Transportation
Americans have always been a people on the move—on rails, roads, and waterways (for travel through the air, visit the National Air and Space Museum). In the transportation collections, railroad objects range from tools, tracks, and many train models to the massive 1401, a 280-ton locomotive built in 1926. Road vehicles include coaches, buggies, wagons, trucks, motorcycles, bicycles, and automobiles—from the days before the Model T to modern race cars. The accessories of travel are part of the collections, too, from streetlights, gas pumps, and traffic signals to goggles and overcoats.
In the maritime collections, more than 7,000 design plans and scores of ship models show the evolution of sailing ships and other vessels. Other items range from scrimshaw, photographs, and marine paintings to life jackets from the Titanic.
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Page 1 of 92
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Hawaii US Senator license plate
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1962
- Associated Name
- Inouye, Daniel
- ID Number
- 2015.0061.010
- catalog number
- 2015.0061.010
- accession number
- 2015.0061
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Young man sitting on car holding rifle
- Location
- Currently not on view
- ID Number
- 2015.0074.0109
- catalog number
- 2015.0074.0109
- accession number
- 2015.0074
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Patch, STP oval
- Location
- Currently not on view
- ID Number
- 2017.0091.14
- catalog number
- 2017.0091.14
- accession number
- 2017.0091
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Seat cushion, STP
- Location
- Currently not on view
- ID Number
- 2017.0091.21
- catalog number
- 2017.0091.21
- accession number
- 2017.0091
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Plastic Bottle, STP Motor oil, quart
- Location
- Currently not on view
- ID Number
- 2017.0091.38
- catalog number
- 2017.0091.38
- accession number
- 2017.0091
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Can, STP Super Concentrated oil treatment (full)
- Location
- Currently not on view
- ID Number
- 2017.0091.50
- catalog number
- 2017.0091.50
- accession number
- 2017.0091
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
STP Oil Treatment drinking glass
- Location
- Currently not on view
- ID Number
- 2017.0091.54
- catalog number
- 2017.0091.54
- accession number
- 2017.0091
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
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Drinking Glass, Tune-up Masters
- Location
- Currently not on view
- ID Number
- 2017.0091.70
- catalog number
- 2017.0091.70
- accession number
- 2017.0091
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
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Car Model, Andretti car No. 2
- Location
- Currently not on view
- ID Number
- 2017.0091.78
- catalog number
- 2017.0091.78
- accession number
- 2017.0091
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
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Bus stop in New York City
- Location
- Currently not on view
- maker
- Zalesky, Roy Joseph
- ID Number
- 2017.0306.0011
- catalog number
- 2017.0306.0011
- accession number
- 2017.0306
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
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Passengers on a bus
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1984
- maker
- Zalesky, Roy Joseph
- ID Number
- 2017.0306.0033
- accession number
- 2017.0306
- catalog number
- 2017.0306.0033
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Scrimshaw Sperm Whale’s Tooth, Mid-19th Century
- Description
- Shoreside scenes were popular subjects for scrimshaw artists, lonely for their homes, families and friends. On one side of this tooth, two large merchant ships clear harbor, possibly embarking on long whaling voyages. To the right, a local coastal schooner sails around the point of land separating a town from the sea. Its simple rig would have been very old-fashioned by the mid-nineteenth century or later, when this piece was probably carved. The other side appears to derive from a print, for the engraving is much deeper and more shaded. Two warships sail to the left. The one on the right is flying an American flag. The flag on the stern of the left-hand ship—and the bow of the American vessel—are obscured by an immense explosion between the two fighting ships. Unfortunately, neither ship is identified, although such sea battle images between American frigates and English warships were popular subjects beginning around the time of the War of 1812.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- ID Number
- DL.65.1129
- catalog number
- 65.1129
- accession number
- 256396
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Lithograph of bird species "Buteo elegans"
- Description
- This hand–colored lithograph of “Buteo elegans [Cassin],” now "Buteo lineatus elegans" or Red–shouldered hawk, was drawn by an unknown artist. It was printed as Plate II in the zoological report of volume X of Reports of Explorations and Surveys, to ascertain the most practicable and economical route for a railroad from the Mississippi River to the Pacific Ocean, “Report of Explorations in California for Railroad Routes to Connect with the Routes near the 35th and 32nd Parallels of North Latitude. By Lieutenant R. S. Williamson, Corps of Topographical Engineers.” Though the zoological report was ready in 1853, volume X was not printed until 1859 by A.O.P. Nicholson in Washington, D.C.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date of book publication
- 1859
- publisher
- U.S. War Department
- printer
- Nicholson, A. O. P.
