Liberty Declared: A Reading of the Declaration of Independence

“Liberty Declared: A Reading of the Declaration of Independence” is scheduled for Saturday, July 18, at the New Bedford Whaling Museum.

The program commemorates the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence in Massachusetts on July 18, 1776. A procession led by fife and drum musicians begins at 11:30 a.m. in the Jacobs Family Gallery and continues to the Cook Memorial Theater. A community reading featuring local residents, students, and community leaders starts at noon.

Visitors can explore the exhibition “Forging Independence: Building a Nation,” discover the region’s Revolutionary connections, including the vessel Dartmouth, and add reflections to a community scroll.

Museum admission includes the family-friendly program and access to the activities and exhibitions.