GREENVILLE — Recent storms may have curtailed your plans to visit the Garst Museum and see the American Revolution Experience traveling exhibit, but there’s is still time to stop in and see this exhibit before it moves onto its next location. The exhibit will be able to view until May 29 and then it will continue to travel the United States leading up the 250th anniversary of our nation in 2026.

The American Revolution Experience is housed in the Lowell Thomas Meeting Room at the museum and is free to view. The hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The museum is closed on Sundays and Mondays. Those wishing to tour the museum will need to pay the admission fee.

The American Revolution Experience is sponsored by Fort GreeneVille Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) and hosted by both Fort GreeneVille DAR and Garst Museum. The popularity of this exhibit has been incredible. Organizers have already received more booking requests than they can accommodate.

This innovative Revolutionary War Exhibition is collaborative project of the American Battlefield Trust and the National Society DAR.

The American Revolution Experience invites visitors to consider the choice faced by members of the revolutionary generation as tensions mounted in the 1770s: Would these ordinary citizens risk their lives and livelihoods in pursuit of liberty? Or would they remain loyal subjects of the British crown, coming into conflict with neighbors and family? The exhibit surfaces diverse viewpoints and experiences, touching on the journeys — both literal and figurative — of Patriots and Loyalists, men and women, Black and Native populations and even international allies.

Rather than focusing only on generals and famous statesmen, it introduces audiences to drummer boys, military mapmakers and other ordinary people who were impacted by global events.

Fort GreeneVille Chapter DAR has prepared a handout with the names of the American Revolutionary Patriots buried in Darke County that will be available to visitors.

The traveling exhibit was spurred by the success of the American Revolution Experience, which was launched online in its first digital-only iteration during the summer of 2022. The website rapidly received acclaim and received a Bronze Award in the Education, Art, & Culture division of the second annual Anthem Awards, an initiative of the Webby Awards celebrating purpose and mission-driven work. It was also a finalist in the “People’s Choice” category of the Webbys themselves.

“The American Revolution would not have happened without the decisions, sacrifices, and valor of ordinary people,” said DAR President General Pamela Rouse Wright. “DAR is honored to have collaborated with the American Battlefield Trust on this initiative to highlight some of our Patriots and their roles in the founding of this great country. We are thrilled for people in communities across the country to learn more about these individuals.”

The traveling exhibit includes 12 panels highlighting thematic connections between profiled individuals and three interactive kiosks that connect to the full digital biographies, provide documentary context on the Revolutionary War and offer information on how to visit the places tied to these individuals today. Both online and on-site, the American Revolution Experience features custom illustrations by South Carolina-based artist Dale Watson. The exhibit also draws from documents and objects in DAR’s collection, as well as the Trust’s industry leading digital interpretation resources.

“Independence may have been declared in Philadelphia by the Declaration’s 56 signers, but it was hard-won on the battlefields we protect by the thousands of Patriot soldiers from whom today’s Daughters trace descent,” said Trust President David Duncan. “Together, our organizations bear witness to the fact that we are not so far removed from those impactful events, that there are meaningful ways to bridge those 250 years.”

Garst Museum and Fort GreeneVille DAR invite all to come and see this free exhibit. Youth, grades K-12, are highly encouraged to attend and enter into a drawing to win great prizes. Visit the museum for more information or visit www.garstmuseum.org.