The 250th Anniversary of the American Revolution

Now On View

See the lantern from Paul Revere’s famous midnight ride and experience the day – April 19, 1775 – when the American Revolution began through dozens of objects that witnessed the start of the American Revolution.

On view through February 22, 2026

While Concord’s role in the start of the American Revolution is widely recognized, less well known are the continued experiences of disruption and turmoil in Concord throughout the war. Transformed by Revolution explores what it was like to be part of this war-time community that hosted Harvard College and became a hub of military supplies for the army in Boston. It considers who participated in this fight for Independence and the meanings of freedom for women, the Black community, and sovereign Indigenous nations. These stories are traced through the end of the war and into the years of the early Republic to explore shifting ideas about community, belonging, and what it meant to be part of the new nation.

Opening March 27, 2026

Explore the public memory of April 19th and the Revolution over the centuries and into today through the stories we tell about the founding of our nation, Concord’s role in that history, the unfulfilled promises of the Revolution, and the meanings of liberty.

October 6

Join historian Zara Anishanslin and Museum of Fine Arts, Boston curator Erica Hirshler for a conversation about Dr. Anishanslin new book, The Painter’s Fire, which tells the gripping story of three revolutionary artists – Robert Edge Pine, Prince Demah, and Patience Wright – who used their creative talents to challenge the British monarchy and advance the cause of liberty. Spanning continents and social boundaries, their lives offer a bold new lens on the American Revolution and the power of art to shape political change in an era of radical transformation.

November 6

Maria Ressa is the co-founder of Rappler, the leading digital-only news outlet in the Philippines, known for its fearless reporting and its defense of press freedom. In awarding her the Nobel Peace Prize, the committee recognized her “efforts to safeguard freedom of expression, which is a precondition for democracy and lasting peace.” In this timely conversation, Ressa will shine a light on the breakdown of our global information ecosystem and explore how networks of engaged citizens can come together to defend democratic values and hold the line against disinformation and authoritarianism.

November 12

Join Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Edward Larson for a timely Forum on his forthcoming book, Declaring Independence: Why 1776 Matters. As the nation approaches the 250th anniversary of its founding, Larson offers a powerful reexamination of the ideas, debates, and military turning points that made independence possible. From Common Sense to the Declaration itself, and from Boston to Trenton, Larson explores how 1776 transformed colonial resistance into a revolutionary movement—and why its lessons remain urgent for America today.

Doris Kearns Goodwin, one of the most well-regarded presidential historians of our time, comes to the Concord Museum on the 250th anniversary of the “shot heard round the world” for a wide-ranging conversation with Rosie Rios, Commissioner of America250, on the history of the American Revolution and its relevance today. View recording. 

Preeminent legal scholar Akhil Amar joins us for a conversation on the US Constitution. Uniting history and law through the biggest constitutional questions early Americans confronted, Professor Amar discusses the formative decades of the Constitution after its ratification and its resonance today.  View recording.

Legal scholar and analyst for MSNBC and NBC News and professor at the University of Michigan Law School, Barbara McQuade, joins us for a conversation on how to identify the ways disinformation is seeping into all facets of our society and how we can fight against it. View recording.

Acclaimed colonial historian Mary Beth Norton shares her landmark text 1774: The Long Year of Revolution chronicling the revolutionary changes that occurred from December 1773 to April 1775—from the Boston Tea Party to the Battles of Lexington and Concord. View recording. 

Renowned presidential historian and Executive Director of the George Washington Presidential Library at Mount Vernon, Dr. Lindsay M. Chervinsky, joins us for a conversation on John Adams’ five year-battle to defend the presidency. View recording.