To mark the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776, Shelburne Museum’s Curators have assembled a self-guided tour that highlights paintings, folk art sculptures, and textiles on view throughout the Museum that symbolize, idealize, and mythologize a nascent America.
Shelburne’s collection of American material culture includes numerous works rooted in the origins of our country. The work highlighted in this self-guided tour features patriotic themes that form a throughline from the 18th to early-20th centuries at the Museum and narrate a rich history of the United States that carries the theme forward.
Webb Gallery
America the Beautiful: Portraits, Landscapes, and Genre Paintings
Highlights key works that celebrate the people, places, and events of American history. Installed throughout the gallery, the exhibition features portraits of notable figures by major artists, sweeping views of the nation’s diverse landscapes, and scenes of everyday life and cultural moments that together reflect the richness and complexity of the American experience.
Stagecoach Inn
By the People, for the People: Patriotic Folk Sculpture
Explores a rich array of utilitarian and decorative objects, from ship carvings and weathervanes to tavern signs. These three-dimensional works reflect a deep-rooted sense of national pride, honoring heroic figures such as General George Washington and personifying inspiring symbols like Liberty and the bald eagle. Created by largely self-taught artists, these objects embody an earnest, imaginative patriotism that is as varied and spirited as the nation they celebrate.
The Dana-Spencer Textiles Galleries at Hat and Fragrance
A Patchwork Nation: Patriotic and Log Cabin Quilts
Presents a selection of bedcovers from the Museum’s collection adorned with bald eagles, stars and stripes, and abstract patterns drawn from distinctly American experiences. The exhibition in the west gallery highlights the many variations of the Log Cabin pattern, a motif often linked to the origin stories of two U.S. presidents, underscoring how textiles can convey both national identity and enduring cultural mythologies.
Museum Grounds