O Say Can You See?

Presidents and invention

I can’t wait to see what Barack Obama does to fulfill his campaign pledge to spur innovation and improve American competitiveness in business and technology. But, since the beginning of the Republic, Americans have expected their political leaders to support and stand for innovation. A number of technophile chief executives have occupied the White House, starting with George Washington, a strong promoter of roads, canals, and military technology, and continuing with technical experts and engineers such as Herbert Hoover and Jimmy Carter. But, what about presidents as inventors?

In that department, Thomas Jefferson has no rivals. Not only was he one of the fathers of the U.S. patent system, he was an estimable inventor in his own right. On display in our exhibit, The American Presidency: A Glorious Burden are his improved polygraph, which creates simultaneous copies of a writer’s manuscript, and a portable lap desk of his own design, on which he penned the Declaration of Independence. Despite his inventive bent, he was openly skeptical of patenting, because he believed it undermined everyone’s right to invent, a violation of his deeply held democratic values. You might say he was a forerunner of today’s “open source” advocates, though for somewhat different reasons.

Abraham Lincoln's patent model for buoying vessels over shoals, 1849.

Our sixteenth president, whose two hundredth birthday we celebrate this year, had no such compunction about patenting. A staunch upholder of the patent system, the mechanically-inclined Abraham Lincoln in fact was the only U.S. president ever to hold a patent. One of the treasures of the National Museum of American History is the patent model he submitted for buoying riverboats over the shoals that obstructed the shallow waters of western rivers. Lincoln received patent no. 6469 in May 1849, but never attempted to market his invention. The patent model is part of the museum’s new Lincoln bicentennial exhibition,Abraham Lincoln: An Extraordinary Life.

While we may not expect him to add inventing to a daunting to-do list, it will be fascinating to see whether President Obama, who has publicly identified himself with Lincoln, remains as strong an advocate of inventors and invention in pursuing his ambitious technological agenda.

Art Molella is Director of the Jerome and Dorothy Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation at the National Museum of American History.

6 ideas for achieving your New Year’s resolutions

2008 was a banner year for the museum. Literally. The creation of a new permanent home for the Star-Spangled Banner—the flag that inspired the national anthem—was central to the dramatic renovations that were unveiled at our grand reopening on November 21. We also debuted new architecture in the central atrium, introduced a new gallery for featuring historical documents, and brought back old favorites like the ruby slippers, Jefferson’s desk, and the 1401 steam locomotive.

Now that we’re open, some folks have noticed that not everything in the building is completely finished. That’s true. From the beginning, the museum pledged to close for only as long as absolutely necessary to accommodate construction work. And so, although we’ve accomplished a lot already, we have a lot to do in 2009 and our floor plan still has some blank spots. Stay tuned to the blog and the e-newsletter to get news about new exhibitions and public programs going live all year long.

You might have created your own list of of goals or resolutions for the new year. If you did, I’m guessing one or two of the items below made it to your list. I’ve put together a few ideas on how to use the museum—and many of its new offerings in 2009—as a resource for checking off some of those goals.

1. Get Fit and Eat Right. Did you know the museum offers over 300,000 square feet of exhibition,programming, and public space? If you’re looking to take those recommended 10,000 daily steps, we’re open every day from 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. and we’re warm inside when it’s cold outside! Looking for something a little more ambitious? Follow in the steps of Earl Shaffer, the first person to hike the Appalachian Trail in its entirety—more than 2,000 miles—in one continuous hike. (And he repeated the feat twice more!) An exhibition of his photographs, diaries, and letters will go on display in the Albert H. Small Documents Gallery in July (through October). Looking to eat better by making your own food? Then you won’t want to miss a peek inside the kitchen of Julia Child, who showed the world that cooking was fun and something that anyone can do in their own home. The Web version of the exhibition includes audio and video clips of Julia sharing her kitchen wisdom.

