We The People: America 250 Open House

Free Community Event | February 16, 2026 | 4–7 PM

Join us for a special evening celebrating community, history, and belonging at the We the People: America 250 Open House. This free, community-wide event invites you to visit both the Dekker Huis Museum in Zeeland and the Holland Museum for the opening of a new joint exhibition exploring citizenship, identity, and what it means to belong in West Michigan.

Guests are welcome to come and go between locations throughout the evening, experiencing the exhibit in two distinct museum settings while engaging with stories that connect our local histories to the broader American story. Whether you start in Zeeland or Holland, you’ll find thoughtful displays, welcoming spaces, and opportunities to reflect on how our shared past continues to shape our present.

📅 Monday, February 16, 2026
🕓 4:00–7:00 PM
📍 Dekker Huis Museum – 37 E Main Ave, Zeeland, MI
📍 Holland Museum – 31 W 10th Street, Holland, MI
🎟 Free and open to the public

We the People is part of a larger, multi-year initiative connected to the national America250 commemoration, marking the 250th anniversary of the United States in 2026. This exhibition is supported by a grant through America250 Michigan, which is helping communities across the state explore America’s past, present, and future through inclusive, locally grounded storytelling.

The grant supports collaborative research, exhibit development, and community engagement focused on themes of citizenship, democracy, identity, and belonging. In West Michigan, this project brings together multiple institutions to elevate local voices and stories, emphasizing that American history is not one single narrative, but a tapestry shaped by many experiences.

This open house marks the beginning of that work and invites the public to be part of the conversation as it unfolds.

We hope you’ll join us for this meaningful milestone as we celebrate history, community, and the people who make this place home.

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Host or Publisher Zeeland Historical Soceity