Past Exhibitions | Smithsonian Institution

Neil Armstrong's Visor and Gloves

See the visor and gloves astronaut Neil Armstrong wore when he walked on the moon.

September 5, 2012 – September 12, 2012

In Vibrant Color: Vintage Celebrity Portraits from the Harry Warnecke Studio

Some of the first celebrity photographs to appear in color were created by Harry Warnecke in the 1930s for the New York Daily News. See 24 of Warnecke's celebrity portraits from the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s.

March 2, 2012 – September 9, 2012

Portrait Gallery

Pictures for Everyone

The images on view explore how 19th-century audiences received and shared visual information that crossed many barriers, including those of race, class, and language.

May 3, 2011 – September 3, 2012

American History Museum

Landsat: Four Decades of Earth Observation

Learn how the Landsat satellite series has monitored changes on the Earth's surface since 1972.

July 23, 2012 – August 20, 2012

Air and Space Museum

X-Ray Vision: Fish Inside Out

X-rays of some of the fish in the museum's collection reveal delicate and exquisite details and help scientists understand the evolutionary development of fish.

February 4, 2012 – August 5, 2012

Natural History Museum

The Patents and Trademarks of Steve Jobs: Art and Technology that Changed the World

Examine the far-reaching impact of Steve Jobs’ entrepreneurship and innovation in the global marketplace and in our daily lives.

May 11, 2012 – July 8, 2012

Ripley Center

MathAlive

Learn math concepts in a fun, interactive, hands-on setting.

March 10, 2012 – June 3, 2012

Ripley Center

Invention Case: Jerome Lemelson: Toying with Invention

On view in this case are notebooks with sketches of toy ideas and examples of some of the toys Jerome Lemelson invented.

November 21, 2008 – May 30, 2012

American History Museum

Fifty Years of Lasers

Learn about the invention of early lasers and how they were put to practical use in this case.

March 5, 2010 – May 28, 2012

American History Museum

The Wonder of Light: Touch and Learn

View objects from the museums' collections related to light - a symbol of discovery.

October 29, 2010 – February 6, 2012

Smithsonian Castle

Hope Diamond in Its New Temporary Setting

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the historic donation of the Hope Diamond and the museum's centennial, the museum is exhibiting for the first time ever the Hope Diamond in a new temporary setting called "Embracing Hope."

November 18, 2010 – January 11, 2012

Natural History Museum

Robots on the Road: Stanley

Stanley, a modified Volkswagen Touareg, offers a glimpse into the future of "smart" cars. It can drive itself without a human in the driver's seat or at remote controls.

November 21, 2008 – January 8, 2012

American History Museum

The Great American Hall of Wonders

This exhibition examines the American ingenuity that energized all aspects of 19th-century society, from the painting of landscapes and scenes of everyday life to the planning of scientific expeditions and the development of new mechanical devices.

July 15, 2011 – January 8, 2012

American Art Museum

Race: Are We So Different?

This traveling exhibition looks at race and racism in the United States through biological, cultural, and historical points of view.

June 18, 2011 – January 8, 2012

Natural History Museum

HIV and AIDS Thirty Years Ago

Learn about early responses to the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

June 3, 2011 – January 8, 2012

American History Museum

The Bright Beneath: The Luminous Art of Shih Chieh Huang

Artist Shih Chieh Huang's creations, inspired by bioluminescent marine organisms, evoke a sense of wonder and curiosity as they "float" in the darkness of the gallery.

September 3, 2011 – January 8, 2012

Natural History Museum

Conversations with the Earth: Indigenous Voices on Climate Change

Have a look at Indigenous science and gain a Native perspective on global climate change through photographs, video, and audio clips.

July 22, 2011 – January 2, 2012

American Indian Museum DC

The Cullinan Blue Diamond Necklace

On view is the Cullinan Blue Diamond Necklace, featuring a bow motif with nine extremely rare blue diamonds totalling 5.32 carats and 251 additional diamonds

September 27, 2010 – December 31, 2011

Natural History Museum

Invention at Play

This exhibition focuses on the similarities between the ways children and adults play and the creative skills and processes used by inventors.

November 21, 2008 – November 27, 2011

American History Museum

Science in American Life

This exhibition examines the interaction between science and society from 1876 to the present.

April 27, 1994 – November 27, 2011

American History Museum

Archiving the History of an Epidemic: HIV and AIDS, 1985-2009

Archival materials reveal how individuals and society were affected by the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

June 3, 2011 – November 1, 2011

American History Museum

NASA / ART: 50 Years of Exploration

Art commissioned by the NASA Art Program communicates the accomplishments, setbacks, and sheer excitement of space exploration over the past five decades.

May 28, 2011 – October 10, 2011

Air and Space Museum