Celebrate America’s 250th at Collier Museum

Published on July 02, 2026

Celebrate America’s 250th anniversary through art, history, and your own Southwest Florida story at Collier Museum at Government Center.

Collier County Museums, in partnership with Southwest Florida Family Magazine, will host a family-friendly celebration recognizing the winners of the “Drawn Together: SWFL Celebrates America 250” art and essay contest. Young artists from across Southwest Florida were invited to express what America at 250 meant to them and to reflect on themes such as family heritage, community pride, creativity, courage, and culture.

The event will be held at the Collier Museum at Government Center, 3331 Tamiami Trail East, Naples, Florida, where we will announce the contest winners and debut a special exhibit showcasing artwork submitted by participating students. The exhibit will be on display at the E. George Rogers Studio from July 11, 2026, through September 7, 2026. To mark the opening day of the exhibition, the museum will host a Freedom & Fun Family Day event on July 11, 2026, from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Activities will include fort building, a trivia challenge, flag‑themed crafts, and a Storytime program featuring speakers from the Veterans Memorial Museum. Admission and activities are free.

We invite the community to join us in celebrating this milestone anniversary and honoring America’s past, present, and future through creativity!

About Collier County Museums

The Collier County Museums have five fascinating locations: Collier Museum at Government Center, Naples Depot Museum, Museum of the Everglades, Immokalee Pioneer Museum at Roberts Ranch, and The Marco Island Historical Museum.

Our unique locations each provide a different glimpse into our past, where a diverse blend of old and new history and legend weaves its story across a glittering landscape of sun-warmed beaches, ancient cypress forests, and the sprawling grasslands of the Florida Everglades. Discover fierce saber cats and long-vanished civilizations, stunning archaeological finds and curious inventions, turn-of-the-century trading posts, cowmen, cattle ranches, and some of Florida's most adventurous and colorful characters. It's a story that's far too big to be told in just one visit — or one museum.

Our museums are open from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday. Admission is free.

Visit our website for a full list of special exhibits and events: colliermuseums.com.