The History of Fireworks
Opening April 2026, this exhibition celebrates the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
Opens April 10, 2026
Hach Gallery
KABOOM! POP! CRACK!
Join us next spring for an explosive history of fireworks!
With objects ranging from historic rare books to the latest pyrotechnic technologies, this exhibition features a globe-spinning story that spans centuries. Explore the science of celebrations as we mark the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, right here in Old City Philadelphia.
An opening celebration will take place on Friday, April 10, 2026.
Featured image: Panorama of the National Firework Display at Hyde Park, 19th July, 1919, colorized illustration from Pyrotechnics: The History and Art of Firework Making, 1922.
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DIGITAL COLLECTIONS
Fireworks
This collection features materials related to the history and science of fireworks, gunpowder, and other explosives.
The Institute’s Hach Gallery is named in memory of Clifford C. Hach (1919–1990) through the generosity of his wife, Kathryn C. “Kitty” Hach-Darrow (1922–2020). In the 1940s, the married chemists cofounded the Hach Chemical Company, which became a leading producer of water-testing reagents and instruments.