America 250: Big events across the country to have on your radar for 2026
Attendees hold US flags and an "America 250" sign during an event with US President Donald Trump, not pictured, at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines, Iowa, US, on Thursday, July 3, 2025. Photographer: Scott Morgan/Bloomberg via Getty Images
As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary in 2026, museums and historic sites across the country are unveiling exhibitions and global gatherings that reflect on the nation’s past, celebrate its democratic ideals, and explore America’s evolving role at home and abroad.
Here are some ongoing and one-time events to mark the occasion:
"America’s Presidents" Gallery at the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery
The National Portrait Gallery’s iconic "America’s Presidents" exhibition has reopened following a major refurbishment, featuring improved lighting and gallery updates, new interpretive labels, and enhanced wall texts. Home to the nation’s only complete collection of presidential portraits outside the White House, the exhibition now offers a fully bilingual (English and Spanish) and accessible presentation, highlighting masterworks such as Gilbert Stuart’s renowned Lansdowne portrait of George Washington.
Bienvenue Lafayette at Louisiana State Museums
The Louisiana State Museum will mark the bicentennial of the Marquis de Lafayette’s historic American tour with Bienvenue Lafayette, on view from April 9, 2025, through January 18, 2026. Opening on the 200th anniversary of Lafayette’s arrival in New Orleans, the exhibition will showcase artifacts, documents, and artworks from local and national collections, exploring his enduring legacy as a champion of liberty, democracy, and the abolition of slavery, while underscoring New Orleans’ place in this shared U.S.–French history.
"A Celebration of Our Role in the World" at George Washington's Mount Vernon
Ambassadors from around the world will gather on June 11, 2026, to honor the global legacy of American democracy. The event will examine how international influences helped shape American democracy at its founding and how the United States has, in turn, influenced democratic movements worldwide. Through dialogue and reflection, ambassadors will address the challenges and opportunities facing democracies today and celebrate their shared role on the global stage.
The Source: The information in this story comes from announcements and materials provided by major cultural and historic institutions, including the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery, the Louisiana State Museum, and George Washington’s Mount Vernon, which have outlined their planned exhibitions and events in connection with the United States’ upcoming 250th anniversary in 2026. This story was reported from Los Angeles.