Celebrating America 250 and Honoring the Memory of September 11, 2001

Here’s what’s happening this month at the National Museum of American History

NEW ON DISPLAY

“Captain America Comics #1”
Now on view in “Entertainment Nation”
Third Floor, West 

In March, the museum collected two historically significant comic books, through a gift from Brandon Beck, Co-Founder of Riot Games.

“Captain America Comics #1” is now displayed in “Entertainment Nation,” a major exhibition showcasing the museum’s vast collections related to theater, music, sports, movies and television.  

ONGOING EXHIBITION

“In Pursuit of Life, Liberty & Happiness”
Ongoing, through the end of 2026

Location: Throughout the National Museum of American History

The Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History will lead the nation’s 250th anniversary celebrations with a bold, immersive exhibition exploring the ideals of the Declaration of Independence. “In Pursuit of Life, Liberty & Happiness,” features 250 objects, across 250,000 square feet of the museum’s three public floors, including the desk Jefferson used to draft the Declaration of Independence; the oldest surviving intact American fighting vessel, the gunboat Philadelphia; and the Star-Spangled Banner, the 1813 flag that inspired the National Anthem. A free guide is available to help locate the artifacts, which range from the 1700s to the 21st century. 
 
Related Programming:

Gunboat Philadelphia VR: “Gunboat Philadelphia: Save the Revolution!”
Daily, 10 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Third Floor, East
 
Visitors will step back to 1776 with this Virtual Reality activity to experience “Gunboat Philadelphia: Save the Revolution!” and discover how thousands of patriots worked together to thwart a British invasion. Tickets are $10 or $8 for same day repeat visits.
 
Daily Programs:
For details, visit the online calendar to see daily schedules for our free programs, including:

Printing Press Demonstration
Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays until Sept. 20; 2:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Second Floor East

In the years leading up to the Revolution, cartoons, newspapers, broadsides and pamphlets created by patriots like Benjamin Franklin, Paul Revere and Thomas Paine helped unsettle American loyalty to King George III and fueled the colonial Americans’ desire for independence. Visitors can witness a reproduction eighteenth-century printing press to understand the historical connections between technology, communication, and democracy. For current times, check the events listings.
 
Tours & Demonstrations
Daily, between 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Various Locations

Museum performers offer special experiences teaching history through storytelling, including SHOUT, blending song and rhythmic movement to demonstrate the ring shout; and Meet the Wheelwoman, a cyclist demonstrating the popularity of the safety bicycle in the 1890s.
Museum staff offers Meet the Expert sessions, presenting stories and objects from the NMAH Collections. Museum docents will offer regular highlights tours of the museum, the “In Pursuit” and a number of other exhibitions throughout the day.  
 
HONORING THE MEMORY OF SEPT. 11, 2001

“September 11: 25 Years Later”
Three months after the attacks of September 11, 2001, Congress officially charged the National Museum of American History with documenting the events and preserving artifacts that would tell the story of that day. To mark the 25th anniversary of September 11, the museum will host “September 11: 25 Years Later,” providing visitors with three events focused on commemorating the stories from the three different locations – New York, New York, Washington D.C. and Shanksville, Pennsylvania. The public may also explore the museum’s Sept. 11 website and collections in depth online. 

“September 11: 25 Years Later” presents:
“Artifacts from the Collection”
Wednesday - Saturday, September 9 - 12; 11 a.m. –  2 p.m.
Nicholas F. and Eugenia Taubman Hall of Music; Third Floor, West
 
To mark the 25th anniversary of September 11, the museum will host “Artifacts from the Collection” to provide visitors a close-up view of some 40 objects from the three sites—New York, the Pentagon, and the Flight 93 crash in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. Objects will be shown on tables rather than under glass for an intimate experience. Artifacts will include airplane fragments, first-responders' equipment, Pentagon material and other recovered objects, along with photographs from each site. Visitors will experience an atmosphere that inspires respect and reflection through individual encounters with the collection and museum staff.

