It is such a joy to come to work in a living, breathing museum again. The building is buzzing with life—from young children helping a costumed Mary Pickersgill assemble a flag the actual size of the Star-Spangled Banner to families clamoring around an interactive kiosk in the Gettysburg Address exhibition to hear actor Liam Neeson’s reading of the famous speech. After an amazing three-day reopening festival, we’ve been able to put together a short montage of scenes from inside the museum. In the video below you’ll get a look at some of the festivities—from ribbon-cutting to banjo-strumming—and see a glimpse of the new exhibitions and spaces that await your next visit.
Dana Allen-Greil is the new media project manager at that National Museum of American History.