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  • Let's Go to the Movies: Artifacts and Icons of the American Cinema
  • Early Movies
  • Silent Era
  • Golden Age

Let's Go to the Movies: Artifacts and Icons of the American Cinema

Since its birth in the late 19th century, American cinema has been one of the most powerful forms of popular art. American movies shape how the world sees us and how we see ourselves. The Smithsonian's National Museum of American History is home to an extensive number of objects and images related to film and television history, and more are being digitized all the time. The National Portrait Gallery features notable stars of the big screen. The National Postal Museum houses commemorative stamps featuring icons of film.


  • National Portrait Gallery 179 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • National Museum of American History 35 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • National Museum of African American History and Culture 16 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • National Postal Museum 14 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum 6 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • National Air and Space Museum 5 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • Smithsonian Channel 4 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • Smithsonian American Art Museum 2 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • National Museum of the American Indian 1 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • Photographs 138 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • Prints 22 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • Exterior views 21 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • Paintings 14 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • Postage stamps 14 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • Drawings 11 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • Posters 9 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • Cards (information artifacts) 5 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • collectible card 5 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • gelatin silver print 5 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • African Americans 18 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • British 1 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • Indians of North America 1 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
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  • National Portrait Gallery Collection 179 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
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  • Popular Entertainment 32 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • Culture and the Arts: Entertainment 17 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • Work and Industry: Photographic History 17 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection 16 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • National Postal Museum Collection 14 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • Movie Collection 13 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • Photography 13 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • Photo History Collection 9 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • Motion pictures 195 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • Arts and Culture 178 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • Portraits 178 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • Entertainers 175 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • Movie actor 136 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • Men 112 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • Performing arts awards 97 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
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Filter Settings

Excluded:

  • Remove Date: 1940s close

Stars of "Doctor Zhivago"

Brad Pitt

The Warner Mob

Bill Murray

Forest Whitaker

Poster for Black Caesar

Card, Commemorative, Movie, "Lost in Space"

Card, Commemorative, Movie, "Battlestar Gallactica"

Film poster for Cooley High

Film poster for The Exile

Film poster for Cleopatra Jones

Motion Picture Film Pieces

You Can Find the Oak Tree From 'Shawshank Redemption' Here

Movie Crazy

House for a Movie Star

Program from the movie, "The Endless Summer" released in 1966

Julie & Julia movie script

Poster from the movie, "The Endless Summer" released in 1966

A Boy in Front of the Loews 125th Street Movie Theater

Richard Burton

Colleen Moore

Dirty Dancing

Un Americano a Parigi

Johnny Depp: Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl

Indiana Jones Thermos

Marilyn Monroe

Textile Design: Hollywood Series, 1930

37c American Filmmaking: Behind the Scenes: Costume Design single

Stamp with portrait of John Ford smoking a pipe, in the background a man walks into western scenery

Forever Great Film Directors: John Ford single

Forever Great Film Directors: Frank Capra single

Film Series: Wizard of Oz

39c Black Heritage: Hattie McDaniel single

Script for The Wizard of Oz

Film still for Carmen Jones

Photograph for The Emperor Jones


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