STOCKBRIDGE, MASS.- In commemoration of America’s 250th founding, Norman Rockwell Museum will debut Visions of a Nation: 250 Years from Revolution to Rockwell in 2026. This sweeping exhibition will portray how artists—from the Revolutionary era to today--emblazoned the ideals and evolving story of America. Organized around nine foundational themes, Visions of a Nation will illuminate how iconic imagery created over centuries helped to reflect and shape what it means to be American.  

"The role of artists and illustrators in framing the trajectory of the United States of America over the past 250 years continues to the present day, illuminating a bold vision to create a nation governed of, by and for the people, seeking human rights and freedom for all,” said Laurie Norton Moffatt, Museum director and CEO. “Visions of a Nation aims to illustrate these aspirational ideals." 

Norman Rockwell Museum, with its deep collection of Rockwell’s work and numerous leading illustrators, is uniquely poised to tell this visual story. Visions of a Nation draws from the Museum’s expansive holdings as well as major loans from important institutions and private collectors across the country, including the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History, assembled for the first time by the Museum's curatorial team, with guidance from an historian advisory panel.   

The exhibition places Rockwell’s iconic images in a sweeping national context, spotlighting illustration’s role in illuminating America’s ambitions, achievements, and struggles. Alongside Rockwell’s work, visitors will discover pieces by Aaron Douglas, Maira Kalman, J.C. Leyendecker, Faith Ringold, Kay WalkingStick, N.C. Wyeth, and many more. Each chapter of the exhibition addresses a major theme that has shaped the United States and its critical fortunes. One section explores how artists have helped form our understanding of the natural world—from Audubon’s early bird studies to illustrations of gargantuan infrastructure projects that reshaped the land. Another highlights the role of illustration in capturing the excitement of new technologies, from Edison’s lightbulb to the space age. A third examines how images have fueled social change and shaped public opinion, tracing a path from Revolutionary-era prints to today’s viral memes. Together, these themes reveal how images have not only reflected American life but actively influenced it—making this exhibition both a visual journey through history and a fresh look at the power of illustration to tell our collective story.  

Through nearly 100 paintings, prints, book illustrations, broadsides, posters, advertisements, and digital media, Visions of a Nation captures how images influence and reflect the nation’s hopes and challenges, shared values, and evolving identity. It also offers a vibrant look at seminal images that have shaped—and continue to shape—American aspiration. 

Visions of a Nation will be on view at the Norman Rockwell Museum in the Summer/Fall of 2026, with the opportunity for the exhibition to travel to an additional museum following its debut.