The American Philosophical Society’s new exhibit for the 250th birthday of America documents daily life in Philadelphia during the fevered days of the Revolutionary War.
Boston may have lit the fuse, but Philly is where the Revolution really went down. Caught in the middle of all the fury and foment were roughly 40,000 everyday Philadelphians trying to make do during an insurrection.
It can be hard telling the local story of a revolution, especially in a city where the local story was the story. The American Philosophical Society’s first new exhibit related to America’s 250th birthday in 2026, also known as the Semiquincentennial, tells it in full.
“Philadelphia, the Revolutionary City,” which runs from April 11 through Dec. 28, 2025, provides a street-level, city-columnist view of the colonial city. Its wide array of objects, artwork, and materials, including maps, prints, political cartoons, and newspapers, document the daily lives of Philadelphians living and dying through fevered days of rebellion. Telling stories of long-forgotten lives — and with no shortage of hometown pride — the exhibit offers an intimate glimpse into what was then the largest city in the new nation.
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