“September 11: 25 Years Later” presents:
“9/11: Stories in Fragments” (2011) 
Friday, Sept. 11; Screenings begin at 10:30 a.m., final screening at 3:30 p.m.
Warner Bros. Theatre: First Floor Center
 
The History Film Forum will present “9/11: Stories in Fragments” a Smithsonian Channel production in collaboration with the National Museum of American History and based on the museum’s Sept. 11 collection and featuring interviews with museum curators. How do you grasp an event as enormous as September 11? At the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History, you start small: a briefcase, a Blackberry, a victim’s sweatshirt, and a hero’s nametag. Simple objects that tell personal stories, recounted in the donors’ own words. Stories from New York, the Pentagon, and Shanksville, PA remind us that the legacy of 9/11 is not fear – it’s friendship, courage and ordinary people pushed by extraordinary circumstances.

“September 11: 25 Years Later” presents:
The Kronos Quartet 
Saturday, Sept. 12; 3 – 5 p.m.
Warner Bros. Theater: First Floor Center
Free but reservations encouraged via Eventbrite.com
 
The internationally acclaimed Kronos Quartet will offer an afternoon of music exploring themes of resilience, loss, preservation and remembrance. At the center of the program will be a performance of Steve Reich’s composition WTC 9/11, a work that weaves together live performance with recorded voices from NORAD communications, FDNY radio transmissions and interviews with people who lived and worked in lower Manhattan, inviting reflection on memory, grief and the enduring impact of September 11. The program will also include works by Terry Riley, Neil Young, Laurie Anderson, Trevor Weston and Aftab Darvishi, among others. Following the performance, members of the Kronos Quartet will join museum staff for a conversation about the music and its themes. 

The Power of Giving Symposium: 250 Years of American Philanthropy
Wednesday, September 23; 1:30 – 6 p. m.

Warner Bros. Theater; First Floor West
Free, registration required via bit.ly/POG26 
 
The museum’s annual “Power of Giving” symposium this year will explore the history and impact of American philanthropy as the nation celebrates its 250th anniversary. The event will bring together Smithsonian curators, historians and philanthropy thought leaders examining how Americans’ gifts of time, expertise and resources have shaped the nation. Since the country’s earliest days, philanthropy has helped drive change. During this in-person and livestreamed event, participants will reflect upon 250 years of American philanthropy and look to the future. Thematic conversations include Women, Philanthropy and American Social Reform; Stewarding the Philanthropic Legacy of Madame C.J. Walker & A’Lelia Walker; Sustaining What Defines Us: American Cultural Philanthropy;  and Philanthropy and the American Civic Future.
 
FILM
 

History Film Forum Presents-
“Faith on Film: American Muslims”
Wednesday, Sept. 16; 7 p.m.
Warner Bros. Theater: First Floor Center
 
The History Film Forum will present two episodes from the 2026 PBS documentary series “American Muslims: A History Revealed,” six short documentary films that explores the early history of Muslims in America. The series is hosted by three American Muslim journalists: Malika Bilal, Aymann Ismail and Asma Khalid who traveled the country to piece together stories spanning over 200 years. The two episodes, “A Portrait of Freedom” and “Islam at the Nation’s Founding,” will be shown in a special edited version as part of an exploration of Muslim American history in the early United States. A panel discussion will follow the screening. This program is presented in partnership with the museum’s Center for the Understanding of Religion in American History, which explores the influence of religion on every facet of life in the United States. “Faith on Film” is in an ongoing series exploring belief on screen, from the golden age of cinema to binge-worthy shows of the streaming era. Through classics like “The Ten Commandments” and “Yentl” and recent fan favorites including “The Chosen” and “Never Have I Ever,” Hollywood's view of religion has long shaped American culture. Check the events page for future screenings and discussions.  
 
