In celebration of the United States Semiqunincentennial, the American Heritage Center is hosting three exhibits that examine our nation through its people—its citizens, authors, poets, workers, innovators, and leaders. These exhibits explore the diversity of thought and communication in the United States, how these differences unite us, and how they have shaped the country we live in today.

Wyoming Voices: Our Stories of America

Created in conjunction with the United States’ 250th anniversary, “Wyoming Voices: Our Stories of America” explores how communication has shaped Wyoming’s past and present. Drawing from photographs, letters, newspapers, and media held at the American Heritage Center, the exhibit highlights the many voices that have contributed to the state’s identity and invites visitors to reflect on how stories are shared—and remembered.

Rather than presenting a single narrative, Wyoming Voices brings together a wide range of perspectives. Each section of the exhibit was researched and curated by a different contributor, resulting in a collection of panels that examine historical moments, themes, and experiences in American history. Some focus on political or social movements, others on cultural life, innovation, or the everyday experiences of people living in the region. 

“Wyoming Voices: Our Stories of America” is on display through February 26, 2027.

Nellie: The First Woman Governor at America’s Milestones

Drawing primarily from the AHC’s Nellie Tayloe Ross papers, the exhibition examines Ross’s life and career through key moments in American history. Born in 1876 during the nation’s Centennial, Ross became the first woman governor in the United States in 1925 and later served for two decades as Director of the United States Mint. She lived to see the nation’s Bicentennial in 1976.

The exhibition uses the nation’s 100th, 150th, and 200th anniversaries to trace Ross’s development from her early life through her years in public service. It highlights her governorship during a period of economic hardship in Wyoming, her transition to federal leadership during the Great Depression, and her long tenure overseeing the Mint through major national events, including the Second World War.

Items on display include photographs, her Oath of Office, a scrapbook documenting her inauguration, the certificate signed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt appointing her to the Mint, and a coin bearing her likeness.

“Nellie Tayloe Ross is a central figure in Wyoming and American history,” said Kail Moede, exhibit curator. “In curating this exhibit, I wanted to frame her life through key national milestones, especially as the country approaches its 250th anniversary. To highlight Nellie is to highlight Wyoming’s place in American history. The exhibit, designed to reflect her scrapbooks, brings those connections together.”

Ross later chose to donate her papers to the American Heritage Center, ensuring her legacy would remain in Wyoming. As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, her life continues to offer a clear connection to the nation’s second century and its evolving history.

“Nellie: The First Woman Governor at America’s Milestones” is on display through April 2027 in the AHC’s Gallery One.

Turning the Pages of America: Celebrating 250 Years of the USA with a Roadtrip Across the Country Through Books 

Curated by Laurel Carr, an intern at the Toppan Rare Books Library at the AHC, “Turning the Pages of America” celebrates the Semiquincentennial with a literary roadtrip across the country. The exhibit features a book for each of the 50 states from several of the rare book collections. Each book is representative of its state and shows the diversity of the country and its different regions. The books are from various genres, including fiction, nonfiction, memoirs, and photography, and date from 1627–1963.

Wyoming’s featured book is Women of Wyoming by Cora M. Beach, which highlights significant and influential women from Wyoming, such as Nellie Tayloe Ross and Grace Raymond Hebard. Other books include Up from Slavery by Booker T. Washington, for Alabama, which is his autobiography describing his life, from growing up in slavery to founding a university, and As Maine Goes by Alta Smith and Esther Dunham, which presents photos of the state to show its essence and scenery.

 “Books have long been a key way to communicate culture and character,” AHC Director Paul Flesher said. “Seeing books from every state provides an itinerary that reminds us of the shared elements of our national culture and the variety of our states’ cultures that seasons every citizen’s life.”

The books present the exhibit’s attendees with diverse views and lived experiences of the country through the medium of storytelling. They also highlight notable aspects of each of the 50 states and show the importance of literature throughout the history of the U.S.

“Turning the Pages of America” is on display through Friday, December 18th, 2026.