2. Take a Trip. In February we’ll launch a national anthem singing contest on YouTube. The winner will receive a trip to Washington, D.C., and the opportunity to perform the national anthem at the museum on Flag Day (Sunday, June 14, 2009). Ready to start practicing? Maybe you’re planning to head to the beach, lake, or river for your summer vacation? First, take some time to learn about how American maritime history has shaped major cities, created connections between people and places, and opened the continent. On the Water: Stories from Maritime America, which opens in May, will exhibit everything from 18th-century sailing ships, 19th-century steamboats and fishing craft to today’s mega container ships (and, of course, we’ll have an online version too for those of you who can’t make it in person).

3. Save Money. This one is almost too easy. Admission is always free at our museum and all of the Smithsonian museums on the National Mall. Not local to the D.C. area? Why not take a virtual trip? We have over 50 online exhibitions available to anyone with access to an internet connection and they’re filled with photographs, interactive activities, and multimedia to make your “trip” to the museum a multi-sensory one. If your goal isn’t just to save money, but to learn more about it, be sure to check out our new exhibition Stories on Money (opening this summer) which will explore changes in American money from colonial days to the present.

4. Spend More Time with Family and Friends. Got kids in tow? A new guide to visiting with kids under five will be available in February (or you can check out hands-on activities in Spark!Lab and Invention at Play now). Looking for something to do during your lunch hour? Get the behind-the-scenes scoop on how staff collects, preserves, researches, interprets, and presents our nation’s history (Thursdays at noon). We’re rolling out more new experiences throughout the year. Beginning this spring you can use a Civil War-era printing press to make your own print to take home. Expect everything from concerts to flag-folding this summer. Subscribe to our free e-mail newsletter for the latest info on events and programs.

5. Learn Something New. Think you know everything there is to know about President Lincoln? Check out some of the 60 plus historical treasures on view in the exhibition, Abraham Lincoln: An Extraordinary Life. Each highlighted object—from an iron wedge he used to split wood in the early 1830s to the iconic top hat he wore the night he was shot at Ford’s Theatre—will be augmented with personal stories told by Lincoln and the people who knew him best. Think you’re a world-class photographer in the making? The Scurlock studio in Washington, D.C. is recognized as among the very best of 20th-century photographers who recorded the rapid changes in African American urban communities nationwide. See what all the fuss is about when The Scurlock Studio and Black Washington: Picturing the Promise opens Jan. 30 featuring more than 100 images created by one of the longest-running black businesses in Washington.

6. Volunteer and Give More. Do you love to tell—and listen to—a good story? Is meeting people your idea of a good time? If so, then consider becoming a volunteer docent! The museum is accepting applications for a spring class of docents to interpret the collection and exhibitions for visitors, including opportunities in Spark!Lab, Invention at Play, and interactive carts. With nearly the same number of volunteers as staff, the Smithsonian relies on people like you to carry out its work for the benefit of the public. Can’t give your time but still want to provide support? You can make a donation to the museum online in just a few simple steps. Make your gift in honor of a loved one or help sustain our operations by becoming a monthly supporter.

That’s a pretty good good start, right? I bet you’ve got your own ideas, though, and I’d love to hear them. Use the comment form below to share them with your fellow blog readers. And happy new year! (When do we stop saying that, by the way? March?)

Dana Allen-Greil is the new media project manager at the National Museum of American History.

Night at the museum

My alarm woke me up early on Inauguration Day, and like many others in Washington I padded down the hall and made my way downstairs for that first blessed cup of coffee. It looked cold outside and news reports were focusing on the temperature and long lines at Metro stations. This made me doubly glad (I won’t say smug) that I chose to spend the night at the National Museum of American History. After obtaining special permission, about 20 of us who needed to be here when our doors opened at 8:00 am had our own "night at the museum" on Monday night.

I had the good fortune to spend the night with our dedicated public programs and events staff who not only care deeply about visitor experience in our museum—they know how to throw a party! Our conference table was strewn with snacks, and our movie for the evening was—you guessed it— Night at the Museum. Clad in sweatpants and pajamas we laughed at the caricature of a museum director, and other aspects of the movie museum that were far from our reality. We all left at the end of the movie to retire to our office floors, but I couldn’t resist stopping by the window that overlooks the public portion of the museum to see if any of our objects had come to life.

