The National Museum of American History

Washington, D.C., United States

The National Museum of American History opened in 1964. In 1980, the museum was renamed the National Museum of American History to represent its mission of the collection, care, study, and interpretation of objects that reflect the experience of the American people. The museum is part of the Smithsonian Institution and located on the National Mall.

Each wing of the museum's three exhibition floors is anchored by a landmark object to highlight the theme of that wing. These include the John Bull locomotive, the Greensboro, North Carolina lunch counter, and a one of a kind draft wheel. Landmarks from pre-existing exhibits include the 1865 Vassar Telescope, a George Washington Statue, a Red Cross ambulance, and a car from Disneyland's Dumbo Flying Elephant ride.

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Address

National Mall, Washington, D.C., United States
See all sites in Washington, D.C.

Details

Founded: 1964
Category: Museums in United States

More Information

washington.org
en.wikipedia.org

Rating

4.7/5 (based on Google user reviews)

Interesting Sites Nearby


National World War II Memorial (0,9 km)
White House (0,9 km)
Lincoln Memorial (1,8 km)
Washington Monument (0,5 km)
Smithsonian Institution Building (0,4 km)
United States Capitol (1,8 km)
Smithsonian American Art Museum (0,9 km)
National Gallery of Art (0,9 km)
National Theatre (0,6 km)


Mount Vernon (21 km)

User Reviews

Kanashii Natsubara (11 months ago)
It has been a long time visiting this place. All the museums look different. There are lots of people here. It was a cold day but it was very nice. Some of the museums were closed. I am not sure it if it because of remodeling or other reason. I recommend bringing the family to spend the whole day. There are so many museums to visit. Enjoy.
William Walker (2 years ago)
A lot of amazing items that are worth seeing, with interactive and creative exhibits and descriptive insights. However, the place feels too large and spacious for the volume of items on display. There is a lot of what feels like filler in areas without much foot traffic, and things are unnecessarily spread out. For example, they had an entire room dedicated only to Dorothy's slippers in the Wizard of Oz, without anything else in the room.
Craig Hanson (2 years ago)
We were so excited to visit the American History museum. Unfortunately there was more open space and casual seating than actual exhibits. There are entire rooms devoted to one or two pieces. For example, the only real movie exhibit we saw was devoted to Wizard of Oz and the only thing in there was the ruby slippers. It seems like it should be packed from floor to ceiling with a variety of items from all genres and time periods. Overall, it feels more like a student Union with vast, open seating areas rather than a museum.
Justin Fields (2 years ago)
This is a nice place to go to if your are looking for American history or America related stuff in general. The exhibits change every so often, so some place maybe closed. I suggest taking a look before you if they had something you wanted to see. I had been told about some of the stuff they had to see here. By the time I went the exhibits had changed. It is still any amazing places to go. If you are really into history and want to read a lot of the signs posted, give yourself at least 3 hours to check everything out.
Jamie Calvert (2 years ago)
Star Spangled banner area including original flag and music history are a sight for eyes and ears. War section leaves the heart heavy. Wish there would have been more to the American music history section. However, what they had was fun to see. Ruby slippers were well displayed and the walls in this space were fun. Loved the who makes US section and American democracy. Left one with much to reflect.
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