Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission (PHMC) and The State Museum of Pennsylvania today announced the opening of a new exhibition, Revolutionary Things: Objects from the Collection. Opening December 12, this special exhibit showcases more than 140 artifacts from the museum’s permanent collections, celebrating Pennsylvania’s pivotal role in the American War for Independence and the centuries of commemoration that followed.
Long considered the birthplace of the nation, Pennsylvania is home to many of the key people, events, and symbols of America’s founding. The new exhibition, located on the first floor of The State Museum, debuts as the Commonwealth begins preparations for the nation's 250th anniversary in 2026.
“As we approach the momentous celebration of America’s Semiquincentennial, it is vital to remember that much of the Revolution began and was shaped right here in Pennsylvania,” said Andrea Lowery, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission. “Revolutionary Things highlights not only the rare objects that witnessed the war firsthand but also the powerful ways later generations of Pennsylvanians have remembered, celebrated, and preserved this crucial history.”
Three Centuries of Revolutionary History
The 3,000-square-foot exhibition is divided into three sections:
Witness Objects and Relics:
- This section features objects with a documented history of use during the American Revolution in Pennsylvania. These "witness objects," revered for their direct connection to the era, include rare items such as the flag carried by the 1st Pennsylvania Regiment of the Continental Army, as well as artifacts illuminating the experiences of everyday Pennsylvanians.
Commemorative Art:
- In the decades following the Revolution, Pennsylvanians turned to paintings and decorative arts to portray people, events, and symbols of the nation's founding. This section includes a wide array of materials — from depictions of George Washington, Betsy Ross, and the American Eagle to full-scale replicas of the Liberty Bell. A centerpiece is Charles Weisgerber’s monumental 1893 painting, Birth of Our Nation’s Flag.
Centennial and Bicentennial Anniversaries:
- This final section explores how Pennsylvania was at the center of two previous major anniversary events: the Centennial Exhibition of 1876 and the American Bicentennial of 1976. On display is an original exhibition display from the sprawling 1876 World’s Fair held in Philadelphia and one of the lead wagons from the 1976 “Wagon Train Pilgrimage to Pennsylvania,” which converged on Valley Forge following a two-year, cross-country journey.
Companion Exhibit: Illuminating Independence
In addition to Revolutionary Things, The State Museum will also feature Illuminating Independence in its Brockerhoff Hall. This display features 35 original “illuminations” of the Declaration of Independence, meticulously created over ten years by self-taught Harrisburg penman Sherman Notestine (1865–1941). The collection is on loan from Philadelphia architects John Blatteau and Paul Hirshorn.
Both Revolutionary Things: Objects from the Collection and Illuminating Independence will be on view through August 2, 2026. A series of public programs, lectures, and guided tours associated with these exhibitions will be announced at a later date.
About the State Museum of Pennsylvania
The State Museum of Pennsylvania is one of 23 historic sites and museums administered by the Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission as part of the Pennsylvania Trails of History.
As one of PHMC’s premier cultural institutions, The State Museum of Pennsylvania offers visitors a compelling journey through time. Located adjacent to the State Capitol in Harrisburg, the museum houses expansive natural and cultural history collections that illuminate Pennsylvania’s pivotal role in American history, the Colonial and Revolutionary eras, the Civil War, and the nation’s industrial age. The State Museum demonstrates that Pennsylvania's story is America's story.
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The Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission is the official history agency of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Learn more by visiting PHMC online or following us on Facebook, X, Instagram or LinkedIn.