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On the eve of America’s 250th birthday, Philadelphia has trained thousands of “Phambassadors”—locals eager to share their civic pride, culture, history and neighborhoods—to create one giant welcoming committee. The city is hosting a yearlong semiquincentennial celebration that includes 52 weeks of illuminating “firsts.”
Each Saturday “First-ival” in 2026 will commemorate a groundbreaking event that took root in the City of Brotherly Love, with observances throughout town. January and February activations will honor milestones such as the Mummers Parade (established in 1901, this rowdy folk parade is the longest-running event of its kind in the U.S.); America’s first professional basketball league, founded in 1898; the 1775 formation of the nation’s first abolitionist society (through which activists laid the groundwork for a national movement to end slavery); and the establishment of the nation’s first medical school in 1765.
Discover lesser-known facts about the Declaration of Independence at the Museum of the American Revolution, where a new exhibit called “The Declaration’s Journey” is a centerpiece of Philadelphia’s 2026 semiquincentennial happenings. On view through January 3, 2027, this multimedia experience features more than 120 historic artifacts, documents, artworks and videos illustrating the Declaration’s enduring influence, both in the U.S. and abroad.
In addition, the National Constitution Center, the nation’s only museum dedicated to the U.S. Constitution, will unveil two new galleries in 2026. America’s Founding Gallery, slated to open in February, tells the story of the early struggles for American independence. The Separation of Powers Gallery, debuting in May, will delve into the government’s three branches and the balance our forefathers sought to establish between the federal government and states’ rights. An original copy of the U.S. Constitution—one of only 14 surviving copies—and a rare first printing of the 17 constitutional amendments will also be on display throughout 2026.
See visitphilly.com/2026-philadelphia for a full rundown of events, attractions and hotel packages.