Last-minute gifts for history lovers

By NMAH

The holidays are upon us, and in case you’re still hunting for that perfect gift for the history lovers in your life, we have some ideas:

For fans of  The First Ladies:
Triple-Strand Faux Pearl necklace
Classy and classic, these pearls are a reproduction of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis’ signature necklace.

Shopping_necklace


For your relative who’s passionate about the Founding Fathers:

The Jefferson Bible, The Smithsonian Edition: The Life and Morals of Jesus of Nazareth
This beautiful book is a reproduction of Jefferson’s bible, now on view in our Documents Gallery. The book includes an essay by curators Harry Rubenstein and Barbara Clark Smith on the history of the volume and Jefferson’s views on religion and morality.

Shopping_bible


For the wonderful cook, or one who needs a little help:
Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking
Challenge and inspire your favorite chef with Julia Child’s classic guide. For extra points, add a visit to Julia Child’s kitchen here at the museum. (But only until January 8, when it closes for renovations for a few months!)

For the history nerds of tomorrow:
Smithsonian Teddy Bear
Why settle for just any stuffed animal? This teddy bear is a replica of one of the original teddy bears, which is on view in our exhibition The American Presidency: A Glorious Burden.

Shopping_teddy

For a young nature-lover:
Snowflake Bentley by Jaqueline Briggs Martin
This wonderful book for ages 4-8 tells the story of Snowflake Bentley, the first person to photograph individual snowflakes. His gorgeous snowflake pictures are in the collections of the Smithsonian Archives.

Shopping_snowflakebentley

For geeks young and old:
Yoda Backpack
Do we really need to explain why this is an amazing gift?

Good luck, and happy holidays to everyone!

Megan Smith is an education specialist at the National Museum of American History.