Smithsonian Museum Marks US Semiquincentennial with 250 Objects Exhibition
The Smithsonian National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C., is set to unveil a new exhibition titled "In Pursuit of Life, Liberty & Happiness" on May 14. Covering 250,000 square feet, the exhibit will display 250 artifacts, including notable items like the Revolutionary War gunboat Philadelphia, Thomas Jefferson's desk, and George Washington's uniform. Director Anthea Hartig emphasizes the intricate beauty of America and the importance of active participation in democracy. The exhibit will feature 76 rarely seen artifacts at its entrance, with significant pieces such as a Greensboro lunch counter and vintage wedding cake toppers from 1957 and 2008.
Key facts
- Exhibition 'In Pursuit of Life, Liberty & Happiness' opens May 14 at Smithsonian National Museum of American History
- 250 objects displayed across 250,000 sq ft on all three floors
- Includes revolutionary gunboat Philadelphia, Thomas Jefferson's desk, Star-Spangled Banner, George Washington's uniform, MAGA hat
- Gunboat built in 1776 under Benedict Arnold, sank in Lake Champlain, recovered in 1935 by Lorenzo Hagglund
- Conservator Peter Fix says preserved wood will last 'at least another thousand years'
- Phyllis Diller's joke file contains over 52,000 handwritten jokes
- Exhibition includes Greensboro lunch counter and Freedom Rider Joan Trumpauer Mulholland's playing cards
- Director Anthea Hartig describes US as 'amazing, beautiful, complicated'
Entities
Artists
- Anthea Hartig
- James Baldwin
- Benedict Arnold
- Lorenzo Hagglund
- Peter Fix
- Jennifer Jones
- Megan Howell Smith
- Phyllis Diller
- Duke Kahanamoku
- Phil Verchota
- Joan Trumpauer Mulholland
- Thomas Jefferson
- George Washington
- Abigail Adams
- John Adams
- Donald Trump
Institutions
- Smithsonian National Museum of American History
- Smithsonian Institution
- Texas A&M University
- America 250
- White House
- Guardian
Locations
- Washington DC
- United States
- Skenesborough
- New York
- Lake Champlain
- Valcour Island
- Mississippi
- Parchman prison
- Coney Island
- Greensboro