How much do you really know about the Revolutionary War? While touring the Museum of the American Revolution, I learned some things I hadn’t known (or had forgotten since my high school US history class) and untangled some deeply held misconceptions from actual history. Perhaps I should have paid better attention…
And that’s why this is a must-see museum for all of us!
The beginning of the exhibits starts with a curved screen that tell the story of the beginnings of popular discontent with our British colonial overlords. |
The museum’s collection of several thousand objects includes artwork and sculpture, textiles and weapons, manuscripts and rare books. The collection started by Rev. W. Herbert Burk in the early 1900s makes up the core of the museum’s holdings. This museum was his dream, realized a century later.
Slavery is addressed in several exhibits, noting that slave owners often let their slaves enlist in the war with false promises of freedom, but many were forced back into slavery after the conclusion of the war. The British promised freedom to slaves who left rebels to side with the British. In New York City, which the British occupied, thousands of refugee slaves had migrated there to gain freedom.
Photo of a photo by the Museum of the American Revolution (it was on a poster advertising the Tent Shows). |
Several immersive gallery experiences feature a full-scale replica of Boston’s Liberty Tree (including a slice of the original tree that you’re invited to touch), the recreation of an Oneida Indian Council, the Battlefield Theater featuring the Battle of Brandywine, a recreation of Independence Hall, and the kid-friendly large model of an 18th-century privateer ship.
Boston’s Liberty Tree — you can actually touch a real piece of it, directly connecting you to history. |
Know before you go 1: The museum is located in the middle of Philadelphia, the city that kind of is the heart of America’s founding. The site is across the street from the First Bank of the United States and two blocks from Independence Hall, the National Constitution Center, Carpenters’ Hall, the Liberty Bell, and more.
Know before you go 2: This is a VERY kid-friendly museum, with numerous exhibits geared to appeal to childrens’ level of knowledge and attention span. 🙂 This museum makes learning about the Revolutionary War fun, for kids and adults.
- Bourse Garage, 400 Ranstead Street
- Park America, 27 South 3rd Street
- Parkway Corporation, 36 South 2nd Street
- E-Z Park, 36 Front Street
- Short Parking Corp, 37 South 2nd Street
- The Autopark at Olde City, 125 South 2nd Street
- Wyndham Philadelphia Historic District
- Patriot Parking, 101 Market Street
- Central Parking, 800 Market Street
Hours: Daily 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.; closed on New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day.
Website: https://www.amrevmuseum.org/