Welcome to the Office of Exhibits Central

"I then bequeath the whole of my property...to the United States of America, to found at Washington, under the name of the Smithsonian Institution, an Establishment for the increase & diffusion of knowledge..."
—James Smithson (1765-1829)

The Office of Exhibits Central (OEC) is the Smithsonian Institution’s largest and most comprehensive exhibit producer. We create permanent, temporary and traveling exhibitions for museums, research centers, and offices throughout the Smithsonian Institution and its Affiliates. OEC was founded in 1973 and currently averages over 100 projects a year.

Our mission is to provide a wide-range exhibition services to the Smithsonian Institution and the larger museum community that result in compelling, high-quality, and cost-effective exhibitions that connect the American people to their history and cultural and scientific heritages.

It is my hope that this website gives our visitors a good sense of the hard work, expertise, and creative passion that goes into every exhibit.

Sincerely,

Michael Headley
Director, Office of Exhibits Central