HARRISBURG, PA — As the nation counts down to its 250th birthday, the Pennsylvania House of Representatives is opening a new exhibit that places Pennsylvania at the center of America’s milestone moments of independence.
The Pennsylvania House of Representatives Archives will unveil a major exhibition titled Keystone of America on February 3, spotlighting how the Commonwealth marked America’s landmark anniversaries in 1826, 1876, 1926, and 1976. The exhibit, housed in the House Archives at the Capitol Complex’s Irvis Office Building, will remain open to visitors throughout 2026.
The exhibition traces Pennsylvania’s evolving role in national celebrations, with a particular focus on the 1976 Bicentennial, when Philadelphia served as a focal point for the nation’s commemoration. Among the featured items are original programs and planning documents from the General Assembly’s ceremonial session held in front of Independence Hall, an event that included Valéry Giscard d’Estaing, then president of France, as a guest of honor.
Visitors will also find period clothing on loan from the Fashion Archives and Museum of Shippensburg University and private collectors, intended to immerse guests in the look and feel of each era. The exhibit further showcases rarely seen photographs, speeches, and documents drawn from the House Archives, including materials never before displayed publicly.
“Throughout 2026, the entire country will commemorate the 250th birthday of the United States,” said Jesse Teitelbaum, director of the PA House Archives. “Pennsylvania will host its fair share of programs, activities, and exhibits, and the PA House of Representatives is proud to be one of them. Many of the items on display in this exhibit are one-of-a-kind and should not be missed.”
Maps and directions to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives Archives and Museum are available at Capitol tour guide desks located at each Capitol entrance.
The exhibit opens as Pennsylvania positions itself as a centerpiece of the nation’s upcoming semiquincentennial celebrations, reaffirming the Commonwealth’s long-standing role as a cradle of American independence.
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