Photo Courtesy of Canva

The Republic County Historical Society Museum in Belleville will host the traveling exhibition “Declaration 1776: The Big Bang of Modern Democracy” from March 14th through April 12th.

Presented in Kansas by Humanities Kansas and created by the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, the exhibit explores the global impact of the United States Declaration of Independence and its revolutionary idea that “all men are created equal.”

Using primary sources, the display highlights how the document inspired movements for equality and self-determination around the world.  A special “Kansas 1776” section examines what was happening on the land that would later become Kansas 250 years ago.

The exhibit will be open Monday through Friday from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m., with additional times announced on the museum’s Facebook page. Belleville is one of 46 Kansas communities hosting the exhibition during 2026.