Smithsonian National Museum of American History, First Floor: Science, Innovation, Technology and Transportation.

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Slideshow Tags: history museums smithsonian usa washington-dc Posted: July 23, 2010 by Val

When you plan your visit to the American History Museum, you should be aware that it is organized by thematic collections. Although they are structured to represent important aspects of the American heritage, museum's exhibitions do not represent a consistent timeline in the history of the United States from the time when first settlements were founded up to the most recent historic events. It seems that the reason behind this approach is simple: it's much easier to narrate about separate aspects of the American history rather than present in one place the whole history of such big country as the United States.

American History Museum: first floor layout

I also think that previous museum's focus on science and technology combined with the thematic (vs. timeline) approach to history, resulted in exhibits skewed more towards technological aspects of American life at the expense of cultural, political and ethnic ones. Personally, I would prefer to see more displays illustrating life of various social and ethnic groups in America throughout its history.

I am not trying to blame museum curators. They have faced tough choices with resources that are always limited, and yet the current museum is a magnificent tribute to a magnificent country and its culture. But if there is a room for improvement, better presentation of social aspects of history is the direction where I wish the museum were going. For the moment, the whole first floor of the museum is dedicated to various aspects of science and technology including transportation.

What else is worth mentioning while talking about museum's first floor? Well, if you use the main entrance from Constitution Avenue, you will find yourself on the first floor with many usual museum facilities located on it. They include information desk, lockers, rather large shop, a cafe (the Stars and Stripes Cafe, the main food place at the museum, is on the lower level), restrooms (there are many restrooms on all museum floors).

One of the interesting exhibitions on the first floor is "Bon Appétit! Julia Child's Kitchen at the Smithsonian." How it relates to science and technology? I am not sure; perhaps it can pass for an innovation which is also one of the topics of the first floor of American History Museum.

One thing I wanted to mention about the first floor is that some of its areas can be most interesting for kids. Exhibition like "Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention" and especially the newest hands-on space, "Spark!Lab" are both, educational and entertaining.

First Floor: Science, Innovation, Technology and Transportation.

