Four Hours in the National Museum of American History

The National Museum of American History in Washington D.C. is considered one of the top museums in the country. With all the history America has seen in its relatively short existence, it’s easy to get overwhelmed and mentally exhausted if you don’t go in with some kind of plan.

I visited in spring of 2022 for the first time as an adult. I expected to spend 2-3 hours in the museum. Four hours later, I had more than my fill of American history and was glad we didn’t have any other museums to visit that day.

Here is how I spent my time in the National Museum of American History along with my must-see recommendations.

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My Summary

But First…

There are a few things to clear up about visiting the National Museum of American History.

The Best Laid Plans

Make sure to plan your visit around your interests. It’s easy to become worn out due to how extensive the museum is. For me, I planned to spend the most time with the exhibits on America’s founding and military history.

And that is what I ended up doing, but because there were so many interesting exhibits with so much detail, my time in these areas took much longer than expected. On top of that, there was much more throughout the rest of the museum I didn’t plan on checking out until we were there. The curators do a great job drawing you in to the various exhibits.

All that is to say make sure you have some semblance of a plan in place before visiting, and factor in at least an additional 45 minutes or so of extra time just to be safe. By doing this, you’ll avoid the stress of having to rush around to see things if you have a busy day planned.

Related: Get to Know My Favorite London Museums

Entering the National Museum of American History

Walking into the museum from the National Mall was a bit hectic when we visited, so I want to give two tips to make your first few minutes a little smoother than ours were. (These tips apply to the entrance from the National Mall. I’m not sure what the entrance from Constitution Avenue is like.)

1. Listen to what the security guard is saying! There’s a bag check, but for whatever reason, not everyone was being asked to check their bag. The guard was announcing when it was okay to move forward and when to stop. Do what they say even if it seems confusing.
2. A map is very helpful in this museum. As soon as you walk past security, head to the right to pick up a map with a small donation. At a quick glance, this room seems like it won’t have maps. I assure you it does. We walked right by it before having to backtrack and investigate a bit further.

Lunch at the National Museum of American History

Skip lunch here at all costs.

No, seriously, don’t do it. You’ve been warned.

(Okay, to be fair, we only had food from the cold buffet. I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt that maybe the made-to-order service is better, but that cold buffet was honestly one of the worst lunches I’ve ever had.)

Within These Walls

Within These Walls was the first exhibit we visited for the sole reason being that we walked into the first exhibit hall we saw to escape the chaos of the entrance lobby. It also happens to have the largest object in the whole museum which isn’t all that surprising considering it’s a 2.5-story house.

The exhibit tells the story of five different American families who lived in this house from the colonial period to World War II. It has objects along the exterior walls describing their lives as colonists, revolutionaries, abolitionists, Irish immigrants and finally wartime Americans. The house itself has rooms designed to appear as they would have at various times throughout its history.

But is it Worth My Time?

We only spent 5-10 minutes in this exhibit. I found some of the objects interesting, particularly those from the revolutionary and anti-slavery periods. The house itself didn’t do much for me, though.

If you have a few minutes, check it out. If not, skip ahead to the next exhibit!

Many Voices, One Nation

Before making your way to Many Voices, One Nation, take a second to observe the George Washington sculpture in the hall.

There was a real concern towards the end of the American Revolutionary War that Washington, like many wartime leaders before him, would not step down, creating a military dictatorship. This statue symbolizes George Washington as a victorious general after the American Revolution handing his sword back to the people, ending any concerns of military rule.

The Many Voices, One Nation exhibit tells the story of America’s people. It includes objects showcasing the many different cultures and ethnicities that make up our nation to create our shared history – both the good and bad facets of it.

But is it Worth My Time?

I have to say no for this exhibit. The concept is a good one, and it’s a story that needs to be told, with particular emphasis on how certain cultures have not been given the same promise of opportunity in America. Yet despite that, I simply didn’t find many of the objects to be very memorable.

The only piece in the collection that stuck with me was the Statue of Liberty as a migrant worker. Head in and make your way to this statue to ponder it’s meaning before moving on to the next stop.

American Democracy: A Great Leap of Faith

While walking around the corner from Many Voices, One Nation you’ll see the Greensboro Lunch Counter. Like the George Washington statue, you should take a moment to stop here to reflect on its importance in American history. This counter is where four African American students protested segregation laws in 1960, leading to six months of protest in Greensboro, NC that ended segregation in this particular shop. It was just one of many such protests that eventually resulted in the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

After a brief stop at the Greensboro Lunch Counter, it was time to tour one of the main exhibits in the National Museum of American History. American Democracy: A Great Leap of Faith details the creation of American democracy and how it has changed over the years.

