National Museum of American History features exhibits on the social, cultural, scientific, and technological development of the United States. The museum, in Washington, D.C., houses a large collection of historically significant items. It also conducts educational and research work. It is a bureau of the Smithsonian Institution. In 2008, the museum reopened after a two-year renovation project.
The museum’s collection includes displays of the cultural, military, and political development of the United States. Visitors can see George Washington’s military uniform, the desk at which Thomas Jefferson wrote the first version of the Declaration of Independence. The flag that inspired Francis Scott Key to write “The Star-Spangled Banner” is on display in its own gallery.
The technology section features scientific and technological exhibits. These displays include Alexander Graham Bell’s first telephone, Elias Howe’s first sewing machine, and Samuel F. B. Morse’s first telegraph.
The National Museum of American History originally formed part of the U.S. National Museum. In 1964, the history and technology items were put on display in a new building called the National Museum of History and Technology. The museum was renamed the National Museum of American History in 1980. It is supported by annual grants from Congress and by donations by private citizens and organizations.
