What traveling exhibition toured the United States during the 1976 United States Bicentennial?

The American Freedom Train toured the United States during the 1976 United States Bicentennial.

The train carried a large collection of American historical objects and traveled across the country as part of the commemoration of the Declaration of Independence’s 200th anniversary. It gave communities an opportunity to encounter artifacts associated with the nation’s history without traveling to a single national exposition.

Its journey was one element of a decentralized Bicentennial program that included parades, exhibitions, reenactments, redesigned coins, postage stamps, and Operation Sail. The national celebration culminated on July 4, 1976.

The 1976 Bicentennial provides an important comparison for America250. The 2026 commemoration marks 250 years, while the earlier event marked 200 years. Both celebrations use traveling, public-facing programs to connect national history with local communities.