Del Webb Museum joins Arizona's efforts to celebrate nation's 250th birthday!

Museum joins Arizona's efforts to celebrate nation's 250th birthday!
By Bret McKeand Marketing CommitteeChairperson

Sun City citizens celebrated the nation’s bicentennial in 1976 by creating an exact replica of the famed Liberty Bell that remains on display at Bell Recreation Center.

Thanks to the Del Webb Sun Cities Museum, the community’s Liberty Bell will also play a role in the nation’s 250th birthday celebration!

Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes has created the Arizona America250 Commission with the goal of compiling and promoting a comprehensive list of activities throughout the state designed to celebrate the nation’s semi-quincentennial in 2026.

The commission is creating an interactive "Passport250" to highlight 250 remarkable places across Arizona, from iconic landmarks and hidden gems to must-try restaurants and cultural destinations.

Part of the commission’s plan is to create a traveling museum that will visit communities throughout Arizona and promote not only the nation’s 250th anniversary, but the rich heritage of Arizona as well.

In addition to a traveling museum, the commission will also post an expansive list of events and activities specifically created to celebrate the nation’s independence in 2026. Included in that list will be the opening of a time capsule buried in the base of the Sun City’s Liberty Bell.

The museum was one of the first organizations to meet with Mr. Fontes and his commission. Earlier this year, Mr. Fontes toured the museum and was excited to learn more about the history of our Liberty Bell.

The Sun City Liberty Bell arrived in Sun City on July 5, 1976, and was officially dedicated on Nov. 11 in Memorial Garden at Bell Recreation Center. The bell’s base contains a time capsule set to be opened in 2026. Whatever is included in the time capsule will be officially exhibited at the museum once the capsule is opened.

The information on the Sun City Liberty Bell will be included in the Arizona America250 Commission celebration. Once plans for opening the capsule are finalized, that information, too, will be included in the commission’s online calendar.

• More information on the Arizona America250Commission: https://azsos.gov/az250
• More about the history of Sun City’s Liberty Bell: https://delwebbsuncitiesmuseum.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Liberty-Bell.pdf

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Source: Del Webb Sun Cities Museum - Newsletter September, 2025 edition.

 

How appropriate the Del Webb Museum is participating in America250th with connections to state and national events exposure.

Wondering if there are other Sun City community events, programs and activities being hosted over the next year to commemorate America’s 250th anniversary on July 4, 2026?

Marketing opportunities!
Anyone? ANYONE?

 

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