Past Exhibitions | Smithsonian Institution

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

Ritmos de Identidad: Fernando Ortiz's Legacy and the Howard Family Collection of Percussion Instruments

See approximately 150 percussion instruments, books, photographs, and stamps used to explore percussion and its role in Afro-Caribbean music and to examine how cultural expressions travel to other lands, are preserved, and are transformed.

February 29, 2000 – August 1, 2000

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

The Artistry of Orchids

Delight in hundreds of living orchids in specially designed garden spaces, some hanging from walls and trees, others displayed in flower beds.

January 22, 2000 – June 4, 2000

Arts and Industries Building

From Bento to Mixed Plate: Americans of Japanese Ancestry in Multicultural Hawai'i

See photographs, artifacts, text, and videos that tell the story of Japanese Americans in Hawai'i from immigration to the present and discuss the cultural traditions of the many different ethnic groups who share this island home.

May 23, 1999 – November 30, 1999

Arts and Industries Building

Museums at the Smithsonian: 150 Years of Collecting

Discover the origin and focus of the various collections held by the National Museum of American History with this collection of objects from the 1876 Philadelphia Centennial Exposition

August 10, 1996 – September 30, 1998

Arts and Industries Building

In Search of Balance: The ArtistScholar

See paintings, sculpture, and installations by 6 renowned African American art history scholars that explore the work of men and women who teach and produce art.

November 13, 1997 – March 11, 1998

Arts and Industries Building

Stories of the People

See some 200 objects from 6 American Indian cultures that examine the last 150 years, a period of great social change for Native peoples.

August 10, 1996 – January 25, 1998

Arts and Industries Building

Life on the Road: The Photography of Milt Hinton

See 75 photos by bassist Milt Hinton that provide an intimate view of such musicians as Dizzy Gillespie, Hank Jones, and Cab Calloway as they traveled throughout the world.

April 25, 1997 – July 13, 1997

Arts and Industries Building

Spring Bulb Show

This indoor display includes spring flowering bulbs, trees, and shrubs.

January 25, 1997 – March 10, 1997

Arts and Industries Building

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

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

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

Dress Codes: Urban Folk Fashion

See how textiles and clothing are communicators of American values.

November 5, 1993 – March 25, 1994

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

Muttonman Discovers Columbus

Look at cartoons by the Navajo performance artist Vincent Craig to see how he evaluates his culture through incorporating humor and comedy in his works.

June 28, 1993 – September 30, 1993

Arts and Industries Building

Young Visions: A New Look at Our World Beyond Homelessness

See 25 photographs by 3 young, formerly homeless photographers known as "Dion and Friends" that depict both the hardships and the triumphs of their lives.

January 1, 1993 – March 1, 1993

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

The Kids Bridge

Visit a hands-on interactive exhibition from the Children's Museum of Boston which allows kids to explore issues about identity, ethnicity, race, and racism.

September 30, 1992 – March 1, 1993

Arts and Industries Building

Psychology: Understanding Ourselves, Understanding Each Other

Visit over 30 hands-on exhibits and activities addressing every day psychological processes. These exhibits explore thinking, problem solving, remembering, forgetting, feelings, communication, growing up, and growing older.

May 18, 1992 – September 9, 1992

Arts and Industries Building

Etiquette of the Undercaste

Visit an installation created by Antenna Theater to provide visitors with an abstract view of poverty in America.

February 14, 1992 – April 15, 1992

Arts and Industries Building

Finding Your Way: A Historical and Hands-on Approach to Navigating

Find your way through land, sea, and space in this exhibition from The Exploratorium.

November 11, 1991 – January 31, 1992

Arts and Industries Building

Powers of Ten

Gain an increased understanding of astronomy, specifically the sizes of, locations of, and distances between celestial objects in the universe in this exhibition.

November 25, 1991 – January 24, 1992

Arts and Industries Building

Lego Animals

See LEGO animal models produced by master model builders at LEGO Systems, Inc.

September 24, 1991 – November 10, 1991

Arts and Industries Building

The Good, the Bad and the Cuddly

Try a hands-on exhibit targeted toward children and adults who do not ordinarily go to zoos.

September 19, 1991 – November 3, 1991

Arts and Industries Building