Museum Association
of Arizona

What Is America250?
The U.S. Semiquincentennial Commission was established by Congress in 2016 to plan and orchestrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence of the United States.  The America250.org, Inc. (“A250”) is the nonprofit supporting organization to the U.S. Semiquincentennial Commission. A250 works collaboratively with the Commission to facilitate public-private partnerships for programming and events. Arizona, like many other states, has created its own state commission.   

MAA America250 Task Force
In 2024 MAA established a special America250 Task Force with three main goals:
 - Provide assistance to Arizona museums that  want to participate in the America250 commemoration
 - Create a dedicated webpage for museums to share what they are doing for the Semiquincentennial
 - Act as a conduit for the more than 300 museums across the state to communicate with the American250 Arizona Commission, as well as other networks. These include  the A250West Working Group and the American Association for State and Local History Basecamp Online Community.

National Initiatives
The US Semiquincentennnial Commission has a number of projects that both organizations and individuals can participate in.   These include:
America’s Field Trip - A contest for students in grades 3–12 to share their perspectives on what America means to them — and earn the opportunity to travel for field trip experiences at some of the nation’s most iconic historic and cultural landmarks.
Our American Story - An initiative to collect an audiovisual archives of everyday Americans.
America Gives - An online tool to track the year of volunteer service of individuals and organizations. 
Additionally the White House Task Force on Celebrating America’s 250th Birthday has created the Presidential AI Challenge  where K-12 youth, educators, mentors, and community teams work on real-world problems in their communities using AI-powered solutions.

Arizona Initiatives
The Arizona America250 Commission is leading the state-wide commemoration of the nation’s 250th anniversary, highlighting the role Arizona plays in the American story. Subcommittees are focused on Arts, Museums & Cultural Institutions, Civic, Engagement, Education & Community Service, History, Heritage & Historic Preservation, Military & Veterans Affairs, Municipal Outreach & Tribal Affairs, and Travel & Tourism.

The Commission has a wide range of initiatives including  
Passport250 - A digital pass to help Arizonans and visitors explore the state through unique excursions and themed lists like Treasures250, Dine250, Cheers250, Commemorate250, Indigenous Travel250, and Dark Skies250.
Traveling Museum – Arizona’s replica Liberty Bell, along with interactive exhibits on American history and Arizona will travel to all 15 counties before returning to the Arizona State Capitol, where the Bell will be permanently installed. 
Statewide Community Calendar - An online site to share  local celebrations or commemorative events

Arizona Humanities 2026 AZ Speaks  programs, with the theme Living Landscapes, Celebrating America’s 250th, will highlight how Arizona’s natural environment has shaped communities, from our unique food, music, storytelling, and more, for the past 250 years and beyond.

Resources for America250 Programs
Create your own program with information from the American Association for State and Local History

  The AASLH Program Handbook is a how-to that features more than 30 low-cost program ideas specifically geared towards smaller organizations to provide them with practical program suggestions they can use in their planning for the Semiquincentennial.  The handbook is available on-line or as a download.  
AASLH National Initiative Tracker  Lists many of the national initiatives currently being planned by private nonprofits, federal agencies, and other organizations.
Recordings of AASLH programs about America250
250 Con Bundle 
Virtual Summit: Commemoration Reconsidered: Ethics, Justice, and America’s 250th Anniversary | 
Interpreting the U.S. 250th at Your Site: Connecting with Fieldwide Themes Webinar  
Interpreting the US 250th at Your Site: Where to Begin Webinar 
AASLH Conversations: Preparing for the 250th Anniversary Webinar

Initiatives that your museum can take part in
Wish Walls for America   (Made by Us and the New York Historical Society) A guide to setting up a pop-up exhibit to ask visitors “What is Your Wish for America’s Future?”
Moments That Made US (America250 Colorado 150 Commission) A free exhibition with downloadable print-on-demand text  that explore the ideals at the heart of the Declaration of Independence through 26 thematic and "historic moments” panels. 
2.5 Million Acts of Science (SciStarter) Information for libraries, museums and other educational organizations on how to host one or more citizen science events during Citizen Science Month, April 2026.
250 Stories for 250 Years (Smartify) A space for cultural organizations to submit their most meaningful objects, places or stories related to America250.

Other 2026 Celebrations and Commemorations - Find Out More

Route 66 Centennial  
Route 66 Centennial Commission  
Historic Route 66 Association of Arizona 

      Anza250 
Anza250 (National Park Service) 
Anza Trail Foundation

Route 66 Centennial and Anza250 Museum Events in Arizona

Share Your 2026 Commemorative Activities
Whether you are planning a program for America250, the Route 66 Centennial, or the Anza250, please send the information to MAA at azmuseums@gmail.com and we’ll add you to our  Arizona America250 Museum Events webpage  and share it through our social media.   And don’t forget to send your information to the America250 Arizona Statewide Community Calendar.