Past Exhibitions | Smithsonian Institution

23rd National Exhibit of Prints

Among the artists exhibiting their prints are Sam Gilliam, Wayne Thiebaud, Gabor Peterdi, and Clayton Pond.

September 21, 1973 – November 25, 1973

24 Hours in Cyberspace

Explore the expanding role of the Internet in bringing people together through 50 photos of people from around the world, from the 24 Hours in Cyberspace book project,

January 23, 1997 – April 13, 1997

American History Museum

24th National Exhibition of Prints

Visit a juried competition co-sponsored by the NCFA and the Library of Congress. Out of 895 entries from all over the U.S., 57 prints were chosen for display.

May 23, 1975 – September 7, 1975

American Art Museum

25 Years of National Poison Prevention Week

See 25 posters originally prepared for the annual campaigns of National Poison Prevention Week.

August 5, 1986 – August 18, 1986

American History Museum

2500 Years of Persian Art

See decorative work from manuscripts, metalwork, ceramics and architectural decorations.

February 1, 1973 – June 30, 1973

Asian Art Museum Freer Gallery

25th National Exhibition of Prints

Visit a mixture of realistic and abstract prints, including etchings, serigraphs, lithographs, intaglios, mezzotints and collographs.

May 27, 1977 – September 18, 1977

American Art Museum

2nd Annual Exhibition of Visual Arts and Crafts by Smithsonian Women

Reflect on and celebrate the creative lives of women artists within the Smithsonian Institution community, in conjunction with Women's History Month. See 64 works including photography, painting, ceramics, textiles, jewelry, and mixed media.

March 4, 1996 – March 29, 1996

Ripley Center

3-D Portrait of President Obama

In 2014, President Barack Obama became the first President to be scanned using 3-D technology. Data from the scan were used to create his portraits, and a 3-D printed bust will be on view for Presidents Day weekend Friday, Feb. 13, through Monday, Feb. 16, 2015.

February 13, 2015 – February 16, 2015

Portrait Gallery

300 Years of American Papermaking

Commemorate paper making from 1690-1990 by examining the many aspects of the trade, including paper making by hand, paper as fiber art, and paper as an industrial product.

December 19, 1990 – January 5, 1992

American History Museum

30th Anniversary Exhibition

Celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Renwick with an exhibition featuring objects from all media--clay, fiber, glass, metal, and wood--that illustrate the breadth of its collection.

February 12, 2002 – May 31, 2002

Renwick Gallery

40 under 40: Craft Futures

To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Renwick Gallery, the museum presents works by 40 artists under the age of 40.

July 20, 2012 – February 3, 2013

Renwick Gallery

400-million-year-old Trilobite

In conjunction with Smithsonian Resident Associate Program's 25th Anniversary, this exhibition features a 400-million-year-old trilobite found by RAP member Y. Kirkpatrick Howard during a RAP course collecting trip in Strasburg, Virginia.

September 1, 1990 – November 30, 1990

Natural History Museum

5 Sense Store: An Aesthetic Design for Education

An experiential exhibition, planned for groups of 30 children, is divided into 3 areas of exploration: Sound/Image Society, the Activity Area and the Space Place.

April 10, 1973 – June 17, 1973

American Art Museum

5,000 Years of Korean Art

Thought to be the largest and most important exhibition of Korean art to ever tour the U.S., the show includes over 300 objects from the National Museum of Korea and other Korean collections.

July 15, 1981 – September 30, 1981

Natural History Museum

50 Years from Tranquility Base

This case, installed for the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moon landing, contains artifacts from that historic journey.

March 25, 2019 – March 13, 2020

Air and Space Museum

50th Anniversary Celebration

The 50th anniversary of the Freer Gallery includes the following exhibits:
Ceramics from the World of Islam
Chinese Figure Painting
Japanese Ukiyo-e Paintings
Christian Manuscripts
Christian Jewelry

May 1, 1973 – July 15, 1974

Asian Art Museum Freer Gallery

50th Anniversary of the Transistor

This small case examines the invention of the transistor and the consequences of its invention.

November 11, 1998 – May 12, 1999

American History Museum

5th Members Exhibition Washington Print Club

See 50 graphics, all from the private collections of Club members, including works by Milton Avery, Mary Cassatt, Edvard Munch and Jacque Villon.

May 3, 1974 – June 16, 1974

American Art Museum

75th Anniversary of D-Day

To mark the 75th anniversary of D-Day, the museum displays objects from our World War II collections.

June 6, 2019 – December 31, 2021

American History Museum

Artuaré and Conversations in the Contemporary

See installations created by artist Steven Cumming and multimedia production studio CreativeJunkfood that are influenced by cultural expression found in schools, churches, community organizations, and other venues in the public sphere.

December 12, 2011 – April 29, 2012

Anacostia Community Museum

A Breath of Spring

View the masterpiece of 14th-century Chinese handscroll painting by Zou Fulei with full translations of several poems and related documents.

May 17, 1999 – January 9, 2000

Asian Art Museum Freer Gallery

A Bridge to Learning

Visit a 36-foot model of a suspension bridge, built and landscaped as a work-in-progress by inner-city junior high school students in collaboration with The Salvadori Educational Center on the Built Environment.

July 9, 1991 – October 13, 1991

Cooper Hewitt Design Museum

A Brush with History: Paintings from the National Portrait Gallery

View 66 portraits that reflect the range of the National Portrait Gallery's collection, from Joseph Siffred Duplessis' 1785 classic depiction of Benjamin Franklin to Andy Warhol's 1984 pop portrait of singer Michael Jackson.

November 14, 2003 – February 8, 2004

Ripley Center

A Caravan of Crafts from the Sahel

View and purchase Tuareg jewelry, handwoven textiles, Botswana baskets, wooden sculpture, and Boklafani print ties.

November 15, 1980 – January 31, 1981

African Art Museum

A Celebration of American Invention

See archival materials and objects related to 3 inventors whose papers are in the Center's collection: Everett H. Bickley (a seed-sorting machine), Charles F. Brannock (the metal foot-measuring device used when buying new shoes), and Marion O'Brien Donovan (several household products, including a waterproof diaper cover).

September 2, 2000 – October 13, 2000

American History Museum