Washington, DC is celebrating the 250th anniversary of the US with a series of happenings across 2026, with its tourism organisation claiming the city as being the place to be this year.
“No matter when you visit Washington, DC in 2026, you’ll feel a part of the year-round commemoration for the nation’s 250th anniversary,” says Destination DC ceo Elliott L. Ferguson, II.
Anniversary happenings include the National Gallery of Art’s Celebrating American Art exhibition from 01 Mar, exploring how artists have told the American story, with it also featuring Dear America: Artists Explore the American Experience 11 Apr–20 Sep and American Icon: The US Flag in Art 06 Jun–06 Dec.
The National Museum of American History will feature exhibition In Pursuit of Life, Liberty & Happiness from 14 May, exploring the Declaration of Independence, while The National Museum of Women in the Arts’ Historical Paintings by American Women Artists exhibition is on 13 Mar-11 Oct, and Ford’s Theatre is featuring 1776, a musical on the Declaration of Independence 31 Mar-16 May.
The US Botanic Garden will feature America’s State Flowers 10 Apr-01 Oct, displaying the official flowers of each state and territory, while the National Mall’s historic carousel will reopen to the public in late Apr.
Also worth a mention is the National Mall’s Great American State Fair 25 Jun-10 Jul, showcasing American food, culture and pride, and the National Archives’ Spirit of Independence Festival for the 250th on 04-06 Jun.
Several properties are offering special packages in light of the 250th anniversary, with Capital Hilton offering a Capital 250 package and Conrad Washington DC a Celebrate America All Year Long package, while Days Inn by Wyndham Connecticut Avenue has a Celebrate America’s 250th offer.
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Other highlighted DC happenings include new museums opening their doors, including a museum underneath the Lincoln Memorial, the high-tech National Geographic Museum of Exploration and the African American Civil War Memorial Museum. Popular annual events will also continue in 2026, including the National Cherry Blossom Festival 20 Mar-12 Apr, Passport DC in May, Memorial Day Weekend 23-25 May, Juneteenth on 19 Jun, DC JazzFest 02-06 Sep, and Theatre Week, to be held in Sep/Oct. See more HERE.
