About the Exhibition

Photograph of the exhibition's Global Era section

This website is based on an exhibition that opened at the National Museum of American History in July 2015. Objects pictured here may differ from those currently on view at the museum.

American Enterprise chronicles the tumultuous interaction of capitalism and democracy that resulted in the continual remaking of American business—and American life. Visitors will be immersed in the dramatic arc of labor, power, wealth, success, and failure in America in an 8,000-square-foot space focused on the role of business and innovation from the mid-1700s to the present. Through captivating objects and engaging interactive displays, visitors can trace the country’s development from a small, dependent agricultural nation to one of the world’s most vibrant economies.