary waters with two new exhibitions included with regular museum admission.
Film, video and immersive art installations tell the stories of how Americans of color have helped shape our shared identity throughout the past 250 years in Vrijheid Dromen, a meditative exhibition featuring moving-image artists Arthur Jafa, David Hartt and more (through Sunday, August 9, 2026).
And for Sky Hopinka: Rood metaalstofde Benjamin Franklin Parkway museum commissioned Indigenous artist Sky Hopinka (Ho-Chunk Nation/Pechanga Band of Luiseño Indians) to create 11 immersive panels pondering America’s complex history with Indigenous peoples (through Monday, January 18, 2027).
Waar: Barnes Foundation, 2025 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia, PA
Tot november 2026
Despite racism, segregation and prejudice’s best attempts to silence her, Marian Anderson and her incomparable voice captivated — and challenged — the nation. Deze gloednieuwe tentoonstelling bij de Nationaal Marian Anderson Huis - dat deel uitmaakt van het Amerikaanse National Register of Historic Places - toont zeldzame collecties ter ere van een van de meest gevierde operazangeressen en iconen van de burgerrechten uit de Amerikaanse geschiedenis.
Along with glass-encased gowns, photos, authentic letters, paintings and original vinyl pressings, the exhibition highlights who Anderson was as a person — and how at her heart, she was a true Philadelphian: kind, approachable, determined and deeply human.
Bonus: For 2026, the museum hosts a handful of speciale evenementen, concerten en vieringen. Geavanceerde tickets zijn vereist voor zowel de tentoonstellingsrondleidingen als de evenementen.
Waar: Nationaal Marian Anderson Museum, 762 Martin Street, Philadelphia, PA
Tot zondag 14 februari 2027
In 1803, President Thomas Jefferson tasked Meriwether Lewis and William Clark with exploring the nation’s western territories after the Louisiana Purchase. Philadelphia’s Academie voor Natuurwetenschappen is home to nearly all the explorers’ original journals and preserved specimens.
Rediscover the famous expedition through preserved plants and untold Indigenous stories in Plantkunde van naties. Blending botany (the study of plants) with ethnobotany (the study of how people use plants), the exhibition focuses on plants as portals to under-shared stories, cultures and sciences of the Indigenous people who Lewis and Clark met on their journey.
Waar: The Academy of Natural Sciences van Drexel University, 1900 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia, PA
Through Winter 2027
Duits sprekende mensen speelden een belangrijke rol bij de oprichting van onze natie — van politiek tot leger tot religie — en Historic Trappe in Montco herdenkt de 250ste verjaardag van de natie met drie mijlpaalinitiatieven in zijn drie historische panden.
Het huis van de voorzitter, the former home of Frederick Muhlenberg, the first speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, has reopened to the public in all its restored glory, while the Muhlenberg Huis offers tours of the elegant home where indentured German and enslaved African servants once lived. Additionally, the Centrum voor Pennsylvania-Duitse Studies hosts a landmark special exhibition at Dewees Tavern, highlighting the lived experiences of Pennsylvania Germans and featuring original journals, family bibles, firearms, redware and more (through Sunday, February 27, 2028).
Waar: Historic Trappe, 301 West Main Street, Trappe, PA
Tot april 2027
De Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History marks the Semiquincentennial by overhauling its space to include a 4,500-square-foot special exhibition space new permanent exhibit spaces.
Special exhibition De eerste groet werpt een blik op nooit eerder vertelde verhalen over de connecties van de Joodse gemeenschap met de Amerikaanse Revolutie. De tentoonstelling bevat zeldzame artefacten, originele films en meeslepende video's, die samen een verhaal weven over religieuze vrijheid, antisemitisme in de koloniale wereld, handel en het leven op volle zee.
Stay tuned for a permanent exhibit documenting hedendaags antisemitisme, opening later in 2026.
I found the First Salute really interesting on a personal level. I had no idea that there was so much diversity within the Jewish community — from Ashkenazi traditions to Sephardic roots in Spain to Jewish communities in the Caribbean, like the one on St. Eustatius, the first nation to recognize American independence. The exhibition really touched on a lot.
While I’m not Jewish, my family is from the Caribbean, and we can trace our ancestry back to Spain. The exhibition made me wonder if there could there be Jewish heritage in my own bloodline. It’s kind of mind-blowing how interconnected everything is.
Waar: Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History, 101 S. Independence Ml East, Philadelphia, PA
As we celebrate 250 years of American independence, we cannot forget that Jefferson’s words — “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal …” — did not extend to all Americans in 1776.
Elk jaar, de Junetenth Parade en Festival in Philadelphia eert de verjaardag van het moment waarop de laatste tot slaaf gemaakte Afro-Amerikanen op de hoogte werden gesteld van hun vrijheid op 19 juni 1865.
One of the largest in the nation, Philly’s Juneteenth Parade typically features 25,000 attendees, 2,000 participants and over two-dozen floats parading through West Philly.
