For the past five years, the MoAR has partnered with local learning entities to present Revolution at the Library — and 2026 will be no different.
Born from a partnership between the Museum of the American Revolution in Old City, the Free Library of Philadelphia and the Camden County Library System, the initiative has expanded to nearly 30 libraries across Burlington County, Camden County, and the Philadelphia region to bring the Museum’s content to life through live readings, hands-on activities and more this summer.
“It’s been amazing to watch Revolution at the Library’s impact grow across the region over the last five years,” says Rebecca Franco, Family Programs Manager for the museum. “This year is especially exciting, getting to teach kids about our nation’s 250th anniversary and about the Revolutionary era during this historic year. We hope to continue to spark young people’s curiosity about the diverse people and events of the Revolution.”
Essentially, elementary school students and families can visit local libraries to hear Revolutionary-era stories from museum educators while engaging in hands-on activities to “spark curiosity and further historical empathy and knowledge.” As a release notes, programs feature a range of topics and contain interactive elements, like replica artifacts and documents, that children can examine and explore. Note, all programs are free to attend and do not require advance registration.
A full list of program locations, dates, and times can be found online, but current participating locations include Andorra, Eastwick, Frankford, Northeast Regional, Oak Lane, Queen Memorial, and Wyoming for Philly branches, along with Gloucester Township Blackwood Rotary, Haddon Township, Merchantville, and William G. Rohrer Memorial Library for Camden County.
The program itself kicks off this month (on Monday, June 15), and will also include the new “Explore the Declaration” program. This fresh addition to the schedule teaches kids about the Declaration, its creation, and why it still matters 250 years later, and connects it all to themes in the MoAR’s latest special exhibition, 'The Declaration’s Journey.'
The release also cites that other topics include “What’s Under the Museum,” which unearths the treasures found during the archaeological excavation of the Museum’s site before its construction; “Life at Sea,” which explores what life was like for sailors on privateer ships; “Thinking Like a Historian,” which encourages students to think critically about what replica objects can teach us about the past; and “Spies,” which examines espionage in the Revolutionary era.
Additionally, participants and their families can sign up for a field trip to the museum from their neighborhood on select dates, or plan future museum visits by taking advantage of the Library Pass Program.
To find out more information on Revolution at the Library, visit amrevmuseum.org
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