Your April guide to 250th Anniversary events in Philadelphia

The City’s yearlong observance of “Firstivals” highlights Philly inventions and discoveries that were first in the country, or the world. They’re happening from 11am-1pm each Saturday throughout 2026. There’s even a plan for the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society to plant a tree for each partner organization. Check out the full list and browse by date or location. Tag your own photos #52FirstsPhilly and they might show up on Instagram @52firstsphilly.

Here’s a roundup of 250th-themed events in April.

Philly Photo Day 2026
Submissions open April 6-12, 2026 (it’s free)
Philly Photo Day exhibition: May 13-June 27, 2026

On Monday, April 6, TILT Institute for the Contemporary Image opens submissions for Philly Photo Day: How We Stay Free, a special week-long open invitation to submit images of Philadelphia that respond to the prompt “How do we stay free?” The resulting Philly Photo Day exhibition will be free to the public in TILT’s Project Gallery, located in The Crane Arts Building, from May 13 to June 27.

The National Constitution Center

Celebrating Our National Parks
April 7, 2026, 12-1pm

The National Constitution Center (NCC) is hosting a virtual tour of Independence Mall during National Park Week. Register for the Zoom.

The NCC also boasts a new exhibition in honor of our 250th: America’s Founding, ongoing in one of two new galleries at the museum. BSR museum writer Pamela J. Forsythe says the exhibition immerses us in the turbulent years between 1763 and 1789: “It draws viewers into the narrative, confronting them with the questions British subjects faced as they contemplated becoming American citizens.” Lots of NCC museum content is free to explore online.

The Clay Studio
1425 N. American Street, Philadelphia

Roberto Lugo: American Crib: What's Happening?
April 9-July 5, 2026

American Crib presents an imagined living space filled with Roberto Lugo's works celebrating his culture and upbringing in Philadelphia. The immersive exhibition is a commentary on the resilience of underrepresented communities and the enduring need to confront the systemic forces at play in the contemporary moment. Look out in mid-April for a BSR review of the show from Gail Obenreder.

Penn Libraries, University of Pennsylvania
3420 Walnut Street, Philadelphia

250th Events at Penn Libraries
April 9-31, 2026

Penn Libraries is running a yearlong series of lectures and exhibits marking American history and art. These include a conference on the revolutions that shook France and Haiti in the 18th and 19th centuries, a talk on how “anxieties about American Jewish belonging in the years surrounding World War I and World War II shaped the development of the Yiddish press,” and a lecture from Mark Stein, author of Bicentennial: A Revolutionary History of the 1970s. Browse these and lots more in the full events calendar.

The American Philosophical Society
104 S. 5t Street, Philadelphia

These Truths: The Declarations of Independence
April 10, 2026-January 3, 2027

The importance of the printing press in American history is a recurring theme in exhibitions for the 250th. Part of Benjamin Franklin’s importance was his print shop (and making sure the mail was delivered). A recent exhibition at the Van Pelt Library (on view through May 15, 2026) shows the impact of flyers and zines during the Bicentennial protests, and even today the streetlight poles and coffee-shop corkboards are thick with cheap prints of important words. APS has gathered 19 early versions of the Declaration of Independence together, including early drafts. There’s even the chair Jefferson sat in while he wrote it.

Science History Institute
315 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia

Flash! Bang! Boom! A History of Fireworks
Opens on April 10, 2026.

A new exhibition from the Science History Institute covers the evolution of fireworks, in rare books, fine art, and modern pyrotechnic technologies: “Visitors will experience the chemistry and craftsmanship behind fireworks and their cultural significance, connecting historical traditions to contemporary celebrations.” The opening party on April 10 is currently sold out, but you can join a waitlist via the RSVP page.

Ambler Symphony Orchestra
Upper Dublin Lutheran Church, 411 Susquehanna Rd, Ambler, PA
April 10, 2026 at 7:30pm

The Ambler Symphony Orchestra dedicates its 74th season to American composers. Violinist Irina Rostomashvili performs the Violin Concerto No. 1 by Florence Price, the first African American woman to have a composition played by a major symphony orchestra. The program includes Ferde Grofé’s Grand Canyon Suite. Head to amblersymphony.org for tickets and more info.

