Your May guide to 250th Anniversary events in Philadelphia

New this month is Bells Across PA, a collection of artist-specific fiberglass replicas of the Liberty Bell honoring “We the People”: the workers, residents, and even protestors who made historic sites across the state worth remembering. Find the Bells Across PA Philly map here, and the statewide map here.

Philly’s yearlong observance of “Firstivals” continues every Saturday, with local inventions and discoveries that were first in the country, or the world. The two-hour events start with a historian explaining what happened and why it’s important, and then a fun activity for the family. Some of May’s Firstivals celebrate the 1876 Centennial Exposition (May 23 at the Please Touch Museum, the last building left from this first World’s Fair held in the US), the first Mother’s Day in 1908 (May 9 at Old City’s Historic St. George’s Museum & Archives), and the first American-made piano and sousaphone (May 2 at the Kimmel Center). Find the full Firstivals lineup here.

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

The National Constitution Center
525 Arch Street, Philadelphia

Asian American & Pacific Islanders Heritage Month / Jewish American Heritage Month
May 1-31, 2026

As part of World Heritage Month, the NCC hosts special exhibits on important American figures like Fred Korematsu, Justice Louis Brandeis, and suffragists Mabel Ping Hua Lee and Ernestine Hara Kettler. And if you’re heading to the NCC, don’t miss the new America’s Founding exhibition (here’s the BSR review).

If you’re looking for virtual events, the NCC has that too.

The Promise of America with U.S. Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer (Ret.)
Saturday, May 16, 2026, 6:30-7:30pm

Join a virtual conversation with retired Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer about his new book, The Promise of America: Reflections on Our Enduring Ideals, and get a peek at the NCC’s new permanent exhibit, Governing the Nation. This online program is free, but register to get the link.

Cherry Street Pier
121 N. Columbus Boulevard, Philadelphia

Save Philly Festivals Bus Tour
May 1 & May 23, 2026, 12-3 pm

The tour surveys the music and food across Philadelphia festivals, showcasing our culture and history. Highlights include music in North Philly; food from the Italian Market; Fairhill history and Latino culture; West Philly parks, cinema, and Juneteenth plans, and upcoming events around City Hall and the Ben Franklin Parkway. Learn about our festivals, from Juneteenth and the Fringe to the Caribbean Festival, Panda Fest, and even the Eagles Parade. Tickets are $60.

Lantern Theater Company
St. Stephen's Theater, 923 Ludlow Street, Philadelphia

Franklinland
May 7-June 7, 2026

The Philadelphia premiere of Lloyd Suh's 2022 play about the ultimate father-son conflict: When Benjamin Franklin’s son William becomes the Royal Governor of New Jersey, which one of them is the rebel in the family? Look out for a review from BSR critic Joshua Herren.

Pennsylvania Hospital Museum
800 Spruce Street, Philadelphia

Museum Opening Day
Friday, May 8, 2026

Penn Medicine is opening the Pennsylvania Hospital Museum in the Pine Building on the campus, celebrating 275 years as America’s first hospital. Tickets are $10. You can also catch this museum at a May 16 Firstival event happening there.

Historic Germantown Second Saturday Tours
Various locations in Northwest Philadelphia
May 9, 2026

Germantown has more Colonial historic sites than Center City Philadelphia. There are tours and exhibits year-round, but on Second Saturdays there are special events. May 9, it’s the Ebenezer Maxwell Mansion (free), Cliveden House (free), and Chew House. Cliveden will open a self-guided tour of “site-responsive” new work by Naya Lee Chang, Janna Gregonis, Jacintha Kruc, Kristen Neville Taylor, Jonathan Wahl, and Samara Weaver.

