Reading the rainbow: The origins of the pride symbol
In 2017, in response to a slew of racist incidents in the Gayborhood, Philadelphia added black and brown stripes to the traditional six-...
Queer coins: LGBTQ rulers through history
With Pride Month celebrations recognizing LGBTQ history and culture throughout the country this June, what better way to highlight the...
Spinsters, confirmed bachelors, and LGBTQ collecting
As objects representing Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual, Transgender, Queer/Questioning history enter the museum's collection today,...

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Fright wigs and slapsticks and Tonys . . . oh my!
What do Grandmaster Flash, Phyllis Diller, and Oscar the Grouch have in common? Their pop culture legacies are all featured in the museum's...
All atwitter
The museum is buzzing with anticipation for our reopening on November 21, and here in the new media office we’re getting ready to cover all...
Eureka! A sneak peek at Spark!Lab
You know that moment when an idea suddenly strikes and—BOOM—there’s a new invention ready to change the world? No? Well, the museum’s...
History alive!
When the museum reopens on November 21, we will debut new theater programs designed to engage our visitors, bring history to life, and...
Photo gallery: Closing in on our reopening
As you can see from our stream of blog posts, the museum has been an unbelievable beehive of activity during the past few weeks as...
Getting ready
Our director, Dr. Brent D. Glass, went on air yesterday to talk with Chris Dorobek and Amy Morris of “Daily Debrief” about what we’ve been...
I love my commute
OK, not the part where I drive my car and ride the Metro. It’s my walk through the halls and galleries of the museum that I love. Since we...
Lucky me!
Sometimes, you’re just in the right place at the right time. I got up from my desk this morning to go see the progress in the renovation of...
In honor of Veterans Day
I recently had the opportunity to head over to the Lincoln Memorial to take some photographs for the interactive that will be featured in...
Sneak peek at the new Star-Spangled Banner gallery
A little over a month ago we shared video of the Star-Spangled Banner—the flag that inspired the national anthem—moving from the...
On the Day of the Dead we celebrate life
While many were planning their Halloween costumes, parties, and trick or treat routes, a few of us at the National Museum of American...
A historic day for the U.S.A.
Many of today’s newspaper headlines describe the victory of presidential candidate Barack Obama as “historic.” The election might qualify...
Presidential tchotchkes
Last week I got a peek at the future—the future of inaugural souvenirs, at least. A full week before the election and months before our...
Collecting the presidential campaigns
Political history curators Harry Rubenstein and Larry Bird have been traveling to the Democratic and Republican National Conventions since...
Fancy pixel tricks
Pixelization is not usually a desired effect, but it is a much-anticipated event this week at the National Museum of American History. A...
Rolling out the carriage
Is your car, truck, or carriage sweet enough that we’d want it for the collections at the National Museum of American History? We’ve shown...
Fourscore and seven years ago
With that now-iconic phrase President Lincoln began his Gettysburg Address—a dedication of the cemetery in Pennsylvania and a statement...
Raising the flag
If you have been following the renovation at the National Museum of American History, you know that one of the visual centerpieces of our...
As now, democracy was up to bat 100 years ago
When the museum’s Archives Center was relocated to the first floor in 2003 to make room for the Price of Freedom exhibition, staff members...
A real national treasure?
Editor's Note: The portrait of Stephen Colbert returned to view at the National Museum of American History on December 16, 2010. Last...
Broad stripes and bright stars
I’m a bona fide gadget geek, but when it comes to exhibitions, I’m a little more of a skeptic. Though I’ve seen some masterful uses of...
American soundtrack
With so many important issues facing the nation—an economy in trouble, a presidential election, wars overseas—you have probably turned to a...
A glimpse inside the construction zone
They say a picture is worth a thousand words.  Viewing this slideshow of photographs from around the building, therefore, will spare...
A moving experience
In our last post, we chronicled this week’s move of the Star-Spangled Banner into its new state-of-the-art exhibition gallery. While this...
Now we're really rolling
I would normally be a bit grumpy about waking up at 5:00 am for work—but not today. This morning—at “dawn’s early light,” you might say—I...
You don't need a helmet to do these tricks
In the midst of all the election and economy news you might have missed illusionist David Blaine’s newest trick. The 35-year-old world...
Big, blue, and beautiful
In my time here at the museum, I've collected lots of things. Most have been relatively small—like watches—or even smaller—like parts...
A seat with a view
Check out this photo of the frame for the bench that will be part of the new Star-Spangled Banner viewing gallery. The artist’s rendering...
Living history
I recently got back from a family vacation to Virginia’s “Historic Triangle,” where we visited Colonial Williamsburg, the Jamestown...
Who foots the bill?
Everyone who visits the Smithsonian Institution appreciates the fact that there is no charge for admission to any of our fantastic museums...
The 194th anniversary of the Star-Spangled Banner
Today is the anniversary of Francis Scott Key’s writing of the “Star-Spangled Banner.” In light of this important occasion, I’m going to...
Celebrate Defender's Day!
If you’re in the Baltimore area this weekend, head to Fort McHenry to check out their amazing Defender’s Day celebration. It’s a...
To Thinkfinity....and beyond!
When I started my new job at the museum in the spring of 2007, we had just received a grant from the Verizon Foundation and had joined...
The beauty of everyday history
The Archives Center supports the mission of the National Museum of American History by preserving and providing access to documentary...
Passing the 90-day mark
We talk a lot about the structural improvements to the museum, and we’ve mentioned a bit of how operations will be improved, but everyone...
Back(side) to the future
When the museum reopens, one of the more notable visitor amenities will be the renovated Stars & Stripes Cafe. Every aspect of the cafe...
Yes, we really do think about everything...
The new chamber that we’re building to display the Star-Spangled Banner is intended to be a permanent home for the fragile flag. So we’ve...
Don't try this at home
When I try to build things, it usually involves a lot of trial and error. If you are a fellow amateur do-it-yourselfer, you probably know...
Wag more, bark less
I saw that slogan on a bumper sticker this morning on my way to work and I thought it was a pretty great description of the changes we’re...
It’s taking shape before our eyes - but what is it?
The "Bird's Nest" National Stadium in Beijing?  A new death-defying roller coaster?  Frame being prepared by the...
Olympic feats
Jim Thorpe. Gertrude Ederle. Sonja Henie. Bobby Morrow. Muhammad Ali. Michael Jordan. Brian Boitano. Bonnie Blair. Kristi Yamaguchi....
Home is where the heart is
Each year, dozens of interns find a home at the museum.  As an intern in the New Media Program this summer, I have assisted with the...
Putting the prong in place
A few days ago the museum took another step toward our reopening by installing the giant prong that will hold up the abstract flag....
What’s your favorite version of the Star-Spangled Banner?
The centerpiece of the museum’s renovation is the brand-new state-of-the-art home for the Star-Spangled Banner. Yes, the Star-Spangled...
The light at the end of the tunnel
It has certainly been exciting around the Museum lately.  As a member of the External Affairs team, I often provide tours of the...
Announcing the Big Date
Last week we finally answered everyone’s most burning question: When will the museum reopen? November 21! At a much anticipated press...
Food for thought
When the museum reopens, visitors will clamor to see the Star-Spangled Banner (the flag that inspired the national anthem), they’ll admire...
Moments of fame on The Today Show
Within hours of the museum announcing our grand reopening date of November 21, the staff got this email message: “This is your chance to be...

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