Encyclopedia Smithsonian

The history of the building of the Panama Canal.

The experiences of Civil War nurse Amanda Akin -- revealed through her diary -- reflect the sacrifices of millions of Americans who contributed to the war effort.

The National Portrait Gallery marks the 150th anniversary of the Civil War through a series of four alcove exhibitions -- one each year -- commemorating this period of American history. The first of these exhibitions recounts the death of Colonel Elmer E. Ellsworth, a friend of President Lincoln, in Alexandria, Virginia.

Learn about key people who influenced the outcome of the War of 1812, which transformed and unified the United States.

To commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Smithsonian, this exhibition looks back at the America of 1846.

View 66 portraits that reflect the range of the National Portrait Gallery's collection, from Joseph Siffred Duplessis' 1785 classic depiction of Benjamin Franklin to Andy Warhol's 1984 pop portrait of singer Michael Jackson.

Carnival masks and costumes, musical instruments, colonial art, and jewelry from Teodoro Vidal's collection explore Puerto Rican history and culture during the past 500 years.

On view are some 30 daguerreotypes by Augustus Washington, including the earliest know image of abolitionist John Brown.

Steinway's diary -- with the first entry beginning just eight days after the first shots of the Civil War were fired -- spans 36 years of one of the most dynamic periods in American history.

On view is the letter George Washington wrote on November 30, 1785, to David Stuart, a trusted associate and stepfather to Washington's grandchildren.

The experiences of Japanese Americans during WWII; decision-making and citizen action under the U.S. Constitution.

This exhibition features 66 objects produced in the 1980s and 1990s from the Charles and Fleur Bresler Collection to highlight contemporary wood turning's growing sophistication.

The story of the horse's influence on American Indian tribes from the 1600s to the present is depicted.

On view are more than 60 of Lisa Law's photographs documenting the sweeping personal and cultural changes of the 1960s.

Learn about the achievements of women in the late 18th century and see portraits of eight prominent American women of the period.

Explore the life and legacy of our 16th president through objects from the museum's collection.

This exhibition examines the critical role the postal system played in the creation of America's commercial aviation industry.

This exhibition on the rich tradition of African American storytelling is celebrated through videotaped interviews with professional writers telling compelling stories drawn from their own experiences and revealing how the world in which they live impacts their writing.

This exhibition presents an alphabet of philately through 26 topics, in which each letter stands for some aspect of stamp collecting or the sending of mail.

This exhibition traces the history of commercial air transportation in the U.S. from 1914 to today and discusses how technological innovations have revolutionized air travel .