The Virginia Museum of History & Culture (VMHC) unveiled Give Me Liberty: Virginia & the Forging of a Nation on March 22—the 250th anniversary of Patrick Henry’s iconic “Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death!” speech. This groundbreaking exhibition, developed with the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation, is America’s first major commemoration of the nation’s semiquincentennial and runs through Jan. 6, 2026.
Visitors will experience revolutionary Virginia through five dynamic sections exploring how ideas transformed into action. Multimedia experiences will transport guests to pivotal moments— from the electrifying atmosphere of St. John’s Church to lively tavern debates where revolutionary ideas took shape.
The exhibition showcases treasures including Dunmore’s Proclamation, Washington’s French and Indian War smallsword, and Patrick Henry’s letter opener, which he pretended to stab into his chest following his famous speech. Beyond celebrating founding fathers, the exhibition illuminates contributions from women like printer Clementina Rind and explores additional cultural perspectives during this turbulent era.
“Give Me Liberty is about more than a single moment,” says VMHC President Jamie Bosket. “It frames the decade before independence as a dynamic period that continues to drive America’s movement toward a more perfect union. History isn’t just about the past; it’s a roadmap for the future,” he adds. “The VMHC’s core mission is to use history as a unifying force, fostering a shared sense of identity. [We’re] committed to meeting this important moment and to engaging and inspiring Americans now and for generations to come.”
Following its Richmond debut, the exhibition will travel to the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown in 2026, while a mobile version will visit more than 50 communities statewide through 2027. A companion book featuring essays by leading historians is slated for publication in June 2025.
The exhibition establishes Virginia as a national leader in America’s 250th anniversary planning and follows the “A Common Cause to All” national planning conference. Initiated and hosted by the VMHC, the conference was a springboard to 2026 events and included planners from 40 states. VirginiaHistory.org
Featured photo courtesy of The MET. This article originally appeared in the June 2025 issue.
