Past Exhibitions | Smithsonian Institution

Ceremonial Court

This exhibition provides a glimpse of White House family life and serves as a setting for objects associated with the presidents.

April 6, 1989 – July 16, 2006

American History Museum

Separate Is Not Equal: Brown v. Board of Education

This exhibition celebrates the 50-year anniversary of the Supreme Court's landmark decision that ended segregation in public schools.

May 15, 2004 – July 16, 2006

American History Museum

First Ladies: Political Role and Public Image

This exhibition examines the evolving role of the First Lady and presents a new understanding of the demanding responsibilities of presidential wives and hostesses.

March 29, 1992 – July 16, 2006

American History Museum

Fire and Water: The CIGNA Firefighting and Maritime Collection

Visitors can watch through large windows as curators process a collection of nearly 4,000 firefighting and maritime materials that date from 1825-1875, the heyday of voluntary fire organizations.

October 28, 2005 – July 13, 2006

American History Museum

On Time

The changing ways Americans have measured, used and thought about time during the past 300 years is told through some 200 clocks, watches, and objects.

November 18, 1999 – July 9, 2006

American History Museum

EV1 Electric Car

See a 1997 silver blue "Generation 1" EV1 electric car.

March 15, 2005 – June 14, 2006

American History Museum

Engines of Change: American Industrial Revolution, 1790-1860

With more than 250 original artifacts, this major exhibition brings to life the American Industrial Revolution.

November 21, 1986 – June 12, 2006

American History Museum

On Stage and Back Stage: Women in Jazz

See 10 black-and-white images of Dorothy Donegon, Ingrid Jensen, Jane Bunnett, Betty Carter, and other women in jazz by Baltimore photographer Jeffrey Kliman.

April 8, 2003 – June 4, 2006

American History Museum

Ella Fitzgerald: First Lady of Song

Costumes, awards, photograph, recordings, scrapbooks, sheet music, and personal memorabilia examine the 60-year career of Ella Fitzgerald.

March 19, 1998 – May 31, 2006

American History Museum

Azucar! The Life and Music of Celia Cruz

The life of legendary Cuban-born singer Celia Cruz (1924-2003) is explored through costumes, wigs, shoes, photographs, video, and music.

May 18, 2005 – May 29, 2006

American History Museum

Jazz and More: Black Broadcast Pioneers

See objects from the Archives Collections related to Jazz on the radio.

March 30, 2006 – May 23, 2006

American History Museum

Lemelson Center: Inventing Ourselves

How technology is used to reinvent our bodies is the subject of these 2 exhibit cases.

February 13, 2006 – May 7, 2006

American History Museum

Benjamin Franklin: A Revolutionary Role

In commemoration of Benjamin Franklin's 300th birthday, the items in the exhibit case are used to examine his role as a statesman.

January 13, 2006 – April 17, 2006

American History Museum

"Do you hear that whistle...?" Celebrating the 60th Anniversary of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's film The Harvey Girls

Celebrates the 60th anniversary of the MGM classic movie musical The Harvey Girls.

December 21, 2006 – March 29, 2006

American History Museum

Field to Factory: Afro-American Migration, 1915-1940

This exhibition interprets the complexities and effects of the Great Migration, a vast movement of more than 1 million African Americans who moved from the South to the North between 1915 and 1940 in search of a better life.

February 5, 1987 – March 26, 2006

American History Museum

Smithsonian Magazine: Through Our Readers' Eyes

View the 50 finalists from the 2005 Smithsonian magazine photo contest for amateur photographers.

June 15, 2005 – January 3, 2006

American History Museum

La Causa: The Delano Grape Strike of 1965-1970

This display features a UFW flag, posters, buttons, and a short-handled hoe used by a California farm laborer to mark the 40th anniversary of the strike.

September 16, 2005 – January 3, 2006

American History Museum

Love on Paper: Handmade Greeting Cards by Ernest Dudley Chase

On view are handmade greeting card created to celebrate holidays and special occasions by Ernest Dudley Chase.

August 11, 2005 – December 20, 2005

American History Museum

Tool Chests: Symbol and Servant

A selection of tool chests tells us much about workers and workplaces.

August 16, 1991 – December 9, 2005

American History Museum

Latino and Latin American Collections

In three cases, a variety of objects from the museum's collection document various aspects of Latino and Latin American history and culture, including religion, popular culture, business, sports, labor, and entertainment.

September 12, 2005 – October 31, 2005

American History Museum

From Selma to Montgomery: The 40th Anniversary of the Voting Rights March

This showcase features clothing worn by Selma marchers, a voter registration manual, and photographs to mark the 40th anniversary of this historic march and the passage of the 1965 Voting Rights Act.

March 21, 2005 – September 11, 2005

American History Museum

Chasing Venus: Observing the Transits of Venus, 1631-2004

Through books, manuscripts, and period scientific instruments, this exhibition examines the 'transit of Venus', the scientific and debates of the day.

March 24, 2004 – September 5, 2005

American History Museum

Collecting Photographic Art in Archives

View a selection of works from the Archive Center's documentary photography collections.

May 13, 2005 – August 10, 2005

American History Museum

Case: Ralph J. Bunche, Statesman, Activist, Peacemaker (Part 1)

Ralph Bunche (1904-1971) -- scholar, diplomat, political scientist, and activist -- was the 1st African American to win the Nobel Peace Prize in 1950 for negotiating the Rhodes Armistice Agreement.

September 9, 2004 – July 7, 2005

American History Museum

Richard Avedon Memorial Photographs

In memory of Richard Avedon (1923-2004) -- one of the most influential and celebrated American photographers of our time -- 7 of his photographs are on view.

October 7, 2004 – June 5, 2005

American History Museum