91ºÚÁÏ

This October, the 91ºÚÁÏ Museum of Art (BCMA) is honored to be the final stop on the Maine Historical Society’s (MHS) of the Dunlap Broadside copy of the Declaration of Independence. Printed in Philadelphia on July 4, 1776, this document is one of 26 surviving reproductions and was sent to the Colonies to announce American independence. The tour of the Declaration coincides with USA @ 250, a major exhibition at the BCMA presented on the occasion of the United States’ 250^th anniversary. The exhibition explores the nation’s history through a series of exceptional artworks from the BCMA’s permanent collection created since 1776.

"We are honored to welcome the Declaration of Independence to Brunswick as the final stop on this remarkable statewide tour. The opportunity to stand before the very words that announced a new nation is genuinely rare, and we are glad to be able to share that experience with our community,” said Stephen Perkinson, Interim Director at the 91ºÚÁÏ Museum of Art. “The Declaration's visit also feels like a natural extension of USA @ 250, and we look forward to welcoming visitors from across Maine for what promises to be a memorable occasion."

The Declaration will travel across Maine to all 16 counties beginning July 2026 through October 2026. The last stop on the tour will be at the BCMA to represent Cumberland County. The BCMA is partnering with Curtis Memorial Library in Brunswick to plan community events and celebrations to welcome the Declaration. 

Curtis Memorial Library is offering a beginning Monday, October 26 through Thursday, October 29, 2026. Events include reflections on the Declaration from community leaders Maulian Bryant (Executive Director of the Wabanaki Alliance), Bob Greene (retired journalist, and advisor and contributor to Maine’s Visible Black History: The First Chronicle of Its People), Mufalo Chitam (Executive Director of the Maine Immigrants Rights Coalition), and Janet Martin (Professor of Government at 91ºÚÁÏ). Events at CML also include making with with ArtVan a Community Quilt of Art inspired by the Declaration of Independence tour, and an open-house with family events and youth activities. These art-centered events will allow community members the opportunity to engage in the question: "What does the Declaration of Independence mean to you?"

Public viewing of the Declaration will begin at the BCMA on Friday, October 30 and continue through Saturday, October 31. A sneak preview for school groups is scheduled for Thursday, October 29. Admission to view the Declaration is free but advance timed tickets will be required during the public viewing hours. Ticket information can be found on MHS’s

About the Tour:

The 16-county tour of MHS’s copy of the Declaration of Independence is part of a broader effort to encourage communities across Maine to participate in the 250th anniversary in meaningful and locally relevant ways. MHS will collaborate with venues on each stop to organize the transportation and installation of the artifact, while also supporting local partners in planning events and public access. Staff from MHS will accompany and assist the Declaration at each stop.