Past Exhibitions | Smithsonian Institution

1876: A Centennial Exhibition

See materials acquired from the nation's 1876 Centennial Exposition at Philadelphia, which recapture the atmosphere and spirit of the original Exposition.

May 11, 1976 – August 10, 1996

Arts and Industries Building

1994 Christmas Trees

See 4 Christmas trees are decorated with ornaments from the Trees of Christmas Collection curated by the Horticultural Services Division.

December 6, 1994 – January 9, 1995

Arts and Industries Building

A Victorian Horticultural Extravaganza

Recapture the feeling of "Horticultural Hall" at the Centennial in Philadelphia with this exhibition of plants--live, pressed and dried--as well as ladies' crafts and technology of the floral industry.

July 23, 1980 – June 30, 1987

Arts and Industries Building

After the Splendor: The Art of the Last Romanov Grand Duchess of Russia

Visit a case featuring art by Olga Alexandrovna, the sister of Czar Nicholas II.

Mid-January 2001 – May 28, 2001

Arts and Industries Building

American Lifestyle Display

See 4 groupings of garden furniture that reflect changes in Americans' outdoor lifestyles -- from the sedentary pleasures of parlor gardening to more active pastimes.

July 17, 2002 – September 25, 2002

Arts and Industries Building

Ancestral Scotland Genealogy Interactive

Visit your Scottish roots and find out how you can walk in the footsteps of your ancestors with a trip to Scotland via computer.

June 25, 2003 – September 9, 2003

Arts and Industries Building

Artifacts from the Paper Road/Tibet

See examples of calligraphy, carved woodblocks, book covers, prints, papers, and photographs of Tibetan artists and scholars that are used to demonstrate the importance of hand papermaking to the book arts of Tibet.

June 22, 2000 – July 16, 2000

Arts and Industries Building

Artists at Work 2000: A Celebration of Smithsonian Staff Creativity

This juried exhibition of art by Smithsonian staff features 86 works in various media.

July 25, 2000 – September 4, 2000

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

Brazil Via New York/Oxygen Share

Learn about the depletion of the Brazilian rain forest in an exhibition dedicated to Chico Mendes, recently murdered activist and popular leader.

April 17, 1991 – July 7, 1991

Arts and Industries Building

Camelot at Dawn: Jacqueline & John Kennedy in Georgetown, May 1954

See more than 40 black-and-white photographs of Jack and Jacqueline Kennedy in the first year of their marriage.

September 19, 2003 – January 4, 2004

Arts and Industries Building

Cartoons, Caricatures and Comics

See 250 works that demonstrate how cartoons, comics, and caricatures have functioned as popular and fine art.

June 28, 1993 – September 30, 1993

Arts and Industries Building

Casitas: An Urban Cultural Alternative

Learn about the style and use of "casitas," a Caribbean architectural form, and see one built on-site by members of the Puerto Rican community from the Bronx.

February 1, 1991 – June 30, 1991

Arts and Industries Building

Celebrating Scotland's Crafts

View objects produced by traditional methods that highlight the continuation of specialized skills and crafts passed down from generation to generation in Scotland.

June 20, 2003 – September 12, 2003

Arts and Industries Building

Changing the Face of Power: Women in the U.S. Senate

See more than 30 black-and-white photographs of women senators featured in this photo essay by photojournalist Melina Mara.

May 22, 2003 – September 7, 2003

Arts and Industries Building

Cherokee Nation: A Portrait of a People

See 55 images by photographer David Fitzgerald that offer insight into contemporary daily Cherokee life in Oklahoma.

October 26, 2001 – April 9, 2002

Arts and Industries Building

Chicano Now: American Expressions

See the range of Chicano cultural styles expressed through walk-in environments, video art and performances, images, and interactives.

September 27, 2002 – January 5, 2003

Arts and Industries Building

Chicano Visions: American Painters on the Verge

See some 70 works by more than 20 Chicano artists -- from several private and museum collections -- that reflect the depth and multifaceted nature of the country's fastest-growing community.

May 2, 2002 – September 3, 2002

Arts and Industries Building

Chihuly Glass

View 4 pieces of art glass by Dale Chihuly: Citron Basket, Ocean Macchia, Philodendron Ikebana, and Tiger Lily Seaform Pair.

October 24, 2002 – March 19, 2003

Arts and Industries Building

Children's Banner Project for the 52nd Presidential Inauguration

See the 3 x 6 foot banners for the inauguration of President Clinton made by children from Washington, D.C. schools.

February 19, 1993 – March 1, 1993

Arts and Industries Building

Christmas Tree Decorated by Associates

See a Christmas tree, decorated by the National Associates Travel Program's Washington Anytime Weekend participants, that features handcrafted ornaments from the U.S. and abroad.

December 6, 1987 – January 8, 1988

Arts and Industries Building

Collection of Period Costumes

The Collection of Period Costumes exhibition opened in 1914 in the Smithsonian’s Arts and Industries Building.

1914 – Before 1955

Arts and Industries Building

Corridos sin Fronteras: A New World Ballad Tradition

Explore the historical development of the corrido (ballad) in the New World over the past 200 years in this bilingual exhibition of vintage and modern recordings, broadsides, photographs, posters, musical instruments, and other memorabilia.

February 14, 2002 – April 17, 2002

Arts and Industries Building

Crossroads/Footprints/Dreamkeeper

Engage in a video/audio installation to explore African/Diaspora symbolic language, including religious icons, African drumming, and scenes of everyday life.

June 3, 1991 – July 7, 1991

Arts and Industries Building

Discover Orchids

Explore the size, shape, color, habitat, and fragrance of orchids, one of the most diverse plant families.

January 20, 1996 – March 3, 1996

Arts and Industries Building