O Say Can You See?

Fancy pixel tricks

Pixelization is not usually a desired effect, but it is a much-anticipated event this week at the National Museum of American History. A team of riggers is attaching 960 notebook-sized tiles or “pixels” of polycarbonate resin to the Abstract Flag in the center of the museum. The flag, a focal point and striking new symbol of our renovation, waves over the new atrium heralding the gallery for the Star-Spangled Banner, the flag that inspired the National Anthem. This is an architectural representation of a waving flag—approximately 40 feet long by 19 feet high and made of 15 stripes, or ribbons. The reflective pixels will mirror the light and the movement of visitors in the atrium.

The installation of pixels is a mesmerizing process. Two large lifts move in syncopation carrying riggers and pre-assembled sets of five tiles to be bolted to the undulating metal frame. The pixels, which are both translucent and mirrored, reflect the clothing colors and deliberate movements of the four men. Ribbons of pixels are emerging starting from the top of the frame, and because they are so heavy—weighing a total of about 2000 pounds—two flats with sandbags hang at the bottom to keep it counterbalanced. The work goes remarkably fast, and given the marvelous vantage point from the window in the director’s office I would be surprised if he’s getting much work done.

As the rest of the architectural details of our construction come more into focus each day, one part of the renovation is rapidly and spectacularly pixelating.

Judy Gradwohl is the museum’s associate director for public programs, but don’t look for her over the next few days—she’ll be watching the Abstract Flag take shape.

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.

Fourscore and seven years ago

With that now-iconic phrase President Lincoln began his Gettysburg Address—a dedication of the cemetery in Pennsylvania and a statement about the larger significance of the Civil War. Despite Lincoln’s assumption that “the world will little note, nor long remember what we say here,” the Gettysburg Address is now one of the most famous—and considered one of the most eloquent—speeches in American history. It is hard to believe there are less than 300 words in the entire speech—in fact, the president was finished speaking before many of the spectators that day (November 19, 1863) even realized that he had begun.

When the National Museum of American History reopens on November 21, one of five known drafts of the Address will be on display in the new Albert H. Small Documents Gallery. This copy, the last known to have been written in Lincoln’s hand, is normally kept in the Lincoln Bedroom at the White House—a place that few people will ever visit. With the generous support of Mrs. Laura Bush, the White House is loaning this copy of the Gettysburg Address to the museum for a very limited public viewing (through January 4, 2009).

We’re hard at work here in the museum’s new media office creating an interactive experience that will be available in the gallery as well as for a much wider audience on the Web. The interactive will provide you with a chance to get up close and personal with the document. High resolution images give you a sense of “touching” the artifact as you zoom in and select “hotspots” revealing additional information. For example, touching the opening phrase “Fourscore and seven years ago” will open up an explanation about how these words referred to 1776 and the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Want to know why this copy is signed by Lincoln? Touch his signature and learn that Lincoln wrote this copy in March 1864 for publication in an anthology, Autograph Leaves of Our Country’s Authors. At the publisher's request he gave the address a title and signed his full name.

Each time I see the work in progress, I’m moved by how close I can get to Lincoln’s own handwriting. I’m looking forward to giving visitors the same opportunity to have an intimate connection with the speech that so eloquently captured an important moment in history and that still has real power for us today.

Dana Allen-Greil is the museum's new media project manager.

Raising the flag

If you have been following the renovation at the National Museum of American History, you know that one of the visual centerpieces of our new central atrium will be the large abstract flag that marks the entrance to the Star-Spangled Banner gallery. I’m pleased to announce that we have achieved another milestone towards our reopening by raising the flag’s frame onto the gallery wall.

Previous posts on this blog have featured the undulating frame that will support hundreds of reflective tiles—the architects call them “pixels”—to create the effect of waving stripes, and a large star—a giant prong—that attaches the entire frame to the wall. After assembling all the pieces on the floor, skilled riggers carefully lifted the frame into place and attached it to the marble wall. I watched the “flag raising” on a long Saturday afternoon and it was a privilege to see the care and skill of the team.

Even in its partly-finished state, one gets the sense of how striking this feature will be. The photos below show the frame as it’s being lifted, as well as a rendering showing the final effect.

  

Other parts of the museum are a beehive of activity as well, as construction areas are finished and cleaned, protected artifacts are uncovered, and exhibitions are installed. Behind the scenes, others are busy putting the final touches on a host of new public programs and visitor services. Like any major project, there are bumps in the road. But we are fortunate to have an amazing staff with boundless creativity and abundant energy. Thanks to their efforts, our visitors will explore and experience history in a truly memorable new setting.

Brent D. Glass is Director of the National Museum of American History

As now, democracy was up to bat 100 years ago

When the museum’s Archives Center was relocated to the first floor in 2003 to make room for the Price of Freedom exhibition, staff members were assigned to find items in our collection to reproduce as decorations for our new reference room. It was a great opportunity for each of us to showcase some hidden treasure in our collections. I immediately remembered one of my favorite images, a postcard in our Lou Newman Collection of Baseball Memorabilia, with the title “Democracy at Bat, 1908 Campaign.” I love this image! It combines politics and baseball in a satirical way.

The donkey, representing the Democratic party, is up to bat, obviously hoping to get a hit, with William Howard Taft behind the plate for the other team wearing the catcher’s gear (often nicknamed “the tools of ignorance”). One of a catcher’s roles is to “call” the game for the pitcher, i.e. signal to him what type of pitch to throw, and as the pitcher is unseen, maybe we’re to assume that it’s Teddy Roosevelt, who campaigned (“pitched”) for Taft that year. Democratic candidate and two-time loser William Jennings Bryan officiates as umpire, and his hand is raised in a “strike” call. Uncle Sam is out of place here, as there’s no fourth man at home plate during a baseball game. As we now know, the Democrats struck out, and Republican Taft won the election.

Cathy Keen is an Associate Curator in the museum’s Archives Center.