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Celebrations continue for America’s 250th birthday

By Linh Bui

July Fourth may be over, but America continues celebrating its 250th anniversary.

The Great American State Fair on the National Mall wraps up on July 10 with the theme “The Next 250: Innovation.” The Smithsonian Folklife Festival’s marketplace, which brings together artists and makers from diverse backgrounds, remains open through July 12.

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Two big events are coming up in August. High school athletes from across the country will compete in the 2026 Patriot Games from August 9-11, with scholarship prizes at stake. Then the Freedom 250 Grand Prix will be the first-ever IndyCar race in D.C. on August 22 and 23.

Local museums have ongoing exhibits for America’s 250th birthday. At the National Museum of American History, “In Pursuit of Life, Liberty, and Happiness” showcases 250 objects spanning from the 1700s to today. At the National Gallery of Art, “Dear America” explores how artists have reflected on the American experience over the past 250 years.

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National Museum of the American Latino to be housed in historic Smithsonian building

By Neal Augenstein
The Smithsonian Institution has decided to put the National Museum of the American Latino into an existing, historic building, rather than constructing a new one. The Smithsonian Board of Regents on Monday designated the Arts and Industries Building, a 145-year-old redbrick Victorian structure located between the Smithsonian Castle and the Hirshhorn Museum, as the permanent site of the National Museum of the American Latino, which Congress authorized in 2020. In 2022, the Smithsonian narrowed its survey for permanent locations for the National Museum of the American Latino and the American Women's History Museum to four locations near the National Mall on land owned by the National Park Service. The Arts and Industries Building, located at 900 Jefferson St. SW, was one of the four sites. New construction on National Park Service land would require congressional approval. However, since the Smithsonian already owns the Arts and Industries Building, the institution can place the National Museum of the American Latino in the existing building without additional legislation.
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