[“The National Archives, UK”.]
A first coming up for the American Museum & Gardens in Bath.
They are about to display a rare, signed and annotated 1776 original Dunlap printing of the Declaration of Independence in a new exhibition opening on 16 June. It marks 250 years since the founding of the United States.
This will be the first time the Declaration will go on display in England during the 250th anniversary year.
As part of America 250 – and in the lead-up to viewing the Declaration – visitors will be able to follow a specially curated trail through the Museum’s historic Manor House, where immersive displays and interpretation will bring the story of the American Revolution vividly to life.
Set amongst the Museum’s collection of period rooms, many dating from the Revolutionary era itself, the trail takes visitors on a journey through the people, ideas and objects that shaped the founding of the United States – culminating in the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
The Declaration is only one of 26 surviving Dunlap copies in the world, and the only known example to have been intercepted by British forces during the American Revolution before later being annotated by British government officials.
The Declaration was captured and sent back to the UK on 11 August 1776 – just five weeks after it had been printed by John Dunlap on the night of 4 July.
It was sent with a letter from Vice Admiral Richard Howe, the Royal Navy commander-in-chief for North America at the time, and his brother William Howe, the Commander-in-Chief for the British Army in North America, to George Germain, Secretary of State for the Colonies, in the UK Government.
The Howe brothers were conducting their military roles while also serving as King George III’s ‘peace commissioners’ in North America. In the letter, they explain how the Declaration had ‘accidentally fallen in their hands’ and, in understated terms, report the monumental news that the rebels had declared the colonies absolved from allegiance to the British Crown, dissolving all political connection between the two with immediate effect.
To the Howe brothers, and to many on both sides of the conflict in North America, the Declaration marked a point of return for the rebels – they had chosen to sever ties with Britain for good and forge their own path as an independent nation.
The document survives both as one of America’s founding texts and as a rare piece of wartime intelligence, revealing the complex shared history of Britain and the United States. It is on loan from the UK’s National Archives.
Document annotations
When the document arrived in the UK, it was annotated on the reverse by officials in the Colonial Secretary’s office in London. These notes reflect how incoming material from North America was recorded and managed within government correspondence.
What’s striking is the mundane and bureaucratic nature of these annotations, given the explosive nature of the document itself. The annotations mark it as ‘The Declaration of Independence 1776’ and the documents it travelled with. Together with the letter, the Howes also shared reports and extracts from the New York Gazette, which described the formation of new independent governments in places including New Jersey and Virginia.
These letters and captured rebel documents were used to monitor developments in North America and to inform the government’s response to the growing crisis.
In the age before the telephone, news took at least 6 –10 weeks to travel across the Atlantic. This meant it would often take months for news to reach the British Government and then the same amount of time for instructions to be sent back. For those in Britain, desperate for news, it was a rebellion in slow motion where news was vital and valued.
The Declaration will be displayed as part of the America 250 exhibition, alongside a specially commissioned video on the Declaration of Independence from the Museum of the American Revolution in Philadelphia. This marks the first time the Declaration has been exhibited in England as part of the 250th anniversary commemorations.
Lucy Littlewood, Director of The American Museum & Gardens, says: “We share the story of America through its decorative arts, design and creativity. Having the Declaration here is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see this rare and foundational document. The Declaration’s focus on life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness – and the rights it sets out – has formed the foundation for the creative expression that has flourished and grown in America over the past 250 years.
“The exhibitions, events and talks we have running as part of America 250 offer a snapshot of America’s cultural breadth. Events range from evenings of Summer Jazz in our landscaped gardens, which faithfully recreate the Upper Garden from George Washington’s Virginia home, to exhibitions of boldly colourful quilts made by artists of the American South, reflecting generations of creativity in African American culture that are recognised globally for their place in American art and design.”
Graham Moore, curator of Revolution 250 at The National Archives, said: “We are delighted to loan this original copy of the US Declaration of Independence to the American Museum & Gardens. The National Archives holds the largest single collection of original Dunlap broadsides in the world – they help us tell the story of the American Revolution, which is a British story, as well as an American one.”
The American Museum & Gardens is located minutes from Bath city centre and offers ample free parking. The Declaration is displayed throughout the summer whilst America 250 runs across 2026, featuring events, exhibitions and activities for children, families and adults. The Museum’s American-inspired deli is a highlight for visitors, offering a taste of America with ingredients from the gardens. Visitors can also enjoy the Museum’s spacious, wildlife-friendly gardens and rolling estate grounds, with spectacular views across the Limpley Stoke Valley – an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
To commemorate the 250th anniversary, the Museum is offering visitors a special £2.50 ticket throughout July – a significant reduction from the standard £17 adult ticket and £10 child ticket (ages 5–17).
The loan of the Declaration and the exhibition was made possible following a research trip to the US supported by a Jonathan Ruffer curatorial grant from the Art Fund.
More information via americanmuseum.org
