Knowra National Museum of American History National Museum of American History A Smithsonian museum in Washington, D.C., whose collections document the history of the United States through artifacts, exhibitions, and public programs.
Star-Spangled Banner : The 1814 flag whose defense of Fort McHenry inspired the words of the U.S. national anthem. The enormous original flag is a signature object in the museum’s collection.
Smithsonian Institution : A group of museums, research centers, and related institutions established by the U.S. government and based in Washington, D.C. The National Museum of American History is one of the Smithsonian’s museums.
Museum object : An object collected, preserved, studied, or displayed by a museum as part of its work. The museum’s historical claims often begin with the evidence carried by individual objects.
American national identity : A changing sense of shared belonging and political identity among people in the United States. The museum’s broad national scope makes identity a recurring theme in its displays.
First Ladies Collection : A collection of gowns and personal objects documenting the public roles and lives of U.S. first ladies. Its inaugural gowns connect political ceremony with changing ideas about women and public life.
National Museum of History and Technology : The former name of the National Museum of American History, used from its opening in 1964 until 1980. Its original name emphasized technology alongside the national past.
Material culture : The study of how people make, use, exchange, and interpret physical things. Material culture helps explain why everyday artifacts can document social and political change.
Museum exhibition : A selected and arranged presentation of objects and information for public interpretation. Exhibitions turn the museum’s collections into narratives about the United States.
Dumbo the Flying Elephant : A fantasyland ride vehicle from Disneyland, introduced in 1955 and inspired by the animated film Dumbo. The museum’s example represents the history of American popular entertainment and theme parks.
James Smithson : An English chemist whose bequest founded the Smithsonian Institution, despite never visiting the United States. Smithson’s bequest established the institution that later created the museum.
Show all 21