In 2026, Philadelphia will mark 250 years since the founding of the United States—an anniversary rooted in this city’s streets. As our nation’s birthplace, Philadelphia has long been where questions of democracy, identity, creativity, and civic responsibility are tested and reimagined.
For nearly 300 years, the University of Pennsylvania has been part of that story, growing alongside the city. Throughout 2026, Penn schools, centers, and cultural institutions will mark America’s 250th anniversary through a wide range of programming—from exhibitions and performances to publications and community conversations. Together, these initiatives will explore the ideals that shaped the country, the voices that have been excluded from its dominant narratives, and the questions that continue to define civic life today.
The Penn Libraries are bringing together colleagues from across campus to engage the ideas raised by the Declaration of Independence through exhibitions, art commissions, performances, innovative courses, and conferences, connecting 18th-century debates to the present day.
- January 15, 2026: Roundtable: 250th Anniversary of Thomas Paine’s Common Sense
- February 9, 2026: Exhibition: Celebrate or Demonstrate: Philadelphia and Bicentennial Discontent
- February 26, 2026: Exhibition: A Time to Right All Wrongs: France, Haiti, and Philadelphia in a Revolutionary Age
- April 9–11, 2026: Conference: The Revolutionary Age—France, Haiti, and America
- April 17, 2026: Music in the Pavilion: Lisette—A Song’s Journey from Haiti & Back
- Ongoing: Exhibition: Common Press – The Typography of Independence Fisher Fine Arts Library, exploring printing and papermaking as practiced in 1776.
Artists have played a vital role throughout U.S. history, uplifting democratic ideals, challenging injustice, and inspiring collective action. As the nation marks its 250th anniversary, Penn Live Arts’ 25/26 season centers on the creativity and influence of America’s artists through its America Unfinished series.
Featured artists include: Mark Morris Dance Group; New York Stage and Film; Ephrat Asherie Dance with Arturo O’Farrill; Dance Theatre of Harlem; Ruckus with Davóne Tines; Johnny Gandelsman; Alarm Will Sound with Bora Yoon; Rennie Harris Puremovement; Delbert Anderson Quartet; Martha Graham Dance Company with PHILADANCO.
Penn Museum’s Native North America Gallery offers nuance and complexity in telling the nation’s story, centering the political, religious, linguistic, and artistic self-determination of Native peoples who continue to thrive today.
Additional America 250 initiatives include a Theatre Project, a Summer Teacher Institute, and an East Entrance artwork commission.
2026 is also the 275th anniversary with Pennsylvania Hospital. Penn Medicine will open eight historic rooms to the public and transform the Center Building of the Historic Pine Building into an exhibition space. From April through October, the hospital will also offer special tours and community events.
An exhibition examining the overlooked yet essential role of nurses during the American Revolution, challenging myths about the origins of nursing and highlighting its early importance to American healthcare. Programming begins March 2026, with plans for a longer-term digital exhibit in Fall 2026.
Penn Press’ new publication, Greater Philadelphia: A New History for the Twenty-First Century, celebrates Philadelphia as the beating heart of the nation’s story—unearthing overlooked histories, people, and places that have shaped the region.
WXPN will launch a series of America 250 projects connecting audiences with original works by local artists, deepening support for Philadelphia’s independent and emerging music scene. Highlights include:
- A 24-hour songwriting challenge and artist-commissioned anthems on “Independence”
- Live performances at independent music venues
- A professionally produced vinyl LP
- Songwriting workshops led by national artists
The McNeil Center will host programs reflecting on the founding era and the values of the Declaration through commemoration and dialogue.
- April 2026: Conference: The Revolutionary Age: France, Haiti, and America
- October 2026: Conference: Experiencing Independence: Eyewitness Accounts of the American Revolution
Faculty across eight of Penn’s schools collaborate through the Center for Experimental Ethnography to support multi-modal research practices, including the symposium Pedagogies of Presence, which archives Philadelphia on film.
The Sachs Program will invite undergraduate and graduate students to propose creative projects addressing the complexities of America’s 250th anniversary.
January 29–30, 2026: Adventive America: a symposium and exhibition exploring botanical exchange in the early republic, the agency of plants, and grassroots critiques of past centennial celebrations.
Spring 2026: “An inclination join’d with an ability to serve”: Realizing Ben Franklin’s Vision for the University of Pennsylvania, a panel and community conversation exploring civic engagement, service-minded leadership, and Penn’s founding ideals in practice.
Workshops for School District of Philadelphia teachers will be held throughout 2026, led by authors of the Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia with writing support from Penn GSE to explore local history, environment, industry, and migration.
The Equity in Action Visiting Scholars program brings local scholars, activists, and community organizers to Penn to explore social justice through art, dialogue, and public engagement.
May 22, 2026: Pursuit of Happiness: Finding Joy in Nature: an exhibition offering a restorative counterpoint to public celebrations, inviting visitors to reconnect with nature through artful plantings and quiet spaces as a counterpoint to the America 250 parades and public festivities.
January 31–August 9, 2026: The Shakers: A World in the Making: an exhibition exploring how Shaker values of community, labor, and equality shaped design and daily life.
New Philadelphia (coming soon!)
Building on the legacy of grassroots organizing, New Philadelphia centers youth and community leadership by reimagining public space and civic life. The initiative will include a public exhibition and programming in summer 2026, developed by Penn faculty, students, and community partners.
Penn’s America 250 programming will continue to grow throughout 2026. This page will be updated as new events, exhibitions, and features are announced.