Today the National Museum of American History is spectacularly redesigned after a two-year, $85 million renovation. Its daylight-filled center atrium has become a new public square, a gathering space for performance and entertainment, capturing the spirit and vitality of a Main Street USA. The museum's state-of-the-art "Star-Spangled Banner" gallery showcases the flag that inspired Francis Scott Key to write the lyrics of the national anthem. The new artifact walls, glass-fronted cases that line the first and second-floor center corridors, contain hundreds of storied artifacts from the museum's three-million-item collection. In the galleries and exhibition halls, visitors will find the top hat that President Lincoln wore the night he was assassinated at Ford's Theatre, the portable desk that Thomas Jefferson used to write the Declaration of Independence and hundreds of other cherished items that together tell the nation's story.
The Star-Spangled Banner
A special environmentally controlled chamber in an atmosphere evoking the "dawn's early light" protects the fragile wool and cotton flag. Enter from the atrium.
"America on the Move" Visitors are transported back in time and immersed in the sights, sounds and sensations of rail and road transportation in the United States from 1876 to 1999. Among the 300 objects in the 26,000-square-foot exhibition are a 1950s Chicago Transit Authority mass transit car and a 1903 Winton, the first car to be driven across the United States.
"Power Machinery" Investigate a world-class collection of full-size engines and models, including those from the early age of steam power and a number of historic internal combustion engines.
"Lighting a Revolution" A chronicle of the invention of the light bulb and the man behind it—Thomas Edison.
"Jerome and Dorothy Lemelson Hall of Invention" Ever wonder who the genius was who developed the microwave oven? In "Invention at Play," learn about the great creators and innovators and get some insight into how to go from an idea to an invention. In the special showcase "Sporting Invention," located by the elevator, check out the skis and tennis racquets invented by Howard Head and the accessible snowboard for people with disabilities, developed by student inventors at Hampshire College in Amherst, Massachusetts.
"Science in American Life" From genetics to the atomic bomb, this exhibition examines the ever-increasing role of science in American society. New to the exhibit is a robotic vehicle, called "Stanley," the 2005 winner Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Grand Challenge race.
"Bon Appétit! Julia Child's Kitchen at the Smithsonian" offers a peek into the famous chef 's legendary Cambridge, Massachusetts, kitchen.
"Picturing Words: The Power of Book Illustration" (closes Jan. 3, 2010). Sponsored by the Smithsonian Institution Libraries, this exhibition showcases a collection of richly illustrated books from these extensive holdings.
Choose an adventure and take an exciting virtual trip onboard one of our four high-tech ride simulators. Experience the thrill of careening through action-packed roller coaster courses or racing in futuristic high-speed hover cars. The simulators deliver remarkable realism and put you in the center of the fun! Located on the lower level, across from the Stars and Stripes Cafe, rides are $7 per person.
"The Scurlock Studio and Black Washington: Picturing the Promise" (through Feb. 28, 2010). In collaboration with the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture (scheduled to open on the National Mall in 2015), the museum presents nearly a century's worth of photographs from the Scurlock family studio, once the premier African-American photography studio in the country.
NEW "Bittersweet Harvest: The Bracero Program, 1942-1964" (Sept. 9 through January 2010). The largest guest worker program in U.S. history, the Bracero program brought millions of Mexican men to work on short-term labor contracts. This exhibition is based on the museum's archive of images taken by photojournalist Leonard Nadel in 1956.
"The First Ladies at the Smithsonian" Explore the roles of the nation's first ladies and see a selection of their gowns and personal items.
"Communities in a Changing Nation: The Promise of 19th-Century America" Discover 1800s America through the experiences of three different communities— the industrial workers and managers in Bridgeport, Connecticut; Jewish immigrants in Cincinnati, Ohio; and slaves and free African-Americans in Charleston, South Carolina.
