US 250 Programs

Host an America’s Potluck event July 5th. Consider sharing historic recipes from your collections during this day.

June 14, 11:00 am - 7:00 pm. Join Cherokee Strip Land Rush Museum for a triple celebration - the 60 year anniversary of the museum, the 165th birthday of Kansas, and the America 250th commemoration. Contests, Food, Vendors, Tours and more!

Patriotic Outdoor Decorating Contest, June 1 - July 6. Categories for daytime and nighttime displays. Find more information at the link above.
Celebrate America Day, June 13, Free. Museum tours, antique and military vehicles, live music, speakers, demos, and shows. Find more information at the link above.

A program that is part of "By the People: Beyond 250" a collaboration between humanities council and local partners, these are, "...dynamic presentations that connect Kansans with our state's rich traditions through engaging storytelling, food, music, craft and dance demonstrations."

What the Declaration Promised - and What Kansas Made of It. Welcome to Per Aspera, a Kansas history podcast from the Kansas 250 Commission. This season, to commemorate the 250th anniversary of American independence, we’re telling stories about the people and places of Kansas that connect to themes in the Declaration of Independence.

Museums that need volunteers for projects can sign up now to be added to a list of organizations that will be promoted so that people who want to volunteer on the 9/11 Commemoration Day of Service can be connected with volunteer opportunities.

July 10, 10:00 am, Free. "Tell Your Own Story" with Priscilla Howe. Inspired by the importance of preserving and sharing our history during the 250th anniversary of the signing of America’s Declaration of Independence, Priscilla Howe’s presentation is a hands-on workshop for Kansans interested in becoming storytellers for their own families, communities, or as preservers of Kansas’s wide range of dynamic folk traditions.

The State Library of Kansas has monthly themed reading lists throughout 2026 with books written by or about Kansans. They also have paired program ideas and partnership suggestions with that month's theme that museums can promote and build from.

Saturday and Sunday, May 2-3 10:00am - 4:00pm
Join us to celebrate America’s 250th Birthday with this once–in–a–lifetime weekend history event at Shawnee Town 1929 Museum!
Located just 10 miles outside downtown Kansas City, visitors can explore 250 years of America’s History as they walk through “snapshots in time” across the museum park. Visit scenes from the American Revolution and the earliest Kansas settlers on up to the Vietnam War. Talk with 50+ living history experts, actors, and teachers from Kansas, Missouri, Tennessee, and even Massachusetts - they are excited to tell you their unique stories about the nation’s origins, and the different people and experiences that make us who we are! PLUS enjoy special actor performances and featured talks scheduled in the Chapel.
**Visitors are encouraged to dress up in their favorite decade!**
ADMISSION IS FREE with “goodwill donations encouraged” at the gate! All donations go to the Friends of Shawnee Town. Thanks to the Friends and to the Freedom's Frontier National Heritage Area for sponsoring this event!

We will host a "Declaration Conversation" on Thursday, April 23 at 7:00pm. The Declaration Conversation will be facilitated by Dr. Eric Anderson of Haskell Indians Nations University and sponsored by Humanities Kansas. The event is free and open to the public.

Kansas Museums Association