“People make choices…and that is how they write their own history.”
-Senior Curator Andrew Talkov, VMHC Senior Director of Curatorial Affairs
The Virginia Museum of History and Culture brings history to life in its current exhibit which highlights Virginia’s unique role in the American Revolution. Don’t miss the chance to visit “Give Me Liberty: Virginia & The Forging of A Nation,” an exhibit exploring events, ideas, and Virginians who helped create the new United States of America!
No need to be a history buff to appreciate this work! Adults and students in upper elementary school and older will likely best enjoy the exhibit. Curator Andrew Talkov includes figures we’ve all learned about in history books, such as Patrick Henry, but purposefully focuses on the experiences of the ordinary person in the time period. Visitors are expertly guided through years marking the steps leading up to separation from England: 1774: Protest to Action, 1775: Words to Action, 1776: Liberty in Action.
Virtual scenes show daily life in the colonies through realistic visuals alongside artifacts or recreations including clothing and servingware on display. Prior to the war, people from all strata of society faced a choice: align with either Loyalists or Patriots, still others tried to remain neutral and wait out the strife. The perspectives of underrepresented groups are specially featured as the exhibit examines the choices of Indigenous Americans, African Americans, and women. Opinions varied greatly within each group. Visitors explore the influences and viewpoints that led each person to choose their allegiance. My children especially liked the section of the exhibit called “American Revolution Takes Root.” Here, visitors read short biographies on wooden leaves on the wall (painted as a tree) and guess which side the person joined. Visitors then flip the leaf over and learn what the person chose in their lifetime.
The Revolutionary story is woven in a cause-and-effect style, evident as a chain of events, showing how each choice made by individuals throughout the colonies moved the country closer to the Declaration. Even those who already know a great deal about the Revolutionary period will learn about important local events such as The day of Fasting, Humiliation, and Prayer, which drew the ire of the Royal Governor, and a lesser known Tea Party in Yorktown!
This is not a static history lesson. The exhibit ends with timelines of Freedom of the Press, Freedom of Religion, and a Call to Action: Our Living Revolution of Ideas. The Women’s Suffrage Movement, Civil Rights Era, and Indigenous Rights Movement are shown as extensions of the drive for liberty sought in the Revolution. Visitors are encouraged to examine the choices and perspectives of Americans in today’s world. Everyone leaves with the challenge to continue this push for justice and liberty in their daily lives, and can even take home “Seeds of Liberty” to plant in their gardens, too.
In July 2026, Americans will celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. In 2016, the United States Congress established the US Semiquincentennial Commission to plan events from 2023 to 2026 that commemorate the events leading up to revolution and the country’s independence. “Give Me Liberty” is part of this recognition. The VMHC worked with the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation and the America250 Commission in developing the plans. Follow the VHMC’s podcast “Revolution Revisited” to learn more and visit America250.org to discover other exciting events commemorating this 250th anniversary! Younger students may also look to Steven K. Smith’s Virginia Mysteries Series to learn through historical fiction.
Special thanks to Senior Curator Andrew Talkov and Tracy Schneider for taking time to talk with me about the development of the exhibit.
