Rolling out the carriage

Is your car, truck, or carriage sweet enough that we’d want it for the collections at the National Museum of American History? We’ve shown you Stanley, the blue robot vehicle, and would now like to introduce you to President Ulysses S. Grant’s carriage. This carriage was purchased by Grant during his first term and he rode in it to his second inauguration in 1873. Its most recent journey was from an offsite storage location back to the museum floor where it will greet visitors to our popular exhibition The American Presidency: A Glorious Burden.

Despite its four large wheels (that still turn), the carriage made the migration on furniture dollies to avoid any risk of damage.  Fine arts handlers and museum staff carefully maneuvered the vehicle through the halls of the museum to the third floor and into the exhibition.

Daniel Hoerr is an assistant in the New Media Department.