for cleaning and refurbishing in connection with this year’s America250 celebrations in Idaho.

Idaho state officials voted Dec. 19 to pay to refurbish the replica Liberty Bell on display on the front steps of the Idaho State Capitol in Boise.

The America250 in Idaho Advisory Council voted on Dec. 19 to authorize spending up to $28,500 to restore the replica Liberty Bell in conjunction with next year’s America250 celebration. Idaho’s bell is a replica of the original Liberty Bell that rang outside of Independence Hall in Philadelphia. Idaho’s bell serves as a symbol of the signing of the Declaration of Independence 250 years ago, officials said. 

Officials will also seek private fundraising for the project, and any leftover funds available after donations will be reverted back to the America250 in Idaho Advisory Council. 

Idaho received the bell in the 1950s, Idaho State Historical Society Executive Director Janet Gallimore said. 

Plans call for cleaning and repairing the bell, fabricating a new wooden housing and adding additional protective metal at the top and bottom, Gallimore said. 

The America250 in Idaho Advisory Council is planning and promoting celebrations across the state for July 4, 2026 to honor the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776. Advisory council members said refurbishing Idaho’s replica Liberty Bell as part of the America250 in Idaho celebration is a way to protect the bell and celebrate America’s history. 

The bell was previously restored in 2009 and 2018, Gallimore said.