Supporting scholarship and promoting popular understanding of the American Revolution is central to the work of the American Revolution Institute. The Institute welcomes distinguished scholars and authors to share their insights and discuss their latest research with the public at Anderson House through lectures, author's talks and panel discussions. The Institute also hosts a variety of other historical programs throughout the year, including our Lunch Bite object talks, battlefield tours, special Anderson House tour programs and other events. Many of the events we offer are free.
March 2025
Special Opening Reception — Revolutionary Beginnings: War and Remembrance in the First Year of America’s Fight for Independence
Join us for a reception celebrating the opening our new exhibition, Revolutionary Beginnings: War and Remembrance in the First Year of America's Fight for Independence. The War for American Independence began on April 19, 1775 — 250 years ago this spring — with the Battles of Lexington and Concord in Massachusetts. These initial engagements gave way to the Patriots’ Siege of Boston, a nearly year-long effort to drive the British from the city. But the fighting during the first year…
Find out more »Art in Bloom DC 2025
Art in Bloom DC returns to Anderson House for a fifth time on March 20-23! This popular event fills our historic headquarters with more than thirty floral arrangements inspired by the art and architecture of Anderson House. Art in Bloom provides a unique opportunity in the nation’s capital to stroll through the museum at your own pace, viewing interpretations of specific artworks, furnishings and architectural details rendered in a floral medium by some of Washington’s most creative and innovative floral…
Find out more »May 2025
From the Vault—Prisoners of the Revolution
Join library staff, along with historian Susan Brynne Long, Ph.D., for a special program exploring selections from our library collections relating to the experience of prisoners of war during the American Revolution. The captivity experience of British and American prisoners varied significantly between officers and enlisted men, German and British captives, and across geographies. This special public viewing will allow guests to view rare items up close while learning about the harsh realities and experiences of POWs confined in camps,…
Find out more »June 2025
A Visit to the National Museum of the United States Army
To commemorate the 250th anniversary of the beginning of the American Revolution, join us on Saturday June 7, 2025, as the Institute visits the National Museum of the United States Army in Fort Belvoir, Va., to explore its newest exhibition, Call to Arms: The Soldier and the Revolutionary War, on its opening day. Call to Arms explores the creation and early years of the United States Army during the American Revolution and was curated specifically to commemorate the Army’s 250th…
Find out more »July 2025
The Comte de Rochambeau’s 300th Birthday Celebration
The comte de Rochambeau, the commander in chief of France’s 1780 expeditionary force sent to aid the Continental Army, played a pivotal role in helping to secure American independence. To commemorate the 300th birthday of this important figure of the American Revolutionary War, join us and the Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route National Historic Trail for a special evening honoring the French commander. Beginning at 6 p.m., a performance by the Chorale de l'Ambassade de France will kick off the celebrations before…
Find out more »