Our mission is to empower people to create a just and compassionate future by exploring, preserving, and sharing the complexity of our past.

This British musket was produced in London for use by the colony of New Jersey in the French and Indian War. New Jersey retained the musket and issued it to patriot forces at the beginning of the ...

Jazz is a kind of music in which improvisation is typically an important part. In most jazz performances, players play solos which they make up on the spot, which requires considerable skill. There is ...

The German scientist Ernst Chladni was one of the pioneers of experimental acoustics. His research on different kinds of vibrations served as the basis for the scientific understanding of sound that ...

Understanding women’s history is integral to understanding the American experience. Although often underrepresented in recorded histories, women helped build the United States of America of today and ...

Before the 1860s most of the South had only a rudimentary public school system. After the Civil War, southern states ultimately created a dual educational system based on race. These separate schools ...

The depth, the dark, and the dangers inherent in mining created a uniquely dangerous working environment for the miner. Miners faced death from collapsing mines, oxygen deprivation, and haulage ...

Learn where to eat, shop, and play during your visit to the museum. The main eatery for the National Museum of American History is Eat at America’s Table, serving a changing menu of American regional ...

The Smithsonian's National Numismatic Collection (NNC) is America's collection of monetary and transactional objects. This diverse and expansive global collection contains objects that represent every ...

From the impact of new technologies to the influence of social and cultural changes, FOOD: Transforming the American Table explores the transformation of food and drink in post-World War II America.

Open every day, except December 25, from 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Admission is free and no tickets are required. Our mission is to empower people to create a just and compassionate future by exploring, ...

This major exhibition examines how transportation—from 1876 to 1999—has shaped our American identity from a mostly rural nation into a major economic power, forged a sense of national unity, delivered ...