Smithsonian Exhibition on Democracy Coming to Lee

Smithsonian Exhibition on Democracy Coming to Lee
The installation highlights the fascinating history of “Voices and Votes”
at the local, state, and national levels.

On August 15, Mass Humanities announced the selection of the Town of Lee as a host site for the Smithsonian Institution’s Museum on Main Street traveling exhibition, "Voices and Votes: Democracy in America". The exhibit will be located at the Lee Premium Outlets. It examines the nearly 250-year-old American experiment of a government “of, by and for the people,” and how each generation since continues to question how to form “a more perfect union.” Opening on June 7, 2025, “Voices and Votes” will be on view through July 19, 2025.  

Museum on Main Street (MoMS) is a national/state/local partnership designed to bring exceptional humanities programs to rural cultural organizations.

"Lee, Massachusetts, with its rich historical roots and vibrant community spirit, stands as an ideal location to host an exhibit on the history of democracy,” said Town Administrator, Chris Brittain. “Lee’s charming downtown, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and its deep connection to American heritage make it a perfect backdrop for exploring the evolution of democratic ideals."

“Voices and Votes” explores the action and reaction, vision and revision, that democracy demands as Americans continue to question how to shape the country. Exhibition sections explore:

• the origins of American democracy;
• the struggles to obtain and keep the vote;
• the machinery of democracy;
• the right to petition and protest beyond the ballot;
• and the rights and responsibilities of citizens.

“Voices and Votes” features historical and contemporary photos; educational and archival video; engaging multimedia interactives with short games; and historical objects like campaign souvenirs, voter memorabilia, and protest material.

The Town of Lee is one of six Massachusetts towns scheduled to host “Voices and Votes” in 2024-25. The tour exhibition will make stops in Buckland, Ashby, Doulgas, Holbrook, and East Sandwich. The exhibition will be on display for six weeks in each town.

“It is an honor to partner with these communities to bring the Smithsonian to Massachusetts,” said Mass Humanities Executive Director Brian Boyles. “At this critical time for our democracy, we believe that libraries and museums in our small town are vital to the future of the commonwealth. We look forward to the events and conversations hosted by our partners.”

The Town of Lee will also host free community events that take a closer look at how Lee history connects to broader conversations about democracy, the freedoms and responsibilities of citizens, participating in government, and more.

“Voices and Votes” will tour a total of six communities in Massachusetts from April 2025 through January 2026. Each host site receives a $10,000 grant from Mass Humanities to develop their own programming to be displayed alongside the Smithsonian exhibition. Each site showcases the “Voices and Votes” installation for six weeks before it moves to a new location. Host sites also receive a second grant in the year following their Smithsonian exhibition, which can be used to develop additional public programs.

“Voices and Votes” is based on an exhibition currently on display at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History called American Democracy: A Great Leap of Faith.

The exhibition is part of Museum on Main Street, a unique collaboration between the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES), state humanities councils across the nation, and local host institutions. To learn more about “Voices” and other Museum on Main Street exhibitions, visit museumonmainstreet.org. 

For more information about the Town of Lee events, visit www.lee.ma.us. For further information about Museum on Main Street in Massachusetts, contact Marie Pellissier, program officer at Mass Humanities, at [email protected].