Past Exhibitions | Smithsonian Institution

Gingerbread Creations by Jan Curry

See 5 gingerbread creations by Jan Curry, a food columnist and theatrical set designer from Raleigh, North Carolina.

December 7, 2002 – December 24, 2002

As Precious as Gold

A 42-ounce gold nugget, mining tools, maps, personal items, photographs, and a dog sled used to deliver the mail illustrate the story of the 1897–98 rush for gold in Alaska and the Klondike.

October 7, 1998 – September 9, 2002

Postal Museum

Dinotopia

On view are paintings by James Gurney, author and creator of the Dinotopia book series that tells the story of an imaginary lost island where humans and dinosaurs coexist in peace and harmony.

April 24, 2002 – September 2, 2002

Natural History Museum

Stampin' the Future

These 99 winning stamp designs were created by children ages 8-12 from nearly 30 countries; four of which were issued as U.S. postage stamps in July 2000.

May 23, 2001 – June 17, 2002

Postal Museum

Word Play: Contemporary Art by Xu Bing

View Chinese artist Xu Bing's seminal, best-known piece A Book from the Sky (Tianshu), along with books, scrolls, and wall posters all using 2,000 unreadable imitation "Chinese characters" that were invented by the artist to express humankind's struggle with communication.

October 21, 2001 – May 12, 2002

Asian Art Museum Sackler Gallery

The Smithson Land Express

Watch two electric trains, with engines modeled after those in the American History Museum's collection, travel on separate tracks over bridges and through tunnels in an imaginary place called Smithson Land.

November 15, 2001 – April 21, 2002

Arts and Industries Building

Brain: The World Inside Your Head

Visit a child-friendly, interactive exhibition that explores the basic workings of the brain and reveals brain function from neurons and synapses to electricity and chemistry.

July 14, 2001 – January 6, 2002

Arts and Industries Building

Tigers!

Two large cases and a diorama explores the competition between Bengal tigers and humans over habitat in India -- a significant cause of the endangerment of tigers.

November 13, 1998 – October 3, 2001

Natural History Museum

The Graceful Envelope: 2001

On view are approximately 50 hand-crafted envelopes -- with the theme "200 Years of the Nation's Capital" -- submitted by calligraphers from around the world for the museum's 7th Annual Graceful Envelope contest.

July 19, 2001 – August 25, 2001

Postal Museum

Just Ducky: The Federal Junior Duck Stamp Program

This exhibition of juried artwork by students from the Federal Junior Duck Stamp Program is designed to encourage wetlands conservation awareness through the arts.

June 30, 2000 – August 3, 2000

Postal Museum

Rural Routes: Folk Art Mailboxes of America: 1999

Photographs of the top 5 finalists in the nationwide 1999 Folk Art Mailbox contest are on view.

October 8, 1999 – April 13, 2000

Postal Museum

The Graceful Envelope: 1999

These 75 hand-crafted envelopes were selected from those submitted by professional calligraphers from around the world for the museum's 5th annual Graceful Envelope contest.

May 1, 1999 – October 31, 1999

Postal Museum

The Graceful Envelope: 1998

These 75 hand-crafted envelopes were submitted by professional calligraphers from around the world.

May 6, 1998 – April 30, 1999

Postal Museum

Year of the Tiger

Marvel at some 40 photographs by wildlife photographer Michael Nichols, from the National Geographic book Year of the Tiger.

November 11, 1998 – April 26, 1999

Natural History Museum

Star Wars: The Magic of Myth

See original props, models, costumes, characters, and artwork from the Star Wars trilogy that are used to compare elements of the films to elements of mythology, following a classic mythological "hero's journey."

October 31, 1997 – January 31, 1999

Air and Space Museum

Eyeing America: Robert Cottingham Prints

This exhibition features a full set of photorealist prints of city scenes created from 1972 to 1991 by this artist.

September 25, 1998 – January 31, 1999

American Art Museum

Eyewinkers, Tumbleturds, and Candlebugs: The Art of Elizabeth Talford Scott

Elizabeth Talford Scott takes the art of quilting in new directions to explore family roots and American history.

November 1, 1998 – January 2, 1999

Anacostia Community Museum

Rural Routes: Folk Art Mailboxes of America: 1998

See the winning mailbox from the National Postal Museum's Folk Art Mailbox Contest and photographs of the 10 runners-up.

July 30, 1998 – November 5, 1998

Postal Museum

America's Smithsonian

An abbreviated version of the traveling exhibition America's Smithsonian returns home to Washington, D.C., ending its 2-year, 9-city tour with some 80 of the Smithsonian's most popular artifacts.

March 1, 1998 – April 12, 1998

Ripley Center

Breaking Racial Barriers: African Americans in the Harmon Foundation Collection

On view are 20 portraits from an exhibition, which toured the U.S. from 1944 through 1954, entitled Portraits of Outstanding Americans of Negro Origin.

January 31, 1997 – January 4, 1998

Portrait Gallery

The Graceful Envelope (1997)

Hand-crafted envelopes submitted by professional calligraphers from around the world feature a range of calligraphic methods and styles.

May 23, 1997 – October 4, 1997

Postal Museum

Winners of the 1997-1998 Junior Duck Stamp Art Contest

The 50 state winners of the 1997-1998 Junior Duck Stamp Art Contest are on view.

July 11, 1997 – July 30, 1997

Postal Museum

America's Space Truck: The Space Shuttle

Trace the history of the space shuttle program's 24 missions through photographs and models.

July 2, 1987 – May 15, 1997

Air and Space Museum

The Graceful Envelope (1996)

These 40 uniquely designed, hand-crafted envelopes, submitted by professional calligraphers from around the world, illustrate different calligraphic methods and styles.

May 1, 1996 – October 6, 1996

Postal Museum

Our History: Washington, DC in the 1800s

Through an ongoing partnership between Lucy Ellen Moten Elementary School and the Anacostia Museum, students collected and prepared objects for display. Students researched the history of nineteenth-century Washington, DC and created an exhibition.

June 10, 1996 – August 30, 1996

Anacostia Community Museum