America’s founding documents have echoed throughout global history and culture for more than two centuries. Why did revolutionaries like John Adams and his peers draw on the past as they drafted the Declaration and crafted the Constitution? What ideas shaped the United States’ working definition of liberty, and how did that translate to audiences abroad? Join us to explore how “we the people” imagined a new political vocabulary to interpret the American experiment, which we continue today.

This is a hybrid event. FREE for MHS Members. $10 per person fee (in person). No charge for virtual attendees or Card to Culture participants (EBT, WIC, and ConnectorCare). The in-person reception starts at 5:00 and the program will begin 6:00 PM.

In 1776, people grappled with ideas of liberty, loyalty, and the role of government in society. Private letters, intimate diaries, and newspaper accounts reveal how the Declaration of Independence grew from draft to founding document. "1776: Declaring Independence" spotlights handwritten copies of the Declaration by John Adams and Thomas Jefferson as well as multiple early printings, including a rare Dunlap broadside. On and off the page, we explore how it echoed across the commonwealth and around the world, reshaping the colonists’ chances of launching a new nation. How did the Declaration change Americans’ quest for liberty, then and now? We invite visitors to trace the Declaration’s complex legacy as a national beacon for celebration and protest.

Key dates: May 30, June 6, June 13, June 20, June 27, and June 29 through July  1-3

Join us for an evening of lovely music in the park.

Music from the JGJ All Stars.

This gentle chair yoga class prioritizes breathing, feeling and dropping into the body. It’s designed for those who do not want to practice on the floor (and includes standing for short periods of time). The practice is intended to improve body awareness, strength and flexibility.

Click the link below to sign up for the class on Eventbrite, which will allow you to add it to your calendar and receive updates, if there are changes or cancellations due to weather, etc.

Register here