The exhibit covers a range of topics including the founding of America, America’s election process, and how its citizens play a pivotal role in shaping our democracy. Some of my favorites were the desk Thomas Jefferson used when he wrote the Declaration of Independence, Abraham Lincoln’s inkstand from when he drafted the Emancipation Proclamation, a collection of signs showcasing our right to peaceful protest, and the collection of presidential campaigning memorabilia (it’s a lot of fun seeing how campaigning has changed over the years).

But is it Worth My Time?

I would make the argument that this exhibit is not only worth visiting but that it is the quintessential collection in the entire museum. Without some of the objects in this room, there is no National Museum of American History.

Besides learning about the start of democracy in America and seeing artifacts from that era, it’s fascinating seeing how the political landscape has changed in America, for better and worse.

The Star-Spangled Banner

This is not the first American flag, but it is likely the most famous and historic. The massive 30-x-34-foot flag (we’ve always had a thing for big flags!) seen in this exhibit is the original flag that survived Britain’s bombardment of Fort McHenry during the Battle of Baltimore in the War of 1812. It’s the same flag that inspired Francis Scott Key to pen the poem that would eventually become America’s national anthem when he saw it still waving the morning after the attack.

The Star-Spangled Banner exhibit is relatively small with the main piece being the flag spread out in a darkened room to keep it protected (side note: no photography is allowed in this exhibit). There are some other objects before and after you see the flag explaining more about its history.

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But is it Worth My Time?

This is considered by many to be one of the best exhibits on display throughout the National Museum of American History. It certainly is an important part of our nation’s history, but while impressive, for some reason, I was a little underwhelmed.

I’m honestly not sure why because usually something like this is right up my alley. Perhaps I built it up too much in my mind? Who knows! I actually found the supporting collection more interesting.

Regardless, you should definitely check it out. The whole exhibit only takes a few minutes. It’s basically a single-file line, so you have no choice but to keep moving, keeping the visit here brief.

The First Ladies

The First Ladies showcases memorabilia from America’s 46-and-counting presidential spouses. There are various objects on display, but the most prominent exhibit everyone comes to see are the inauguration gowns. On view are gowns from each presidential election all the way back to Martha Washington’s.

But is it Worth My Time?

If you like fashion history, it is worth your time. Otherwise, there won’t be much to pique your interest.

I do not care much for the history of fashion. It was a little interesting seeing how the gowns changed over time, but it was one of those things I forgot about almost as soon as I left.

All that said, this was Michelle’s favorite exhibit in the museum, so what do I know!

The thing I remember most about this exhibit is wondering if they’ll have to rebrand the exhibit when America finally elects a female president. The First Spouses exhibit? Inaugural outfits? I hope to find out soon!

Looking for more to do in Washington D.C.? Here’s another post on an early morning tour through the National Mall!

The American Presidency: A Glorious Burden

When we think of the president, it’s fairly clear to us what that person’s role is in politics. However, that hasn’t always been the case, especially when the Founders first established the position. There was a lot of ambiguity about the position that has changed over the course of America’s history.

Things as simple as how the president should be addressed was a matter of uncertainty. The American Presidency tells the story of what being the president of America has actually entailed from mundane matters to the more consequential.

But is it Worth My Time?

I really wanted to like this exhibit. Nevertheless, there was just something about it that didn’t grab my attention.

Maybe it was the mid-day slump and exhaustion starting to get to me. I also felt like the objects on display weren’t very eye-catching. The thing most people seemed to gravitate towards was a podium with cameras on it that would put your image in a video where it looks like you’re addressing a crowd. Not my cup of tea.

For what it’s worth, it was a relatively small and quick visit, so in that sense you should still check it out. Maybe it will capture your imagination like I hoped it would mine!

The Price of Freedom: Americans at War

The Price of Freedom contains various collections detailing America’s military history and how that history shaped the nation. This is the most thorough and well-put-together exhibit in the entire museum. It features historical objects from all the major conflicts American troops have been a part of starting with the French and Indian War.

Despite covering each conflict America has been in, there are several collections that take up most of the exhibit. It’s probably fairly easy to guess which these are: the American Revolution, the Civil War, World War II, the Vietnam War and the Cold War.

There are so many highlights throughout this exhibit that it is almost pointless to list them, but that doesn’t mean I won’t try! My favorite objects are the dollhouse poking fun at Thomas Hutchinson (a British colonial governor who, coincidentally, looks nothing like this doll), George Washington’s uniform and scabbard, the chairs Robert E. Lee and Ulysses S. Grant sat in to sign the peace treaty ending the Civil War, propaganda posters from World War II, and a restored helicopter from Vietnam (I challenge you to not get chills looking at this while a sound system blasts the repeated thwunk-thwunk-thwunk of a whirring helicopter blade).

