The British Museum will mark the 250th anniversary of the United States Declaration of Independence with a new display examining the complex alliances, diplomacy and contested histories surrounding the American Revolutionary War.
Opening 30th June and running until 29th November 2026, Declaring Independence: USA 250 brings together four remarkable objects that reveal the intertwined relationships between the American Revolutionaries, Great Britain and Indigenous North American Nations. At its centre is the extraordinary Washington Peace Medal, an object that passed through the hands of all three principal protagonists in the conflict.
Engraved by Paul Revere in 1777, the medal was originally presented by the American Revolutionaries to the Wabanaki Confederacy following a Treaty of Friendship. It was later confiscated by the British, presented to King George III, and eventually donated to the British Museum by King George IV in 1825.
One side of the medal depicts George Washington, then Commander of the Continental Army and later the first President of the United States. The reverse features thirteen linked hands representing the future United States alongside an allegorical Indigenous figure symbolising America, reflecting the importance of alliances with Indigenous Nations during the Revolutionary War.
The display also includes a 1712 wampum belt representing diplomacy between the Lenape (Delaware) and the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, alongside a ceremonial pipe tomahawk presented to Mohawk leader Thayendanegea (Joseph Brant) by the Duke of Northumberland in 1805, highlighting Indigenous alliances with Britain.
Joining the exhibition midway through its run will be the Sussex Declaration, a rare handwritten ceremonial copy of the Declaration of Independence on loan from the West Sussex Record Office. It is the only known handwritten ceremonial copy alongside the original manuscript preserved in the National Archives in Washington, D.C.
Together, the objects explore how diplomacy, gifts and material culture shaped relationships before, during and after the Revolutionary War, while foregrounding the role of Indigenous Nations whose histories are often overlooked.
Tom Hockenhull, Keeper of the Department of Money and Medals, said:
“The objects in this display play witness to the events leading up to, and beyond the Declaration of Independence.
“The Washington Peace Medal is an extraordinary survivor of this turbulent time, having passed through the hands of all three main protagonists in the Revolutionary War.”
Rose Taylor, Curator: Americas, added:
“I’m excited we’re able to bring these interconnected objects together for the first time, and explore the materiality of alliances, diplomacy, and negotiations between Indigenous Nations, the American Revolutionaries and the British.
“The display also foregrounds Indigenous histories, reminding audiences the war took place on Indigenous lands and highlighting the vital roles Indigenous Nations played in the conflict and how its legacies continue to shape Indigenous communities today.”
British Museum Director Dr Nicholas Cullinan OBE said:
“The United States of America and Britain have a long and interwoven history, as evidenced through this fascinating and timely display. We are delighted to mark 250 years of the USA through three extraordinary objects from the British Museum’s collection, which bore witness to such a pivotal moment in the founding of the nation. The generous loan of the Sussex Declaration, a rare copy of one of the most famous documents in the world, will complement the narrative when it joins the display in the autumn.”
Running in Room 3, Declaring Independence: USA 250, 30th June – 29th November 2026, offers a fresh perspective on one of history’s defining political moments, using objects to reveal the diplomatic negotiations, shifting allegiances and competing claims to sovereignty that shaped the birth of the United States.
