As the nation prepares to mark its 250th birthday, New Jersey is choosing a deeply reflective and uniquely meaningful way to begin the Semiquincentennial year—by looking back at how Americans once celebrated a milestone that helped define a generation.

On Saturday, February 14, 2026, the New Jersey State Museum in Trenton will open a major new exhibition, Spirit of ’76: The Bicentennial, launching a year-long exploration of how the country—and especially New Jersey—experienced the historic 200th anniversary of the United States in 1976. The exhibition will remain on view through February 21, 2027, offering residents, educators, families, and visitors a rare opportunity to step directly into the cultural atmosphere of the Bicentennial era.

Timed to coincide with the nationwide Semiquincentennial, the exhibition creates a powerful bridge between two defining anniversaries of American independence, inviting the public to reflect not only on the Revolutionary past, but also on how Americans in the 1970s chose to remember and reinterpret it.

The exhibition is drawn entirely from the New Jersey State Museum’s own extensive collections, allowing curators to present an unusually authentic and locally grounded portrait of the Bicentennial. Rather than recreating a generalized national narrative, Spirit of ’76 focuses on the distinctive look, tone, and civic energy that characterized 1970s America through a New Jersey lens.

From graphic design and fine art to decorative objects and everyday memorabilia, the exhibition recreates the visual and emotional environment of the Bicentennial years, when red, white, and blue imagery saturated public life and patriotic symbolism was woven into classrooms, neighborhoods, civic celebrations, and family gatherings across the state.

Among the exhibition’s most significant artistic features are selections from the Kent Bicentennial Portfolio, a nationally recognized body of work created to commemorate the 1976 anniversary. The portfolio includes striking pieces by influential American artists such as Jacob Lawrence and Robert Indiana, whose bold graphic language and social perspective helped shape how the nation visually interpreted its own history during that moment.

These works are presented alongside an extraordinary range of historical artifacts, many of which are rarely displayed to the public. Visitors will encounter New Jersey–manufactured flags produced specifically for the Bicentennial, commemorative medallions, license plates issued during the anniversary year, and finely crafted ceramic works from some of Trenton’s most renowned manufacturers, including Cybis, Boehm, and Lenox. Together, these objects document how industry, craftsmanship, and design became part of the Bicentennial celebration itself.

One of the exhibition’s most personal and locally resonant pieces is a handcrafted cotton album quilt created by a Princeton quilting class specifically for the 1976 anniversary. The quilt reflects how civic pride and historical memory were often expressed through community-based art projects, blending personal storytelling with national identity in a way that feels remarkably contemporary.

Spirit of ’76 also places strong emphasis on the deeper historical roots that made New Jersey central to the American Revolution. Works honoring the “Ten Crucial Days” of 1776 and 1777—when George Washington’s daring crossing of the Delaware River and subsequent victories altered the course of the war—anchor the exhibition in the state’s extraordinary Revolutionary legacy.

That legacy remains central to New Jersey’s identity today. Known as the “Cockpit of the Revolution,” the state witnessed more battles than any other during the War for Independence, and that history now forms the foundation for a sweeping statewide commemoration planned throughout 2026.

The opening of Spirit of ’76 signals the beginning of an ambitious calendar of public programs, historical exhibitions, educational initiatives, and cultural events designed to engage residents of every age. From large-scale waterfront celebrations to small-town lectures and hands-on heritage programming, New Jersey’s Semiquincentennial is being built as a truly statewide experience.

Major Statewide & Regional Events

• Sail4th 250 (July 4): A massive flotilla of tall ships will gather in the Port of New York and New Jersey, featuring public tours, cultural performances, and fireworks.
• NJ State Parks Celebrate 250 Challenge: A year-long invitation to explore New Jersey’s 41 state parks and 50+ historic sites to honor the milestone.
• Revolutionary Lives Traveling Exhibit: This exhibit is touring various locations, including Chatham (April 29–May 13) and Boonton (August 17–31). 

Upcoming Local Highlights

Among the most anticipated regional highlights is Sail4th 250 on July 4, when a massive gathering of historic tall ships will arrive in the Port of New York and New Jersey. The multi-day event will feature public ship tours, cultural performances, and waterfront festivities, creating one of the largest maritime commemorations in the region’s history.

The state is also launching the New Jersey State Parks Celebrate 250 Challenge, a year-long invitation for residents and visitors to explore all 41 state parks and more than 50 historic sites. The initiative encourages participants to discover battlefields, historic homes, archaeological sites, and natural landscapes that shaped New Jersey’s Revolutionary story.

A traveling exhibition titled Revolutionary Lives will tour communities across the state during the year, including stops in Chatham and Boonton, offering local audiences a closer look at the diverse individuals whose experiences shaped the fight for independence.

Local programming throughout the winter and spring will further expand the reach of the commemoration. Lectures examining figures such as Jacob Francis, a free Black Revolutionary soldier from Hunterdon County, will bring overlooked narratives into public focus. Additional talks will explore the weapons and technology of the Revolutionary era, while outdoor heritage programs such as Revolutionary Trail Day and the planting of Liberty Trees in honor of Arbor Day will connect history with community participation and environmental stewardship.

Hometown Heroes banner ceremonies, local parades, and youth-focused educational events will continue throughout the summer, ensuring that the Semiquincentennial is not confined to museums alone, but becomes part of everyday life across New Jersey’s towns and counties.

Several ongoing exhibitions across the state will also complement the Trenton museum’s flagship presentation. In Burlington County, Burlington County Joins the Revolution at the Warden’s House Gallery in Mount Holly will explore the county’s Revolutionary involvement, while Hunterdon County’s Revolution and Remembrances exhibition will continue at the Millburn Free Public Library through late winter.

While historical interpretation remains at the heart of the statewide celebration, the Semiquincentennial is also being shaped through creative expression, live performance, and contemporary storytelling. Residents interested in how history is being explored on stage and through live programming can follow New Jersey’s growing slate of theatrical and performance-driven commemorative projects through Explore New Jersey’s theatre coverage, which continues to spotlight productions inspired by the state’s cultural and historical heritage.

At the center of all of this activity, the New Jersey State Museum’s Spirit of ’76 exhibition stands as a powerful point of entry into the year-long commemoration. By focusing on how Americans in 1976 experienced their own national milestone, the exhibition encourages visitors to consider how historical memory evolves—and how each generation leaves its own imprint on the story of the nation.

Equally important, the exhibition reinforces New Jersey’s role not simply as a backdrop to American history, but as one of its primary stages. From Revolutionary battlefields to Bicentennial art studios and community classrooms, the state has repeatedly shaped how Americans understand freedom, identity, and civic responsibility.

Admission to the New Jersey State Museum is typically free, making Spirit of ’76 accessible to families, students, and visitors from across the region. Special programs, lectures, and educational activities connected to the exhibition are expected throughout its year-long run, further expanding its impact.

As the United States prepares to mark 250 years since independence, New Jersey is choosing to begin the conversation by remembering how Americans once celebrated their past—and by inviting today’s audiences to reflect on what history, community, and shared identity mean in the present. Through Spirit of ’76, the state opens not only an exhibition, but a doorway into a year of discovery, remembrance, and renewed connection to the stories that continue to define the Garden State.