National Museum of American History
1300 Constitution Ave., NW
Washington, DC
On view adjacent to the Star-Spangled Banner window wall, this small display explains that Mary Pickersgill (1776-1857), a professional flagmaker from Baltimore, was commissioned in 1813 to make two flags for Fort McHenry—one of which became known as the Star-Spangled Banner. Objects on view include a photo of Mrs. Pickersgill; sewing implements such as she may have used, including scissors, pins and needles, a basket, a thimble, and a pincushion; and a copy of the receipt for the Star-Spangled Banner ($405.90).
