What makes America, America?

And how have 250 years of innovation and ingenuity, courage and creativity, shaped a nation?

In 2026, Smartify is marking two-and-a-half centuries since the signing of the Declaration of Independence with a special year-long programme.

We’ll be:

• Sharing some of the objects synonymous with America’s story

• Taking you inside some of the nation’s greatest collections

• Introducing you to some of the people, places and events that have shaped the past

• And shining a spotlight on some of the creators who informed our view of a country that’s constantly changing

How you can take part

We’re inviting cultural organisations across America to submit their most meaningful objects, places or stories to our unique digital archive for free.

250 Stories for 250 Years is a permanent collection of everything American – a star-spangled capsule we’ll be sharing throughout 2026 and beyond.

Our first collection and tour of some extraordinary objects are already live on Smartify.

✨ You can make your nominations today ✨ and start gaining a global audience for your venue and your collection.

Other ways to get involved

There’s also an opportunity to work with our award-winning production team on new digital content to engage and inspire your visitors in this celebratory year.

For more inclusive, powerful and sensitive storytelling, we can support you with community co-creation that’s high on impact, low on politics.

We can also add you to our map of must-visit cultural attractions, and make your collection more accessible with object recognition, translations and text-to-speech.

Smartify in America

Smartify is a trusted partner for a range of US cultural attractions, from leading national institutions to smaller regional museums. We can help you:

• Create compelling audio and video content tailored to your visitors’ needs

• Build interactive tours and innovative AR experiences that bring places and stories to life

• Reach millions of Smartify users with powerful marketing automations

Talk to us about celebrating America’s story through your organisation’s collection.