Dunlap Broadside copy of the Declaration of Independence Coming to Bowdoin College Museum of Art

This October, the Bowdoin College Museum of Art (BCMA) is honored to be the final stop on the Maine Historical Society’s (MHS) public tour of the Dunlap Broadside copy of the Declaration of Independence. Printed in Philadelphia on July 4, 1776, this document is one of 26 surviving reproductions and was sent to the Colonies to announce American independence. The tour of the Declaration coincides with USA @ 250, a major exhibition at the BCMA presented on the occasion of the United States’ 250^th anniversary. The exhibition explores the nation’s history through a series of exceptional artworks from the BCMA’s permanent collection created since 1776.

The Declaration will travel across Maine to all 16 counties beginning July 2026 through October 2026. The last stop on the tour will be at the BCMA to represent Cumberland County. The BCMA is partnering with Curtis Memorial Library in Brunswick to plan community events and celebrations to welcome the Declaration. 

Public viewing of the Declaration will begin on Friday, October 30 and continue through Saturday, October 31. A sneak preview for school groups is scheduled for Thursday, October 29. Admission to view the Declaration is free but advance timed tickets will be required during the public viewing hours. Ticket information can be found on MHS’s Declaration of Independence tour website.

About the Tour:

The 16-county tour of MHS’s copy of the Declaration of Independence is part of a broader effort to encourage communities across Maine to participate in the 250th anniversary in meaningful and locally relevant ways. MHS will collaborate with venues on each stop to organize the transportation and installation of the artifact, while also supporting local partners in planning events and public access. Staff from MHS will accompany and assist the Declaration at each stop.