FOOD & MUSIC

The Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage presents-
“Rhythms, Roots, Recipes: Community Stories of Food and Music” Series
“May You Grow Old on One Pillow”
Saturday, September 5; 1 p.m.
Wallace H. Coulter Performance Plaza; First Floor, West


“Rhythms, Roots, Recipes: Community Stories of Food and Music” is a series that brings together cooking demonstrations, live music and storytelling. Each program will explore traditions that animate families and communities across the United States. Visitors will experience an afternoon of American culture as found in one of its most cherished celebrations: the wedding feast. Father-and-son chef duo Boris and Berj Ghazarian of Bark Barbecue Cafe in Stevenson, Maryland, will be in lively conversation with acclaimed a cappella trio Zulal. As the Ghazarians prepare ghapama, a showstopping stuffed pumpkin, and manti, small meat-filled dumplings served with garlicky yogurt or tomato-sumac sauce, Zulal will share folksongs of love, beauty and family. Moderated by journalist Liana Aghajanian, visitors will explore how this diverse diaspora preserves and adapts its culinary and musical heritage across generations and geography. To learn more about the series and each program, visit the website. 

The Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage presents-
“Rhythms, Roots, Recipes: Community Stories of Food and Music” Series
“Feed Me Now and Evermore: The Enduring Power of African American Sunday Suppers”
Saturday, September 12; 1 p.m.
 
“Rhythms, Roots, Recipes: Community Stories of Food and Music” is a series that brings together cooking demonstrations, live music and storytelling. Each program will explore traditions that animate families and communities across the United States. In many African American homes, the Sunday supper remains an important moment for families to reconnect, ancestral ties to be honored, and recipes reflecting history, faith, and community to be shared. For the third installment of Rhythms, Roots, Recipes culinary force of nature, chef Roscoe Hall, and award-winning author and food historian, Adrian Miller, will explore why the Sunday supper continues to be a cornerstone of family and cultural life. As chef Hall prepares a signature dish, Arkansas-based S. Juain Young and Artists United will perform songs from the African American church that have nourished hearts, souls, and movements. To learn more about the series and each program, visit the website. 

STORYTIME

Story Time with D.C. Public Library
Tuesday, September 30; 10:45 a.m.
Wallace H. Coulter Performance Plaza; First Floor, West 
 
The museum hosts a monthly “Story Time” in collaboration with the DC Public Library. Children, and their grown-ups, enjoy a story to explore language and literacy skills. “Story Time” is designed for learners ages 5 and under, but all are welcome. For more details, visit the website.
 
VISITING

What to know:

The museum is open seven days a week, except Dec. 25, between 10 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Admission is free, and passes are not required. For more information, go to https://americanhistory.si.edu/visit.

Food:

This fall, Executive Chef Albert Lukas and his team will be commemorating the Nation’s 250th Anniversary with special menus, including themed hot dogs and sandwiches. The Eat at America’s Table Cafe is open for complete food and beverage service. This September, visitors will be able to spice up their lunch with the bold flavors of Tex-Mex at Eat at America's Table with a selection of favorites, featuring vibrant ingredients, smoky spices and comforting classics that celebrate one of America's most beloved regional cuisines. The menu will feature Mesquite Smoked Chicken and Grilled Southwestern Mahi Mahi, along with Santa Fe Rice, Cowboy Skillet Potatoes or Street Corn Brussels Sprouts Salad. The Leroy Neiman Jazz Cafe will continue to offer Starbucks Coffee, hot and cold beverages, seasonal cafe favorites, and a selection of desserts. For more information, visit the website.

Bottled water is allowed in the museum. Refillable water bottles for fountains are recommended.

Stores: Open daily from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
 

ABOUT THE MUSEUM
Through incomparable collections, rigorous research and dynamic public outreach, the National Museum of American History seeks to empower people to create a more just and compassionate future by examining, preserving and sharing the complexity of our past. The museum, located on Constitution Avenue N.W., between 12th and 14th streets, is open daily except Dec. 25 between 10 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Admission is free. The doors of the museum are always open online and the virtual museum continues to expand its offerings, including online exhibitions, K–12 educational materials and programs. The public can follow the museum on social media via Instagram and Facebook. For more information, go to https://americanhistory.si.edu. For Smithsonian information, the public may call (202) 633-1000.
 

Amy Kehs | Read More

Amy Kehs is a brand strategist and communications expert for museums.