National Museum of American History
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The National Museum of American History collects, preserves and displays American heritage in the areas of social, political, cultural, scientific and military history. The museum is administered by the Smithsonian Institution and located in Washington, D.C., on the National Mall.
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[edit] History
The museum first opened in 1964 as the Museum of History and Technology. The building was one of the last structures designed by renowned architectural firm McKim Mead & White. In 1980 the museum was renamed The National Museum of American History to better represent its basic mission—the collection, care and study of objects that reflect the experience of the American people. It once had a large pendulum in the center of the building that has since been removed. The museum is most famous for housing the original flag that inspired Francis Scott Key and Dorothy's Ruby Slippers from the film The Wizard of Oz.
The museum temporarily closed on September 5, 2006 for a two-year renovation. The architectural firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP (SOM) of New York and Turner Construction are responsible for the overall design and construction. New York-based design firm Chermayeff & Geismar Inc. will with with SOM on the new permanent gallery for the Star-Spangled Banner A grand reopening festival is scheduled for November 21, 2008.[1]
[edit] Reopening: Nov. 21, 2008
After being closed for two years of renovations, the National Museum of American History reopens to shed new light on American history, literally and figuratively. The museum has been transformed dramatically; visitors walk into a five-story sky-lit atrium, surrounded by artifact displays showcasing the breadth of the museum's 3 million objects from the cultural, social, technological and political history of the United States. A grand staircase now links the museum's first and second floors and six landmark objects located in the wings of each of the three exhibition floors help orient visitors. New galleries such as the Jerome and Dorothy Lemelson Hall of Invention present "Invention at Play" join old favorites like "The American Presidency: A Glorious Burden" and "American on the Move" in engaging audiences of all ages. Most imortantly, the Star-Spangled Banner—one of the most recognized symbols of the nation—has been given a new state of the art home at the heart of the museum. The grand reopening starts off a year of new exhibition openings that culminates in summer 2009.
[edit] Layout
Each wing of the museum's three exhibition floors will be anchored by a Landmark Object—large, compelling artifacts that will highlight the theme of that wing. Landmark Objects incldue: John Bull locomotive, 1865 Telescope, the Greensboro lunch counter, George Washington Statue, Red Cross ambulance and a Dumbo ride car.
Artifact walls consisting of 275 linear feet of glass-fronted cases will line the first and second floor center core. These will highlight the depth and breadth of the collections and will convey that the National Museum of American History collects, studies and exhibits objects from our nation's rich and diverse history. The artifact walls will be organized around the following themes: arts; popular culture; business, work and the economy; home and family; community; land and natural resources; peopling American; politics and reform; science; medicine; technology and America's role in the world.
[edit] First floor
The exhibitions in the East Wing of the first floor are focused on transportation and technology and include "America on the Move" and "Lighting a Revolution: Electricity Hall." The John Bull locomotive is the signature artifact for this section of the museum.
The exhibitions in the West Wing of the first floor are focused on science and innovation and include "Science in American Life featuring Robots on the Road" and "Bon Appétit! Julia Child's Kitchen at the Smithsonian" as well as the Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation's newest hands-on space, "Spark!Lab." The 1865 Telescope is the signature artifact for this section of the museum.
The first floor also houses the Constitution Café and the main museum store.
[edit] Second floor
The exhibitions in the East Wing of the second floor are focused on American ideals and include the Albert Small Documents gallery featuring rotating exhibitions. From Nov. 21, 2008 through Jan. 4, 2009 an original copy of the Gettysburg Address, on loan from the White House and Mrs. Laura Bush, will be on display. The the Greensboro lunch counter is the signature artifact for this section of the museum.
Located in the center of the second floor is the original Star-Spangled Banner. The newly conserved flag is the centerpiece of the historic renovation and reopening of the National Museum of American History. The 30-by 34-foot banner will be displayed in a specially constructed, climate-controlled room at the heart of the museum in an environment evoking the atmosphere of "dawn's early light," similar to what Francis Scott Key experienced on the morning of Sept. 14, 1814, when he was inspired to pen his famous poem.
