Hillsborough Castle and Gardens unveils Benjamin Franklin display for USA-NI250

Hillsborough Castle and Gardens has unveiled a new display shining a light on its little-known but significant role in the story of American independence, as the United States marks the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence this summer.

Franklin, Hillsborough and the Seeds of Independence was officially launched at a preview evening on Wednesday 25 February, where invited guests including communities Minister Gordon Lyons MLA, US Consul General in Belfast, James Applegate, Lord Downshire and Caroline Walker, the new Head of Hillsborough Castle and Gardens were given an exclusive first look at an extraordinary collection of objects connected to Benjamin Franklin and his historic visit to the Castle in 1771. The display opens on 15 March 2026 and runs until February 2027.

At its heart is the complex relationship between Franklin and Wills Hill, who commissioned the building of Hillsborough Castle and Britain’s first Secretary of State for the Colonies. In January 1771, the two men clashed in London during a heated exchange over Franklin’s appointment as agent for Massachusetts. Yet later that year, in a striking twist of history, Lord Hillsborough extended warm hospitality to Franklin during a four-day stay at Hillsborough Castle - a visit set against rapidly escalating tensions between Britain and its American colonies.

Visitors will encounter this story in Hillsborough Castle’s historic State Dining Room – where Franklin dined during his stay – which has been renamed The Franklin Dining Room for the duration of the display. Here, in the very space where conversations once unfolded, the display explores how dialogue, diplomacy and disagreement contributed to events that would soon reshape the world.

Caroline Walker, Head of Hillsborough Castle and Gardens, said: “As America marks 250 years since the Declaration of Independence, this display shines a light on Hillsborough Castle’s remarkable connection to that defining moment in world history.

“When Benjamin Franklin visited in 1771, he brought the currents of change sweeping across the Atlantic directly to these walls. Franklin, Hillsborough and the Seeds of Independence brings together internationally significant loans alongside treasures from our own collection, enabling us to tell this story in the very room where these conversations are believed to have taken place. It underscores the Castle’s enduring role as a place where diplomacy is practised, relationships are forged and tested, and history quietly takes shape.”

At the centre of the display is a rare July 1776 New York printing of the Declaration of Independence by Ulster-born printer Hugh Gaine, on loan from The National Archives, London. One of the earliest printed copies to cross the Atlantic, it represents the revolutionary outcome of arguments in which both Franklin and Hillsborough played opposing roles.  The document will be displayed at Hillsborough from late March to late June, and again from early September to mid-November 2026.

On loan from the American Philosophical Society - the institution founded by Franklin in 1743 to promote “useful knowledge” - are three original letters from the Franklin Papers. These include Franklin’s meticulous account of his fiery London confrontation with Hillsborough, and his later reflections on the unexpectedly gracious reception he received at the Castle. Together, they chart the deterioration of a political relationship that would soon lead to Lord Hillsborough’s downfall. Franklin would later summarise this with the cutting remark: “we have got rid of Hillsborough.”

The letters are displayed alongside Franklin’s personal 18th-century chess pieces and an iconic 1777 portrait of him by French artist Jean-Baptiste Greuze, painted six years after his visit to Hillsborough while serving as American ambassador to France. Objects from Historic Royal Palaces’ own collection, including a Wedgwood portrait medallion and a portrait by Allan Ramsay of Lord Hillsborough, complete the narrative.

The display forms part of the wider USA–NI250 commemorations, highlighting the role that people and places in Northern Ireland played in the US independence story. Historic Royal Palaces received £33,300 from the Department for Communities to deliver the project, recognising Northern Ireland’s historic connections to the United States and supporting a programme of public engagement during this landmark anniversary year.

Communities Minister Gordon Lyons said: “Projects like Franklin, Hillsborough and the Seeds of Independence highlight Northern Ireland’s unique place in a global story and help strengthen our bonds and connections with the United States. I am pleased that with the support of my Department, Hillsborough Castle and Gardens is helping to share this remarkable story with people across Northern Ireland and beyond.”

Hillsborough Castle has long played a role in US–Northern Ireland relations, hosting figures including Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush. This landmark display reveals that its American connections stretch back much further - to a moment when private conversations and public confrontation helped shape the future of a nation. The popular American History tour of the castle will also return to bring these stories to life for visitors.

Hillsborough Castle and Gardens reopens to the public on Sunday 15 March 2026, inviting visitors to step into the story of Franklin, Hillsborough and the Seeds of Independence in the room where history unfolded. 

To celebrate Mother’s Day, mothers will receive free admission to the Gardens (terms and conditions apply).

For further information and tickets visit www.hrp.org.uk/hillsborough-castle