BOSTON, MA - January 20, 2026 – The Boston Public Library (BPL) today announced Revolutionary Ideas: Boston250, a year-long celebration of the art, activism, and energy that has made Boston a hotbed of revolutionary thought and innovation since 1776. This marks the final installment of Road to Revolution, a three-year thematic series leading up to the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution.
Through a dynamic mix of programs, performances, the first major BPL exhibition in more than a decade, and a never-before-exhibited display of six original copies of the Declaration of Independence, Revolutionary Ideas: Boston250 brings these forces to life. From exhibitions and workshops to lectures and live performances, this series invites visitors to engage firsthand with the ideas and creativity that have shaped our nation—and will continue to shape the future.
Throughout 2026, the BPL will feature booklists, host special events across branches, and highlight notable items in the BPL collections. The full list of programs, updated throughout the year, can be found at bpl.org/revolutionary-ideas/. Upcoming highlights include:
Exhibitions and Open Houses:
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Terrains of Independence
- Why did the first sparks of the American Revolution ignite in Boston? This exhibition explores that question through maps, stories, and artifacts that reveal the city's Revolutionary-era history across geographic scales, from the vast sweep of the British Empire to the small spaces of local buildings and landmarks.
- Open now through March 29, 2026
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Revolution! 250 Years of Art & Activism in Boston
- Featuring over 100 artworks and documentary materials from the Boston Public Library’s Special Collections—prints, photographs, paintings, sculpture, and more—this exhibition brings to light both familiar and lesser-known stories about America’s ongoing struggle for freedom, civil rights, and belonging for all.
- Open now through April 21, 2026
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Declarations: Printing a New Nation
- This exhibition will re-examine the Declaration of Independence from the perspective of breaking news in the summer of 1776, showcasing the Boston Public Library’s six original copies alongside rare maps and other materials, allowing visitors to immerse themselves in the moment when American independence—and the nation itself—was first taking shape.
- Opening April 2026
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Revolutionary Boston Open House Series
- Special Collections will host open houses featuring items from BPL’s collections that represent the many revolutions that have occurred in Boston’s history.
Talks, Lectures, and Author Events
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Lowell Lecture Series
- The lecture series will feature a variety of topics that discuss and highlight revolutionary ideas over time, including discussions about how the AI revolution will shape the future of our democracy, a conversation about the revolutionary work done by Dr. Kizzmeika Corbett and Moderna to develop the COVID-19 vaccine, and more.
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Author Talks
- Dr. Ilyasah Shabazz, daughter of Malcolm X and author of Growing Up X.
- Emily Sneff, a scholar and author of a recent book on the Declarations of Independence, will examine the Declaration as a news event and how it was disseminated throughout New England.
- Nicholas Boggs will help us celebrate Pride month by talking about his new biography of James Baldwin, Baldwin: A Love Story.
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Boston Public Library: A Revolutionary Idea
- BPL staff will present a panel discussion and historic overview of the Boston Public Library and its standing as the nation’s first major free public library during National Library Week (April 2026).
Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness Series
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BPL Community History is partnering with Revolutionary Spaces to offer a six-part program series that invites patrons to explore, question, critique, and draw inspiration from the Declaration of Independence.
- 36 Questions for Civic Love series
- Living Room Conversations
- Write Your Own Declaration Workshops
- Revolutionary Printmaking: July 4th Readings
- A culminating exhibition of community-created artwork and declarations
Maker Programs & Hands-On Experiences
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Declaration of Independence Zine-Making
- This program invites patrons to create zines—using provided supplies and Special Collections images—that respond to the question “What does the Declaration of Independence mean to you 250 years later?”
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Tools of Independence
- Presented with Mass General Brigham, this series explores how adaptive tools and joint-protection techniques in occupational therapy restore daily function—drawing parallels between the tools of war that secured freedom and the therapeutic tools that help individuals reclaim it today.
Innovation Across Industry
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AI & Construction
- A speaker event that discusses how AI can revolutionize the construction industry and how it is currently being tested and used.
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Marketing: Then and Now
- This speaker event traces the evolution of marketing—from its early practices to its powerful influence in today’s digital economy—to illuminate how this young field shapes consumer behavior.
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Movies in the Kitchen
- The Nutrition Lab will feature movies and documentaries about people who have revolutionized the culinary arts.
Revolutionary Ideas follows Revolutionary Art (2025) and Revolutionary Music (2024) in the Road to Revolution series. The Boston Public Library invites everyone to participate in these dynamic programs celebrating the power of Revolutionary Ideas. To explore upcoming events and updates, visit bpl.org/events, opens a new window.
Revolutionary Ideas is part of the City of Boston’s Boston250, opens a new window commemoration of Boston’s role in the American Revolution.
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ABOUT THE BOSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY
Established in 1848, the Boston Public Library is a pioneer of public library service in America. It was the first large, free municipal library in the United States; the first public library to lend books; the first to have a branch library; and the first to have a children’s room.
The Boston Public Library of today is a robust system that includes the Central Library in Copley Square, 25 neighborhood branches, the Norman B. Leventhal Map and Education Center, the Kirstein Business Library and Innovation Center, and an archival center, offering public access to world-class special collections of rare books, manuscripts, photographs, and prints, along with rich digital content and online services.
The Boston Public Library serves nearly 4 million visitors per year and millions more online. All of its programs and exhibitions are free to all and open to the public. The Boston Public Library is a department of the City of Boston, under the leadership of Mayor Michelle Wu. To learn more, visit bpl.org.