Exhibitions

Japan’s rich history of ceramic artistry developed in large part alongside the culture of drinking tea. Chanoyu (literally, “hot water for tea”), or the practice of preparing and serving matcha, powdered green tea, gained popularity in the .... Shortened snippet. View full page for more details.

This major exhibition hall focuses on the story of human origins and probes the ecological and genetic connections that human beings have had with the natural world over time. It examines the shared framework of humankind—the biological and .... Shortened snippet. View full page for more details.

International stamps make up more than half of the museum's collections. See some of the rarest and most famous stamps from 24 countries on six continents. Browse more than 700 stamps, one from every country that has ever produced stamps—.... Shortened snippet. View full page for more details.

At seven feet tall and more than 8,000 pounds in weight, the gigantic cluster of thousands of sparkling crystals stands in the front gallery, adjacent to the museum’s historic north entrance. The quartz was discovered at the Coleman Mine in .... Shortened snippet. View full page for more details.

In 1878, Thomas Alva Edison set out to develop a practical electric light. For over a year, Edison and the staff at his Menlo Park Laboratory experimented with countless materials in the search for a practical filament. They also developed all .... Shortened snippet. View full page for more details.

Learn about the contributions of athletes on and off the field. Because sports were among the first and most high-profile organizations to accept African Americans on terms of relative equality, sports have a unique role in American culture. .... Shortened snippet. View full page for more details.

In this interactive area, learn how stamp content, design, and production have changed over time and how modern U.S. stamps reflect the nation’s identity. Explore your own connections with stamps. At three touchscreen tables, sort through the .... Shortened snippet. View full page for more details.

This exhibition of some 700 works of Native art from throughout North, Central, and South America demonstrates the breadth of the museum's renowned collection and highlight the historic importance of many of these iconic objects. Chosen to .... Shortened snippet. View full page for more details.