images: Ford
As America celebrates its 250th birthday, Ford is honoring heritage as well, by hosting a special exhibit in Washington, D.C.’s Union Station, from July 1-14, 2026.
“There is a particular kind of magic to Union Station,” writes Ted Ryan, chief historian, Ford. “For more than a century, it has served as the front door to the nation’s capital, a place where presidents have arrived to be inaugurated, where soldiers have shipped off to war, and where ordinary Americans, by the millions, have stepped off a train and into the heart of their democracy."
A Century-Plus of Culturally Significant Vehicles and Artifacts
The exhibit, Driving America Forward: A Ford Experience at Union Station, is a free public collection of historically significant stories.
“The exhibit is built on a simple idea: that a country and a company can share a history, and that history is worth celebrating, not simply with nostalgia, but with the kind of clear-eyed pride that looks forward as well as back,” writes Ryan.
Besides the cars, trucks, and SUVs Ford has been building for 123 years that have carried generations to school, work, and play, the manufacturer has added much to the American tale.
From perfecting the moving assembly line to doubling pay, assisting with war efforts, and keeping the country moving, Ford shares these accounts and more across seven narrative chapters:
Birth of an American Dream — From a small Detroit factory to a global enterprise on six continents, the story of how Ford put the world on wheels.
The Backbone of Work — A tribute to the contractors, farmers, utility crews, first responders, and fleet operators who power America's essential economy.
The American Red Cross carries out training with the help of a Model T in front of the Highland Park Plant.
Answering the Call — How Ford has shown up in moments of national need: in war, in disaster relief, in medical innovation, and even in the race to the moon.
Shaping Pop Culture — The Ford in the movie, the song, the photograph — and yes, even in the Popemobile.
Read: Ford’s One-Off Builds: Popes, Broncos, and Design Clues
Building on a racing legacy that began even before the company was officially founded, Ford has spent 123 years driving toward the future with passion, innovation, and a relentless desire to win.
125 Years of Racing — A racing legacy older than the company itself, driven by an unrelenting desire to win.
American Innovations — Breakthroughs born in unexpected places, from the factory floor to the laboratory bench.
Building a Better World — The communities, partnerships, and people Ford has worked alongside to leave the world better than we found it.
“Admission is free,” writes Ryan. “Bring the kids. Bring your father. Bring whoever taught you to drive.”
See It for Yourself
Driving America Forward: A Ford Experience at Union Station is open daily from July 1 through July 14, 2026, in the Main Hall of Union Station in Washington, D.C. Admission is free; no ticket is required. The exhibit is fully accessible and reachable by Metro Red Line, MARC, VRE, Amtrak, taxi, rideshare or personal vehicle.
For updates in the weeks ahead, follow @Ford and @HagertyDriversFoundation on social media.
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