The Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History preserves icons of the American past. From politics to popular culture, innovations to everyday life, the Museum’s collections reflect the diverse experiences and beliefs that have shaped the nation.  Selected from more than three million in the Museum’s collections, the objects in this online exhibition include a mix of the famous and the familiar, the unexpected and the extraordinary. All are treasures of American history.

• Creativity and Innovation
• American Biography
• National Challenges
• American Identity

This exhibition closed on April 13, 2008.
More than 150 objects from the historical collections of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History were on view until April 13, 2008 at the National Air and Space Museum while American History is closed for renovation. Why did the exhibition need to close? Read the answer.

Frequently Asked Questions
How big are Dorothy's shoes in "The Wizard of Oz"?
See answers to this and other questions about the objects in this exhibition. 

Spanish Version of Exhibition
Tesoros de la Historia Americana (.pdf)