Welcome to the National Museum of American History
Brent Glass, Director
We’re celebrating our reopening after a two-year project to revitalize the Museum in order to shine new light on American history, literally and figuratively. We’ve transformed the building with a light-filled atrium, open vistas, and a grand staircase, all of which contribute to the feeling of the Museum as a public square—a place where ideas and information are exchanged amongst community members.
When you come to the Museum you can see the Star-Spangled Banner, the same flag that inspired the national anthem almost 200 years ago. The flag has been moved to its new home at the heart of the museum—a state-of-the-art gallery that was a cornerstone of our renovation.
Stop at the Greensboro lunch counter from segregation-era North Carolina and sense the tension when on February 1, 1960, four African-American students sat down and asked to be served. Their courageous act heightened many Americans’ awareness of racial injustice and launched a wave of protest that ultimately led to the desegregation of public facilities throughout the nation. This is only one of many objects that allow us as Americans to better grasp our future by understanding our past.
From November 21 to January 4 you can view an original copy of the Gettysburg Address handwritten by President Lincoln, on special temporary loan from the White House and Mrs. Laura Bush. The opportunity for the public to view this extraordinary document in our new Albert H. Small Documents Gallery is unprecedented and I invite all of you to come reflect on the impact it has had on our country.
New artifact displays let us exhibit a larger selection of the over 3 million objects in the Museum’s care. These national treasures preserve the memories and experiences of the American people. We have expanded our offerings of daily programs that look at the major themes of our national experience by bringing history to life and providing the public with a strong sense of the American identity.
For people of all ages, a visit to the National Museum of American History can be a defining event providing a deep and fundamental understanding of what it has meant to be an American. I still remember my first visit to the Smithsonian when I was nine years old. Being able to see real national treasures from real events in American history, from President Lincoln’s top hat to Dorothy’s ruby slippers, stirred my imagination and led to a lifetime love of our nation’s history.
Visit the new Nina and Ivan Selin Welcome Center, where highly trained volunteers will be on hand to help you navigate your adventure through American history.
The Jerome and Dorothy Lemelson Hall of Invention presents Invention at Play and Spark!Lab, where visitors can experience the playful side of invention and try out hands-on activities.
This is the place where history comes alive. Check in with us throughout the Museum’s Opening Year as new exhibitions, galleries and programs will launch throughout 2009. I hope you will join me on a journey of exploration and discovery into the history of this nation—in person or online.
