Pursuit of Happiness

January 17, 2026–May 2027 - Museum Tickets
3rd Floor

About the Exhibition

Founded on Thomas Jefferson’s immortal words from 1776, Pursuit of Happiness exhibition introduces young minds to the ideas of freedom and democracy, as well as the philosophies of our country’s founders.  Created through the collaborative efforts of the Frazier Kentucky History Museum’s Education and Curatorial Departments – the exhibition is both hands-on and enlightening.  Through engaging activities like colonial printmaking, poetry, and secret codes, kids learn how everyday people helped in the efforts for American Independence and consider what happiness and liberty mean to them. 

Pursuit of Happiness highlights the lives of 13 people who lived during the Revolutionary era. Each of these individuals made unique choices and acted in pursuit of happiness for themselves and their communities. Representing diverse backgrounds of women and men, White, Black Americans (both free and enslaved), and Native Americans, these figures show the many ways people sought freedom, opportunity, and meaning in their lives. Among them are Prince Whipple, an African American who fought for liberty; Yarrow Mamout, a formerly enslaved man who became a successful brickmaker and landowner; Phillis Wheatley, the first published African American poet; and Anna Strong, who cleverly used her laundry line to send coded messages about British troop movements to Revolutionary soldiers. Their stories invite us to reflect on what happiness meant in their time and how young people today continue to define and pursue happiness in their own lives.

In addition to highlighting individuals from the Revolutionary era, the Pursuit of Happiness exhibit includes interactive features designed to make history accessible and relatable to young audiences. A translation of the Declaration of Independence into everyday language helps guests understand its big ideas. Features on the childhoods of Founding Fathers (including George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and Benjamin Franklin), remind us that even these well-known leaders were once children with dreams, challenges, and choices of their own. Together, these elements invite visitors of all ages to see history not as distant or abstract, but as a lived experience filled with people both young and old pursuing happiness in ways that still resonate today.