- publisher
- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Topographic Command
- author
- Williamson, Robert Stockton
- Heerman, Dr. A. L.
- graphic artist
- Bowen & Co.
- ID Number
- GA.16332.067
- catalog number
- 16332.067
- accession number
- 1930.110179
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Lithograph of bird species "Carpodacus cassinii and Melospiza fallax"
- Description
- This lithograph of “Carpodacus cassinii [Baird] and Melospiza fallax [Baird];” now "Carpodacus cassinii" (Cassin’s finch) and "Melospiza melodia fallax" (Song sparrow) was drawn by an unknown artist. It was printed as Plate XXVII in the zoological report of volume X of Reports of Explorations and Surveys, to ascertain the most practicable and economical route for a railroad from the Mississippi River to the Pacific Ocean, “Report of Exploration for a Railway Route (near the thirty–fifth Parallel of North Latitude) from the Mississippi River to the Pacific Ocean, by Lieutenant A. W. Whipple, Corps of Topographical Engineers; assissted by Lieutenant J.C. Ives, Corps of Topographical Engineers.” Though the zoological report was ready in 1853–1854, the volume was not printed until 1859 by A.O.P. Nicholson in Washington, D.C.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date of section
- 1853-1854
- date of book publication
- 1859
- printer
- Nicholson, A. O. P.
- author
- Whipple, Amiel Weeks
- Ives, Joseph Christmas
- original artist
- Kennerley, Caleb Burwell Rowan
- graphic artist
- Bowen & Co.
- publisher
- U.S. War Department
- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Topographic Command
- original artist
- Mollhausen, H. B.
- Mollhausen, H. B.
- ID Number
- GA.16332.081
- catalog number
- 16332.081
- accession number
- 1930.110179
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Lithograph of bird species "Centurus uropygialis"
- Description
- This lithograph of “Centurus uropygialis [Baird]”, now "Melanerpes uropygialis" or the Gila woodpecker, was drawn by an unknown artist. It was printed as Plate XXXVI in the zoological report of volume X of Reports of Explorations and Surveys, to ascertain the most practicable and economical route for a railroad from the Mississippi River to the Pacific Ocean, “Report of Exploration for a Railway Route (near the thirty–fifth Parallel of North Latitude) from the Mississippi River to the Pacific Ocean, by Lieutenant A. W. Whipple, Corps of Topographical Engineers; assisted by Lieutenant J.C. Ives, Corps of Topographical Engineers.” Though the zoological report was ready in 1853–1854, the volume was not printed until 1859 by A.O.P. Nicholson in Washington, D.C.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date of book publication
- 1859
- 1859
- author
- Whipple, Amiel Weeks
- Ives, Joseph Christmas
- original artist
- Kennerley, Caleb Burwell Rowan
- graphic artist
- Bowen & Co.
- publisher
- U.S. War Department
- printer
- Nicholson, A. O. P.
- publisher
- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Topographic Command
- original artist
- Mollhausen, H. B.
