Flash! Bang! Boom! A History of Fireworks
Opening April 2026, this exhibition celebrates the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
Opens April 10, 2026
Hach Gallery
Join us next spring for an explosive history of fireworks!
In 2026 the Science History Institute will mark the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence with a sparkling new exhibition that explores the long and global history of fireworks. On display in our museum, located just blocks from Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell in Old City Philadelphia, Flash! Bang! Boom! A History of Fireworks will have high visibility and be a unique contribution to our nation’s celebrations.
With objects ranging from historic rare books and fine art, to consumer catalogs and the latest pyrotechnic technologies, this exhibition will allow visitors to gain a deeper understanding of centuries of knowledge among pyrotechnical makers in an intriguing walk through the history and chemistry of fireworks in the context of our nation’s 250th anniversary.
An opening celebration will take place on Friday, April 10, 2026.
Featured image: Panorama of the National Firework Display at Hyde Park, 19th July, 1919, colorized illustration from Pyrotechnics: The History and Art of Firework Making, 1922.
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Fireworks
This collection features materials related to the history and science of fireworks, gunpowder, and other explosives.
The Institute’s Hach Gallery is named in memory of Clifford C. Hach (1919–1990) through the generosity of his wife, Kathryn C. “Kitty” Hach-Darrow (1922–2020). In the 1940s, the married chemists cofounded the Hach Chemical Company, which became a leading producer of water-testing reagents and instruments.