Regional Daughters of the American Revolution chapters have been hosting a traveling exhibit on the American Revolution at the the historic Schmidt House in Tumwater.
The pop-up exhibition includes display panels and interactive digital kiosks that use storytelling, illustration, technology, artifacts and primary accounts to connect 21st century audiences with the people and places that helped create the United States.
Created through a collaboration between the American Battlefield Trust and the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, organizers say the exhibit is also made possible by matching funds from the National Park Service’s American Battlefield Protection Program battlefield interpretation grants.
The exhibit will be in Tumwater through Wednesday. It is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free. The Schmidt House, owned and operated by the Olympia Tumwater Foundation, is at 330 Schmidt Pl. SW.
The Schmidt House is among only three venues in Western Washington that will host the American Revolution Experience in 2024. The others are in Puyallup and Seattle, organizers say.
The American Revolution Experience launched online in its first digital-only iteration during the summer of 2022. It received a Bronze Award in the Education, Art, and Culture division of the second annual Anthem Awards, an initiative of the Webby Awards celebrating purpose and mission-driven work. It was also a finalist in the “People’s Choice” category of the Webbys themselves.
The traveling exhibit includes 12 panels highlighting connections between profiled individuals and three interactive kiosks that connect to the full digital biographies, provide documentary context on the Revolutionary War, and offer information on how to visit the places tied to these individuals today.
Trust President David Duncan said, “Our organizations bear witness to the fact that we are not so far removed from those impactful events, that there are meaningful ways to bridge those 250 years.”
The exhibition invites visitors to consider the choices faced by members of the revolutionary generation as tensions mounted in the 1770s: Would these ordinary citizens risk their lives and livelihoods in pursuit of liberty? Or would they remain loyal subjects of the British crown, coming into conflict with neighbors and family?
Organizers say the exhibit includes diverse viewpoints and experiences, touching on the journeys — both literal and figurative — of Patriots and Loyalists, men and women, Black and Native populations and even international allies.
Olympian videographer Steve Bloom took at tour of the exhibit, and shares what he saw and learned.
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