American History

"B.B. King," by Morgan Monceaux.

Celebrating B.B. King, the Face of the Blues

A look back at the American music icon

Learn about the Andean Chawaytiri community at Jose Barreiro's lecture.

Events Sept 12-15: The Star-Spangled Banner, The Chawaytiri of Peru, Smith Art Lecture, and Airmen of Note

See American history come alive, listen to lectures by distinguished speakers, and enjoy the sounds of one of the country's top jazz bands

"Tiles for America" is located at the corner of 7th and Greenwich Avenues in New York City

Handcrafted "Tiles for America" Project Remembers 9/ll

An art installation that spontaneously appeared after the terrorist attacks returns to New York City

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Weekend Events Sept 9-11: Remembering 9/11, Oral Traditions, and Jazz Competition

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Remembering 9/11 at the American History Museum

Visitors from across the country have made a pilgrimage to the Smithsonian to see an exhibit about the fateful day 10 years ago

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Events August 22-25: Addy’s World, Draw & Discover, Child of the Civil Rights Movement and More

Take a tour through American history, create your own art, listen to an author speak about civil rights, and enjoy a tour of an exhibition soon to close

Nose Cone from B.F. Skinner's Pigeon-Guided Missile, on display in "Science in American Life."

B.F. Skinner’s Pigeon-Guided Rocket

On this date 21 years ago, noted psychologist and inventor B.F. Skinner died; the American History Museum is home to one of his more unusual inventions

Smithsonian's autographed Babe Ruth baseball.

How Babe Ruth Changed Baseball

During his storied career, he set dozens of records, altered the fortunes of a number of teams and developed a new style of play for baseball

Phyllis Diller's joke cabinet

One Funny Lady, or, How I Was Killed by Phyllis Diller

Phyllis Diller's "Gag File"—a file cabinet full of her jokes—goes on display at the National Museum of American History today

Aaron Ogden, Aaron Burr and Jonathan Dayton, three men from Elizabethtown, New Jersey, were hell-bent on winning power and wealth.

Burr, Ogden and Dayton: The Original Jersey Boys

Known as much for their troubles as their successes, these childhood friends left their mark on early American history

Where Nixon’s Troubles Began

On this day in 1974, President Nixon resigned from his office. Find out how it all started with a file cabinet

The Paricutin Volcano, 1943, taken by William F. Foshag, NMNH curator of minerals.

Events August 8-11: Student Sit-ins, When Volcanoes Erupt and John Wayne in the Philippines

This week: experience the Greensboro lunch counter sit-ins, get a lesson on volcano scholarship and attend an evening "Mingle at the Museum"

Marilyn Monroe's gloves

Remembering Marilyn Monroe

Forty-nine years ago today, America's biggest movie star was found dead at the age of 36. Why did she take her own life?

Chapman To and Wong Cho-lam star in “La Comédie Humaine,” screening at the Freer Galley Friday at 7 PM

Weekend Events August 5-7: Chinese Comedy, Story Time, and the Star-Spangled Banner

A Chinese film screening, fold the Star-Spangled Banner and other upcoming events for the weekend

According to author Christine Sismondo, taverns, such as the one shown here in New York City, produced a particular type of public sphere in colonial America.

The Spirited History of the American Bar

A new book details how the neighborhood pub, tavern, bar or saloon plays a pivotal role in United States history

A ward in Carver General Hospital, Washington, D.C.

Touring the Tools of Civil War Medicine

Denis Leary donated props from the show "Rescue Me."

“Rescue Me” Stars Visit the Smithsonian

Scavengers play Pheon

Weekend Events July 15-17: The Inca Road, Pheon and More

This weekend take part in a satellite discussion about the Inca Road, Pheon and a look into a new American History exhibition

Balancing act: men and their big-wheeled ordinaries in one of the first bicycling touring clubs, in 1879 near Readville, Massachusetts.

The List: Tour de Smithsonian—Historic Bicycles Worthy of Display

All Power to the People: The Story of the Black Panther Party, 1970

“For All the World to See” Taking Another Look at the Civil Rights Movement

"For All The World To See: Visual Culture and the Struggle for Civil Rights," encourages visitors to take another look at the civil rights movement

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