- ID Number
- GA.16332.089
- catalog number
- 16332.089
- accession number
- 1930.110179
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Burma-Shave Sign
- Description
- In the early years of motoring, the Burma-Vita Company found a novel way to advertise its brushless shaving cream. Burma-Shave advertising signs, with their humorous, serial jingles, were spaced far apart on the roadside and made sense only to someone traveling at 35 miles per hour. From the 1920s to the 1960s, motorists had fun piecing the rhymes together, one phrase at a time, and reaching the wry, witty punch line. They memorized favorite verses and looked forward to the entertainment value of the signs, especially during long trips. Burma-Shave signs were the equivalent of the prize in a Cracker Jack box or the saying in a fortune cookie. They became a classic American form of visual communication in a league with comic strips and greeting cards, and like those whimsical media, the signs became part of twentieth century popular culture. Burma-Shave signs became a national favorite because they humanized highway travel and gave motorists a new way to consume the roadside. They touched many facets of American life; farmers repaired them, radio comedians satirized them, and college students pilfered them. Verses supported the war effort during World War II and anti-inflation efforts after the war. At the height of the program, there were 7,000 sets of signs in 45 states. But by the 1950s, television advertising made rival products more popular than Burma-Shave, and televised ads were more cost-effective than sending a team of sign installers out on the road. Increased highway speeds and limited-access highways also contributed to the decline of the Burma-Shave phenomenon. The sign program ended in 1963.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- user
- Bryant, Fred K.
- ID Number
- 1986.0661.03
- accession number
- 1986.0661
- catalog number
- 1986.0661.03
- 86.0661.03
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Fisher Body Craftsman's Guild Model Car, 1961
- Description
- This is the automobile model entered in the 1961 Fisher Body Craftsman’s Guild Contest by 15-year-old James W. Green of Ohio. He was awarded the third-place National Scholarship Award in the Junior Division, a $3,000 prize. The body of the car was made of balsa wood covered by fiberglass, with chrome accents. The cabin has a hollow interior with translucent windows revealing the interior.
- From 1930 until 1968, the Fisher Body Division of General Motors sponsored the Fisher Body Craftsman’s Guild and its annual model-building competition. For the first seven years of the contest, the young men in the Guild built models of a Napoleonic carriage (the Fisher Body logo) to show their high precision skills in craftsmanship. In 1937 the contest expanded to include model automobiles, which became a source of inspiration for new GM automobiles. By 1948 model cars became the only accepted entry for the contest. Winning car models were both practical and stylish original designs made with superior craftsmanship on an exacting 1/12th scale. For General Motors, the competition was a major public relations success while also serving as a type of design aptitude test for the entrants. For the young men of the Guild, the contest was a chance to win scholarships, cash prizes, and an once-in-a-lifetime all-expenses paid trip to Detroit for the regional winners. Designs featured in these models would often presage production automobiles, as many winners went on to work for General Motors or other automotive companies as designers.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- maker
- Green, James W.
- ID Number
- 1987.0084.01
- accession number
- 1987.0084
- catalog number
- 1987.0084.01
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Fisher Body Craftsman's Guild Model Car, 1966
- Description
- This is the automobile model entered into the 1966 Fisher Body Craftsman’s Guild contest by Dale Gnage of Rochester, New York. As a 15-year-old, Dale Gnage’s model won a first place National Scholarship award in the junior division, a $5,000 prize. The model is a two-door Nassau blue sedan with opaque black windows and chrome trim on the front and rear. The car’s design included a large rear luggage area which could also function as a children’s playroom.
