The Lares family shares a common immigrant experience with many who come to the U.S. Napoleon Lares immigrated from the Philippines in 1984, and spent the next seven years as an electrical technician in Maryland, working to bring his fiancée and two daughters over as well. This photo of the Lares family with relatives was taken at the Manila airport in 1991 as they prepared to depart for the United States. Click the link to the National Museum of American History to follow their journey.

This Guide offers just a taste of "¡Pleibol! In the Barrios and the Big Leagues," currently on display at the National Museum of American History. For the full online experience, click the Find out more link below. There’s much more history, scores more images, 3D objects you can manipulate, and even an augmented reality audio tour of Roberto Clemente’s Pirates jersey and batting helmet that lets you project and photograph them in your own space.

Covid-19, environmental impacts, and a generation growing up with cell phones in their hands at all times have led some to question the future of large stadiums for mass in-person events. Yet, the first view of a vibrant green stadium field and the roar of a crowd continue to create lifelong memories unrivaled by television or virtual reality. Please visit the National Museum of American History to learn more about the interplay of technology change with all aspects of our lives.

The National Museum of American History contains an extensive LGBTQ+ history collection. The exhibition Illegal to Be You: Gay History Beyond Stonewall, drew from it to include clothing belonging to 1998 hate-crime victim Matthew Shepard and gold medalist Brian Boitano’s figure skating costume from the 1988 Olympics, in 2020-21. Visit the full exhibit via the Learn More link below.

The Topps baseball trading cards here are from 1956, (Clemente’s second year with the Pirates); 1961; 1968; 1972; and a card issued posthumously in 1973. The 1973 card is the only one that acknowledges the correct Latino use of Clemente’s mother’s maiden name, Walker, as his second last name. Clemente’s 1968 card and several other cards identified him as “Bob.” Fiercely proud of his heritage, Clemente objected to the Americanization of his name and insisted on being called Roberto.

The Molina Family Latino Gallery at the National Museum of American History will be the first Smithsonian Latino Center national gallery dedicated to Latino history and culture. Created in 1997, the Smithsonian Latino Center collaborates throughout the Smithsonian and beyond to promote a national dialogue on the role of museums and cultural centers in advancing Latino-community cultural development. The five children of Dr. C. David Molina collectively donated $10 million to support the gallery.

The Transcontinental Railroad fundamentally changed the American West. As the United States pushed across North America, railroads connected and populated the growing nation. Railroads also sparked social, economic, environmental, and political change. The Union Pacific Railroad made replica spikes commemorating the event, including this one given to the Smithsonian in 1958. Model of Central Pacific Railroad locomotives Jupiter and 119.

At 29, Buddy Elias lost one of his legs below the knee due to a rare disease. He continued to pursue snowboarding by crafting a homemade adaptive board that combined a pool noodle, a crutch, and material from a local hardware store. After complications, he now faces life as a double-amputee but still pulls off skateboard tricks and grinds curbs with his wheelchair. Buddy is just one of the athletes who was featured in Everyone Plays, a 2017 exhibit at the National Museum of American History.

Historically there are many examples of people who for their gender expressions and sexual orientations would today be seen as LGBTQ+. Chief among those who had the privilege of living and loving as they saw fit in their time were LGBTQ+ rulers. These historic rulers, like so few other LGBTQ+ people, have been immortalized through coins from their eras. The National Numismatic Collection has several examples of such coins that represent a wide range of LGBTQ+ leaders throughout history.

The ADA, a landmark piece of civil rights legislation enacted in 1990, sent businesses, schools, and other public entities scrambling to figure out what had to be done to existing and new environments. There were many discussions—and lawsuits—around ramps, accessible door handles, the way job descriptions were written, Braille signage, captioning on TV, and making elevators talk. Working out the meaning of "reasonable accommodation" reshaped urban landscapes and relationships among people.

Located on Constitution Avenue—700 miles east of the Midwest start of the route—the National Museum of American History houses a piece of the Mother Road in its permanent collection. Located on the first floor in the America on the Move transportation-focused exhibition, the speckled section of pavement hails from Bridgeport, Oklahoma, circa 1932.

On December 27, 2020, legislation passed calling for the Smithsonian to establish the National Museum of the American Latino. The new museum will be the cornerstone for visitors to learn how Latinos have contributed and continue to contribute to US art, history, culture, and science. The Smithsonian’s Latino DC History Project, one of the museum’s early initiatives, tells the story and honors the memories of the people who helped build-up the Latino community in the nation’s capital.

Covid-19, environmental impacts, and a generation growing up with cell phones in their hands at all times have led some to question the future of large stadiums for mass in-person events. Yet, the first view of a vibrant green stadium field and the roar of a crowd continue to create lifelong memories unrivaled by television or virtual reality. Please visit the National Museum of American History to learn more about the interplay of technology change with all aspects of our lives.