America Turns 250 in Philly

This is the first article in a special column in all 2026 Kovels Antique Trader issues that reflects on the importance of antiques to American history. Special reporting will appear both in the publication and online.

As the former capital of one of the Thirteen Colonies (1682–1799) and the United States (1790–1800), the city of Philadelphia was an important place in the early beginnings of America, bearing witness to many pivotal moments in the fight for independence. It survived British occupation during the Revolutionary War and was the chosen locale for the First and Second Continental Congresses (1774 and 1775). Philly was also the place where the U.S. Constitution was drafted and signed at the Philadelphia Convention in 1787.

Despite being over 300 years old—the city was founded in 1682 by English Quaker William Penn—Philadelphia is quite proud of its age and proudly shows off this maturity in its Old City neighborhood. Within this dense space near the Delaware River waterfront is Independence Hall (520 Chestnut St.), the Liberty Bell (526 Market St.), and the third presidential mansion, known as the President’s House Site (corner of 6th and Market Streets). Also nearby is Franklin Court (322 Market St), the Arch Street Meeting House (320 Arch Street), and the Christ Church and Christ Church Burial Ground (350 N 5th St), where Benjamin Franklin and other Founding Fathers are interred. And don’t forget Betsy Ross’ house and gravesite (239 Arch St), Carpenter’s Hall (320 Chestnut Street), and Elfreth’s Alley, the oldest residential street in the United States.

This plentiful assortment of American history in the City of Brotherly Love is about to get even more abundant as we enter 2026. This year marks the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States, known as a semiquincentennial. Philadelphia is prepared for this birthday celebration with its Ring It On! One Philly, A United Celebration program in accordance with the state of Pennsylvania’s 250America PA plan. One of the main attractions of this lineup is the city’s July 4th Salute to Independence Parade, which is part of the Wawa Welcome America festival that will host block parties, concerts, and fireworks over sixteen days.

But these are not the only things to do on Philly’s Semiquincentennial itinerary. “2026 is the year to experience our city,” explains Angela Val, president and CEO of Visit Philadelphia, in a press release. “We’re inviting the nation to join us for (fifty-two) weeks of celebrations…while reminding our residents that this milestone is theirs to celebrate too.”

From now through next year, the city will be a hub of activities, exhibitions, and events that will use art, history, and antiques to tell the histories of Philadelphia and the United States. Among the many examples of this initiative are displays at the National Constitution Center (525 Arch Street). In time for the 250th, two new galleries were added to the museum space, the Separation of Powers Gallery in May 2026 and the America’s Founding Gallery in February 2026, which, among the rarities it will display, includes one of fourteen known copies of the U.S. Constitution and a first printing of the Seventeenth Constitutional Amendment as it was debated by Congress.

The 250th is also receiving an artistic nod in the city with a joint exhibition at the Philadelphia Art Museum (2600 Benjamin Franklin Parkway) and the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (118–128 N. Broad Street). Entitled A Nation of Artists, the exhibition seeks to broaden the definition of American art by intermixing works by historically underrepresented artists alongside established, well-known names, including Charles Willson Peale, Mary Cassatt, Horace Pippin, Mickalene Thomas, and Rina Banerjee. The show also marks the debut of the Middleton Family Collection, comprising 120 artworks owned by Philadelphia Phillies managing partner and CEO John Middleton. The exhibition will debut at the Philadelphia Art Museum from April 12 to July 5, 2027, and at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in May through September 2027.

American-made creativity will continue at the multidisciplinary and cultural festival ArtPhilly from May 29 to July 4. Titled What Now?, the multi-day event will occur throughout the city and infuse America’s past with its present. Among what can be heard and seen is a series of jazz and classical musical compositions by composer Ruth Naomi Floyd dedicated to the life and work of Philadelphian Marian Anderson, a reimagining of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons by composer Dan Deacon and BalletX, and a series of tours in Philadelphia museums that tell the history of the climate crisis through art and history.

An “explosive” way to start or end this cultural exploration of Philadelphia’s 250th celebration is at the Science History Institute’s Flash! Bang! Boom! A History of Fireworks exhibition, opening April 10. The museum (315 Chestnut Street) will turn the ephemeral into artifacts to tell the history and evolution of the beloved Fourth of July tradition. The show features a diverse range of historic objects, including rare books, fine art, and pyrotechnic technologies.

