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  • Welcome

  • to the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History

  • where you can see what makes America ...

  • America.

  • Here

  • we tell stories

  • through objects that shed light

  • on our triumphs

  • and our tragedies,

  • our aspirations

  • and our experiments-

  • national treasures

  • like President Lincoln's top hat,

  • First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy's inauguration gown,

  • Muhammad Ali's boxing gloves,

  • and Thomas Edison's lightbulb-

  • as well as more ordinary objects that illustrate the lives of everyday Americans.

  • At the center of the Museum

  • lies the Star-Spangled Banner,

  • the flag that was "still there"

  • after the bombardment

  • of Fort McHenry

  • in eighteen fourteen.

  • this very flag inspired Francis Scott Key

  • to write the poem

  • that would become our national anthem.

  • Elsewhere in the Museum,

  • take in the dramatic stories told in our transportation exhibits

  • about how we navigated seas and waterways,

  • traversed a vast country on the railroad,

  • and fell in love with our cars.

  • Reflect on the complex challenge of the American Presidency,

  • and the changing contributions of the First Ladies.

  • take a peek inside a Colonial-era home that tells

  • over two hundred years of history,

  • or size up Dorothy's ruby slippers from the Wizard of Oz.

  • See a Vietnam era helicopter

  • and other military artifacts, from the revolution to the present day,

  • that remind us of the contributions made by America's armed forces.

  • Historywill come to life

  • as you learn how to prepare for a sit-in

  • at the iconic Woolworth's lunch counter

  • from Greensboro, North Carolina;

  • or help seamstress Mary Pickersgill assemble the giant Star-Spangled Banner.

  • Try your hand at a cotton gin

  • and view historic 3-D photos

  • at one of our hands-on carts.

  • Be sure to take a break

  • and enjoy the variety freshly prepared American foods

  • in our cafes,

  • and browse a wide selection of toys,

  • books,

  • and souvenirs in our stores.

  • There's a lot to do on a visit to the Museum

  • and it's all made possible by a team of expert staff and volunteers

  • that work hard behind the scenes

  • to collect,

  • preserve,

  • study,

  • interpret,

  • and present the millions of historical artifacts

  • in our collection.

  • The museum and it's collections belong to the American people-

  • and e hope you'll come visit.

  • We're located in the heart of Washington, D.C., on the National Mall.

  • Visit us online

  • at americanhistory.si.edu.

  • The National Museum of American History-

  • Real stories,

  • Real stuff.

Welcome

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