The exhibitions in the West Wing of the second floor are focused on American lives and include "Within These Walls..." and "Communities in a Changing Nation: The Promise of 19th-century America." The George Washington statue, created in 1841 for the centennial of Washington's birthday, is the signature artifact for this section of the museum.
The second floor also houses the museum's new Welcome Center and a store.
[edit] Third floor
The exhibitions in the East Wing on the third floor are focused on American wars and politics and include "The Price of Freedom: Americans at War" and "The Gunboat Philadelphia." The Clara Barton Red Cross Ambulance is the signature artifact for this section of the museum.
The center of the third floor presents "The American Presidency: A Glorious Burden," an exhibition that explores the personal, public, ceremonial and executive actions of the 42 me who have had a huge impact on the course of history in the past 200 years.
The exhibitions in the West Wing of the third floor are focused on entertainment, sports and music and include "Thanks for the Memories: Music, Sports and Entertainment History," the Hall of Musical Instruments and "The Dolls' House." A Dumbo ride car is the signature artifact for this section of the museum.
[edit] Lower Level
The lower level of the museum displays "Taking America to Lunch" which celebrates the history and endurance of American lunch boxes. The lower level is also home to the museum's food court, the Stars and Stripes Café, and ride simulators.
[edit] Archives
In support of the museum’s mission, the Archives Center identifies, acquires, and preserves significant archival records in many media and formats to document America’s history and its diverse cultures. Center staff arrange, describe, preserve, and make collections accessible in support of scholarship, exhibitions, publications, and education.
The Archives Center occupies over 12,000 feet (3,700 m) of shelving in the National Museum of American History building. Subject strengths include the history of radio, television, the telegraph, computing, and other aspects of the history of technology with a special interest in the history of invention; advertising, marketing, and entrepreneurship; commercial visual ephemera (post cards, greeting cards); American music (sheet music, jazz) and musical instruments. These, and a wide range of other subjects, are documented in business records, personal papers, and extensive holdings of motion picture film, video and sound recordings, historical photographs, and oral histories.
[edit] Jerome and Dorothy Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation
The Lemelson Center produces educational programs, popular and academic publications, exhibitions, podcasts and symposia about invention. The mission of the Lemelson Center is to document, interpret and disseminate information about invention and innovation, encourage inventive creativity in young people and foster an appreciation for the central role of invention and innovation in the history of the United States. The Center frequently provides a multi-year focus on some aspect of how invention has influence American society, such as its 2002 "Invention and the Environment" theme. Programs include a yearly symposium, presentations and guest speakers within and outside the National Museum of American History and often the publication of a book detailing aspects of the topical focus. The Center also provides free curricular material to classrooms through the United States, organizes traveling museum exhibitions (such as "Invention at Play"), provides research opportunities and fellowships for scholars, and finds, obtains and process archival collections related to invention on behalf of the museum's Archives Center. These collections consist of the papers and materials that document the work of past and current American inventors.
[edit] Past Exhibits
- 24 Hours in Cyberspace - unveiled on 23 January 1997, this exhibit celebrated the "the largest one-day online event" (February 8, 1996) up to that date, which originally took place on the then-active website, cyber24.com (and is still online at a mirror website maintained by Georgia Tech[2][3]). 24 Hours in Cyberspace was headed by photographer Rick Smolan.[4] The exhibit featured 70 photos from the project.[5]
- "Treasures of American History," the National Museum of American History's display at the National Air and Space Museum closed in April 2008.
[edit] Notes
- ^ "Press Release". National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution. Retrieved on 2008-07-30.
- ^ Mirror of Official site map
- ^ Mirror of Official Site
- ^ "24 Hours in Cyberspace" (and more)
- ^ The human face of cyberspace, painted in random images
[edit] External links
- Official website
- National Museum of American History Archives Center Website
- Smithsonian's Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation
- About the Renovation
- Exhibition: Treasures of American History
- Exhibition: Legendary Coins & Currency
- American History Museum to Close for Nearly Two Years (washingtonpost.com)
