Black History Month Events
Join us in celebrating our nation's rich cultural heritage with vibrant performances, lectures, and family activities.
What’s On
Featured events and exhibitions
Featured Exhibitions
With over two hundred exhibitions to choose from, we've highlighted select exhibitions from around the Smithsonian—or check out all of our exhibitions.
What's New
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A Collector's Eye: Freer in Egypt
January 28, 2023 – Ongoing Freer Gallery of Art
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Unstill Waters: Contemporary Photography from India
December 10, 2022 – June 11, 2023 Sackler Gallery
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Entertainment Nation / Nación del espectáculo
December 9, 2022 – Indefinitely American History Museum
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(re) Framing Conversations: Photographs by Richard Avedon, 1946-1965
December 9, 2022 – Fall 2023 American History Museum
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Deconstructing Power: W. E. B. Du Bois at the 1900 World's Fair
December 9, 2022 – May 29, 2023 Cooper Hewitt
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A Splendid Land: Paintings from Royal Udaipur
November 19, 2022 – May 14, 2023 Sackler Gallery
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Barro Colorado Island 100 Years of Discoveries and Wonder
November 18, 2022 – January 2024 Natural History Museum
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Hector Guimard: How Paris Got Its Curves
November 18, 2022 – May 21, 2023 Cooper Hewitt
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Spirit in the Dark: Religion in Black Music, Activism, and Popular Culture
November 18, 2022 – November 2023 African American Museum
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Nature of the Book
November 11, 2022 – March 17, 2024 Natural History Museum
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Portrait of a Nation: 2022 Honorees
November 10, 2022 – October 22, 2023 Portrait Gallery
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Why We Serve: Native Americans in the United States Armed Forces
November 10, 2022 – November 30, 2023 American Indian Museum
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A Window Suddenly Opens: Contemporary Photography in China
November 4, 2022 – January 7, 2024 Hirshhorn
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Outbreak DIY: Epidemics in a Connected World
November 3, 2022 – Indefinitely Natural History Museum
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Developing Stories: Native Photographers in the Field
November 3, 2022 – March 12, 2023 American Indian Museum New York
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The Utopia Project
November 1, 2022 – March 1, 2023 Anacostia Community Museum
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Kinship
October 28, 2022 – January 7, 2024 Portrait Gallery
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Freer's Global Network: Artists, Collectors, and Dealers
October 15, 2022 – Ongoing Freer Gallery of Art
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Early Flight
October 14, 2022 – Permanent Air and Space Museum
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One World Connected
October 14, 2022 – Permanent Air and Space Museum
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The Wright Brothers & the Invention of the Aerial Age
October 14, 2022 – Permanent Air and Space Museum
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America by Air
October 14, 2022 – Permanent Air and Space Museum
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Nation of Speed
October 14, 2022 – Permanent Air and Space Museum
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Kenneth C. Griffin Exploring the Planets Gallery
October 14, 2022 – Permanent Air and Space Museum
Closing Soon
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Rinpa: Creativity Across Time and Space
September 17, 2022 – February 5, 2023 Freer Gallery of Art
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Our Universes: Traditional Knowledge Shapes Our World
September 21, 2004 – February 12, 2023 American Indian Museum
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Teen Portrait Competition, 2022
July 29, 2022 – February 26, 2023 Portrait Gallery
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The Outwin 2022: American Portraiture Today
April 30, 2022 – February 26, 2023 Portrait Gallery
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Iké Udé: Nollywood Portraits
February 5, 2022 – February 28, 2023 African Art Museum
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Discovery and Revelation: Religion, Science, and Making Sense of Things
March 18, 2022 – March 1, 2023 American History Museum
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The Utopia Project
November 1, 2022 – March 1, 2023 Anacostia Community Museum
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Developing Stories: Native Photographers in the Field
November 3, 2022 – March 12, 2023 American Indian Museum New York
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Design and Healing: Creative Responses to Epidemics
December 10, 2021 – March 19, 2023 Cooper Hewitt
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We Are Made of Stories: Self-Taught Artists in the Robson Family Collection
July 1, 2022 – March 26, 2023 American Art Museum
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Nature by Design: Botanical Lessons
June 8, 2019 – March 31, 2023 Cooper Hewitt
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Reckoning: Protest. Defiance. Resilience.
