Local DAR Chapter Hosts American Revolution Experience Traveling Exhibit at Berkeley Museum

(Moncks Corner, S.C.) — The General Marion’s Brigade Chapter of Daughters of the American Revolution and the American Battlefield Trust are excited to feature the American Revolution Experience at Berkeley County Museum from September 16 – October 25, 2024. The innovative pop-up exhibition includes display panels and interactive digital kiosks that use storytelling, illustration, technology and unique artifacts and primary accounts to connect modern audiences with the people and places that shaped the birth of our nation.  

“Since The Berkeley County Museum and Heritage Center opened its doors in 1992, it has been our mission to serve and educate the public,” said Berkeley County Museum Director, Chelsy Clark Proper. “To that end, we could not be more enthusiastic to welcome the American Battlefield Trust, in conjunction with the DAR, through our doors with their innovative American Revolution Experience pop-up. As we approach our nation's 250th birthday, there is no better time to showcase the people who served so valiantly to bring about this great American experiment.” 

In addition, The American Battlefield Trust is working with partners in South Carolina, including the South Carolina Battleground Preservation Trust, to create The Liberty Trail to preserve and interpret battlefields associated with the Southern Campaign of the American Revolution. Assisted by numerous partners at the local, state, and federal levels, the statewide driving tour functions as a one-of-a-kind educational and heritage tourism resource. Fair Lawn, site of a November 1781 battle, is a key touchstone on The Liberty Trail and features a 1.75-mile walking trail that begins adjacent to the museum. In the coming weeks, an augmented reality installation will further enhance the site. For more information on The Liberty Trail initiative, including historic background and a list of sites, visit www.thelibertytrail.org.   

The American Revolution Experience launched online in its first digital-only iteration during the summer of 2022 to rapid 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 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.”    

The National Park Service’s American Battlefield Protection Program provided $200,000 in matching funds in the inaugural round of its Battlefield Interpretation Grants to create the traveling exhibit, which has been met dollar for dollar by DAR and further supported by individual Trust donors.  

The American Revolution Experience will travel to scores of libraries, historical societies and museums through 2025, introducing visitors to a cast of historical characters with diverse experiences throughout the conflict and the places they visited on their journey. A longer-term mounting of the exhibit will remain at DAR’s national headquarters in Washington, D.C. Individual DAR chapters across the nation, including General Marion's Brigade Chapter have partnered with institutions in their communities to offer venues for the exhibit, booking its current complement of copies to capacity; further inquiries will be placed on a waitlist. The hosting request form and the touring calendar are available at www.battlefields.org/ontour.

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.