Museum Exhibits
NOW ON EXHIBIT
"America's Favorite Fighting Frenchman: The Marquis de Lafayette"
About the Exhibit:
The exhibit celebrates the visit of Lafayette to Fayetteville on the 200th anniversary of his Farewell Tour of America. The featured artifact on display is the bed Lafayette slept in when visiting Fayetteville on the tour. The exhibit also highlights additional rare artifacts from Lafayette’s time in Fayetteville. A series of panels produced by the American Friends of Lafayette tell the story of “America’s Favorite Fighting Frenchman.”
The Lafayette Bed was originally constructed in Scotland and belonged to the MacRae family. The MacRae family left Scotland and settled in North Carolina in 1773, bringing the bed with them. When Lafayette visited Fayetteville on March 4 and 5, 1825, he stayed with Duncan MacRae Jr. and his wife Rhoda Young in their private lodgings located in the State Banking House. The MacRae family has sustained ownership of the bed Lafayette slept in during his visit, and it is on loan for this exhibit courtesy of James and Julie MacRae.
In addition to The Lafayette Bed, the exhibit explains the life story of the Marquis de Lafayette, his role in the American Revolution, and his support of human rights for all mankind.
In 1824, on the eve of America’s 50th birthday, President James Monroe invited Lafayette as the guest of the United States for a year-long visit, known as the Farewell Tour. On the tour, Lafayette was welcomed with huge crowds and parades, elaborate dinners, and elegant balls. The United States will celebrate the bicentennial of the Farewell Tour with a year-long celebration. Each city on the tour will recreate Lafayette’s visit as an immersive experience on the exact same date he visited them. In North Carolina, Fayetteville’s turn to celebrate will be March 4-5, 2025. The American Friends of Lafayette have designated Fayetteville as one of the “premier sites” for the celebration as Fayetteville is first city to be named after Lafayette.
The temporary exhibit will be on display from March 1 through Sept. 30 during regular museum hours, Tue.-Sat., 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sunday 1-5 p.m. Admission is free.
