WASHINGTON—As the nation gears up to celebrate its 250th birthday, The Heritage Foundation today released a brand-new resource to help American families—especially parents and grandparents—enjoy historic sites across the nation by providing information about popular tourist destinations and grading them on accuracy and impartiality.
The Heritage Guide to Historic Sites is an online interactive map that pinpoints and evaluates significant battlefields, presidential homes, museums, and other historic sites that have intrinsic value in understanding U.S. history. The guide currently evaluates more than 35 sites in the 13 original colony states, with plans to expand to historic sites in all 50 states plus the District of Columbia for Washington’s birthday in 2026.
Heritage President Dr. Kevin Roberts, a historian and former professor of American history, released the following statement:
“The next 250 years of our Republic depend on whether we can rekindle a true understanding of what it means to be an American—the rights and responsibilities of American citizenship. That’s why the new Heritage Guide to Historic Sites is so essential. It equips American families with the tools they need to enjoy the sites that mark some of the greatest episodes in our nation’s history, without the Left’s anti-American and ahistoric narratives.
“From Mount Vernon and Independence Hall to Fort McHenry and Gettysburg, this guide invites every American citizen to rediscover the amazing places that define our patriotism and the stories that form the basis of our shared national culture. The Heritage Foundation is proud to lead this effort to celebrate ‘America 250.’ We believe this guide will awaken a new generation of patriots—men and women ready to remember and defend the history that makes us who we are.”
Often, visitors attend historic sites to learn more about American history. They deserve complete transparency regarding what to expect during a field trip or family outing, especially which local and state sites are dedicated to faithfully preserving our history. That’s why the Heritage Guide to Historic Sites identifies sites and provides a comprehensive review by trusted experts who grade the accuracy of exhibits and tours at each destination.
Brenda Hafera, assistant director and research fellow of Heritage's B. Kenneth Simon Center for American Studies and the director of the guide, added:
“The Heritage Guide to Historic Sites aims to encourage Americans to visit historic sites to celebrate 250 years of shared heritage, sacrifice, and dedication to a remarkable set of eternal principles. Traveling to battlefields, presidential homes, and museums is a tradition we keep with family members, friends, and fellow citizens. It is part of how we educate ourselves, as America’s historic sites form the landscape of public education. Now, families can go to the places where history really happened, equipped with additional resources that enrich the experience and provide confidence and accountability.”
Learn more about the guide here.