Philadelphia School of Circus Arts
6452 Greene Street, Philadelphia

Firstival Saturday: First Circus Performance in America: 1793
April 11, 11am-1pm

Ricketts’ Circus was America’s first, opening April 3, 1793, at 12th and Market. George Washington attended at least three times. Though the tent of John Bill Ricketts is long gone, his spirit lives on at Philadelphia’s first circus school, in Mt. Airy. (Unfortunately, the Philly School of Circus Arts recently announced that its groundbreaking Circadium accredited degree program will sunset this June, due to federal and state budget cuts for the arts.)

From History to Gritty
April 18 at 5pm

The circus school will close out its World Circus Week (April 10-18) celebrations with a pair of events on April 18: the all-ages From History to Gritty show, “a lively, family-friendly circus spectacular celebrating the spirit, history, and grit of Philadelphia.” The night continues at 8:30pm with Nitty Gritty, “a bold, late-night circus cabaret that leans into the wild, weird, and wonderfully gritty side of Philadelphia.” Both shows are pay-what-you-can.

The Barnes Foundation
2025 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia

Freedom Dreams
April 12-August 9, 2026

This new exhibition features a collection of installations, film, and video exploring the experience of Black Americans, including moving-image artists Arthur Jafa, David Hartt, Garrett Bradley, Ja’Tovia Gary, and Tourmaline. Look out for the BSR review in May from critic An Nichols.

Walnut Street Theatre
825 Walnut Street, Philadelphia

1776 The Musical
April 14 - May 31, 2026

Did you ever read the Declaration of Independence and think, “This would make a great song”? 1776 has been around since 1969, and it was inevitable it would rise up in Philly in 2026. This production stars a long list of popular Philly actors, including Ben Dibble, Scott Greer, Anthony Lawton, Peter Schmitz, Fran Prisco, and many more.

Heim Center for Cultural and Civic Engagement
The Parkway Central Library, 1901 Vine Street, Philadelphia

Printmaking by the People: Posters for a Reimagined Declaration of Independence
April 16 through August 2026
Free opening reception on April 16 from 5:30-7:30pm

This collaboration between Mural Arts Philadelphia (MAP) and the Free Library of Philadelphia is part of the largest public art project this year, Printmaking by the People. It will feature hundreds of posters and prints created by more than one thousand Philadelphians in 13 neighborhoods depicting “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”

“We’re commemorating a milestone in our nation’s history in an unexpected and joyful way, and inviting new voices and perspectives into the conversation, with great hope for the future,” said Jane Golden, executive director and founder of MAP. The April 16 opening reception includes a pop-up printmaking station, and a temporary installation of Reconciling Time: in pursuit of Tomorrow with dreams of Liberty in hand: nine banners by artist sāgar kamāth inspired by the posters. It’s free, but RSVP is required.

In conjunction with the Cherry Street Pier installation Let Freedom Ring, there’s also a free drop-in printmaking workshop with the Association for Public Art (aPA) at Cherry Street Pier on First Friday, June 5, from 5-8 pm.

William M. Reilly Memorial in Fairmount Park
Terrace northwest of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, at Waterworks Drive

Charm Offensive by John Y. Wind
April 18–19, 2026

In his 1890 will, General William M. Reilly of the Pennsylvania National Guard established a trust fund to create this arrangement of six statues of Revolutionary generals: Nathanael Greene, John Paul Jones, Marquis de Lafayette, Richard Montgomery, Casimir Pulaski, and Baron von Steuben. Five of them were immigrants, which connected with John Y. Wind’s own American experience. Said Wind, “As a fellow immigrant, I am drawn to these men and want to better understand them—not only as heroes, but as subjects shaped by their times, by idealism, ambition, and their unique personal narratives.”

Wind has added new elements to the statues: “Adornment allows me to work with what is already there, without fixing it in place. I wanted to re-read a Philadelphia monument through the language of jewelry. Not to resolve it, but to hold its complexity in view.” The temporary updates to these monuments will be on view April 18 and 19.

