Smithsonian exhibition marks 250 years of US Independence with iconic artefacts

A Revolutionary War-era gunboat, George Washington’s military uniform, Thomas Jefferson’s portable writing desk, and a gown worn by Melania Trump at the 2025 inauguration are among the highlights of a landmark exhibition marking the 250th anniversary of American independence.

The exhibition, titled “In Pursuit of Life, Liberty & Happiness”, opened at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History and features iconic artefacts and everyday objects spanning more than two centuries of US history.

“We like to say that the story of America is so big it takes an entire museum,” museum director Anthea M. Hartig told reporters.

Spread across three floors covering 25,000 square feet, the exhibition showcases 250 objects representing 250 stories from across America’s 250-year journey — from 1776 to the present day.

“So 250 dreams, 250 actions, 250 steps forward. Sometimes backwards, but always action involved in American history,” said project director Theodore Gonsalves.

Seventy-six objects are either being displayed publicly for the first time or have rarely been seen before.

Among the centrepieces is the gunboat Philadelphia, the oldest surviving intact American fighting vessel. Built in 1776 as part of a Continental fleet assembled to slow British forces on Lake Champlain, the vessel sank during the Battle of Valcour Island after enemy fire struck it. Recovered in 1935, the boat is now undergoing conservation work inside the museum, where visitors can watch experts stabilise its wooden structure and iron fittings.

Other exhibits include the original portable desk used by Jefferson to draft the Declaration of Independence, a faux-pearl necklace worn by Abigail Adams, the Star-Spangled Banner that inspired the US national anthem, and George Washington’s military uniform.

The exhibition also features gloves worn by a player from the 1980 “Miracle on Ice” US Olympic hockey team, a steelworker’s hard hat recovered from the September 11 attacks, and a handmade Earth Day flag from 1970.

A special immersive mural titled “Access the Revolution” commemorates the 50th anniversary of Washington DC’s Metro Rail system.

Another unusual attraction is a massive filing cabinet once owned by comedian Phyllis Diller, containing more than 52,000 handwritten jokes catalogued on individual note cards, complete with revisions, dates and audience reactions.