The day culminates with music, vendors, a youth pavilion, a car show and more at the Juneteenth Festival at Malcolm X Park.
Waar: Verschillende locaties, waaronder Malcolm X Park, 5100 Pine Street, Philadelphia, PA
Fairmount Park’grootste historische huis organiseert een kunsttentoonstelling samengesteld om samen te vallen met de Semiquincentennial die de 100ste verjaardag viert van het Comité van 1926 - de groep die toezicht houdt op de Historisch Strawberry Mansion. De tentoonstelling toont het werk van kunstenaars uit Philadelphia die ten tijde van de oprichting van het comité werden uitgesloten van het tonen van hun kunst.
De werken van bekende zwarte, Latino en LGBTQ+ kunstenaars zijn niet langer onzichtbaar en staan trots in de schijnwerpers op deze tentoonstelling met een scala aan media, waaronder schilderijen, textiel, foto's, aardewerk en driedimensionale kunst.
Waar: Historisch Strawberry Mansion, 2450 Strawberry Mansion Drive, Philadelphia, PA
October 2026
Interdisciplinary artist Wanda Raimundi-Ortiz leads a parade of revelers and community members on a four-mile walk through Philadelphia from City Hall to the historically Puerto Rican community of Norris Square.
The vibrant openbare uitvoering reflects on Puerto Rican heritage and inheritance, while paying tribute to the island’s ecology and landscapes, and honoring the endurance of community identity.
The participatory performance becomes a living work of art with stops and gathering points along the way, as new people and objects journey to the symbolic mountain.
Waar: Norris Square, Philadelphia, PA
Data variëren per evenement
To commemorate the nation’s 250th anniversary, The Clay Studio — the nation’s largest ceramic arts organization — has spearheaded an omvangrijke tentoonstelling toont werk van 45 kunstenaars verspreid over 20 kunst- en cultuursites. Kunstenaars baseren hun creatieve werk op historisch onderzoek dat op deze locaties is uitgevoerd om werken te inspireren die thema's van onafhankelijkheid door de evolutie van Amerika verkennen.
Radicale americana’De tentoonstelling laat werken zien uit Greater Philadelphia en het platteland, waaronder:
Find the full list of Radicale americana tentoonstellingen hier.
Waar: The Clay Studio, 1425 N. American Street, Philadelphia, PA
BEKIJK ANDERE LOCATIES (2)
Andalusia Historic House, Gardens & Arboretum, 1237 State Road, Andalusia, PA
HUDDLE, 338 Brown Street, Philadelphia, PA
Deze nieuwe grote tentoonstellingsreeks bij de Nationaal Vrijheidsmuseum showcases three different exhibitions in one, each offering a different perspective on one of the United States’ most core freedoms: the First Amendment’s freedom of assembly, or the right to protest, express opinions and gather peacefully for a shared cause.
De meeslepende nieuwe Opkomen sinds 1776 De tentoonstelling laat zien hoe gewone mensen door de geschiedenis heen collectieve actie gebruikten om grote veranderingen teweeg te brengen, door vergaderzalen, concertpodia en straten te gebruiken om cultuur te vieren en gerechtigheid te eisen.
Vervolgens wordt de nieuwe Kunst van vrije montage De tentoonstelling verkent het volledige spectrum van assemblage, onderzoekt waarom we dit instinctief doen en benadrukt hoe het lokale gemeenschappen en de Amerikaanse democratie in stand houdt.
En In de Arena: Sport & vergadering onderzoekt hoe Amerikanen sportevenementen gebruiken om samen te komen en tradities te creëren, met artefacten van enkele monumentale momenten uit de sportgeschiedenis.
Waar: Nationaal Vrijheidsmuseum, 321 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA
Through Friday, May 15, 2026
America’s last milestone birthday — the Bicentennial in 1976 — inspired lively celebrations as well as meaningful discussions reflecting on the state of the nation and the contradictions woven into its founding.
A bold exhibit and homage to the protest culture of the 1970s, Celebrate or Demonstrate explores that counter-narrative with posters, buttons, pamphlets, photographs and more. Note that the eent is open to the public.
The exhibition is part of the University of Pennsylvania’s series of Semiquincetennial exhibitions, art commissions, performances and more, offering a retrospective look at the past, present and future of our nation through December 2026. Check out the full schedule hier.
Waar: Van Pelt Library, 3420 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA
Tot en met zondag 14 juni 2026
Some of the country’s most recognizable symbols and figures, from the American flag and George Washington to low-rider cars and Muhammad Ali, are reimagined in De stoffenwerkplaats en het museum’(FWM) nieuwste tentoonstelling.
Inspired by June Jordan’s 1986 essay Waking Up in the Middle of Some American Dreams, which argues that there isn’t one American dream but many, Amerikaanse dromen explores the complexity of American-ness through textiles (of course), but also works of furniture, sculpture, video and photography by 20 of the museum’s past artists-in-residence.
Guests can see the show for free, but FWM suggests a $10 donation.
