Past Exhibitions | Smithsonian Institution

Coal Miner's Safety Lamps

See examples of acetylene gas lamps used by coal miners from 1890-1954.

October 1, 1973 – October 31, 1973

Metal Work

See examples of the works of Keyser Brothers' metal workers and iron craftsmen of Philadelphia, and examples of their tools.

October 1, 1973 – October 31, 1973

American History Museum

19th Century Wood Type

See some 30 examples of wood type which was used in the 19th century along with advertising from the job printer's trade.

October 1, 1973 – October 31, 1973

American History Museum

Form and Fire: Natzler Ceramics 1939-1972

See the Museum's first major exhibition of 20th century ceramics in a retrospective showing of 174 objects created in collaboration by Gertrude and Otto Natzler.

July 26, 1973 – October 21, 1973

Renwick Gallery

Polish Graphic Arts

View 12 posters celebrating the 500th anniversary of Copernicus' birth.

April 6, 1973 – October 15, 1973

American History Museum

Labor Day

Highlight the history of the Labor Movement with slides of machines that show the difference between manual and machine-driven production.

August 1, 1973 – September 30, 1973

American History Museum

Glass-Enclosed Beehive

The queen bee is circled in red in the observation beehive, an annual warm-weather exhibit.

June 1, 1973 – September 30, 1973

American History Museum

Krause Paintings

Admire about 20 paintings of plant life by Erik Hans Krause, artist-naturalist -- some representational, some abstract,

August 24, 1973 – September 28, 1973

Natural History Museum

American Coverlets

Enjoy the beautiful, utilitarian art form shown by 15 woven American coverlets, and 13 color reproductions and text panels.

May 11, 1973 – September 16, 1973

Renwick Gallery

View some 150 items, mostly letters, written by Dr. Fitzwilliam Sargent, a prominent surgeon who spent most of his life in Europe, to relatives in America about the personal and artistic development of his artist son, John Singer Sargent.

September 1, 1973 – September 15, 1973

Portrait Gallery

High School Graphics III

Visit the third annual exhibition of graphics by students of D.C. public high schools. Sponsored by NCFA*.

May 6, 1973 – September 13, 1973

American Art Museum

The Arts and Crafts Movement in America, 1876-1916

See the first major exhibition to feature the American Arts and Crafts Movement, which developed as a protest against the general decline in craftsmanship that resulted from the machine age.

June 1, 1973 – September 9, 1973

Renwick Gallery

If We're So Good, Why Aren't We Better?

Enjoy a delightful and instructive encounter with America's pursuit of productivity.

December 20, 1972 – September 7, 1973

American History Museum

Catlin's Indians

Visit a gallery of art by George Catlin. About 30 paintings of Indians and Western scenes are on view.

February 1, 1973 – September 6, 1973

American Art Museum

Lilly Martin Spencer (1822-1902): The Joys of Sentiment

See the first exhibition of the works of one of America's formost 19th century woman artists, including some 30 paintings, 28 drawings and 10 prints, all of pretty, sentimental and anecdotal subjects.

June 15, 1973 – September 3, 1973

American Art Museum

Divergent Representation: Five Contemporary Artists

Focus on the very divergent directions of these 5 representational American artists - Joseph Shannon, Robert Gordy, Ralph Goings, Gage Taylor and Darryl Abraham.

June 15, 1973 – September 3, 1973

American Art Museum

Mrs. Julian James

See examples of the contributions (her gift founded the costume collection) of this early Smithsonian benefactress, such as silver, jewelry, and furniture.

August 1, 1973 – August 31, 1973

American History Museum

Fire Fighting Memorbilia

From the Division of Transportation come examples of equipment used by fire fighters in parades, such as torches and hats.

August 1, 1973 – August 31, 1973

American History Museum

Geometric Models

See 3-dimensional paper or plastic models from the collection of A. Harry Wheeler, teacher and professor in Worcester, MA.

August 1, 1973 – August 31, 1973

American History Museum

Women in Politics

The role of women is traced from supportive to active, through the suffrage struggle to current activities.

August 1, 1973 – August 31, 1973

American History Museum

Shaving Through the Ages

Trace the history of shaving from the shark's teeth used by cavemen to the razors used today.

June 4, 1973 – August 31, 1973

American History Museum

Baskets

View 19th century woven baskets, some of them patented, made of a variety of materials.

August 1, 1973 – August 31, 1973

American History Museum

Fourth of July

Objects and music set the mood of the holiday; a color slide presentation guides the visitor to exhibits of interest inside the museum.

July 1, 1973 – August 15, 1973

American History Museum

Five Years Later

The 5th anniversary of the founding of the Federal City College Art Department is celebrated in a two-room environmental production: paintings, sculptures, prints, drawings, ceramics and photos are blended with tape-recorded sounds, real city objects and projected images.

June 25, 1973 – August 5, 1973

American Art Museum

A Measure of Beauty: The Diffusion of Style in Early 19th-Century America

Visit about 80 prints, drawings, watercolors, bank notes, bandboxes and pieces of wallpaper by artists of the early 1800s, who emulated the standards of the antique works of Greece and Rome.

July 6, 1973 – August 5, 1973

American Art Museum