Home | National Museum of American History

The Star-Spangled Banner

The Flag that Inspired the
National Anthem

American Democracy

A Great Leap of Faith

Many Voices, One Nation

How did we become US?

Draper Spark!Lab

Where museum visitors become inventors

American Enterprise

How does American business affect you?

Smithsonian's National Museum of American History

An assortment of museum objects in a drawer

Collections

Screenshot of website for exhibition, "Thomas Jefferson's Bible"

Online Resources

At the Museum

Online Resources

Young visitors looking at museum objects

Visit the Museum

Stay Connected

A child experimenting with a historic laundry device

At the Museum

At Home

Games & Activities

This Day In History

June 24, 1966

In response to concerns about auto safety, the Senate unanimously passes a landmark act which would establish the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Learn More

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

America Now: Celebration of Music

Explore hip-hop’s influence on American society with a DJ dance party, hands-on workshops, performances, discussions, film festival, and more. Then explore other Smithsonian museums until midnight as part of Solstice Saturday. June 22, all day.

Films in the Warner Bros. Theater

Enjoy a variety of daily short films and special features, including a "Totally 90s Film Festival" in June. Check the Theater page for showtimes.

National Museum of American History Marks the 50th Anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising With “Illegal To Be You” Display

The museum's yearlong display showcases more than 20 objects, 30 buttons, and graphics from the Smithsonian’s LGBTQ+ collections.

National Museum of American History Announces Fifth Annual Smithsonian Food History Weekend and Gala

Where Is the Star-Spangled Banner’s Missing Star?

See full events calendar
See more news items

From Our Blog

The most radical thing about Stonewall wasn’t the uprising

The Stonewall Uprising began June 28, 1969, in response to a police raid at The Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in New York, and has since been commemorated around the world with pride parades and other events. Curator Katherine Ott reflects on the significance of the uprising.

Donate Button

The Star-Spangled Banner

American Democracy

Many Voices, One Nation

Draper Spark!Lab