Woodmere
Charles Knox Smith Hall, 9201 Germantown Avenue, Philadelphia

Tempesta di Mare presents Revolution Tunes
Saturday, May 9, 2026, 5:30-6:30pm

Tempesta di Mare is part of Philly’s thriving early music scene, with programs focused on Baroque music. As part of its Soundtrack of Independence series, Tempesta will present Revolution Tunes at Woodmere, a notable art museum in Chestnut Hill. Harpsichordist John Walthausen plays music from the Francis Hopkinson Collection of Music (Hopkinson was a signer of the Declaration of Independence). Woodmere, which recently expanded its galleries to a beautiful new building, is also presenting a retrospective of notable Philly artist Syd Carpenter, on view through May 24. Here’s the BSR review.

Common Press, Fisher Fine Arts Library
Lower Level, 220 S 34th Street, Philadelphia

The 12-Hour Declaration of Independence: Community Typesetting
May 14-15

The first edition of the Declaration of Independence was typeset and printed within 12 hours starting on July 4, 1776. To honor its 250th anniversary, Common Press will host a 12-hour, two-day community typesetting event during which all are invited to hand-set metal type to help create a historically accurate replica. The final form of metal type will remain available for printing on Common Press’s 19th-century hand press through September 2026. Free and open to the public, but space is limited and registration is required (entry requires a PennCard or a photo ID).

Then, return from May 18 to December 18 to print your own copy with Common Press’s 1889 cast-iron handpress. It’s also free, but reservations for the hour-long session are required. Bring the family—you can reserve a slot for up to 15 people.

Wyck Historic House, Garden, & Farm
6026 Germantown Avenue, Philadelphia

Historic Property Walking Tour: Wyck’s Landscape Through the Ages
Saturday, May 16, 2026, 11 am-2:30 pm

The Wyck family lived in this National Historic Landmark from 1690 to 1973. It became a National Historic Landmark in 1991, and today is more famous for its garden than the buildings. This one-mile walking tour of West Germantown will start and end in the Rose Garden. Free, but reservation is required.

Penn Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology
3260 South Street, Philadelphia

Native Futurism by Holly Wilson
Saturday, May 16, 2026, 2:30-3:30 pm

The Penn Museum’s East Entrance lobby becomes a large-scale, mixed-media installation from multidisciplinary artist Holly Wilson, Delaware Nation Lenape and Descendent of the Delaware Tribe of Indians. It brings an Indigenous-led perspective to the nation’s 250th. Included with museum admission. While you’re there, be sure to check out the new Native North America Gallery. Here’s the BSR review.

Hope Lodge
553 South Bethlehem Pike, Fort Washington, PA

Colonial Flax to Linen Demonstration
Sunday, May 17, 2026, 1-4pm

Calling all textile enthusiasts! It’s a bit off the beaten path, but this Georgian house has been around since the 1740s. The second owner, William West, was a colonial flax merchant. This free demonstration shows “how flax was planted, harvested, and processed into sticks for spinning fiber into linen and weaving it into linen cloth.” The presentation will include samples of spun and woven linen.

The Wilma Theater
265 S. Broad Street, Philadelphia

The America Play
May 19-31, 2026

The Wilma’s season closer is about a Black Abraham Lincoln impersonator (the “Foundling Father”) who runs “a tourist attraction where visitors can meet other historical lookalikes.” According to the Wilma, this 1993 play by Pulitzer and Tony-winner Suzan-Lori Parks is “a daring exploration of the fractured stories that shape our nation,” challenging us “to redefine what it means to be American in the context of our current political landscape.” It stars Wilma co-artistic director Lindsay Smiling alongside the company’s excellent HotHouse ensemble. Look out for Josh Herren's review.

Spruce Street Harbor Park
301 S. Columbus Blvd, Philadelphia

2026 DRWC Flag Exhibition: Roots of Resilience
May 22-September 7, 2026

For this new public installation, artists were encouraged to explore Philadelphia’s history as a central immigration hub in a variety of interpretations, drawing inspiration from historical events, cultural traditions, and personal stories that reflect the immigrant experience in the city. It’s part of the Delaware River Waterfront Corporation’s Where Freedom Flows series.

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.

Thanks for reading BSR! If you enjoyed this preview, be sure to subscribe to our free newsletter and don’t miss the next one. There’s never a paywall at BSR, and you can join the donors who keep our journalism accessible.