KENNESAW, Ga. | Jul 24, 2026

In spring 2026, the Curatorial Affairs team within the Kennesaw State University department of Museums, Archives, and Rare Books (MARB) worked with the Adams Memorial Foundation (AMF) to develop an eight-panel traveling exhibit focused on the Adams family, including President John Adams, First Lady Abigail Adams, President John Quincy Adams, and First Lady Louisa Adams.  

AMF works with the Adams Memorial Commission, a congressional commission created to establish a memorial to the Adams family in the nation's capital. The proposed site for the memorial is south of the White House near the Ellipse, where it would align with the Washington Monument and the Jefferson Memorial. The new traveling exhibit will increase awareness and supplement education programs for the proposed memorial.  

Adams Memorial Foundation President and Commission Chair Jackie G. Cushman said, “The exhibit developed by the Museums, Archives, and Rare Books team at Kennesaw State University is truly exceptional. Through compelling storytelling and striking visuals, it masterfully brings to life John Adams’ revolutionary leadership, Abigail Adams’ essential partnership, John Quincy Adams’ powerful voice against slavery, and the family’s enduring contributions to our nation—powerfully advancing public understanding and support for the Adams Memorial on the National Mall.” 

The traveling exhibit debuted in Washington, DC, on July 1 with Catherine Lewis, MARB’s associate vice provost, in attendance and is now traveling to universities, libraries, and civic venues across the country. MARB Curatorial Affairs also created a KSU edition of the exhibit that will be on display in celebration of America250 in the Athenaeum Gallery on the second floor of the Sturgis Library beginning in September. 

MARB Curatorial Affairs Director James Newberry oversaw the project and said, “On the nation’s 250th anniversary, we’re proud to celebrate the Adams family legacy through a rich blend of narrative text, quotations, and primary source imagery. This national traveling exhibit represents MARB’s community engagement work at its best as we continue to build partnerships and reach audiences in Metro Atlanta and beyond.” 

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