When we talk about democracy, it’s easy to think about it as something that happens far away — in founding documents, national elections, or headlines out of Washington, D.C. But most of the time, democracy shows up much closer to home. It lives in school board meetings and neighborhood conversations, in moments of participation and protest, and in everyday decisions about who belongs, who gets heard, and how we move forward together.
That idea is at the heart of Everyday Democracy: Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness in Johnson County, a new exhibition opening at the Johnson County Museum in February 2026. Created in honor of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, the exhibition invites you to explore how the nation’s founding ideals — Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness — have taken shape right here in our community, not as abstract principles, but as lived experience.
Big Ideals, Everyday Life
Rather than retelling a familiar national story, Everyday Democracy focuses on local life. It asks big questions through everyday moments: How have ideas about Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness changed over time in Johnson County? Who had a voice — and who did not? How did national ideals play out in local decisions, conflicts, and compromises?
As you move through the exhibition, you’ll encounter stories from across the county’s history, from Indigenous homelands, early settlement, and statehood to suburban growth, social movements, and the present day. Objects from the Museum’s collections, personal stories, and interactive elements throughout the galleries invite you to slow down, reflect, and consider your own relationship to democracy. The exhibition encourages visitors to see democracy not as a fixed system, but as a relationship between people and place — imperfect, unfinished, and continually evolving.
Imagining the Future: Art in the Commons
The experience extends beyond the Museum galleries. A companion community art exhibition, presented by the Fine Arts Program of the Johnson County Park and Recreation District and the Arts Council of Johnson County, will be on view in the Commons of the Johnson County Arts & Heritage Center through April 26. Inspired by the ideals of Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness, the exhibition asks: What might these ideals mean in the year 2076? Local artists imagine the future of democracy amid changing technologies, climates, cultures, and communities.
Visitors to the art exhibition will also have a chance to participate directly: members of the public will be invited to vote for one artwork to be added to the Johnson County Museum’s permanent collections, ensuring that contemporary community voices become part of the historical record.
Looking Back at Past Anniversaries
While in the Commons, visitors can also explore a special display case highlighting how Americans have marked past milestone anniversaries. Featuring items from the Museum’s collections, the display looks at how people in Johnson County observed the nation’s Centennial in 1876 and Bicentennial in 1976, offering perspective on how commemorations reflect the hopes, concerns, and values of their times.
More Ways to Engage
Everyday Democracy extends beyond the building with an online exhibition featuring bonus material and an exhibition booklet, available for sale in the Museum Store. The Museum has teamed up with the Johnson County Library to offer a robust reading list associated with the exhibit and Semiquincentennial themes. Museum visitors can also engage through public programs, guided tours, and conversations designed to bring people together around the founding ideals. Whether you visit the galleries, explore the exhibition online, attend a program, read a recommended book, or simply spend time reflecting in the Commons, there are many ways to engage during this important anniversary year.
An Invitation
As we approach the nation’s Semiquincentennial, Everyday Democracy is an invitation — to look back, to look around, and to imagine what comes next. We hope you’ll come experience the exhibition, bring someone with you, and add your own voice to this ongoing story of democracy.
Everyday Democracy: Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness in Johnson County opens February 2026 at the Johnson County Museum in the Johnson County Arts & Heritage Center. The Museum offers quarterly community Free Days (March 19, June 6, September 12, and November 25). Learn more, plan your visit, and explore related programs at JCPRD.com/Museum.