"Within These Walls" Follow the saga of five families who lived in one house over a period of 200 years. Sixteen Elm Street in Ipswich, Massachusetts, was once home to a laundress, a slave, an abolitionist and a soldier. Study methods of 18th-century house construction and various periods of home furnishings. Learn how to look for clues to the history of your own home.
"The Price of Freedom: Americans at War" surveys the history of the U.S. military from the Colonial era to the present, and how military operations define episodes in American history. Among the objects to see are one of the few Revolutionary War uniforms in existence; a restored "Huey" helicopter used during the Vietnam War; and Gen. Colin Powell's Operation Desert Storm fatigues.
"Gunboat Philadelphia," which saw battle in October of 1776, is the oldest American fighting vessel in existence.
"The American Presidency: A Glorious Burden" More than 400 objects, including national treasures from the Smithsonian's vast presidential collections, bring to life the role of the president—the personal, public, ceremonial and executive actions— in American culture.
"The Bradford Doll House" Donated to the Smithsonian in 1951 after Faith Bradford spent more than a half-century collecting and building its furnishings, the house is inhabited by Peter Doll, his wife, Rose Washington Doll, and their ten children.
"Popular Culture Selections: Music, Sports and Entertainment History" This exhibition rotates a display of much-loved artifacts—such as the ruby slippers Judy Garland wore as Dorothy, Muhammad Ali's boxing gloves and Jim Henson's Kermit the Frog—that mirror the ways music, sports and entertainment have played major roles in U.S. life, shaping our national memory
"Hall of Musical Instruments" A feast of string instruments, including the Smithsonian's world-famous Stradivarius quartet of ornamented instruments— carefully restored to playing condition.
Mall Museum Store
Located near the National Mall entrance, the store has an assortment of exclusive Smithsonian mementos, including personalized dog tags, Star-Spangled Banner gifts and apparel.
Main Museum Store
The museum's flagship store, on the first floor, offers Teddy Bears and Classic Toys, Historic Newspapers, American Music and Traditions, Popular Culture, Race to Space, Politics and Presidents. Choose from apparel, gifts, jewelry and a large selection of books.
Price of Freedom Store
This store, located in the East Wing on the third floor, highlights leaders of the United States during wartime and offers military-inspired books, gifts, apparel, reproduction historic documents and mementos.
"Abraham Lincoln: An Extraordinary Life" (through January 2011). The life and legacy of the 16th president is brought to light with a re-examination of the museum's unique and unparalleled collection of Lincoln artifacts and memorabilia. The entrance is located on the third floor, West Wing.
Fun for students: goSmithsonian.com/SIConnections
Become a member of American History's Friends of Music.
Explore our museum floor plans before you go so you can make the most of your time when you arrive.
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Abraham Lincoln: An Extraordinary Life
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Inaugurations Past
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Spark!Lab
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The First Ladies at the Smithsonian
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The Price of Freedom Store located in the East Wing on the third floor, highlights leaders of the United States during wartime and offers military-inspired books, gifts, apparel, reproduction historic documents and mementos.
The Stars and Stripes Cafe (lower level west) offers a wide variety of natural and sustainable foods, beef burgers, pizza, hot dogs, barbecue, sandwiches, soups, salad bar and desserts.
For lighter fare or desserts, visit the Constitution Cafe (first floor), offering a variety of sandwiches, salads and soups made with natural and locally grown ingredients, as well as pastries, ice cream, specialty coffees and bottled beverages.
Six iconic artifacts point the way to themes and stories in American History.
Transportation and Technology
The 1831 "John Bull," one of the nation's earliest steam locomotives
Science and Innovation
The 1865 Vassar telescope used by America's first woman astronomer, Maria Mitchell
American Ideals
The Greensboro lunch counter of the civil rights era
American Lives
Horatio Greenough's statue of George Washington
Entertainment, Sports and Music
Disney's Dumbo elephant ride car
American Wars and Politics
Clara Barton's ambulance
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