The Smithsonian Returns to Georgia for America250

Voices and Votes: Democracy in America Opens in Eatonton

Visit the Smithsonian Institution's traveling exhibit:

Sat. April 25 - Sat. May 30, 2026

10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Wednesdays, Fridays, & Saturdays

2 - 8 p.m. Thursdays

at Putnam County Administration Building

117 Putnam Drive, Eatonton, GA 31024

ATLANTA—Georgia Humanities, in cooperation with the Smithsonian Institution, is thrilled to present Voices and Votes: Democracy in America, a traveling exhibition exploring the history and promise of democracy in the United States.

Arriving in Georgia during America’s 250th anniversary, Voices and Votes examines how Americans have engaged with the democratic process—from the Revolution and suffrage to civil rights and civic participation today. The exhibition draws connections between past and present and invites visitors to consider what democracy means in their own communities.

Voices and Votes opens in Eatonton on April 25, 2026. Hosted locally by the Georgia Writers Museum and the Old School History Museum, the exhibition will be on view through May 31, 2026, at the Putnam County Administration Building, 117 Putnam Drive.

Eatonton marks the launch of the Georgia tour, which will travel through March 2027 with additional stops in Hartwell, Cartersville, Mount Vernon, Brunswick, Dawson, and Perry for the Georgia National Fair.

Throughout the six-week Eatonton run, community partners will host events across Putnam County, including auxiliary exhibits, panel discussions, readings, choral events, and visual art shows celebrating American democracy. Local partners include Eatonton Main Street, Butler-Baker Alumni Association, Putnam County Charter High School, Eatonton-Putnam County Library, The Artisans Village Art Gallery, Festival Hall, Steffen Thomas Museum of Art, the Eatonton-Putnam Chamber of Commerce, The Eatonton Messenger, and more. For a full list of community events, visit GeorgiaWritersMuseum.org.

“Voices and Votes reminds us that democracy is something we do—not just something we study,” said Mary Wearn, president of Georgia Humanities. “This exhibition brings history into conversation with the present, inviting communities across Georgia to engage with the responsibilities and possibilities of civic life.”