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This Day In History

December 12, 1915
"Ol' Blue Eyes," singer Frank Sinatra, is born in Hoboken, N.J.
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Our Mission

We help people understand the past in order to make sense of the present and shape a more humane future.

Exhibitions

Exhibitions on a range of topics offer firsthand experiences with treasures of American history.

Collections

We collect artifacts of all kinds—from gowns to locomotives—to preserve an enduring record of our past for the American people.

News and Events

Historic Theater Programs

Enjoy our latest theater program "Shout!" and be immersed in the sounds of the Carolina and Georgia Lowcountry. In other programs, join a sit-in at the Woolworth lunch counter or meet a 1917 suffragist. Follow the link for scheduled showtimes.

Films in the Warner Bros. Theater

Enjoy a variety of daily short films and special features, including a holiday film series in December. Check the Theater page for showtimes.

Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History Receives Save America’s Treasures Grant

The museum has received a grant from the National Park Service for conserving early sound recordings from Alexander Graham Bell’s Washington, D.C., Volta Laboratory.

Warren Winiarski Receives James Smithson Bicentennial Medal

“Elephants and Us: Considering Extinction” Opens at the Smithsonian

See full events calendar
See more news items

From Our Blog

Codex costume and staff, as worn by Felicia Day in The Guild

How The Guild beat Hollywood, one webisode at a time

There was a time—in recent memory for some of us—when posting a video on the web was all but out of reach, requiring dedicated hardware and some serious nerd skills.
Tinted portrait of a man.

The quiet hero from Camden: Francis X. McGraw

In November 2019, Private First Class Francis X. McGraw’s Medal of Honor will go on display in our Price of Freedom exhibition. This is his story. 

Meet the Muppets

You know Kermit, Bert and Ernie, Cookie Monster, and the rest of the Sesame Street gang. But you might be surprised to learn their backstories, their missions, and the inspiration for each of them.

Dollars for Donuts in Monrovia, Liberia

Why do U.S. dollars circulate in Liberia? And how did this dual currency system emerge?
Read more stories from our blog

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Constitution Avenue, NW
Between 12th and 14th Streets
Washington, D.C.

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