The National Museum of American History: Kenneth E. Behring Center was opened in 1964 as the Museum of History and Technology. However, in 1980, the museum was renamed the National Museum of American History, to better describe the museum’s mission to preserve, collect, and care for its collection of historical items that reflect the American public throughout history. The museum is a part of the Smithsonian organization and is the 8th most visited museum in the United States.
The museum separates its wide variety of exhibits by floor and location. The east-wing of the first floor is dedicated to American transportation history. Here you can find loads of classic and vintage cars, as well as several steam locomotives. You can get up close and personal with all of them, providing you a great look into the construction and practicality of these machines. The west-wing of the first floor is dedicated to science and innovation, featuring kitchen labs, robots, and the Vassar Telescope.
On the second floor you can find exhibits dedicated to American history and ideals. Here you can find the original Star Spangled Banner, the inspiration for Francis Scott Key’s famous poem. The massive flag is on display in a dark climate controlled room at the heart of the museum. You can get an ample view of it through massive glass windows. The exhibit also has an interactive table, which allows you to view a projection of the flag up close, adjusting it and moving it around as you please. The George Washington statue, sculpted by Horatio Greenough, more frequently known as the “shirtless” or “sexy” George Washington statue, is also on view on the second floor. Another stunning exhibit on the second floor is the Choate-Caldwell House (c. 1710/1760). The home was donated from Ipswich, Massachusetts in 1963, and was carefully moved to the museum. The entire home is available to see in the west-wing of the second floor.
The third floor features three full separate exhibits to explore. The east-wing focuses on America and war. Here you can walk through artifacts from every war fought throughout American history in sequential order. Here you can find everything from the USS Philadelphia, an 18th century gunboat used in the American Revolutionary war, to steel beams from the Twin Towers. On the central section of the third floor you can find an exhibit dedicated to the US Presidents and the First Ladies. This collection features personal items from the presidents and their wives, including Abraham Lincoln’s top hat from the night he was assassinated. The west-wing of the third floor is dedicated to American entertainment and Hollywood. Here you can find costumes from Star Wars, Breaking Bad, The Wizard of Oz, and more.
As the National Museum of American History is a part of the Smithsonian, you can visit for free, seven days a week, from 10am-5:30pm.
Continue with Google