The Museum at Bethel Woods is pleased to announce that it will be the premier United States venue for Give Peace A Chance: John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s Bed-in For Peace, an exhibition commemorating the 40th anniversary of the famous couple’s poignant call for world peace. Through stories and unique photographs—many never seen before—Give Peace a Chance will offer visitors a seat on the edge of John and Yoko’s bed at Montreal’s Queen Elizabeth Hotel in 1969.

John Lennon and Yoko Ono used their bed as a way to put themselves and their message of peace into a searing spotlight. The second of the newlyweds’ famous bed-ins, their Montreal media event brought the world press and a steady stream of celebrities to their hotel room to witness and participate in a protest for peace. From their bed, on June 1, 1969, they recorded “Give Peace a Chance,” a song that still resonates with meaning. Through their vulnerability and openness, they demonstrated their unwavering belief in the goodness of people to make peace, not war, in a time when others who made similar statements often paid for their beliefs with their lives.
 

Photojournalist Gerry Deiter became the eyes and ears in that hotel room—the only journalist to document the entire eight days. He was determined to capture the essence of the happening. He also candidly caught famous people who dropped in—Timothy Leary, Tommy Smothers, Dick Gregory, and Al Capp, among others. Deiter’s artistry shows in what are widely acknowledged as the best shots of the recording of the anthemic “Give Peace a Chance,” and viewers will be riveted by the joyous images.