The light-filled atrium at the National Museum of American History has become a place for performance and entertainment, a public square that captures the spirit and vitality of Main Street USA. The museum is home to thousands of the nation's most cherished historical artifacts. And on the first and second floors, the glass-fronted artifact walls display hundreds of storied objects from the museum's three-million-item collection that together evoke the American experience.

*Closures
The museum's West Wing is soon to undergo a renovation. Galleries will begin closing in late fall and early winter. Updates will be posted on americanhistory.si.edu.

First Floor East
Transportation and Technology

America on the Move (Permanent). Some 300 artifacts and installations recreate the sights and sounds of rail and road transportation from 1876 to 1999. Don't miss the 1950s Chicago Transit Authority "L" car and a 1903 Winton, the first car to be driven across the United States.

On the Water: Stories from Maritime America (Permanent). A collection of rigged ship models, documents and images recount life and work on the nation's waterways.

Stories on Money (Indefinite). Selections from the National Numismatic Collection provide a history of how coins and bills changed from the Colonial era to the present.

Power Machinery (Permanent). Investigate a world-class collection of full-size engines and models, including those from the early age of steam power, and a number of internal combustion engines.
Lighting a Revolution (Permanent). Follow the story of the invention of Thomas Edison's light bulb and the electrical innovations that followed.

First Floor West
Science and Innovation

Jerome and Dorothy Lemelson Hall of Invention Ever wonder about what led to the development of the microwave oven? In Invention at Play (closes late fall 2011), learn about great creators and innovators and gain insight into the similarities between the inventive process and child's play.

Hot Spot of Invention (Closes late fall 2011). In this special showcase, learn how ideas take shape when the right mix of creative people, resources and inspiring surroundings come together.

Science in American Life (Closes fall 2011). From genetics to the atomic bomb, this exhibition examines the increasing role of science in U.S. society. A special display marks 30 years of research on HIV/AIDS.

Bon Appétit! Julia Child's Kitchen at the Smithsonian (Closes late fall 2011). See the entire contents of the kitchen of the inimitable television chef Julia Child. The kitchen includes the gadgets she kept in the drawers and cabinets, as well as her copper pots and pans and appliances—even the kitchen sink.

Paper Engineering: Fold, Pull, Pop & Turn (June 14, 2010-Sept. 5, 2011). In this exhibition sponsored by the Smithsonian Libraries, see pop-up books dating from 1570 to the present.

Second Floor Atrium
The Star-Spangled Banner

The Star-Spangled Banner The flag that inspired Francis Scott Key in 1814 to write the lyrics that would become the national anthem still survives, though fragile and worn by the years. See it in its environmentally controlled chamber, a darkened atmosphere that evokes the "dawn's early light."

Second Floor East
American Ideals

Have You heard the One About . . .? Phyllis Diller's Gag File (Aug. 12, 2011-Oct. 28, 2011). Explore the genius of actress and stand-up comic Phyllis Diller and the way she kept track of her trove of 50,000 jokes.

Jefferson's Bible (Opens Nov. 11, 2011). Thomas Jefferson assembled this private volume in 1820, using excerpts from the Four Gospels of the New Testament to tell a chronological and edited story of Jesus' life and moral philosophy.

Second Floor West
American Lives

The First Ladies at the Smithsonian (Closes in early November 2011). Explore the first ladies collection and see a selection of gowns and personal items in two galleries.

A First Lady's Debut (Closes Oct. 11, 2011). See 11 gowns worn by first ladies from the 1950s to the present. The most recent addition is the white-silk chiffon inaugural gown worn by first lady Michelle Obama in 2009. A new first ladies exhibition opens on the third floor on Nov. 19, 2011.

Communities in a Changing Nation: The Promise of 19th-Century America (Closes December 2011). 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 (Permanent). 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. Learn how to look for clues to the history of your own home.

Third Floor East
American Wars and Politics

The Price of Freedom: Americans at War (Permanent). Follow the history of the U.S. military from the Colonial era to the present. The show features a large section on the Civil War. See one of the few Revolutionary War uniforms in existence, a "Huey" helicopter used during the Vietnam War and Gen. Colin Powell's Operation Desert Storm fatigues.

First Ladies: Changing Times, Changing Women (Opens Nov. 19, 2011). See highlights from the first ladies collection. Examine the role of the first lady and view two dozen dresses.

Gunboat Philadelphia (Permanent). The vessel saw battle in October of 1776 when it was sunk by the British in Lake Champlain. In 1935, Philadelphia was recovered with much of its equipment intact, along with the 24-pound cannonball that sent the gunboat to the bottom of the lake.

The American Presidency: A Glorious Burden (Permanent). More than 400 objects, including national treasures from the Smithsonian's vast presidential collections, bring to life the role of the president.

Third Floor West
Entertainment, Sports, and Music

The Miniature World of Faith Bradford: The Dolls' House (Permanent). Original owner 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, their ten children, the couple's in-laws, a household staff of five and 20 pets.

1939 (Indefinite). In the turbulent year of 1939, entertainment was a welcome distraction as the country recovered from the Great Depression and as the stage was set for World War II. Radio and film created wonderful heroes, both real and imaginary, and the New York World's Fair enticed visitors to its "World of Tomorrow" exhibition. Here, see the Ruby Slippers that Judy Garland wore in the 1939 film "The Wizard of Oz," and a pair of Joe Lewis' boxing gloves, among dozens of other storied artifacts.

National Treasures of Popular Culture (Permanent). This gallery rotates selections of much-loved material from the museum's music, sports and entertainment collections, including Jim Henson's muppets "Sam and Friends," Michael Jackson's hat and drawing pencils used by the American cartoonist Charles Schulz, creator of the popular cartoon "Peanuts."

Musical Instruments Gallery (Permanent). A feast of string instruments, including the world-famous Stradivarius quartet of ornamented instruments.

National Museum of African American History and Culture Gallery

The National Museum of African American History and Culture is scheduled to open on the Mall in 2015. Until then, find the museum's exhibitions on the second floor of the American History Museum.

For All The World To See: Visual Culture and the Struggle For Civil Rights (June 10, 2010-Nov. 27, 2011). See a unique selection of television commercials, film clips, street posters, pamphlets and photographs, searing images and historic footage—such as Jackie Robinson's first game in the major leagues—that roused pride and activism and built a momentum that fueled the civil rights movement.

Fun for students: goSmithsonian.com/SIConnections

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