Bon Appétit! Julia Child's Kitchen at the Smithsonian. Julia Child (1912-2004) introduced French cuisine to the American mainstream as an author and host of several television series.	This is Julia Child's actual kitchen from her Cambridge (MA) home. She donated it to the museum in 2001.	Julia's pots on display - "You can never have enough of these tools&qout;. From sauteuse to the gratins, the small butter melters and bowls for whipping eggs whites for omelettes and meringues.	Stylized Star-Spangled Banner on the hall of the second floor. Behind the wall is a large hall with an exposition dedicated to the Star-Spangled Banner and its use in America to express patriotism and national identity.
Jerome and Dorothy Lemelson Hall of Invention is dedicated to the central role of invention and innovation in the history of the United States.	One of the main goals of the Lemelson Hall of Invention exhibition is to encourage inventive creativity in children. Your kids will love it.	Kids playing with the windsurfing board illustrating the concept of the universal joint allowing control of both power and direction by changing the angle of attack of the sail to the board.	In 1970, Spencer Silver, a chemist at 3M, was trying to develop a strong glue. What came out was weak and useless as a glue. If you do not know what happened with this invention, come to American History Museum to this display to find out.
The first floor of the American History Museum is dedicated mostly to the role of science and technology in the American history. This photo shows the entrance to "Science in American Life" exhibition.	Spark!Lab - hands-on space for families where you can play games and conduct science experiments. The goal of the Lab is to show a real story behind an inventor's work.	Taking a gander at Spark!Lab (American History Museum) - a very welcoming environment	Spark!Lab has a regular series of speakers and professionals on staff to show how to put your creativity to use.
Exhibition Laboratory Science Comes to America: 1876 - 1920	This life like representation of a laboratory at the turning point between 19th and 20th centuries is accompanied by an audio discussion the pure versus applied science.	Scientist in the City display featuring Ellen Swallow Richards, the foremost female industrial and environmental chemist in the US in early 20th century, and Harvey Washington Wiley, a chemist known for the passage of landmark Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906 and who was the first commissioner of the US Food and Drug Administration.	American History Museum area dedicated to science for progress period in 1920s - 1940s when Americans increasingly came to identify science with progress - economic, social and moral.
Lionel Chem - Lab Set No. 6., 1942. It played an important role in conveying the excitement of scientific experiments to American public and kids.	Artifacts related to the invention of nylon and its applications like manufacturing of stockings (American History Museum)	Exhibition dedicated to mobilizing science for war, 1940 - 1960 (American History Museum)	An artifact with photos of some members of the Manhattan Project - every participant associated with any part of it, including their families, required security identification.
An attempt to recreate details of the CP-1 (Chicago Pile-1) project - the first world's nuclear reactor	The model of experiment called Chicago Pile-1 (CP-1), in a racquets court below the bleachers of Stagg Field at the University of Chicago where on December 2, 1942 an artificial self-sustaining nuclear chain reaction was created.	Central console of one of three reactors built at Hanford during World War II.	A bottle of Chianti similar to this one was opened, consumed and signed by physicists (including Enrico Fermi) when they managed to produce the first artificial self-sustaining nuclear chain reaction at CP-1 nuclear reactor. This bottle is from the 20th anniversary celebration of CP-1.
Lighting A Revolution - entrance to the exhibition at American History Museum	Lighting a Revolution - Electricity Hall (American History Museum) explains in details the history of invention beginning from preconditions	Preconditions for inventing the electric light bulb included batteries, motors, generators, meters, electromagnets and arc lamps - all the above are on display in the American History Museum.	Area of the Lighting a Revolution exhibition dedicated to the invention of the electric light bulb - step two in lighting revolution.
Invention of the electric light bulb expo cannot be done without bulbs... and meters.	Electricity Hall (American History Museum) displays many artifact related to the use of electricity in everyday file like these charming electric fans.	Electric toasters - another type of electric appliances from early days of electricity.	Niagara Falls has long been considered as a source of power. In 1881, Niagara first hydroelectric generating station was built by Niagara Falls Hydraulic Power & Manufacturing Co. owned by Jacob Schoellkopf.
A part of the Porter-Allen Engine (1881) - the most successful high-speed steam engine manufactured until 1920s.	Some steam engines were really big like this one - you can see its shaft going down at least one floor. This artifact is from Allis-Chalmers gigantic steam engines generated electricity for the city's subway system. Each engine consumed 100 tons of coal every day - last steam engines ever built to produce electricity in a major city.	... and its piston disappearing high above in the darkness of the American History Museum	The steam locomotive built by John Bull in 1831 - a landmark artifact at NMAH representing technology and transportation.
John Bull locomotive ran between 1831 and 1866, pulling trains between Philadelphia and New York, two largest cities in US at the time	Good part of the East Wing, 1st floor (American History Museum) is occupied by various exhibitions dedicated to transportation like General Motors Hall of Transportation.	"America on the Move" - a theme that unites a number of collections at American History Museum related to transportation systems.	One of 19 historic settings at the Museum's transportation hall. Locomotive Jupiter arrives in Santa Cruz.
Capital Traction Co. electric streetcar, 1898	Delivery wagon, 1900, built in Maryland. Wagons like this were used by city businesses were driven by horses - by same estimated over three million at the beginning of 20th century.	1903 Winton, the first car driven across the United States in 1903 from California to New York by H. Nelson Jackson, a businessman from Burlington, Vermont, and Sewall K. Crocker, a mechanic.	Reproduction of the railway station (American History Museum) with models ov various cars.
199-ton, 92-foot-long Southern Railway locomotive, the 1401.	Looking into the cabin of railway locomotive, the 1401. Running a steam locomotive required managing a complex steam boiler, like the one of 3000 horsepower on 1401, and controlling the safety of massive vehicle. Each engineer was assigned to just one stretch of railroad, usually from 100 to 150 miles.	Museum of American History has actually a reproduction of Route 66 which is by itself is a part of Americana. This 1929 Oakland sedan was used in 1930s by many families who piled their possessions on cars like this and moved to California.	During the Depression many Americans used to live year-round in trailers like this Trav-L-Coach house trailer. Others took their vacations on the road to relieve pressures of daily life while preserving most of home comfort.
Historic reproduction - inside house trailer.	36-passenger Dodge school bus, 1936. The eye catching color called double-deep orange was chosen for safety reasons.	Buick sedan, 1950, made a strong appeal to middle-class Americans with its Super and Special models. It offered luxury and power at an affordable price.	Ford Country Squire station wagon, 1955, become a symbol of postwar suburban life. These large cars was used to commute, cart the family, shop and haul household goods. On the right is Schwinn Panther bicycle, 1953.
Inside electric-powered rapid transit rail car (Chicago Transit Authority)	On the floor of America on the Move Smithsonian collection.	Entering On the Water part of America on the Move Smithsonian collection.	Pacific Steam Whaler Orca, 1882. Despite latest technological innovations, it still carrier a full suite of sails (bark-rigged) for backup.
Watercraft and Web of connections - display with various types of boats and ships used by settlers as well as merchants to travel to America and back to Europe.	One of the ships built in America in 18th century where colonial shipbuilding prospered.	The tobacco ship Brilliant built in Virginia for British owners. Later is was purchased by Royal Navy and converted to a ship of war. She spent her last years as a whaler in Greenland until it was lost in the Arctic in 1798. Since originally the ship was built to transport tobacco, it had big holds and greater cargo capacity.	Wheeled Robots exhibition at American History Museum, Washington DC.
Sensors on top of Stanley, an autonomous vehicle created by Stanford University in cooperation with Volkswagen. It won the 2005 DARPA Grand Challenge, the second driverless car competition.	Terrain rendered from laser sensor data. Each sensor is represented by a different color.