As the United States marks its 250th anniversary, listen to the stories behind iconic American symbols, the people operating the national museum behind the scenes, and the initiatives advancing our shared future with Smithsonian staff, community partners, and thought leaders.

For the Common Good: Smithsonian Voices on Our Shared Future 250 invites you to listen, ask, and reflect as colleagues and collaborators share how their work across museums, research centers, and internal offices contributes to that future. If you’re local to D.C., you can join these conversations in the historic Arts and Industries Building, Tuesdays through Saturdays, June 16 to July 11, at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.  If you cannot make it in person, every conversation will be livestreamed and archived on YouTube. See the complete schedule.

Out of thirty-six unique sessions, here is a sampling of the series, offering an exploration of commemoration, conservation, and education across the Smithsonian—all through conversation.

Some of the United States’ most enduring stories can be found in unexpected forms.

• Bison: The National Mammal at the National Museum (Friday, June 19, 11 a.m.)—Celebrate the bison’s footprint across the Smithsonian as panelists from the National Museum of Natural History, the National Museum of the American Indian, and the Smithsonian National Zoo’s Biological Conservation Ecology Institute speak about this magnificent animal.
• Tiny Stamps, Big Stories: Inside the World’s Largest Stamp Gallery and One-Minute Wonders (Friday, June 26, 1 p.m.)—Find out how postage stamps on view at the National Postal Museum trace the rise and fall of empires, presidencies, and world events, packaged in engaging digital content.
• Gunboat Philadelphia: The Warship as Old as America! (Tuesday, June 30, 1 p.m.)—Discover how the last surviving American gunboat has undergone careful conservation over the last seven years at the National Museum of American History.

Behind every inspiring object and exhibition are people who dedicate themselves to pursuing shared ideals.

• Reflections on the 1976 Bicentennial and the Nation’s 250th Anniversary in 2026 (Tuesday, June 23, 11 a.m.)—The 1976 Bicentennial Folklife Festival presented cultural traditions for a record-breaking twelve straight weeks on the National Mall. Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie Bunch and Distinguished Scholar and Ambassador at Large Richard Kurin will share how the legacy of the Bicentennial influenced their work.
• InSight: Photos and Stories from the National Museum of the American Indian Archives (Thursday, June 25, noon)—Witness the collaboration of archivists with Native communities in photographs showing everyday moments of joy and quiet reflection in a new exhibition.
• Play Date! Early Learning Collaborative at the Smithsonian (Saturday, June 27, 1 p.m.)—Join early-learning educators across the Smithsonian as they create interdisciplinary programming to develop museums as centers for a new generation of critical learners.

These conversations address broader programs and illustrate how the Smithsonian is committed to preserving the past and looking toward the future.

• Voices of History: Oral History Across the Smithsonian (Thursday, June 25, 11 a.m.)—Learn how oral history methodology is employed throughout the Smithsonian to collect personal stories of history and culture.
• Rethinking What It Means to Be a Museum: Shared Stewardship, Ethical Returns, and Trust-Building in Practice (Tuesday, July 7, 11 am.)—Envision a future of shared stewardship as initiatives preserve the past by directly engaging with communities, rethinking museums as places of joint responsibility, care, and connection in the present.
• Smithsonian Rural Initiatives: Democracy in Dialogue (Tuesday, July 7, 1 p.m.)—Looking far beyond the museums in D.C., Smithsonian Rural Initiatives celebrates the unique stories of small and remote American communities while inspiring new generations.

These highlights provide just a glimpse of the monthlong For the Common Good conversation series. As we look back at 250 years, we hope you join us in a dialogue about our future.

Lilly Brower is an intern with the For the Common Good team and the Folklife Storytellers Workshop. She recently graduated from Brigham Young University with bachelor’s degrees in communications and history.