CHEYENNE, Wyo. — April 25, 2025 — As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary in 2026, the Wyoming State Museum, in partnership with The New York Historical and Made By Us, launches "On Our 250th"—a dynamic, nationwide initiative celebrating our collective heritage and inspiring a forward-looking dialogue. "On Our 250th" invites Americans of all ages to share brief messages that convey their hopes for our nation on this momentous anniversary online and in person at participating museums.
In collaboration with leading museums and historic sites from across the country—including Atlanta History Center, Chicago History Museum, Democracy Center at the Japanese American National Museum, Harriet Beecher Stowe House, Idaho State Museum, Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation, Levine Museum of the New South, Lincoln Presidential Foundation, National Liberty Museum, National WWI Museum and Memorial, The New York Historical, Revolutionary Spaces, Ruth Mott Foundation/Applewood, Senator John Heinz History Center, Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History, Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library, Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello, Virginia Museum of History & Culture, and Wyoming State Museum—the campaign ensures that voices from every corner of the nation will be heard and celebrated.
Online, messages between five and 50 words can be posted to onour250th.org. Wyoming Residents will also be able to share their messages to a "Wish Wall" that will appear at various semiquincentennial events leading up to July 4, 2026. Offering a megaphone to Americans of all ages and backgrounds, this campaign reflects a long American tradition of citizens using their voices, harkening back to Patrick Henry’s historic call for unity: “I am not a Virginian, but an American.”
“'On Our 250th' is a call to reflect, celebrate, and act,” said Dr. Louise Mirrer, president and CEO of The New York Historical. “We are inviting museums and historical institutions across the country to join us in conversation around the ideas that shaped our nation and that influence our lives today, as we enter this momentous semiquincentennial year. By bringing the voices of Americans together in conversation, we seek to articulate both the ties that bind us as a people and the wishes of our respective communities for posterity.”
Made By Us is a nationwide collaboration developed by America’s iconic and beloved history institutions to transform museums and historic sites into civic hubs for young adults. The network activates more than 400 museums, historic sites, archives, and libraries nationwide to engage younger audiences with credible, timely U.S. history and civics information. With award-winning content and programs such as My Wish For U.S., 60-Second History, Democracy Vibe Check, Youth250, and the annual Civic Season held from Juneteenth to July 4, Made By Us meets young adults where they are with timely and relevant history to inspire, inform, and ignite civic participation. Learn more at historymadebyus.org and on Instagram at @historymadebyus.
The Wyoming State Museum is located in the Barrett Building, 2301 Central Ave. in Cheyenne. Fans can follow the museum’s Facebook and Instagram accounts at @wyomingstatemuseum to stay informed about upcoming Family Days, exhibits, and special events, or by visiting wyomuseum.wyo.gov to learn more.