One of the most beloved attractions along the National Mall unveils a brand-new look this month. On November 21, the Smithsonian National Museum of American History reopens to the public, following a two-year, $85 million renovation.

The facelift includes a new gallery to house the Star-Spangled Banner; inside this addition, the flag that inspired the National Anthem is on display in a climate-controlled chamber with lighting designed to mimic “the dawn’s early light.” The museum’s entrance has been improved as well. Visitors will now come in through a striking five-story atrium illuminated by a massive skylight; the high surrounding walls are dotted with an impressive number of displays from the museum’s huge collection.

Other highlights include a new exhibition gallery, the Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation, where kids can find hands-on interactive exhibits. At the entrance to each wing on the three exhibition floors are cultural icons, including John Bull, one of the earliest steam locomotives used in the U.S.; a car from Disneyland’s original Dumbo the Flying Elephant ride; and a portion of the Woolworth’s lunch counter, site of the 1960 Greensboro sit-ins, a watershed moment in the civil rights movement. Learn more at americanhistory.si.edu.

Map by Steven Stankiewicz

 

There’s more to see next door in the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. In late September, the museum unveiled its largest exhibit ever. Sant Ocean Hall is dedicated to the geography, history, and creatures of the ocean. Displays include a set of 7-foot-tall prehistoric shark jaws and a model of a 45-foot-long right whale. The exhibit is one of only two places in the country where you can see a complete giant squid specimen. Learn more at mnh.si.edu.

 

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