The sleepover was a great adventure, but it was overshadowed by the experience of spending Inauguration Day on the Mall. It was a pleasure and a privilege to welcome the first of our 40,000 plus visitors who had shivered outside waiting for our doors to open, and the day just got better as it went along.

Judy Gradwohl is Associate Director for Public Programs at the National Museum of American History.

Being a part of history

Wow. On Inauguration Day they came to Washington to witness history being made, and we thought we’d planned it all. We knew that Tuesday’s visitors would have a different agenda from those coming on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, and so we’d adapted accordingly. We’d developed a spoken-word program, created a slideshow presentation, and hired authentically costumed re-enactors to mingle. Security and maintenance forces were at the ready, the shops had ordered great souvenirs, the cafes promised to have plenty of hot coffee by 8 a.m. Staff wore comfortable shoes, walkie-talkies, and bright smiles.

On Tuesday, the doors swung open, and people came, and came, and came. Cold, tired, seeking bathrooms and warmth, they filled the museum to capacity by 9:30 a.m. and officers had to pulse in groups as the early birds left to rejoin friends on the National Mall. Official reports state that we had a staggering 42,354 visitors; a usual Tuesday in January brings in a sixth of that. For safety’s sake, our security officers added to their regular duties of bag-checking by waking up people sprawled out asleep on the floors, directing them to places that were more out of harm’s way. Children and older folks were allowed to break into the (looooooong) bathroom lines. Everyone, staff and visitors alike, was extremely polite and cooperative, making extra efforts to help.

There is a strong Smithsonian tradition for welcoming visitors during these mammoth gatherings on the National Mall and opening the museums for the public. In 1968, during the Poor People’s March, thousands camped on the Mall. Some SI officials advised closing, but then-Secretary S. Dillon Ripley insisted instead that the museums remain open even later than usual. “How often are these people going to be in Washington?” Mr. Ripley asked.

All morning long people filled the hallways and gathered near the (dark) TV screens. Our well-written and beautifully-acted “Inaugural Moments” spoken-word programs were politely applauded. We turned the screens on to show our “Inaugural Images” slideshow—a thoughtful, well-researched and designed presentation of historical photos and inaugural fun facts. Three repeats of that and the chants went up, “Turn on the TVs!” “We want it live!”

The people had spoken; the reason they wanted to be here was to see history in the making, not the history we’d planned to present. We turned on the TVs at 11:30 a.m. Just before noon, many visitors decided to rejoin the throngs on the Mall and by 11:55, a lot of the museum staff dashed out into the cold to be among the almost 2 million fellow witnesses to the ceremony on the jumbotrons, whooping and hollering and praying and crying and hugging and waving flags, no longer apolitical government employees but very, very happy American citizens. History was made, and we were a part of it all.

Sue Walther is a programs coordinator at the National Museum of American History.

An inaugural slideshow

With millions of people on the National Mall to watch the presidential inauguration ceremonies, it’s perhaps no surprise that the museum welcomed over 100,000 people inside its doors over the long weekend (Jan. 17-20). From costumed presidents Abraham Lincoln and Thomas Jefferson to groups of visitors from around the country, it seemed that every inch of the building was filled with people. Some came to take in our exhibitions—including two new ones focused on Abraham Lincoln. Others came to participate in special programs like the “Stand Up and Break Your Silence” theatrical presentation featuring the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., or the “Inaugural Moments” spoken-word program filled with anecdotes, speeches, and poetry from historical inaugurations. 

And starting at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, still more folks came inside just to warm their cold hands and rest their tired feet—and ended up taking in the sounds and images from a live feed of the inauguration ceremonies happening just a few blocks east of the museum. A favorite quote from the day: “I love history!” from a young woman coming in from the cold around 8:20 am after she was greeted and told about hot breakfast downstairs.

Here are just a few of our favorite Flickr photos taken by museum staffers and visitors.

Did you pay the museum a visit during the past few days? Share your photos by adding them to the museum’s Flickr group or share your experiences in words using the comment form below.

Dana Allen-Greil is the new media project manager at the National Museum of American History. Her favorite inaugural moment? Catching some of the “We are one” concert from the Washington Monument with a few hundred thousand of her closest friends.