Vulcan Park & Museum will open its 2026 exhibition, Revolutionary Roots: Celebrating Alabama’s Unique History and Natural Beauty, on Friday, January 30, 2026. The exhibition is presented in honor of the United States’ 250th anniversary as part of the nationwide America250 commemoration.

While not yet a state at the nation’s founding, Revolutionary Roots highlights individuals whose courage, resilience, and leadership helped shape both Alabama and the country. Many of those featured have been historically overlooked or unsung, despite their lasting impact on American history and culture.

The exhibition features figures including Calvin McGhee, who played a key role in the establishment of the Poarch Creek Indians; educator Carrie Tuggle; voting rights activist Virginia Durr; NASA scientist Clyde Foster; and contemporary leaders such as Alabama Poet Laureate Ashley M. Jones and Dr. Carlos E. Alemán, CEO of The Hispanic and Immigrant Center of Alabama (¡HICA!).

“As the nation marks its 250th anniversary, Revolutionary Roots offers an opportunity to reflect on the people who helped shape America through Alabama’s lens,” said Cynthia Cardona, President & CEO. “This exhibition honors individuals whose valor, vision, and leadership affirm that Alabama’s influence extends far beyond its borders and is deeply woven into the larger American story in powerful and unexpected ways.”

Through stories spanning education, civil rights, science, arts, and community leadership, Revolutionary Roots explores how Alabamians have helped redefine the state’s role in the broader national narrative. Although Alabama achieved statehood 43 years after the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the influence of its people can be seen across the country, both before and after statehood.

The exhibition is anchored by a nature-based theme inspired by Alabama’s distinction as the most biodiverse state in the nation. From Boynton’s Oak to the Red Hills Salamander, Alabama is home to dozens of species found nowhere else on Earth. That diversity is reflected in its central visual element: a large three-dimensional tree that symbolizes how roots, trunk, branches, and leaves work together to form a strong, enduring whole.
Exhibition panels will be presented in both English and Spanish, expanding access and ensuring that the contributions highlighted reach a broader audience.

“Revolutionary Roots was shaped by the people and places who changed the course of their communities and the nation beyond them,” said Casey Gamble, Curator of Collections and Exhibitions. “By engaging Alabamians’ stories in conversation with the state’s natural landscape, the exhibition reveals how experience, resilience, and place take root, grow, and endure.”

Revolutionary Roots: Celebrating Alabama’s Unique History and Natural Beauty will be on view at Vulcan Park & Museum from January 30, 2026, through January 10, 2027.