Computers & Business Machines
Imagine the loss, 100 years from now, if museums hadn't begun preserving the artifacts of the computer age. The last few decades offer proof positive of why museums must collect continuously—to document technological and social transformations already underway.
The museum's collections contain mainframes, minicomputers, microcomputers, and handheld devices. Computers range from the pioneering ENIAC to microcomputers like the Altair and the Apple I. A Cray2 supercomputer is part of the collections, along with one of the towers of IBM's Deep Blue, the computer that defeated reigning champion Garry Kasparov in a chess match in 1997. Computer components and peripherals, games, software, manuals, and other documents are part of the collections. Some of the instruments of business include adding machines, calculators, typewriters, dictating machines, fax machines, cash registers, and photocopiers
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Page 1 of 406
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Amos Announcing at the White House the Result of the N York Election
- Description (Brief)
- This print is a reference to the New York state election of 1837, where the Democrats lost to the Whigs. Democratic advisor, Amos Kendall is depicted holding an oversize copy of the newspaper, the “New York Courier and Enquirer,” with part of a headline visible and reading, “Whig Gain.” He reads the news to President Martin Van Buren, a native of New York who was heavily involved in state politics prior to ascending to the presidency, saying, “Oh Sir, we are undone. The Empire State is lost. We are routed in erry [sic] direction. The Whigs have 22,000 maj.” Van Buren who is seated and reviewing various reports on issues such as “Indian Treaties” and the “Treasury,” is visibly angry, holding a similar expression as former president, Andrew Jackson whose portrait he is sitting in front of. Instead of immediately addressing the electoral loss however, Van Buren runs through a list of other concerns, ending with “meanwhile, Blair must make the best of it.” That is a reference to Francis Preston Blair, the editor of the pro-Jackson newspaper, the “Globe.” This print serves to show that Van Buren had bigger things to worry about than the Whigs winning an election, though he should have been worried as he was defeated in the election of 1838 by Whig, William Henry Harrison.
- The lithographer of this print is Moses Swett. He began his career in Boston around 1826, working with the Pendletons and Annin and Smith, and as the superintendent of the Senefelder Lithographic Co. from 1828 to 1829. In 1830 he moved to New York, and worked with George Endicott until 1836 when he moved to Washington.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Date made
- 1837
- depicted
- Van Buren, Martin
- Jackson, Andrew
- Kendall, Amos
- maker
- Swett, Moses
- ID Number
- DL.60.3400
- catalog number
- 60.3400
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Portrait of a seated man in profile
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- mid to late 19th century
- ID Number
- PG.002063
- accession number
- 58555
- catalog number
- 2063
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Young girl wearing off-the-shoulder dress
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Associated Date
- 1858 01 01, 1858 12 31
- ID Number
- PG.004013L
- catalog number
- 4013L
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Flyer
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 2012
- associated date
- 10/2012
- depicted (sitter)
- Obama, Barack H.
- Romney, Mitt
- ID Number
- 2015.0178.28
- catalog number
- 2015.0178.28
- accession number
- 2015.0178
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
banner
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1969
- Associated Date
- 1969
- referenced
- Carter, Jimmy
- Nixon, Richard M.
- ID Number
- 2013.0074.01
- accession number
- 2013.0074
- catalog number
- 2013.0074.01
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
mug
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 2009
- 2008
- used date
- 2009
- maker
- Political Americana
- ID Number
- 2009.0007.02
- catalog number
- 2009.0007.02
- accession number
- 2009.0007
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Photo, Panoramic Seagulls above water
- Location
- Currently not on view
- ID Number
- 2016.3086.002
- catalog number
- 2016.3086.002
- nonaccession number
- 2016.3086
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
photograph
- Location
- Currently not on view
- associated date
- 1861 07 03
- ID Number
- 1996.0090.0034
- catalog number
- 1996.0090.0034
- accession number
- 1996.0090
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Dr. Samuel Howard's commission as Lieutenant, United States Navy
- date made
- June 5, 1862
- associated person
- Howard, Samuel
- author
- Welles, Gideon
- ID Number
- AF.237985
- accession number
- 45729
- catalog number
- 10541
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
First Lady of the United States of America
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- c. 2017-01
- Associated Date
- January 20, 2017
- Associated Name
- Trump, Donald J.
- depicted (sitter)
- Trump, Melania
- ID Number
- 2018.0159.22
- accession number
- 2018.0159
- catalog number
- 2018.0159.22
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Paper invitation, Block 17 Installation Dance, Heart Mountain, July 12, 1944
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 07/12/1944
- ID Number
- 2016.3086.417
- nonaccession number
- 2016.3086
- catalog number
- 2016.3086.417
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
"Merry Christmas The Paulsen Family" holiday card
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- after 2007
- ID Number
- 2017.0145.0041
- catalog number
- 2017.0145.0041
- accession number
- 2017.0145
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Washington, DC, Pennsylvania Avenue
- Location
- Currently not on view
- ID Number
- 1996.0041.0580
- accession number
- 1996.0041
- catalog number
- 1996.0041.0580
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Vote John Wilson / Ward 2 ( Be Serious About Your Candidate )
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1974
- ID Number
- 1977.0295.079
- accession number
- 1977.0295
- catalog number
- 1977.0295.079
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
S C L C Dr. M. L. King President
- Location
- Currently not on view
- associated date
- 1968 04 08
- associated person
- King, Jr., Martin Luther
- associated institution
- Southern Christian Leadership Conference
- ID Number
- ZZ.RSN82660Y33
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
photograph
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Associated Date
- 1875 12 14
- 1908 06 18
- ID Number
- PG.000799.04
- accession number
- 48866
- catalog number
- 0799.04
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Agrostis microphylla
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Date made
- 1882
- block maker
- Grottenthaler, V.
- publisher
- Government Printing Office
- original artist
- Marx, George
- graphic artist
- Nichols, H. H.
- ID Number
- 2000.0207.047
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
View from Washington Monument
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1890
- ID Number
- PG.008033.01.22
- accession number
- 1992.0383
- catalog number
- 8033.01.22
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
The Washington Post
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Date made
- July 01, 1971
- maker
- Washington Post Company
- ID Number
- 1980.0576.432
- accession number
- 1980.0576
- catalog number
- 1980.0576.432
- 80.0576.432
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
program
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Date made
- 1973
- referenced
- Rogers, William P.
- Williams, Roger
- ID Number
- 2004.0204.07
- accession number
- 2004.0204
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
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