America – it’s a red, white and blue story that has been playing out across the country for 250 years.

Now the Smoky Hill Museum has stitched together a number of items and stories that help tell a deeper narrative about the people who have lived here.

Director of the Museum, Susan Hawksworth tells KSAL News that staff made it an effort with a new exhibit to show how a museum’s collection is more than just artifacts.

The Smoky Hill Museum is celebrating America by shining a light on the role museums play in preserving local stories in a new exhibit, America’s 250: Connecting a Nation.

The exhibition will be on view in the Center Gallery from April 24 through October 10, 2026.