Exhibitions

This exhibit explores the many treasures and troubles found within a recently acquired, one-of-a-kind music archive compiled by Robert “Mack” McCormick. McCormick (1930-2015), who worked during the 1960s and early 1970s on the Smithsonianʻs .... Shortened snippet. View full page for more details.

Handwork: Contemporary Craft at the Renwick Gallery features objects from the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s permanent collection that explore the meaning and relevance of craft in American culture. The installation includes several new .... Shortened snippet. View full page for more details.

The Peacock Room is American artist James McNeill Whistler’s (1834–1903) greatest interior. He famously covered this dining room with floor-to-ceiling peacock-inspired designs, including a mural depicting himself and his patron Frederick .... Shortened snippet. View full page for more details.

This exhibition comprises the largest long-term presentation of the National Museum of African Art’s permanent collection to date. This installation represents the broadest possible range of Africa’s creative visual expressions. Featuring over .... Shortened snippet. View full page for more details.

This gallery provides an overview of mail service in America from colonial times through the 19th century, stressing the importance of written communication in the young nation. As early as 1673, regular mail was carried between New York and .... Shortened snippet. View full page for more details.

As the ground forces of Nazi Germany swept into Poland and precipitated World War II, bombers of the Luftwaffe, the German air force, conducted the war’s first air strikes. This German Blitzkrieg led to the conquest of almost all of Western .... Shortened snippet. View full page for more details.

This exhibition explores the idea of place and region as a crucial component of the African American experience through an interactive multimedia area called the Hometown Hub, where visitors can engage with stories about migration and other .... Shortened snippet. View full page for more details.

Today we admire the translucent gray-green celadon glaze on Korean ceramics of the Goryeo period as one of the great achievements of world potters. It is startling to realize that once this ware was all but forgotten. In Korea a millennium ago .... Shortened snippet. View full page for more details.