The Charleston Museum will present a major special exhibition, Ringleaders of Rebellion: Charleston in Revolt, 1775–1783, on view January 31 through September 20, 2026. America250, the nonpartisan initiative working to engage every American in the 250th anniversary of the United States, has named Charleston as one of only four U.S. cities selected for enhanced celebrations in 2026.
The Museum’s exhibit will trace Charleston and the Lowcountry’s pivotal role in the American Revolution from early acts of resistance against the Crown to the final victory for independence.
Major topics will include the causes of the war, the Battle of Sullivan’s Island, the Siege and British occupation of Charleston, and the complex and vital roles played by enslaved people in the conflict. The exhibition will feature highlights from the Museum’s extensive collections as well as significant loans from national and international institutions.
“We are excited to present this special exhibit at The Charleston Museum in celebration of the 250th anniversary of the founding of our country, which offers visitors the opportunity to see rare collection pieces and learn about the Charleston area’s important contribution to the winning of independence,” said Carl Borick, director of The Charleston Museum. “Some objects, such as the HMS Bristol logbook, have never been exhibited in Charleston before.”
Due to their delicate nature, certain artifacts will be displayed for limited engagements only. Among them is one of the first copies of the Declaration of Independence printed in Charleston by Peter Timothy, on loan from the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, which will be on view from May 29 through August 30. The Museum and The Huguenot Society of South Carolina will co-sponsor a special event and lecture in conjunction with the display of the Declaration.
“This exhibition builds upon the Society’s research into generations of the Timothée/Timothy family and their important role in the rebellion against the Crown. We are very pleased to be able to share this history along with the exhibition via lectures, student lesson plans and education panels,” said Elizabeth Gay, Executive Director of The Huguenot Society of South Carolina. “We are deeply grateful to the Museum for this opportunity.”
Also featured for a limited time will be the logbook of the HMS Bristol, the flagship of Commodore Peter Parker during the Battle of Sullivan’s Island, on loan from the Royal Museums Greenwich and exhibited from June 15 through September 20.
Objects from the Museum’s collection include:
- Brown Bess musket
- Camp cot
- Royal Artillery cartridge box carried by a member of the British Royal Artillery at the Battles of Lexington and Concord
- Bible of Declaration of Independence signer Thomas Heyward
- Waistcoats of Henry Laurens (President of the Continental Congress from 1777 to 1778) and Thomas Sumter (one of South Carolina’s partisan commanders)
- Shoes and sash of Eliza Lucas Pinckney (transformed agriculture in colonial South Carolina, where she developed indigo as one of its most important cash crops)
- Silk gown of Eliza Lucas Pinckney (May 23-July 26 only)
- Sword carried by one of Francis Marion’s men
Objects on loan include:
- Sash of Revolutionary War hero William Washington
- Camp chair of George Washington
- Archaeological artifacts from the Battles of Camden and Eutaw Springs and the Sieges of Charleston, Ninety Six, Fort Watson, and Fort Motte
- Logbook of HMS Bristol (June 15-September 20)
- One of the first copies of the Declaration of Independence printed in Charleston (May 29-August 30)
The exhibit will be included with admission to the Museum. For information, please visit https://www.charlestonmuseum.