But is it Worth My Time?

Whereas the exhibits on American democracy and the Star-Spangled Banner are two of the best in the National Museum of American History, The Price of Freedom is the best. The collections are put together so well that even if you have no interest in military history, there should be something to keep you engaged.

Which is good because it is a long exhibit. There’s enough in this section to easily take up an hour of your visit. Think about which parts of the exhibit you may be most interested in to focus on. For everything else, just do a brief walk through.

That should be especially true if you want to see something later in America’s timeline. For instance, I was mostly interested in seeing the sections on the American Revolution, Civil War and World War II. I wanted to spend some time in the Vietnam section as that’s something I’m not as well-versed in. Unfortunately, after spending so much time in the first three, by the time I reached Vietnam, I was only giving most things a passing glance.

Another piece of advice I have is to visit this exhibit early during your visit to the museum if it’s one of the things you most want to see. This will help to prevent excessive mental fatigue as you walk through its corridors since you’ll still be fresh.

FOOD: Transforming the American Table

Look for the small exhibit showing promotional posters from the 1920s to the 60s illustrating doctors supporting cigarettes. I found this tiny collection to be an amusing window into how corporations used to – and still do – manipulate us into purchasing their products.

The food exhibition was an unexpected delight. FOOD: Transforming the American Table takes you through the history of food and beverages in America after World War II including technological advances and how cultural changes influenced what we consume.

In this small collection you can find Julia Child’s kitchen, objects on the history of brewing beer, the evolution of fast food, and the first frozen margarita maker (my personal favorite).

But is it Worth My Time?

Definitely!

At this point, I had seen everything I wanted to see. I was starting to get serious museum fatigue, but I knew Michelle would find it interesting, so I relented. I’m glad I did.

The exhibit had lots of fun objects and interesting trivia associated with everything. You’re bound to find something that catches your attention.

America on the Move

America on the Move shows how the evolution of transportation has shaped America from 1876 to 1999. The collections also explain our relationship with the vehicles that literally and figuratively connected our nation.

You can view a locomotive built in 1876 for the Santa Cruz Railroad, the first car driven across the nation in 1903, and an original 1926 Model T Roadster, among many other similar pieces.

But is it Worth My Time?

If you’re tired and have other things to do, this can be skipped. Even though the trains and cars are neat to see, you’ve probably seen a lot of the same things before outside of a museum.

It’s good that the exhibits are inherently so large because it helps to keep your interest. Each exhibit has a bit of childlike awe associated with it. They’re interesting as a quick walkthrough, but it’s not enough to really warrant spending much time in at what is likely near the end of your visit to the National Museum of American History.

American Enterprise

In American Enterprise, there are many artifacts explaining the history of capitalism in America all the way through to the global era. There are a lot of things to see in this exhibit. With so many items in the collection, there’s bound to be something to interest each person.

I found the sections on global franchising and the digital evolution to be most interesting. It’s always fascinating to see how quickly these things changed and the vast impact they’ve had on the world.

But is it Worth My Time?

It’s worth walking through to see what catches your eye. You do not need to stop to look at each item, and frankly, that would be almost impossible. Even if this were the first stop on your visit, there is a lot to see with so much detail that it’s a bit overwhelming.

Let’s Go to the Movies/Entertainment Nation

Let’s Go to the Movies was closed for renovations during out visit. This had me pretty bummed out. As a bit of a movie afficionado, I was really looking forward to seeing this collection.

The exhibit will reopen as Entertainment Nation in December 2022.

What I would Do with Another Visit

Here are a couple things I would do differently with a second visit to the National Museum of American History.

First, I would visit The Price of Freedom as soon as I entered. There is so much to see that it is best to do with a fresh mind.

Second, I would skip both The American Presidency and The First Ladies. There just isn’t enough in either exhibit to really make it worthwhile when there are better things to spend your time at. This is especially true if Entertainment Nation would have been open when I was there.

Third, I would have spent a little less time in Many Voices, One Nation. As I said, it’s a great concept, but the objects lack the impact they’re meant to have. It was only our second exhibit during our visit, so excitement probably caused us to linger longer than needed.

And there you have it! I hope this guide to the National Museum of American History has been helpful for planning your visit. There’s still more to see I didn’t get around to viewing. Let me know what you think and if I missed any hidden gems in the comments below!

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