Past Exhibitions | Smithsonian Institution

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

Jefferson's Bible: The Life and Morals of Jesus of Nazareth

Thomas Jefferson's The Life and Morals of Jesus of Nazareth provides insight into his religious and moral beliefs.

November 11, 2011 – July 15, 2012

American History Museum

New Acquisition: The BMI Archives Confederate Music Collection

Sheet music lyrics and imagery published in the Confederacy provide insight into the mindset, values, and beliefs of their creators and consumers.

March 1, 2012 – July 13, 2012

American History Museum

Jazz Treasures

To celebrate Jazz Appreciation Month in April, this case features Dizzy Gillespie's trumpet,Tony Bennet's oil painting of Ella Fitzgerald, and other jazz artifacts.

April 14, 2011 – May 31, 2012

American History Museum

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

Frank Kameny

See three posters used by gay-rights activist Frank Kameny (1925-2011).

October 21, 2011 – April 8, 2012

American History Museum

National Treasures of Popular Culture

This exhibition displays iconic and well-loved artifacts from popular culture from more than a century of collecting.

November 21, 2008 – March 16, 2012

American History Museum

Gift of the Artist: Photographers as Donors

Images donated by 15 contemporary documentary photographers reveal the diversity of the Archives Center's photographic collection.

November 18, 2011 – February 29, 2012

American History Museum

AIDS Quilt Panel

On view is a panel from the AIDS Memorial Quilt honoring Roger Lyon.

June 3, 2011 – February 28, 2012

American History Museum

Toys from the Attic

This case examines toys produced in 19th-century America that reflect changes in both technology and society.

June 1, 2010 – January 31, 2012

American 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

HIV and AIDS Thirty Years Ago

Learn about early responses to the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

June 3, 2011 – January 8, 2012

American History Museum

Bon Appetit! Julia Child's Kitchen at the Smithsonian

Step into the culinary world of Julia Child, America's favorite chef!

August 19, 2002 – January 8, 2012

American History Museum

For All the World to See: Visual Culture and the Struggle for Civil Rights

This exhibition is the first to reveal the historic role of visual images in shaping, influencing, and transforming the fight for civil rights in the United States.

June 10, 2011 – November 27, 2011

American 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

Have You Heard the One about...? Phyllis Diller's Gag File

See how actress and stand-up comic Phyllis Diller kept track of her trove of 50,000 jokes.

August 12, 2011 – October 30, 2011

American History Museum

September 11: Remembrance and Reflection

The museum offers a close-up view of more than 50 objects from the three sites: New York City; the Pentagon; and Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

September 3, 2011 – September 11, 2011

American History Museum

Paper Engineering: Fold, Pull, Pop & Turn

This exhibition on innovative book design highlights movable, pop-up, folding, and multiple-construction books from the year 1570 to the present day.

June 14, 2010 – September 5, 2011

American History Museum

Portrait of Stephen Colbert

The portrait of Stephen Colbert (b. 1964, Washington, D.C.), the mock pundit from the Comedy Central show The Colbert Report, is back on view.

December 16, 2010 – August 31, 2011

American History Museum

So Much Need of Service: The Diary of a Civil War Nurse

The experiences of Civil War nurse Amanda Akin reflect the sacrifices of millions of Americans who contributed to the war effort.

April 22, 2011 – July 29, 2011

American History Museum

The International Sweethearts of Rhythm

On view are archival materials related to the International Sweethearts of Rhythm, the world’s first integrated all-female big band.

March 29, 2011 – May 31, 2011

American History Museum

Abraham Lincoln: An Extraordinary Life

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

January 16, 2009 – May 30, 2011

American History Museum