Celebrate Independence Day at the Tampa Bay History Center with “A Star-Spangled Story: Battle for America,” a Smithsonian Channel documentary exploring the surprising history and secrets behind “The Star-Spangled Banner.”

“The Star-Spangled Banner” is known by all, treasured for its powerful melody and stirring lyrics. And yet, only about 40% of U.S. citizens know all the words. And even fewer know their meaning. Join us as we travel back to 1814, when Washington D.C. was under British attack during the “Second War of Independence,” and the very bricks and mortar of American democracy were reduced to smoking rubble. We examine the battle that inspired witness Francis Scott Key to immortalize its final moments, then reveal how his poem transformed into an anthem.

Screenings are included with gallery admission and will begin every hour on the hour from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on July 4, 2026.

TV-PG / 51 min

Did you know “The Star-Spangled Banner” began as a poem set to the tune of a popular 18th-century song? In this Smithsonian Channel clip from “A Star-Spangled Story: Battle for America,” explore the surprising origins of the anthem and the story behind the words that became one of the nation’s most recognizable songs.

Want the full story? Join us at the Tampa Bay History Center for a special screening of “A Star-Spangled Story: Battle for America,” a documentary that revisits the War of 1812, the Battle of Baltimore, and the dramatic night at Fort McHenry that inspired Francis Scott Key. The screening connects one of America’s best-known symbols to the people, conflict, and moments that shaped its meaning.