Pursuits of Independence and the Natural World

Jun 4, 2026 - Dec 6, 2026

Nature defined Early America. Land, vegetation, animals, rivers, lakes, and the bounty they provided shaped society and culture, fostered connections between people, and sparked conflict among Native Americans and European settlers. This exhibition—featuring items on loan from the Oak Spring Garden Foundation, the private collection of Kirk Hoefling, and new Library acquisitions—explores the ways the Founding generation of the United States understood, interacted with, and exploited their natural world, and how the contest over land and its resources fueled the split between Great Britain and its American colonists.