JOIN US October 20-23, 2026 to celebrate the Declaration!
The Maine State Archives and Maine State Library will host the Dunlap Broadside Declaration of Independence from October 20–23, 2026, as part of the Maine Historical Society's statewide 250th-anniversary tour. Two additional copies of the Declaration and other Revolutionary War era documents that are part of the Archives’ collection will also be exhibited. Copies of the Dunlap Broadside were printed in Philadelphia on July 4, 1776, and sent throughout the Colonies to announce American independence.
Public visitation hours are:
Wednesday – 12pm - 5pm
Friday – 9am - 5pm
Teachers:
Thursday’s hours (Oct 22) are reserved exclusively for school groups. Teachers, please contact Jess Graham to schedule your classroom visit.
What Should We Remember about the Declaration of Independence in 2026?
Dr Liam Riordan of Univ of Maine will give a talk, What Should We Remember about the Declaration of Independence in 2026?, at 6pm on Wednesday Oct 21 at the Maine State Library in partnership with the Lithgow Library. Please rsvp here.
The Cultural Building is the Dunlap Broadside’s last stop on its tour across Maine’s 16 counties! Stops have included public and student visitation, community celebrations, readings, and special events. MHS thanks the extraordinary libraries, museums, schools, and other community organizations that have helped bring the Dunlap Broadside of the Declaration of Independence to Mainers across the state.
We hope you take this opportunity to view these treasured national documents, share Maine's role in the American Revolution, and reflect on the nation's founding principles.
