Where: Washington, D.C.
When: year-round
If you like: history, arts and culture
Why you should go: The nation’s capital will be party central in 2026 as America marks its semiquincentennial with new museums, festivals, and events. Celebrations peak on the Fourth of July, with a reenactment of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, a parade, and a massive fireworks display over the National Mall, but that’s just the tip of the birthday candle.
“The 250th calls for a year-round commemoration,” says Elliott Ferguson, president and CEO of Destination D.C. And the district has big plans. He points to a $40 million National Archives renovation, which includes an interactive museum guiding visitors through important historic documents. The Archives will also put on permanent display the Emancipation Proclamation, which declared the end of slavery, and the Nineteenth Amendment, which removed voting restrictions for women.
Also debuting this summer: a museum in the undercroft, or cavernous basement beneath the Lincoln Memorial, an area long closed to the public; the National Geographic Museum of Exploration, with 100,000 square feet of exhibit space, along with a nightly immersive light show projected onto the museum’s entrance; and updated exhibit galleries at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, which opened fifty years ago for the nation’s two hundredth birthday. Fall will bring the reopening of the Hirshhorn Sculpture Garden after a $68 million revitalization.
Organizers hope the festivities will help visitors see their country in a different light. “Together, these events will honor where we’ve been and inspire where we’re going,” says Rosie Rios, chair of the America250 celebration.
G&G tip: Visitors will find plenty happening outside museum doors, too: The National Gallery of Art will hold a block party on June 6, with art making, music, and film screenings. And in July the city hosts the Great American State Fair on the National Mall, with exhibits and events from every U.S. state and territory. That’s on top of annual favorites like the National Cherry Blossom Festival and the Smithsonian Folklife Festival.
