Many Voices, One Nation takes visitors on a chronological and thematic journey that maps the cultural geography of the unique and complex stories that animate the Latin emblem on the country’s Great Seal and the national ideal: E pluribus unum, Out of m

This is one of the first models of Liberty cast in the United States. Often described as the American Committee Model, this statuette was produced in the tens of thousands. It was sold to subscribers to finance the construction of a pedestal for the full-size statue in New York Harbor.

The Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History recently acquired at auction a rare 18th-century silver milk pot or creamer with engraved with symbols and an inscription that support the American colonists’ ongoing boycott of imported goods, especially tea, during the months following a

This historical investigation is aligned with the C3 Framework and from C3teachers.org. This second-grade inquiry leads students through an investigation of symbols and representation. By investigatin

Part of the appeal of Coca Cola has always been cultural not just taste. In the early 1900s Coca Cola expanded to international markets creating a Foreign Department in 1926. This ad promotes the notion that consuming Coca Cola is sophisticated and modern. Close inspection of this “Shanghai lad

Everyday objects such as pennies and dollar bills can go unnoticed in our lives. We use them all the time, but how often do we really look at them? Taking the time to investigate a familiar thing in detail and then learning to design something similar will strengthen your child’s observati

A short video, this one is great as a lesson opener! "Freemason's Snuff Box" is the second episode in the NMAH webseries "Founding Fragments." Join host Tory Altman for a behind-the-scenes look at some of our most intriguing and little-known objects.  Hear personal interviews with curators a

A short video, this one is great as a lesson opener! "Star-Spangled Souvenirs" is the first episode in the NMAH webseries "Founding Fragments." Join host Tory Altman for a behind-the-scenes look at some of our most intriguing and little-known objects.  Hear personal interviews with curators

Often incorporating aspects ritual and secrecy, fraternal orders are voluntary associations of men and women that date back to the early 18th century. In this episode of the History Explorer podcast series, curator Tim Winkle discusses fraternal orders and his research on a particular object

In this activity, children will examine pictures of a Congressional Gold Medal for Japanese American soldiers, investigate the symbols on both sides, and design their own medal for kids who lived in the camps. Part of an OurStory module from entitled Life in a WWII Japanese American Internmen