Waar: The Fabric Workshop and Museum, 1214 Arch Street, Philadelphia, PA
Through Saturday, July 25, 2026
Het afdrukcentrum, located in Philly’s Rittenhouse Square-buurt, presenteert een tentoonstelling met het werk van 37 kunstenaars die tijdens dit monumentale jubileumjaar reflecteren op de huidige staat van de democratie. Amerika vandaag: Stemmen in hedendaagse druk bevat 42 drukwerken, waaronder de ontwerpen van vijf kunstenaars uit Philly's Brandywine Workshop en Archief.
Naast de mogelijkheid om de werken te bekijken, biedt de non-profit galerie veel openbare programma's, waaronder gesprekken met de kunstenaars, openbare rondleidingen, verlengde openingstijden in juni en een interactief drukkerijevenement op zaterdag 11 juli 2026. De toegang tot de galerie is gratis.
Waar: Het Printcentrum, 1614 Latimer Street, Philadelphia, PA
Tot augustus 2026
What should this country aspire to? What visions do you have for the promise of “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness?” What does freedom and democracy require right now?
Mural Arts posed these questions to over 1,000 people from all walks of life, challenging them to reimagine the Declaration of Independence for the America of today through printmaking crafts. Their answers — told through prints — debut in a brand-new art exhibition: Afdrukken door het volk: Posters voor een heruitgevonden Onafhankelijkheidsverklaring bij de Gratis bibliotheek van Philadelphia’s Parkway Central Library.
Bonus: Don’t miss artist Sāgar Kamāth’s installation of larger-than-life banners hanging outside the library.
Waar: Parkway Central Library, 1901 Vine Street, Philadelphia, PA
Tot en met donderdag 31 december 2026
Toen de vroege Philadelphians de eerste penitentiaire inrichting van het land oprichtten in Oostelijke staat, they hoped to change the criminal justice system for the better through their radical belief in human dignity and mankind’s capacity for change.
For the Seminquincentennial, Een tijd voor vrijheid (the name for the site’s year-long slate of programming) reflects on the history of this movement as well as how far — and how much further — there is to go through new exhibitions drawn from the site’s archival collections, including one on faith and the Jewish community.
The series also includes family-friendly festivals, educational panels, a Zaterdag Firstival in oktober en nog veel meer.
Waar: Eastern State Penitentiary, 2027 Fairmount Avenue, Philadelphia, PA
Tot zaterdag 13 februari 2027 (data variëren per evenement)
In de geest van de Sin Colonias-mars van 1976 (ook wel “de tweehonderdste verjaardag van het volk” genoemd), Fairhill Puerto Rican arts and culture organization, Taller Puertorriqueño, marks the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence with WE WILL NOT HIDE: Verborgen geschiedenissen, collectieve stemmen en creatieve toekomstperspectieven, een jaar lang programma's die Puerto Ricaanse en Afro-Latijnse perspectieven versterken, waaronder:
Waar: Taller Puertorriqueno, 2600 N. 5th Street, Philadelphia, PA
Met de viering van het halve eeuwfeest van de natie in volle gang, is er geen beter moment om terug te kijken op de afgelopen tweeënhalve eeuw van het Amerikaanse leven en ons af te vragen: “Wat nu?”.”
Voer in: ArtPhilly. The goal: a five-week arts and culture festival that answers that question through more than 30 experiences. Challenging artists and audiences to imagine what the future holds for both our city and country, the multidisciplinary arts and culture festival makes all of Philadelphia a stage.
Highlights from the impressive slate of thought-provoking performances, exhibitions and other artistic programming include From Our Forefathers: Climate Crisis In Chemistry History tours of local museums told through the lens of climate change and Dinner With Dinah, a poetry and culinary experience highlighting enslaved Philadelphian, Dinah. Find the full list of programs hier.
Waar: Various locations including Stenton, 4601 N. 18th Street, Philadelphia, PA
Explore the evolving story of modern democracy in the city where it all started.
This summer, Visit Philadelphia, TED Democracy and some of the brightest thinkers in the world gather in Philadelphia — where the Great Experiment began — to explore one vital question: What will we build together over the next 250 years?
De full-day event features more than a dozen brand-new TED Talks on topics ranging from media literacy and race to the intersection of AI and democracy.
Attendees can also expect interactive activations, performances, culinary pop-ups and networking opportunities.
Waar: Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, 300 S. Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA
Het is het grootste jaar tot nu toe voor Philly!
Haal er het beste uit door de Visit Philly Overnight Package, die wordt geleverd met gratis parkeren bij het hotel en gratis kaartjes voor een aantal van de populairste attracties in elk van de vijf graafschappen van Greater Philadelphia, waaronder Universal Theme Parks: De tentoonstelling in The Franklin Institute, het Mercer Museum in Bucks County, Longwood Gardens in Chester County, de Brandywine Museum of Art in Delaware County en Elmwood Park Zoo in Montgomery County.
NL 
EN 
ES 
FR 
PT 
ES_EC 
FR_FR