Katana VentraIP

National Museum of American History

The National Museum of American History: Kenneth E. Behring Center is a historical museum in Washington, D.C. It collects, preserves, and displays the heritage of the United States in the areas of social, political, cultural, scientific, and military history. Among the items on display is the original Star-Spangled Banner. The museum is part of the Smithsonian Institution and located on the National Mall at 14th Street and Constitution Avenue NW in Washington, D.C.

Not to be confused with the American Museum of Natural History in New York City.

Established

1964

1300 Constitution Ave. NW, Washington, D.C., U.S.

38°53′28″N 77°01′48″W / 38.89111°N 77.03000°W / 38.89111; -77.03000

History museum

2.1 million (2023)[1]

Anthea M. Hartig

McKim Mead & White

at Federal Triangle

americanhistory.si.edu

In 2023, the museum received 2.1 million visitors, ranking the sixth-most visited museum in the U.S.[1]

A new, five-story sky-lit atrium, which is surrounded by displays of artifacts that showcase the breadth of the museum's collection.

A new, grand staircase that links the museum's first and second floors.

A new welcome center, and the addition of six landmark objects to orient visitors.

New galleries, such as the Jerome and Dorothy Lemelson Hall of Invention.

An environmentally controlled chamber to protect the original flag.

Star-Spangled Banner

Frank A. Taylor (April 16, 1958 – 1964)

[16]

(1964–1965)[16]

John Canfield Ewers

(1966–1968)[16]

Robert P. Multhauf

(1968–1973)[16]

Daniel J. Boorstin

Brooke Hindle (1974–1978)

[16]

(1979): acting director[17]

Claudia Brush Kidwell

(1979–1992)[16][18]

Roger G. Kennedy

(1992–1994): acting director[16]

Spencer R. Crew

Spencer R. Crew (1994–2001)

[16]

(2001–2002): acting director[16]

Marc J. Pachter

(October 2002 – August 2014)[16][19][20]

Brent D. Glass

Marc J. Pachter (August 2014 – July 2015): acting director[19]

[16]

(July 2015 – May 2018)[19]

John Gray

(December 2018 – present)[5]

Anthea M. Hartig

The following individuals have served as the director of the NMAH. The museum was initially created on July 1, 1957, as the Museum of History and Technology within the United States National Museum; it became the National Museum of History and Technology in 1969 and the National Museum of American History in 1980.[16]

Slavery at Jefferson's Monticello: Paradox of Liberty, January 27 – October 14, 2012, Smithsonian Institution, a landmark exhibit, the first ever on the Mall to explore a president's relation to slavery; it focused on six major slave families at .

Monticello

– opened on January 23, 1997, this exhibit celebrated "the largest one-day online event" (February 8, 1996) up to that date, which took place on the then-active website, cyber24.com (it is online at a mirror website maintained by Georgia Tech).[21][22] 24 Hours in Cyberspace was headed by photographer Rick Smolan.[23] The exhibit featured 70 photos from the project.[24]

24 Hours in Cyberspace

Treasures of American History, temporary display at the , closed in April 2008.

National Air and Space Museum

A Nation of Nations was the Smithsonian's salute to the American immigrant experience; it included many iconic rooms and examples of immigrants' contribution to the United States.

Bicentennial

Architecture of Washington, D.C.

National Museum of American History

National Museum of American History Archives Center

Smithsonian's Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation

—The Washington Post

American History Museum to Close for Nearly Two Years