Two of Virginia museums, the Virginia Museum of History & Culture (VMHC) and the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown, are teaming up to present “Give Me Liberty: Virginia & the Forging of a Nation,” a landmark exhibition marking America’s 250th anniversary. The exhibition will debut at the VMHC on March 22, 2025, in line with the anniversary of Patrick Henry’s historic “Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death!” speech. Sponsored by VA250, Virginia’s official semiquincentennial planning commission, the exhibition will be displayed in Richmond before embarking on a statewide tour.

“Virginia’s history is essential to understanding the American founding,” said Jamie O. Bosket, CEO of the VMHC. “This exhibition presents a full narrative of our national story, covering its victories and struggles and amplifying the many voices that together built our Commonwealth and our nation.”

“Give Me Liberty” will be one of the first major exhibits in the nation commemorating the anniversary, with a focus on Virginia’s role in the American Revolution and the global influences that inspired democratic government. Important items, including a portrait of George Washington by Charles Willson Peale and Patrick Henry’s spectacles, will showcase Virginia’s enduring legacy.

The exhibition also will include voices from lesser-known groups, such as enslaved and free Black people, Indigenous communities, women and youths. These perspectives, according to Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation Executive Director Christy S. Coleman, will provide visitors with an opportunity to view the Revolution’s legacy in a fresh light.

In addition to notable artifacts like Dunmore’s Proclamation Broadside from 1775 and Thomas Jefferson’s 1774 “Summary View of the Rights of British America,” the exhibition will display reproductions of Patrick Henry’s speech paper cutter and the Speaker’s Chair from Virginia’s House of Burgesses.

Following its time at the VMHC, “Give Me Liberty” will move to the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown from July 2026 through January 2027. A mobile version of the exhibition will tour Virginia, visiting local museums and community centers across the state. Accompanying the exhibition, a publication titled “Give Me Liberty” will be released in June 2025, featuring essays by historians to offer deeper context on the stories within the exhibit.

As part of its 250th commemoration, the VMHC also will introduce a series of educational and community-focused initiatives. The Civics Connects program will provide resources aligned with Virginia’s Standards of Learning, and the museum will host citizenship ceremonies along with lectures featuring prominent historians. Through the Commonwealth History Fund, close to $1 million will support local projects tied to the 250th anniversary, ensuring communities throughout Virginia can connect with the lasting legacy of America’s founding.