Pause and Play Activity Lounge

Pause and Play Activity Lounge

Closed October 21, 2012

This temporary activity lounge featured pop culture objects related to the emergence of youth culture from 1950 to 1964. Visitors could draw their own superhero on our comic wall, play with classic toys, listen to 1950s pop songs, or simply sit down for a bit to plan their next stop on the National Mall.

Objects on display included:

  • “Superman” costume worn by George Reeves
  • Jim Henson’s “Sam and Friends” puppets, including Kermit
  • Patsy Cline’s stage costume
  • 45 RPM records and Jukebox
  • Howdy Doody marionette from “The Howdy Doody Show”
  • “The Lone Ranger” mask and silver bullet
  • Mr. Moose and Bunny Rabbit puppets from “Captain Kangaroo”

To complement these materials from our collection, we asked everyday people from across America to contribute family photos that represent growing up in the 1950s and 1960s. Selected photos were used to decorate the walls of the lounge. See the photos in our Flickr group.