Soldiers Memorial Military Museum · Downtown
Declaration 1776: The Big Bang of Modern Democracy
How the Declaration of Independence became a template — at home and abroad — for nations declaring themselves into being. Soldiers Memorial's contribution to America's 250th.
- Opens
- January 2, 2026
- Closes
- December 31, 2026
Soldiers Memorial celebrates America's 250th Anniversary with a special banner exhibition, Declaration 1776: The Big Bang of Modern Democracy.
When the Declaration of Independence was issued, the idea that "all men are created equal" was revolutionary. With this seminal document, the Founding Fathers unleashed an open-ended driving force that would shape modern history. Around the world, other countries have declared independence taking the US Declaration of 1776 as a model. This exhibit uses primary sources to illustrate how Americans and people across the world have been inspired by the Declaration in their pursuit of equality and self-determination.
Gallery
7 items
Washington Park Cemetery Card Index
Name-index cards from the historically Black cemetery in Berkeley, MO, operated 1920–1989.
2 items
Sievers Studio Collection
Commercial photography by Sievers Studio — banquets, conferences, conventions, retirement luncheons, and civic events in mid-century St. Louis.
1 items
Loyal Legion Portrait Albums
Studio portraits of Civil War veterans who became members of the Loyal Legion in the decades after the war.
1 items
Clark Family Collection, 1766–1991
Manuscripts from the William Clark family — correspondence, business records, and frontier-era documents spanning more than two centuries.