The United States is celebrating its 250 years with an official narrative that skims over colonialism and slavery. Despite this sanitized view, some museums are stepping up to tell a fuller story of America's past.

While the government’s commemoration seems intent on preserving Donald Trump's legacy through selective history, cultural institutions risk being sidelined due to political pressures. The Museum of Modern Art once rallied against travel bans, and post-2020, many museums hosted discussions about racial justice. However, with funding threats and censorship, these spaces are now often reluctant to engage in politically sensitive topics.

In Philadelphia, the Philadelphia Museum of Art and Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts have collaborated on a show named 'A Nation of Artists,' featuring works from the Middleton family who own the Phillies baseball team. Meanwhile, New York’s American Folk Art Museum explores 'Folk Nation: Crafting Patriotism in the United States,' which delves into the development of folk art as a collecting category.

Upstate, at the Rockwell Museum in Corning, America 250 coincides with an exhibition on contemporary Indigenous artists. This museum’s history as a Smithsonian affiliate reflects its commitment to inclusivity, though past collections have centered on wealthy patrons' artworks.