PRINCETON NJ Announcement

The Old Barracks Museum Invites You to Donate to Recreate Washington's Flower Arch

Trenton, New Jersey- The Old Barracks Museum invites you to join us in recreating the triumphal Washington's Flower Arch by adding a flower of your own! Your generous donation will help to create a temporary Washington Flower Arch for the grand opening of the new exhibits on July 4th, 2026. The museum's original historic arch will also be on display that day for the first time in decades.

"When George Washington made his inaugural march through Trenton, it was the people of this city who came together to assemble the triumphal arch to welcome him and decorated it with flowers," said Michelle Doherty, Executive Director of the Old Barracks Museum. "I love that this fundraiser invites our community to do something very similar to what was done over 200 years ago. Through their donations, supporters are helping us recreate the arch featured in our new exhibit, while also sustaining the Old Barracks Museum and the important work we do every day. It's a joyful, hands-on way to be part of bringing this powerful moment in Trenton's history back to life."

  Donations of $25 will allow you to add a personalized dyed wood flower to the recreated arch. Donations of $250 will include the flower plus an invitation to an exclusive preview of the new exhibits on June 23rd. Those who donate $2,500 will receive all of the aforementioned benefits and will also receive donor recognition on the entrance screen of the Old Barracks Museum. 

The recreated arch will be unveiled on July 4th during the Semiquincentennial celebrations at the Old Barracks. Donors can participate in a group photo at 3 pm on July 4th. Flowers will be available for pickup immediately after the photo. Donations can be made at https://barracks.org/flowers-2/. 

Thank you for your support!

ABOUT THE OLD BARRACKS MUSEUM: Originally built in 1758 to house British soldiers during the French and Indian War, the Old Barracks bore witness to the Battles of Trenton and was later used as a Revolutionary War army hospital. In the early 20th century, members of the Daughters of the American Revolution and the Colonial Dames organized the Old Barracks Association to purchase the building and open it as a museum, and today it continues to welcome visitors from across the globe to learn the rich history of the site through interpretive programs and exhibits. The Old Barracks Museum largely relies upon the generous contributions of donors and grantors to be able to further its mission of education and preservation, ensuring guests can appreciate New Jersey's history, the diverse people who made it, and why it matters.