Declaring Independence: USA 250

The Washington Peace Medal, commissioned by American revolutionaries in 1777 as a gift for the Wabanaki Confederacy, is currently on display at the British Museum for its 250th-anniversary exhibition. The medal, which features George Washington and a representation of the thirteen colonies, was later seized by the British and donated to the museum by King George IV in 1825. The unique object revolves slowly within the showcase giving visors the chance to glimpse both sides. Additional supporting objects include; the 1712 wampum belt, the tomahawk pipe gifted to Mohawk leader Joseph Brant by the Duke of Northumberland in 1805 & the Sussex Declaration, a rare ceremonial copy of the Declaration of Independence which will go on display later this year. The objects, being the focal point, are housed within a large lantern structure projecting the text of the declaration of independence using light motifs projected powerfully across the room.