Showing Up for America’s 250th
As we look ahead to America’s 250th anniversary, Philadelphia will once again become a gathering place for the nation. That feels both historic and deeply relevant. Democracy has never been sustained from a distance. It depends on people showing up, in public spaces, in conversation, in disagreement, in celebration, and in community. At the National Liberty Museum, our newest exhibition series, The Forgotten Freedom: American Assembly at 250, explores one of the most essential and often overlooked American freedoms: the freedom of assembly. It reminds us that liberty is not only something we debate or defend in theory; it is something we practice together.
That is why I am thrilled to invite you to join us on June 4, 2026, for The Great American Tailgate, a one-of-a-kind outdoor celebration at the National Liberty Museum. Guests are invited to grab their friends, wear their team colors, and take part in the great American tradition of showing up together. The evening will include elegant appetizers, specialty cocktails, games, music, and more, with a VIP reception from 5–6 p.m. followed by general admission from 6–9 p.m. at 321 Chestnut Street. We are especially excited that the event will also feature a one-night-only pop-up exhibition of special Philadelphia sports artifacts, connecting the energy of fandom, teams, rivalry, and shared civic life to the larger story of assembly. Sports have always been one of the most powerful ways people gather, across generations, neighborhoods, and differences, and this evening will celebrate that spirit in true Philly fashion.
The evening will also mark the opening of 2076: The Future of Assembly, the next installation in our assembly series, which asks us to imagine how Americans may gather, engage, protest, celebrate, and build community fifty years from now. As more of our lives move into digital spaces, 2076 invites us to consider what we may gain, what we may lose, and how the freedom of assembly will continue to evolve across both physical and virtual worlds. As we prepare to commemorate 250 years of the American experiment, I hope you will join us for a night that looks both backward and forward, honoring the power of people coming together, and imagining how we will continue to show up for one another in the years ahead.
