As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary in 2026, the High Point Museum invites the community to participate in a Wish Wall, a nationwide initiative capturing Americans’ hopes and dreams for the future.
Visitors can stop by one of the 17 locations around High Point between April 20 and June 22 to submit a personal wish — from small acts of kindness to big visions for change — for the next 50 years in America. The final Wish Wall will debut at Social Saturday in Downtown High Point and Uncle Sam Jam on Saturday, July 4, 2026.
The initiative, coordinated by Made By Us and rolled out nationwide across dozens of museums, libraries, parks, community hubs and gatherings, creates a powerful experience for individuals to participate in envisioning and shaping the future. Made By Us is a nonpartisan, not-for-profit network connecting hundreds of museums, historic sites, libraries and archives with younger generations. Since the summer of 2025, more than 135 Wish Walls have been held and more are planned, from the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History and The New York Historical to smaller, local hosts.
“The Wish Wall gives everyone a voice in imagining what comes next,” said museum director Edith Brady. “It’s a simple act of civic engagement that will result in a collective snapshot of what we value most at America’s 250th birthday.”
“We are so glad to have people from so many different backgrounds and perspectives participate in the Wish Wall experience,” said Caroline Klibanoff, executive director at Made By Us. “We all have a role to play in shaping history, and these installations offer everyone an easy way to get started.”
There will be kiosks to submit your wish at the following locations between April 20 and June 22: High Point Museum, City Lake Park Meeting & Event Center, Oak Hollow Marina, Oak Hollow Golf Course, Blair Park Golf Course, Allen Jay Rec Center, Deep River Rec Center, Morehead Rec Center, Oakview Rec Center, Southside Rec Center, Washington Terrace Park, High Point Public Library, High Point City Hall, Congdon Yards, The Art Gallery at Congdon Yards, COHAB SPACE and Roy B. Culler Jr. Senior Center.
Phase two of the Wish Wall project will take steps to make the wishes come true. Later this fall, the museum will host a series of programs around the most common themes of wishes on the wall. These events will bring people together with subject matter experts and related community organizations to help individuals find ways to take action at the local level to realize their vision for the future.
To learn more about High Point’s Wish Wall, including how to submit online, submission locations and where the wall will debut, visit highpointmuseum.org. For more information on national wish walls, visit onour250th.org.