After April 19, a connected exhibit will be on display at Park Towne Place Apartments, 2200 Benjamin Franklin Parkway. Presented as part of Radical Americana, organized by The Clay Studio, with research developed alongside the Association for Public Art (aPA) and exhibition support from InLiquid.

Bartram's Garden
5400 Lindbergh Boulevard, Philadelphia

Firstival Saturday: First Botanical Garden: 1728
April 18, 2026, 11am-1pm

Bartram's Garden was America’s first botanical garden, a place for both research on America’s native plants and an import of classic British garden design to a city doomed to tiny backyards and a gas grill on the front porch.

African American Museum in Philadelphia
Jack T. Franklin Auditorium, 701 Arch Street, Philadelphia

Everyday Freedom Heroes
April 18, 2026, 3-5pm

This is a juried exhibition of posters by children illustrating the concept of “Everyday Heroes” based on “historical interpretation, creativity, and conflict resolution,” with several awards and cash prizes. The submission deadline is April 4. Free and open to the public. RSVP here.

Mummers Museum
1100 S 2nd Street, Philadelphia

Workshop: Dance like a Fancy Brigade
April 21, 2026, 6:30-8:30pm

The Mummers Parade as we know it has been around since 1901, but it’s been happening in some form since the 18th century. This workshop gives everyone a chance to, as the title says, dance like a Fancy Brigade. It’s free, but registration is required. This event is part of the museum’s 2026 Festival of Many Colors.

The Weitzman
101 South Independence Mall (5th and Market), Philadelphia

The First Salute
April 23, 2026 through April 2027

A 250+ year-old cannon found on the Caribbean island of St. Eustatius and now on loan to The Weitzman is the centerpiece for The First Salute, the Weitzman’s landmark America 250 exhibition. It tells the story of “cruelty toward the Jewish community by a debt-ridden British admiral” on St. Eustatius and its impact on the Revolutionary War.

The Print Center
1614 Latimer Street, Philadelphia

America Today: Voices in Contemporary Print
April 24-July 25, 2026

America Today presents 37 print artists with works from Philadelphia’s own Brandywine Workshop, plus five other “mission-based” print workshops hailing from Texas, Oregon, New York, and California. The show highlights “new voices in American printmaking that advocate for a consequential form of cultural democracy,” with widely varied works that reflect the politics of diverse communities. In addition to panel discussions (May 9) and other tours and activity, each studio will conduct a workshop. Everything is free to the public.

Franklin Court
322 Market Street, Philadelphia

Firstival Saturday: First Postmaster: 1737
April 25, 2026, 11am-1pm

Before there was texting the wrong number, there was Ben! Franklin became America’s first postmaster, creating a reliable communication network, with mail arriving on schedule. If you’ve never been to Franklin Court, now is the time.

Museum of the American Revolution
101 S. 3rd Street, Philadelphia

Makers of Revolutionary Philadelphia Living History Day 2026
April 25, 2026

The Museum of the American Revolution presents live demonstrations of Colonial crafts, including an engraver, a woodworker, and “pepper-pot soup seller.” Hands-on activities, if you’ve ever considered soup-selling. Free with museum admission.

The Philadelphia Orchestra
The Kimmel Center’s Marianne Anderson Hall, 300 S. Broad Street, Philadelphia

Copland’s American Inspiration
April 30-May 2, 2026

When you think of classic Americana, it sounds like Aaron Copland. His Fanfare for the Common Man was later incorporated into the fourth movement of his Third Symphony, performed here by the Philadelphia Orchestra, conducted by Matthias Pintscher, with Leila Josefowicz on violin.

Philadelphia Dance Projects
Christ Church Neighborhood House, 20 North American Street, Philadelphia
April 30-May 2, 2026

This installment of Philadelphia Dance Projects’ DANCE UP CLOSE series features Putty Dance Project choreographer Lauren Putty White’s Dance Like It’s 1829: “Through choreography, improvisation, live music, and storytelling, it focuses on the early Black assemblies of the 1820s and the music of Francis Johnson and William Appo, two of Philadelphia’s pioneering Black composers and bandleaders.” Tickets are $15.

Is your organization hosting a 250th-themed exhibition or event? Submit them for consideration in this column by sending all the info to BSR's editor via email. Here are tips for pitching BSR.

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