On April 4, the Center for the Philosophy of Freedom with the University of Arizona celebrated Arizona Museum Day, a campus-wide event that invited the public to explore museums and collections across campus. With more than a dozen participating sites the day highlighted the range of art, science, history, and culture at the university and encouraged visitors to experience them in one shared event.
As part of this celebration, the Museum of Democracy exhibit, located on the lower level of the Campus Store, welcomed visitors into its Pathway to the Presidency experience. Facilitated by the Center for the Philosophy of Freedom, the exhibit focuses on the history of presidential leadership and civic participation through interactive and accessible activities.
The exhibit, made possible through a grant from the Arizona Board of Regents, features pieces from the Wright Family Collection which serves as the foundation of the Museum of Democracy. The exhibit explores the history of American democracy through the creative campaign tools that shaped it—flags, posters, parade lanterns, stickers, games, and more. These artifacts offer a vivid look at how presidential candidates have communicated their messages and mobilized support from the era of George Washington to the present day.
Throughout the day guests were invited to engage directly with the exhibit. Visitors stepped into a presidential photo opportunity, participated in a scavenger hunt, designed their own campaign buttons, and contributed to a Democracy Wall by sharing what democracy means to them. A guest book provided an additional space for visitors to reflect and leave their mark.
In partnership with the Campus Store, the exhibit also connected with families attending the store’s monthly story time. This collaboration created an easy entry point for younger audiences and helped introduce more than 200 visiting children to both the exhibit and the broader Arizona Museum Day experience.
As the exhibit comes to a close, Arizona Museum Day highlighted the power of partnership. By bringing together Museum Day, the Campus Store’s story time, the Museum of Democracy, and the Center for the Philosophy of Freedom, the event demonstrated the kind of teamwork needed to create something meaningful. It reflects democracy itself, built through collaboration, shared effort, and collective voice.
