Smithsonian National Museum of American History

The "nation's attic" reveals an eclectic slice of American life.

by Contributor

Facts & Features
The museum's ambitious mission is to chronicle American history, science, industry and culture through artifacts. To this end, an enormous collection of more than three million objects has been amassed over the years. With nearly anything imaginable--Conestoga wagons, Archie and Edith Bunker's chairs from the television sitcom "All in the Family," Dorothy's ruby slippers from the "Wizard of
Oz,"--the museum feels a bit like a gigantic flea market with explanatory labels. Popular permanent exhibitions include "First Ladies Political Role and Public Image," with its famous collection of first ladies' gowns, and "Personal Legacy: The Healing of a Nation," which catalogs items left at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. In a museum
devoted to artifacts, it comes as no surprise that the National Museum of American History has the best gift shop on the Mall, packed with interesting souvenirs.