Among all that is set to occur during Philadelphia’s Semiquincentennial celebration, antique lovers will have the opportunity to score rare Colonial finds and more at the Pennsylvania Antiques Show, from April 23–26, held at the convention center of the Valley Forge Casino Resort.

This new annual antiques show is planned by Historic Trappe and features two dozen dealers from throughout the United States who specialize in Americana, Asian, and European goods. A priority of the show is to promote young collectors and dealers, many of whom will be tabling and speaking at the event’s lecture series.

Although there is a lot to look forward to this year in Philadelphia, much is happening right now in the city. Beginning in early January, fifty-two weeks of “Saturday First-ival” celebrations will take place in Philly’s over 200 neighborhoods. These festivals, consisting of performances, family-focused activities, and pop-ups, teach festivalgoers about the many firsts that took place in Philadelphia, such as the first balloon fight in America, the first volunteer fire company, and the first hospital in America.

Also happening in Philadelphia’s streets is artwork from the statewide Bells Across PA program. This partnership with the nonprofit Mural Arts Philadelphia places 20 fiberglass sculptures shaped like the iconic Liberty Bell into neighborhoods across the city. The replicas are made by local artists and display artwork that evokes the history and character of their chosen place.

Although the Philadelphia Art Museum is currently preparing for its Semiquincentennial show, there is plenty of art to see with its current exhibits on the 100th anniversary of Surrealism, based on André Breton’s 1924 Manifesto of Surrealism (now–February 16) and Framed! European Picture Frames from the Johnson Collection (now–April 20). American-made goods can be found in the Early American Galleries, which hold not just fine art, but also a swoon-worthy collection of folk, colonial, federal, and American Empire style furniture.

More American-made furniture is on display at the Institute of Contemporary Art (118 S. 36th) with the A World in the Making: The Shakers exhibition. On view from January 31 to August 9, it is a showcase of the craftsmanship of the Shakers, visualized through original pieces and contemporary work inspired by the Christian sect.

American history continues within a short walk from the Institute of Contemporary Art at the new Native North America Gallery at the Penn Museum (3260 South Street). This space presents a visual display of both historic and contemporary objects from four Native communities across the United States. Back at Philadelphia’s Old City neighborhood at the Museum of the American Revolution (101 S 3rd St) is the grand-sized exhibition The Declaration’s Journey, on view now through January 3, 2027. The show tells the history and influence of the Declaration of Independence with 120 objects and artworks, including Elizabeth Cady Stanton’s desk and Thomas Jefferson’s chair.

And after seeing all these decorative objects, history fanatics will want to find treasures of their own. The city houses many great antique and vintage stores that specialize in a diverse range of goods. Some popular spots include Showrooms 220 (2220 E. Allegheny Ave), which offers modern, Mid Century, and vintage decor in a showroom space that was converted from a 19th-century textile mill, or the auction house and store Material Culture (4700 Wissahickon Avenue, Suite 101) that sells antique and contemporary international art and home goods, particularly rug furnishings, in a space that was once the largest radio manufacturing plant in the world.

For those who prefer their antiques with a dark Victorian mood, head over to Anastacia’s Antiques (617 Bainbridge Street), where jewels, furniture, and old curiosities abound. Brightly colored trinkets and baubles can be found at Good’s Vintage (1022 S 9th Street), while massive, authentic bars and related memorabilia are for sale at Architectural Antiques Exchange (721 North Second Street). Your purchase at the Philly AIDS Thrift (710 S. 5th St) will have a greater impact than the average retail sale as proceeds are donated to community organizations involved in the fight against HIV/AIDS.

For hundreds of years, Philadelphia has been a central hub for documenting and preserving American history. It shouldn’t be a surprise that as we enter 2026 and the anniversary of America’s founding arrives, the city has a lot to say and show in its honor. “There’s no better place to mark the nation’s 250th than right here in Philadelphia,” explains Val. “The birthplace of American democracy.”

For more information about Philadelphia’s Semiquincentennial celebration, visit visitphilly.com.

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