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American History Museum

New to the collections: John Coltrane's 1965 Mark VI tenor saxophone

A Sax Supreme: John Coltrane’s Legendary Instrument Joins the Collections of the American History Museum

Ravi Coltrane, son of jazz musicians John and Alice Coltrane, donates one of his father’s three saxophones

John Coltrane (left) “took it further than any [other] tenor saxophone player,” says photographer Chuck Stewart.

New Photos of John Coltrane Rediscovered 50 Years After They Were Shot

During the recording of A Love Supreme in 1964, Chuck Stewart caught the jazz legend in his element

Redpath lectures lasted well into the 20th-century (above, 1913), but when James Redpath started them in the late 1860s, he sought out speakers who could electrify an audience.

Before SXSW and Ted, A Manic Visionary Revolutionized the American Lecture Circuit

Meet James Redpath, the man who coached national celebrities on how to bring a crowd to its feet

Invitees to the museum’s grand reopening in 2008 admire the newly restored flag.

Previewing the Smithsonian’s Plans for the 200th Anniversary of the Star-Spangled Banner

And at the same time, the American History Museum celebrates its 50th birthday

The JFK Christmas Card That Was Never Sent

A rare White House card from 1963 evokes one of the nation’s darkest holiday seasons

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Smithsonian Holiday Festival: Movies, Music, Shopping and More

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The Stark Reminders of the Birmingham Church Bombing

Upon the 60th anniversary of the tragic attack, these stained glass shards recall the day that saw four girls killed in Alabama

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Q&A: Joe Bataan, The King of Latin Soul

Dr. Lewis Fielding’s File Cabinet.

The World’s Most Famous Filing Cabinet

After Daniel Ellsberg leaked the Pentagon Papers, the notorious Plumbers broke into his psychiatrist’s office, looking for a way to discredit him

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Q&A: Meet Kim Vandenbroucke, Toy Designer and Innovator

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The Apollo Theater Hits the Smithsonian Stage

May Asaki Ishimoto became one of the country's most established ballet wardrobe mistresses.

The Story of a Ballet Wardrobe Mistress

The precise stitchwork of May Asaka Ishimoto, a second generation Japanese American who survived two years in an internment camp

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Remembering Pearl Harbor

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Weekend Events: Teacher Appreciation Day at the Zoo, Early Color Photography

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The Best Photographs From Obama’s First Inauguration

The ivory pleated dress worn by Marilyn Monroe in the 1955 comedy “The Seven Year itch” is the most popular attraction at the Debbie Reynolds Hollywood Motion Picture Museum.

Hollywood on Exhibit

Movie memories come to life inside the filmmaking collections of these seven museums

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Secret Message Found in Lincoln’s Watch

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Sneak Peek at the film Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian

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There’s Nothing Like a Spark!Lab to Ignite the Imagination

Spark!Lab, a new hands-on activity center, joins the National Museum of American History

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Make Campaign History, Share McCain/Obama Election Night Memories and Stories Here

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