Exhibitions

Inventing Standard Time

November 18, 1983 – June 14, 1984

National Museum of American History
1300 Constitution Ave., NW
Washington, DC

1st Floor, Dibner Library Gallery

See on Map Floor Plan

Commemorating the 100th anniversary of the acceptance of Standard Time in the U.S., see more than 60 objects, including 2 rare sundials, maps of time zones, railroad watches, and other objects. Prior to the acceptance of Standard Time, "local time" was common and, in adjacent cities, time often differed by a few minutes or a half-hour. Standard Time was instituted primarily for the benefit of railroad and telegraph operation but was gradually accepted nationwide.  

Booklet