Learn about the Great Blizzard of 1888, one of the fiercest East Coast storms ever recorded. As railroads drove western expansion, Buffalo Bill brought Wild West shows back east, hiring displaced Native people. The new science of archaeology engaged people’s imaginations with the deep past, in the midst of a rapid rush of new technologies and industries. Artwork of the time shows the connections between the first stirrings of modern art with art from Asia and elsewhere.
Explore items in the Smithsonian's collections related to the year 1888. The Smithsonian's collections represent our nation's shared history, art from across the globe, and the immense diversity of the natural and cultural world.