September 10, 2021 – April 1, 2023 African American Museum
Don't Miss
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The Peacock Room Comes to America
September 3, 2022 – Indefinitely Freer Gallery of Art
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This Present Moment: Crafting a Better World
May 13, 2022 – April 2, 2023 Renwick Gallery
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Baseball: America's Homerun
April 9, 2022 – January 5, 2025 Postal Museum
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The Tibetan Buddhist Shrine Room
March 5, 2022 – Indefinitely Sackler Gallery
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The David H. Koch Hall of Fossils—Deep Time
June 8, 2019 – Permanent Natural History Museum
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Americans
January 18, 2018 – Indefinitely American Indian Museum
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Mark Bradford: Pickett's Charge
November 8, 2017 – Ongoing Hirshhorn
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Visionary: Viewpoints on Africa's Arts
November 4, 2017 – Permanent African Art Museum
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America's Presidents
September 22, 2017 – Permanent Portrait Gallery
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American Democracy: A Great Leap of Faith
June 28, 2017 – Permanent American History Museum
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Greensboro Lunch Counter
June 28, 2017 – Indefinitely American History Museum
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Slavery and Freedom
September 24, 2016 – Permanent African American Museum
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Musical Crossroads
September 24, 2016 – Permanent African American Museum
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Places of Invention
July 1, 2015 – Permanent American History Museum
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Immersion Room
December 12, 2014 – Indefinitely Cooper Hewitt
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Nation to Nation: Treaties between the United States and American Indian Nations
September 21, 2014 – January 25, 2025 American Indian Museum
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The Star-Spangled Banner: The Flag that Inspired the National Anthem
November 21, 2008 – Permanent American History Museum
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Sant Ocean Hall
September 27, 2008 – Permanent Natural History Museum
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Asia Trail
October 17, 2006 – Permanent National Zoo
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Luce Foundation Center for American Art
July 1, 2006 – Permanent American Art Museum
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Cold War Aviation
December 15, 2003 – Permanent Air and Space Museum Udvar-Hazy Center
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Janet Annenberg Hooker Hall of Geology, Gems, and Minerals
September 20, 1997 – Permanent Natural History Museum
Kids' Favorites
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Really BIG Money
April 8, 2022 – Indefinitely American History Museum
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The David H. Koch Hall of Fossils—Deep Time
June 8, 2019 – Permanent Natural History Museum
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Mega-toothed Shark
May 24, 2019 – Permanent Natural History Museum
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Explore! with the National Portrait Gallery
January 28, 2017 – Indefinitely Portrait Gallery
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Sports: Leveling the Playing Field
September 24, 2016 – Indefinitely African American Museum
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Wegmans Wonderplace
December 9, 2015 – Indefinitely American History Museum
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African Elephant
September 4, 2015 – Permanent Natural History Museum
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Patrick F. Taylor Object Project
July 1, 2015 – Permanent American History Museum
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Spark!Lab
July 1, 2015 – Indefinitely American History Museum
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American Trail
September 1, 2012 – Permanent National Zoo
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As We Grow: Traditions, Toys, Games
August 22, 2012 – Permanent American Indian Museum
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Eternal Life in Ancient Egypt
November 17, 2011 – Permanent Natural History Museum
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Sant Ocean Hall
September 27, 2008 – Permanent Natural History Museum
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Butterflies + Plants: Partners in Evolution
Natural History Museum
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Asia Trail
October 17, 2006 – Permanent National Zoo
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Airmail in America
February 22, 2006 – Permanent Postal Museum
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Human Spaceflight
November 1, 2004 – Permanent Air and Space Museum Udvar-Hazy Center
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Our Universes: Traditional Knowledge Shapes Our World
September 21, 2004 – February 12, 2023 American Indian Museum
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Kids' Farm
June 12, 2004 – Permanent National Zoo
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America on the Move
November 22, 2003 – Permanent American History Museum
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Kenneth E. Behring Family Hall of Mammals
November 15, 2003 – Permanent Natural History Museum
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Janet Annenberg Hooker Hall of Geology, Gems, and Minerals
September 20, 1997 – Permanent Natural History Museum
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Insect Zoo, O. Orkin
September 10, 1993 – Permanent Natural History Museum
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Moving the Mail
July 30, 1993 – Permanent Postal Museum
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The Dolls' House
Opened 1951 – Indefinitely American History Museum