- From 1930 until 1968, the Fisher Body Division of General Motors sponsored the Fisher Body Craftsman’s Guild and its annual model-building competition. For the first seven years of the contest, the young men in the Guild built models of a Napoleonic carriage (the Fisher Body logo) to show their high precision skills in craftsmanship. In 1937 the contest expanded to include model automobiles, which became a source of inspiration for new GM automobiles. By 1948 model cars became the only accepted entry for the contest. Winning car models were both practical and stylish original designs made with superior craftsmanship on an exacting 1/12th scale. For General Motors, the competition was a major public relations success while also serving as a type of design aptitude test for the entrants. For the young men of the Guild, the contest was a chance to win scholarships, cash prizes, and an once-in-a-lifetime all-expenses paid trip to Detroit for the regional winners. Designs featured in these models would often presage production automobiles, as many winners went on to work for General Motors or other automotive companies as designers.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- maker
- Gnage, Dale
- ID Number
- 1987.0253.01
- accession number
- 1987.0253
- catalog number
- 1987.0253.01
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Bernice Palmer's Kodak Brownie camera
- Description
- Sometime around her 17th birthday, Canadian Bernice Palmer received a Kodak Brownie box camera, either for Christmas 1911 or for her birthday on 10 January 1912. In early April, she and her mother boarded the Cunard liner Carpathia in New York, for a Mediterranean cruise. Carpathia had scarcely cleared New York, when it received a distress call from the White Star liner Titanic on 14 April. It raced to the scene of the sinking and managed to rescue over 700 survivors from the icy North Atlantic. With her new camera, Bernice took pictures of the iceberg that sliced open the Titanic’s hull below the waterline and also took snapshots of some of the Titanic survivors. Lacking enough food to feed both the paying passengers and Titanic survivors, the Carpathia turned around and headed back to New York to land the survivors. Unaware of the high value of her pictures, Bernice sold publication rights to Underwood & Underwood for just $10 and a promise to develop, print, and return her pictures after use. In 1986, she donated her camera, the pictures and her remarkable story to the Smithsonian.
- date made
- ca 1912
- user
- Ellis, Bernice P.
- maker
- Eastman Kodak Company
- ID Number
- 1986.0173.38
- accession number
- 1986.0173
- catalog number
- 1986.0173.38
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Whisk Broom
- Description
- Lawrence W. Davis used this whisk broom during his career as a Pullman Porter from 1925 until his retirement in the 1960s.
- Pullman cars were almost all sleeping cars with "sections" that converted from day seating to night-time berths, usually with a few separate, small rooms with their own toilet and sink. Each Pullman porter—one assigned per car—were on call throughout the day and night to serve their passengers. While the hours were stressful, pay was good because of union bargaining, especially when compared to many other jobs open to African Americans before the late 1960s. At home, porters were frequently leaders in their communities.
- associated institution
- Pullman Company
- ID Number
- 1986.0811.01
- catalog number
- 1986.0811.01
- accession number
- 1986.0811
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
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topic
- Road Transportation 378
- Radiator Emblems 278
- Manufacturing industries 253
- Industrialization 251
- Art 233
- Scovill Manufacturing Collection 177
- Photography 141
- On the Water exhibit 117
- Railroads 107
- Automobiles 95
- Ecology 84
- Scrimshaw 79
- Cigna Maritime Collection 68
- Architecture 64
- Amusements 63
- Engineering 59
- Communications 55
- Military 55
- Development of the Industrial United States 54
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object type
- emblem, radiator 277
- Tokens 178
- Models (representations) 82
- Swrimshaws 74
- Paintings 72
- Ships 59
- Photographs 46
- model, locomotive 43
- tooth, whale 41
- Medals 40
- gelatin silver print 30
- stereograph 30
- scrimshaw 29
- Toy, Autobus 27
- pin, lapel 27
- Prints 24
- automobile 24
- toy, bus 20
- car model 18
- Signs (declaratory or advertising artifacts) 17
- date
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set name
- Transportation 1824
- Work and Industry: Transportation, Road 583
- Work and Industry: Maritime 449
- Road Transportation 379
- National Museum of American History 353
- America on the Move 316
- Radiator Emblems 278
- Industry & Manufacturing 250
- Art 233
- Work 185
- Scovill Manufacturing Collection 177
- Work and Industry: Production and Manufacturing 177
- On the Water 175
- Cultures & Communities 169
- Work and Industry: Photographic History 144
- Photography 141
- Work and Industry: Transportation, Railroad 122
- On the Water exhibit 117
- Cultural and Community Life: Domestic Life 87
- Natural Resources 84
