Name: Smithsonian National Museum of American History
Address: 1300 Constitution Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20560
Telephone: (202) 633-1000
Rating: 4.7

Vast, venerable museum chronicling American history through displays such as Julia Child's kitchen.

National Mall

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Lincoln Memorial

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The museum boasts a collection of over 3 million artifacts, showcasing the diverse history of the United States.

Artifact Collection

The museum opened its doors in 1964 as the Museum of History and Technology, later renamed the National Museum of American History in 1980.

Opening Year

The museum houses the original Star-Spangled Banner, a symbol of American independence and national pride.

Iconic Artifact

The museum offers free admission to all visitors, making American history accessible to everyone.

Accessibility

Among its collection, the museum features Lincoln's iconic top hat, a tangible reminder of a pivotal figure in American history.

Presidential Memorabilia

The museum even houses the original Kermit the Frog puppet, showcasing the evolution of American popular culture.

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Smithsonian National Museum of American History

The Smithsonian National Museum of American History, a cornerstone of the National Mall, distinguishes itself through its unparalleled collection reflecting the nation's cultural, scientific, and political evolution. Beyond iconic artifacts like the Star-Spangled Banner and Dorothy's ruby slippers, the museum delves into niche areas such as the history of American advertising, showcasing the evolution of marketing techniques and their impact on consumer culture. A significant, often overlooked, collection focuses on the history of American business and technology, featuring early examples of typewriters, sewing machines, and other inventions that revolutionized daily life. The museum also holds an extensive collection of presidential memorabilia, offering insights into the personal lives and leadership styles of American presidents. Its commitment to preserving and interpreting the material culture of the United States provides a unique lens through which to understand the nation's complex and multifaceted history. The museum's exhibits often explore the social and cultural contexts surrounding these objects, revealing the stories of ordinary Americans alongside those of prominent figures.

Introduction

The Smithsonian National Museum of American History houses an extensive collection of over three million artifacts that narrate America's complex history. Among its prized possessions is the Star-Spangled Banner Flag, which inspired the national anthem and remains a powerful symbol of American resilience. The museum also displays President Abraham Lincoln’s top hat, worn the night of his assassination, a poignant relic showcased in "The American Presidency: A Glorious Burden" exhibit.

"The First Ladies" exhibit memorializes the contributions of women in the White House, featuring over two dozen gowns, fine china, and furnishings that offer insight into their lives and influence. Dorothy’s ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz are a highlight of the "American Stories" exhibit, representing iconic moments in American pop culture.

Julia Child's home kitchen is meticulously recreated within the "FOOD: Transforming America’s Table 1950-2000" exhibit, illustrating the evolution of American culinary habits. The "America on the Move" exhibit features the first automobile driven across the U.S. and a 40-foot stretch of Route 66, celebrating American transportation advancements. "American Enterprise" explores the nation’s commercial innovations over the past 300 years, providing a comprehensive look at the country's economic development through carefully preserved artifacts.

Cultural Artifacts

The Smithsonian National Museum of American History offers a compelling look into presidential history through its exhibit, "The American Presidency: A Glorious Burden." Among the featured items is the top hat worn by President Abraham Lincoln on the night of April 14, 1865, when he attended Ford’s Theatre and was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth. This iconic artifact is part of a larger collection of presidential relics, each telling a story about the individuals who have held the nation's highest office.

Beyond individual leaders, the museum also memorializes the women who played significant roles in the lives and careers of American presidents. "The First Ladies" exhibit showcases over two dozen gowns, fine china, and other furnishings, providing insight into the personal lives and contributions of these influential figures. Together, these exhibits offer a multifaceted view of the presidency, exploring both the public and private aspects of leadership throughout American history.

Presidential History Collection

Within the National Museum of American History, the east wing of the third floor, designated as 3 East, is dedicated to the military history of the United States. Key exhibits here include "The Price of Freedom: Americans at War," which offers an extensive look at the nation's military engagements and their impact. Also featured is the gunboat Philadelphia, a tangible artifact that provides insight into naval history.

The museum's Archives Center plays a crucial role in supporting these exhibits by identifying, acquiring, and preserving significant archival records related to American military history. These records, available in various media and formats, document America's military past and its diverse influences. The Archives Center ensures these collections are accessible for scholarly research, exhibitions, publications, and educational programs, enhancing the depth and accuracy of the museum's military history presentations.

The museum itself, since its opening, has been committed to collecting, preserving, and displaying the heritage of the United States, including its military history. This commitment is reflected in the ongoing care and interpretation of objects that reflect the experiences of the American people in times of conflict and peace. The layout of the museum, with its landmark objects and artifact walls, provides a structured and thematic exploration of American history, including significant military events and figures.

Military History Exhibits

The Smithsonian's National Museum of American History plays a pivotal role in the preservation and exhibition of the Star-Spangled Banner. After acquiring the flag in 1907, the museum undertook its first major conservation effort in 1914, hiring Amelia Fowler and her team to restore the fragile artifact. They meticulously attached a new linen backing with approximately 1.7 million stitches, after removing a previous canvas. For nearly 50 years, the flag was displayed in the Arts and Industries Building, except during World War II when it was moved to a secure location in Virginia.

In 1964, the flag found a new home in the National Museum of History and Technology, now the National Museum of American History (NMAH), where it was showcased in its entirety. Recognizing the impact of environmental factors, the museum initiated a comprehensive preservation project in 1996. From 1999 to 2008, conservators carefully removed Fowler’s stitching and linen backing, analyzed the flag’s condition, and cleaned it using specialized techniques. A sheer polyester backing was added for support.

In November 2008, NMAH reopened with a climate-controlled gallery specifically designed for the Star-Spangled Banner. The two-story display chamber maintains low light levels and controlled humidity and temperature. The exhibition, "The Star-Spangled Banner: The Flag that Inspired the National Anthem," tells the story of the flag and its significance, incorporating interactive elements and tactile panels for visitors with visual impairments. The museum also provides an online exhibition with detailed exploration of the flag's features and audio-descriptive tours.

Star-Spangled Banner Preservation

The Smithsonian National Museum of American History holds extensive collections and resources for those interested in American innovation history. The museum's Archives Center contains over 12,000 feet of shelving dedicated to the history of technology, including radio, television, telegraphy, and computing. A special emphasis is placed on the history of invention, documented through business records, personal papers, motion picture film, video and sound recordings, historical photographs, and oral histories.

A key resource is the Jerome and Dorothy Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation, which produces educational programs, publications, exhibitions, and symposia. The Lemelson Center's mission is to document and disseminate information about invention and innovation, encourage creativity in young people, and foster an appreciation for innovation's central role in American history. The Center provides curricular material to classrooms nationwide, organizes traveling museum exhibitions, and facilitates research opportunities. Its archival collections contain papers and materials documenting the work of American inventors, both past and present.

Exhibitions like "American Enterprise" explore the nation’s business history, focusing on opportunity, innovation, competition, and the search for the common good in the American marketplace. Hands-on spaces like Draper Spark!Lab provide opportunities for children and families to explore their inventive creativity through creating, innovating, collaborating, and problem-solving. The museum's collections include artifacts such as a Samuel Morse telegraph and an Alexander Graham Bell telephone, further illustrating American innovation.

Smithsonian National Museum of American History

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