Skip to main content Skip to main navigation
heart-solid My Visit Donate
Home Smithsonian Institution IK development site for ODI
Press Enter to activate a submenu, down arrow to access the items and Escape to close the submenu.
    • Overview
    • Museums and Zoo
    • Entry and Guidelines
    • Museum Maps
    • Dine and Shop
    • Accessibility
    • Visiting with Kids
    • Group Visits
    • Overview
    • Exhibitions
    • Online Events
    • All Events
    • IMAX & Planetarium
    • Overview
    • Topics
    • Collections
    • Research Resources
    • Stories
    • Podcasts
    • Overview
    • For Caregivers
    • For Educators
    • For Students
    • For Academics
    • For Lifelong Learners
    • Overview
    • Become a Member
    • Renew Membership
    • Make a Gift
    • Volunteer
    • Overview
    • Our Organization
    • Our Leadership
    • Reports and Plans
    • Newsdesk
heart-solid My Visit Donate

Explore

  • Let's Go to the Movies
  • Early Movies
  • Silent Era
  • Golden Age

The Movies

Silent Era

The National Museum of American History is known for cinematic treasures such as Dorothy's Ruby Slippers from The Wizard of Oz (1939), but it also holds a remarkable collection of silent film artifacts. Made from the 1890s to the late 1920s, silent films lacked synchronized sound; live music and shots of printed text conveyed emotion and dialogue. These selected artifacts offer a glimpse into the early days of cinema as a global art and entertainment form.


  • National Portrait Gallery 30 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • National Postal Museum 12 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum 2 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • National Museum of American History 2 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • Photographs 15 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • Postage stamps 12 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • Drawings 8 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • Prints 5 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • Posters 2 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • Compacts 1 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • Exhibitions (events) 1 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • Exterior views 1 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • Jewelry 1 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • Mirrors 1 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • African Americans 1 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • 1910s 4 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • 1920s 14 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • 1930s 10 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • 1940s 6 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • 1950s 2 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • 1970s 1 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • 1980s 1 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • 1990s 9 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • 2010s 2 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • United States of America 12 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • United States 5 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • New York 3 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • North America 3 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • Kings 2 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • California 1 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • Colorado 1 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • Denver 1 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • England 1 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • Europe 1 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • National Portrait Gallery Collection 30 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • Currently not on view 29 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • National Postal Museum Collection 12 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum Collection 2 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • Popular Entertainment 2 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • 20th Century Americans: 1930-1960 1 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • Culture and the Arts: Entertainment 1 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • Director's Office 1 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • Drawings, Prints, and Graphic Design Department 1 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • Exhibitions Department 1 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • Women 32 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • Motion pictures 31 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • Arts and Culture 30 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • Entertainers 30 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • Portraits 30 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • Movie actor 28 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • Costume 17 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • Academy Award 14 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • Performing arts awards 14 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • Stage actor 12 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • Usage conditions apply 24 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • Not determined 16 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • CC0 6 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus

Filter Settings

Excluded:

  • Remove Topic: Men close

32c Charlie Chaplin single

29c Rudolph Valentino single

44c Black Heritage: Oscar Micheaux single

Dolores del Rio

Mary Pickford

Mary Pickford

Stakkels Johanne

Mary Pickford

Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford

Compact

29c Buster Keaton single

20c Douglas Fairbanks single

Clara Bow

29c Clara Bow single

Lillian Gish

Lillian Gish

Lillian Gish

Lillian Gish

Lillian Gish

Lillian Gish

Lillian Gish

Gloria Swanson

Gloria Swanson

Gloria Swanson

Gloria Swanson

Gloria Swanson

Gloria Swanson

PÅ OLOVLIGA VÄGAR

Gloria Swanson

Gloria Swanson

Gloria Swanson

Harold J. Kennedy, Francis Lederer and Gloria Swanson -- "Three Curtains"

29c John Gilbert single

29c Harold Lloyd single

29c Theda Bara single


  1. Current page 1
  2. Page 2
  3. Next page Next
  4. Last page Last
arrow-up Back to top
Home
  • Facebook facebook
  • Instagram instagram
  • LinkedIn linkedin
  • YouTube youtube

  • Contact Us
  • Get Involved
  • Shop Online
  • Job Opportunities
  • Equal Opportunity
  • Inspector General
  • Records Requests
  • Accessibility
  • Host Your Event
  • Press Room
  • Privacy
  • Terms of Use