The American Revolution Experience at the Idaho State Capitol, Boise, Idaho
No matter where you are in the United States, chances are the American Revolution Experience has made a stop near you — or it will soon! After realizing their organizations shared a vision for a semiquincentennial program to bring the nation’s formative conflict to life, the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) and the American Battlefield Trust joined forces in a yearslong collaboration that has educated and inspired hundreds of thousands.
“The connection between the American Battlefield Trust and DAR could not be a better match, because our goals are so aligned,” said Kristine White, who acts as the DAR liaison for the Experience.
The exhibit features vignettes exploring the conflict from the perspectives of Patriots, loyalists, enslaved and free Blacks, Native Americans and others whose lives were upended — and the physical journey each took through the conflict. It first launched online during the summer of 2022 and swiftly won Bronze in the Education, Art & Culture division at the second annual Anthem Awards. It then was a finalist in the “People’s Choice” category of the Webby Awards. A matching grant from the federal American Battlefield Protection Program and generous support from DAR funded the creation of a physical exhibit now traveling the nation, spending time at museums, libraries and other community venues. This exhibit consists of 12 panels with custom illustrations by artist Dale Watson that spotlight stories not often featured in classrooms, complemented by three digital kiosks containing contextual information about the broader conflict.
“During planning, we really wondered if people would come, but the positive response has been so overwhelming,” said Claire Cocciole, who coordinates the Experience on behalf of the Trust. “We hear over and over again how a visitor learned something new and wants to come back and dive deeper. It’s the best takeaway we could imagine.”
The response from DAR chapters seeking to sponsor and host the exhibit in their communities has also been overwhelming, putting us on the verge of doubling the program’s original goal of 48 sites by May 2025. And with Cocciole and Wood working tirelessly to schedule the hundreds of sites still on the waitlist, an extension through the end of 2026 has been announced, a resounding testament to the alignment between the organizations and the quality of the product.
Wood and Cocciole work with local DAR chapters to organize shipping and logistics. As they coordinate venue selection and timing, they attempt to schedule strategically to minimize shipping costs and transit length so that there is less downtime between displays. The close collaboration also has a side benefit: Cocciole was so inspired by DAR’s work and how it overlaps with the Trust’s mission that she decided to complete her own rigorous application to become a DAR member.
“Hopefully all Americans are looking to the past at what our founders did to preserve this country, and how we owe them to continue to preserve our freedoms and this history,” remarked Wood. “I think people are hungry for patriotism, and the Trust and DAR are delivering that to people — a positive way to be patriotic,”
Explore the digital version of the American Revolution Experience for yourself — or find an upcoming stop for the exhibit near you! — at https://american-revolution-experience.battlefields.org.
