National Museum of American History
A Look Back: The Kennedys 50 Years Ago
Acclaimed fashion and portrait photographer Richard Avedon brought his portable studio to the Kennedys' Palm Beach, Florida-compound on January 3, 1961, to take some photos for Harper's Bazaar and LOOK magazines. The atmosphere in the oceanfront home was hectic, or so I've read in accounts of the e...
January 20, 2011 |
By Megan Gambino
Wednesday Roundup— Goldfish Gulping, Space Travel and Naming Rights
And the Gold Medal Goes To— What's the craziest thing you've ever eaten on a dare? Well, how about 101 goldfish? That's the record for the largest number eaten in a single sitting, set back in April 1939, when goldfish gulping was a competitive collegiate sport. Check out the piscine cuisine over a...
January 19, 2011 |
By Arcynta Ali Childs
Weekend Events: Celebrate Martin Luther King Jr.'s Life and Legacy at the Smithsonian
Friday, January 14: Annual Martin Luther King Jr. ProgramCome enjoy the Anacostia Community Museum's annual Martin Luther King celebration. This year's program, held at the National Museum of Natural History, features keynote speaker Fox News analyst Juan Williams in an insightful discussion with ...
January 14, 2011 |
By Jesse Rhodes
Last Chance to Vote for Your Favorite Car During Race to the Museum Contest
Forget planes and trains, give me automobiles!It's not Super Tuesday, but you should still get out the vote during the Race to the Museum contest sponsored by the National Museum of American History. The museum has some amazing automobiles in its collection, but only 14 are on display; the rest are...
January 11, 2011 |
By Arcynta Ali Childs
Wednesday Roundup: Cuddling an Anteater, Archival Weight Lifting, Toys and the World Expo
Nurturing An Anteater—On December 7, the night the new baby anteater was born at the Zoo, Maripi the mother, experienced in caring for her young, had tucked her baby warmly beside her for the night. Watchful keepers left late that evening after assuring themselves that mother and infant were safely...
January 05, 2011 |
By Arcynta Ali Childs
Events: FONZ Photo Club, Music of the Civil Rights Movement, Gallery Talks and More
Monday, January 3: Spark!LabThe Lemelson Center's Spark!Lab offers visitors a number of hands-on experiments that teach about science, the invention process, and the role of technology in American history. Activities are organized around the invention process and will rotate on a regular basis to p...
January 03, 2011 |
By Jesse Rhodes
Wednesday Roundup: Aviator Lions, Rockwell Models and Baby Anteaters
Air and Space Lions—Understandably, folks over at the AirSpace blog have been feeling a bit envious of all the attention the National Zoo has been getting on account of their seven new lion cubs (ATM has covered their birth, swim tests, physical exams and outdoor exploration in recent months). To s...
December 29, 2010 |
By Jess Righthand
Now On Display at American History: The Diary of Piano Man William Steinway
The newest exhibit in the American History Museum's Albert H. Small Documents gallery has been a long time coming. The germ of the idea began in 1967 1966 when Cynthia Adams Hoover, then a young curator at the American History Museum, first visited the Steinway family in New York in search of mater...
December 28, 2010 |
By Jess Righthand
The Day When Elvis Met Nixon
Traveling incognito under the name Jon Burrows, rock and roll superstar Elvis Presley arrived at the White House in a purple velvet jumpsuit on this day in 1970 to meet President Richard Nixon. Offhand, this seems like an unlikely pairing but the king had his reasons for wanting to meet with the le...
December 21, 2010 |
By Jesse Rhodes
A Piece of the AIDS Quilt is a Piece of American History
"I came here today with the hope that this administration would do everything possible, make every resource available—there is no reason this disease cannot be conquered. We do not need infighting, this is not a political issue. This is a health issue. This is not a gay issue. This is a human i...
December 01, 2010 |
By Brian Wolly
Welcome to the Dollhouse
All the trimmings—in miniature—wreathe the Smithsonian's beloved Victorian-style dollhouse in Christmas cheer
December 2010 |
By Owen Edwards
Events: Japanese Rock and Roll, Latin American Poetry, Pop Up Books and More
Monday, November 29: IMAXBaby, it's cold outside—so come on in and enjoy an IMAX movie. Theaters are located in the Natural History Museum, the Air and Space Museum and the Udvar-Hazy Center. In addition to short films—like “Dinosaurs” and “Legends of Flight”—catch a screening of the full-length fe...
November 29, 2010 |
By Jesse Rhodes
Thanksgiving Weekend Events: American Indian Dancing, Story Time, Book Signings and More
Special Holiday HoursClosed 11/25: The Cooper-Hewitt Museum in New York City will be closed, but all the DC museums will be open regular hours!11/26- 11/27: The Natural History Museum are the American History Museum are open 10-7:30.11/26 -11/28: The Air and Space Museum is open 10-7:30; The Udvar-...
November 24, 2010 |
By Jesse Rhodes
For the Veterans, A Tree Grows at American History
A small crowd of about forty people gathered Wednesday morning this week outside the American History museum to observe Veterans Day by planting a baby oak tree. The small tree commemorates United States war veterans who have been honored with one of the most prestigious military awards of all—the ...
November 12, 2010 |
By Jess Righthand
How John F. Kennedy Won the 1960 Presidential Election
The 1960 presidential race was one of the closest elections in U.S. history, but 50 years ago today, John F. Kennedy won the White House. Although the charismatic young senator from Massachusetts only made it by a narrow margin, a well-waged marketing campaign gave him the edge. The public was satu...
November 08, 2010 |
By Jesse Rhodes
Events: Saving Haitian Culture, Pop Up Books, Veterans Day and More
Monday, November 8: It's cold outside -- take in a movie.It's a good day to take in an IMAX movie—and your entertainment options are plentiful. Theaters are located in the Natural History Museum, the Air and Space Museum and the Udvar-Hazy Center. In addition to short films—like "Dinosaurs" and "Le...
November 08, 2010 |
By Jesse Rhodes
Weekend Events: Indonesian Film, Kitchen Gadgets and Navy Band Music
Friday, November 5: The Rainbow TroopsThis adaptation of Andrea Hirata's popular novel is one of the most successful films in Indonesian box-office history.In this heartstring-tugging tale, follow three boys from an impoverished, rural community as they pursue an education with the hope that knowle...
November 05, 2010 |
By Jesse Rhodes
Costume Ideas From the Smithsonian Collections
Halloween is two days away—costume parties perhaps even sooner—and if you are anything like me, you are probably Googling "easy costume ideas" right about now. Well, look no further. Here, Smithsonian.com's Around The Mall team brings you ten clever (if we do say so ourselves!) costume ideas inspir...
October 29, 2010 |
By Megan Gambino
Wednesday Roundup: Phantoms, Costumes and Halloween Galore
Halloween Costumes of the Past: Not sure what to be for Halloween? The Archives of American Art blog has dug up some photos from Halloweens gone by to spark the imagination. Beginning with an old invitation to a Crazy Costume Dance held by 20th century architect Spencer Fullerton Weaver, a series o...
October 27, 2010 |
By Jess Righthand
New Take on the Old Museum Field Trip
Last Thursday morning, 71 eleventh graders from the Field School, an independent middle and high school in northwest Washington, D.C., took a field trip to the National Museum of American History. The museum seemed an obvious choice for an outing—the students, all taking American History, were in t...
October 19, 2010 |
By Megan Gambino
