Americans have long shouted from the fringes, but we’ve governed from the center. The Louisiana Purchase, the Thirteenth Amendment, Social Security, civil rights, environmental reforms: all eventually won bipartisan endorsement.
The center still exists. We simply have to find it again.
Book signing to follow the event.
As the United States marks its 250th anniversary, join Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Beverly Gage for a thought-provoking exploration of the people, places, and stories that have shaped the nation.
Drawing from her new book, This Land Is Your Land: A Road Trip through U.S. History, Gage retraces the American story through 13 unforgettable journeys to historic sites across the country—from Independence Hall and the Alamo to lesser-known landmarks like the Eugene Debs House in Indiana and the historic Black town of Mound Bayou, Mississippi.
Part history, part travelogue, and part personal memoir, Gage’s travels took her to nearly 300 museums, battlefields, monuments, parks, and roadside attractions. Along the way, she spent the night in a decommissioned nuclear missile silo, visited a 19th-century utopian commune, attended Confederate Memorial Day observances, and even found history in Disneyland.
Through these experiences, Gage offers a fresh perspective on the American story—one that embraces the nation’s triumphs and contradictions while arguing that Americans can confront their past honestly and still love their country.
Join us for an engaging conversation about history, memory, and the places that continue to shape our understanding of the United States.
Book signing to follow the event.
The 4th of July has passed, but we’re still celebrating America’s 250th birthday! From the Declaration of Independence to modern popular culture, how much do you really know about American history? Bring your team of up to four players (or join a team on the spot) and come test your knowledge at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library. With multiple rounds of fun and quirky questions, Here’s Your Host’s Matt Eickhoff will challenge just how much you really know.
Impress your friends!
Win prizes!
Wonder where you learned that particular piece of trivia!
Registration is not required.
The 4th of July has passed, but we’re still celebrating America’s 250th birthday! From the Declaration of Independence to modern popular culture, how much do you really know about American history? Bring your team of up to four players (or join a team on the spot) and come test your knowledge at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum. With multiple rounds of fun and quirky questions, Here’s Your Host’s Matt Eickhoff will challenge just how much you really know.
Impress your friends!
Win prizes!
Wonder where you learned that particular piece of trivia!
Registration is not required.
Winners of the Orange County Student Patriotic Song Contest will perform at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum’s A250 Concert Series. This contest was organized by the Orange County Department of Education in partnership with organizations like Orange County Music and Dace, USA25-OC, and Fender Guitar.
The performances listed are free and open to the public; however, please note that admission to the concert does not include access to the Galleries or the grounds. Tickets can be purchased in the Library lobby.
“Remember the Ladies: A One-Woman Journey Through the American Revolution” is a 60-minute tribute by Robin Follman, directed by Jennifer Backhaus, narrated by Jo Ellen Chatham, with a guest performance by Vivienne Follman Otta. Premiering on August 23, 2026 at the Nixon Library, this show offers an intimate look at the American Revolution through women’s perspectives, seamlessly blending the roles of a wife, mother, poet, and patriot.
The Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum is thrilled to announce an engaging concert series, in addition to its complimentary Sunday concert series. The performances listed are free and open to the public; however, please note that admission to the concert does not include access to the Galleries or the grounds. Tickets can be purchased in the Library lobby.
Join the Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, the Richard Nixon Foundation, and USA250-OC for a discussion on the Revolutionary Principles of the Constitution with Andrew Guilford and Barry McDonald, Austen Parrish. The panel will be moderated by JoEllen Chatham.
Topics will include:
The event is free. Attendees will enjoy discounted museum admission of $17.76, which includes access to the new America 250 exhibit.
Enjoy free museum admission on Veterans Day at the Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum!
Guest speaker: Dr. Joseph Thorndike,
Director Tax History Project at Tax Analysts
The 2026 programming season is dedicated to celebrating America’s 250th anniversary. Join us throughout the year as we examine President Eisenhower’s top accomplishments in the continual pursuit of a more perfect Union. These programs are all made possible courtesy of The Eisenhower Foundation.
Join Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello and the Adams Presidential Center at the Truman Presidential Library and Museum from 8:30am – 12:30pm on September 24, 2026, for a special America250 professional development opportunity.
In this workshop, titled Founding Friends, Founding Foes, all three presidential institutions will explore complicated civic friendships whose discourse and partnerships defined American policies. Teachers will analyze the relationship between John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, going from allies in 1776 to bitter political rivals and friends again in retirement. They will examine how Truman’s complex relationships with cabinet members and military leaders led to the expansion of American foreign policy.
Teachers will consider how these relationships can inspire students to engage in civil discourse and friendships today, while leaving with strategies and resources to implement immediately in the classroom.
This workshop is free and open to all current educators. Lunch and Museum admission are included. Space is limited.
The first 12 teachers from both Missouri and Kansas will receive each $75 stipend to support substitute funding, graciously provided by Missouri Council for History Education and Kansas Council for History Education.
