Promotional Brochure for Bicentennial Park

Bicentennial Park, a combination Smithsonian museum and national park, was planned to coincide with the two hundredth anniversary of the United States. This brochure details plans for two parcels of land, one in Alexandria and the other in Prince George’s County, Maryland, connected by riverboat service, featuring recreated Revolutionary War encampments, a research institute, and other attractions, including the raised wreck of Civil War ship USS Tecumseh. The proposed park was originally known as the National Armed Forces Museum, championed by Presidents Truman and Eisenhower to present “the role of the armed forces in creating, developing, and maintaining the United States as a free, independent, and prosperous nation.” Despite being rebranded as Bicentennial Park, with the focus changed to a celebration of the American Revolution, enthusiasm waned significantly, owing to the negative sentiment occasioned by the unpopular Vietnam War. Ultimately the project was abandoned and the Smithsonian focused its efforts on the already-funded National Air and Space Museum.

Discover more about the park in this collection.