The Tribune

A FREE public exhibit marking 250 years of American independence has opened at Nassau Cruise Port, pairing portraits and paintings from the United States’ founding era with displays tracing the long relationship between The Bahamas and America.

US Embassy Nassau and Nassau Cruise Port opened the Freedom 250 Founders Museum at the Gallery and Wine Bar, where the exhibit will run through Sunday, July 5.

The exhibit, “The Road to Liberty,” features portraits of the men who signed the Declaration of Independence and paintings depicting key moments in America’s struggle for independence, the US Embassy said in a press statement. It also highlights connections between The Bahamas and the United States, from the Continental Marines’ assault on Fort Montagu in 1776 to Bahamian workers who helped build South Florida’s infrastructure and agriculture.

Junkanoo recreations of American monuments, including the Washington Monument, the Liberty Bell and the Statue of Liberty, are also featured. Visitors can also take part in an interactive art piece by sharing what freedom means to them.

The exhibit includes a photograph on loan from the Sir Lynden O Pindling Room of the University of The Bahamas’ Harry C Moore Library and Information Centre.

“The story of America's 250 years and the story of The Bahamas are inseparable,” said US Ambassador Herschel Walker. “This exhibit brings that story to life — from our earliest shared history to the deep partnership we are building together today. I am grateful to Nassau Cruise Port for helping us bring this celebration to the Bahamian people, and I invite everyone to come and experience it for themselves.”

Mike Maura Jr, CEO and director of Nassau Cruise Port, said the Gallery and Wine Bar was created to showcase Bahamian art, culture, performances and storytelling.

“With more than 137,000 cruise passengers expected during this celebration period – and approximately 80 percent of them being American - the Freedom 250 Founders Museum gives our guests and the wider community an opportunity to better understand the unique relationship between The Bahamas and the United States — a relationship shaped by shared history, cultural exchange, and generations of partnership,” he said.

Nassau Cruise Port will also mark the occasion on Saturday, July 4, with a public Independence Day concert celebrating the 250th anniversary of American independence.

The Freedom 250 Founders Museum is free and open to the public at the Gallery and Wine Bar, Nassau Cruise Port, through Sunday, July 5.