Review: Smithsonian National Museum of American History

Earlier this fall, I had the chance to visit the Smithsonian National Museum of American History for the first time. Even though I visited on a Saturday morning, the crowds weren’t terrible and I was able to view all of the exhibits with ease.

Upon entering the museum, you’re greeted by some of the latest acquisitions, as well as a help desk offering maps and other information. The museum is three stories and branches off on either side of the entryway, so guests aren’t herded into one particular direction at once.

A photo posted by molly (@herculesmolligan) on Nov 8, 2016 at 3:30pm PST

The first floor houses much of the museum’s exhibits on technology and innovations. While most of the space is given to transportation and machinery (with train engines, subway cars and historic automobiles as some of the largest pieces), there is a sizable exhibit on the history of America’s food culture (including Julia Child’s donated kitchen), my favorite part of the museum.

The second floor includes quite a lot of cultural artifacts, stretching from a piece of Plymouth Rock all the way to one of the recent incarnations of Elmo. All featured in the American Stories exhibit, the focus is on culturally significant moments in America’s history, whether it be a camera used to record the events of 9/11 or the ruby slippers worn by Judy Garland in The Wizard of Oz.

A photo posted by Gino Brunetti (@ginobrunetti) on Nov 4, 2016 at 8:21am PDT

An extensive amount of time could be spent on the third floor, where not only is there a huge exhibit, possibly the largest in the museum, dedicated to the country’s military history, but also exhibits on presidents and first ladies. The Price of Freedom exhibit details every aspect of America’s military actions with impressive displays from George Washington’s military uniform to a taxidermy Civil War horse to laptops used by war correspondents in the Middle East recently.

It’s recommended to spend either an entire afternoon or morning exploring the museum, though if you’re not interested in thoroughly exploring every exhibit, you can see most within a few hours. Like all Smithsonian museums, the National Museum of American History is free.

Smithsonian National Museum of American History

14^th St. and Constitution Ave. NW

Washington, D.C. 20001