Visitors can explore Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s connection to the Declaration of Independence during a weekend of talks, performances and special programming at the Museum of the American Revolution.
The museum’s Martin Luther King Jr. Weekend programming runs Saturday, Jan. 17, through Monday, Jan. 19, 2026, as the museum begins marking the nation’s upcoming 250th anniversary.
At the center of the weekend is the special exhibition “The Declaration’s Journey,” which examines how the Declaration of Independence has been interpreted and challenged over time. The exhibition includes artifacts tied directly to Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., including the metal prison bench he used while jailed in Birmingham in 1963 as he drafted “Letter from a Birmingham Jail.” The exhibition also includes materials related to the March on Washington, including an early distribution copy of King’s “I Have a Dream” speech.
Ahead of the weekend, the museum will host “AmRev Presents: The Declaration’s Journey in Concert” on Friday, Jan. 16, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. The concert uses music and storytelling to trace leadership and civil rights movements across American history. Tickets include a reception and access to the special exhibition.
Additional MLK Weekend programming includes short talks, gallery tours and performances that connect the Revolutionary era to later struggles for freedom and equality. Highlights include a final opportunity to view Lemuel Haynes’ 1776 anti-slavery essay “Liberty Further Extended,” daily talks focused on the power of words in social change, and a first-person theatrical performance about Elizabeth Freeman, a formerly enslaved woman who successfully sued for her freedom.
Educator-led gallery talks explore the experiences of people of African descent from the Revolutionary period through the Civil Rights Movement, while family-friendly activities invite visitors to engage with protest, poetry and civic action. A guided “Black Voices of the Revolution” gallery tour will be offered Saturday and Sunday at noon for an additional fee.
All MLK Weekend activities are included with regular museum admission unless otherwise noted. The museum is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Children ages 5 and under are free, and all tickets are valid for two consecutive days.
Martin King Jr. Weekend
Jan. 17 – Jan. 19, 2026
Museum of the American Revolution
101 S 3rd St.
Philadelphia, PA 19106
Included with regular admission
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