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Unable to visit or missed seeing an exhibition before it closed? Many of our in-person exhibitions have online companions.

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• Subversive, Skilled, Sublime: Fiber Art by Women May 31, 2024 – January 5, 2025 Renwick Gallery
• Reckoning with Remembrance: History, Injustice, and the Murder of Emmett Till April 6, 2024 – September 15, 2024 American History Museum
• The Future of Orchids: Conservation and Collaboration January 27, 2024 – April 28, 2024 Smithsonian Gardens
• A Dark, A Light, A Bright: The Designs of Dorothy Liebes July 7, 2023 – February 4, 2024 Cooper Hewitt
• Reconstructing ‘Weatherbreak’ in an Age of Extreme Weather July 5, 2023 – July 27, 2023 American History Museum
• 1898: U.S. Imperial Visions and Revisions April 28, 2023 – February 25, 2024 Portrait Gallery
• Afrofuturism: A History of Black Futures March 24, 2023 – August 18, 2024 African American History and Culture Museum
• Smithsonian Stories: African American Groundbreakers March 6, 2023 – Ongoing S. Dillon Ripley Center
• Abraham Lincoln by W.F.K. Travers February 10, 2023 – December 31, 2027 Portrait Gallery
• Spirit in the Dark: Religion in Black Music, Activism, and Popular Culture November 18, 2022 – January 2025 African American History and Culture Museum
• Nature of the Book November 11, 2022 – September 3, 2024 Natural History Museum
• Outbreak DIY: Epidemics in a Connected World November 3, 2022 – June 4, 2023 Natural History Museum
• Developing Stories: Native Photographers in the Field November 3, 2022 – March 12, 2023 American Indian Museum New York
• Freer's Global Network: Artists, Collectors, and Dealers October 15, 2022 – Ongoing Freer Gallery of Art
• Destination Moon October 14, 2022 – Permanent Air and Space Museum
• Rallying against Racism October 1, 2022 – Ongoing American History Museum
• Before Nollywood...The Ideal Photo Studio September 27, 2022 – TBA African Art Museum
• We Belong Here: Marking the 50th Anniversary of Title IX June 23, 2022 – Indefinitely American History Museum
• Music HerStory: Women and Music of Social Change June 22, 2022 – July 21, 2024 American History Museum
• ¡Presente! A Latino History of the United States June 18, 2022 – Indefinitely American History Museum
• Designing Peace June 10, 2022 – August 6, 2023 Cooper Hewitt
• Capturing the Moment: Photographs by the Smithsonian Community May 3, 2022 – Closed S. Dillon Ripley Center
• Baseball: America's Homerun April 9, 2022 – January 5, 2025 Postal Museum
• Really BIG Money April 8, 2022 – Indefinitely American History Museum
• Baseball Legend Jackie Robinson's Jersey April 7, 2022 – May 1, 2022 African American History and Culture Museum
• Discovery and Revelation: Religion, Science, and Making Sense of Things March 18, 2022 – April 30, 2023 American History Museum
• The Tibetan Buddhist Shrine Room March 5, 2022 – Indefinitely Sackler Gallery
• Iké Udé: Nollywood Portraits February 5, 2022 – May 29, 2023 African Art Museum

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Virtual Tours

Schedule a free virtual tour for your group of ten or more adults. These live, interactive tours feature high-resolution images of artworks and provide online visitors an opportunity to engage in conversation with the museum’s docents. The tours are thematic explorations of both the museum’s permanent collections and special exhibitions. Using the online meeting platform Zoom, participants have the opportunity to examine and respond to exceptional artworks. These tours for adults are approximately one hour long and can also accommodate children. To schedule your adult group, please use the virtual reservation form . All virtual tours must be scheduled at least four weeks in advance. the request form .-->

Virtual tours for adults are offered in the following languages by request: English, Cantonese, French, Hindi, Japanese, Korean, and Mandarin.

Request a tour

Tour topics

New anyang: china’s ancient city of kings.

A Splendid Land: Paintings from Royal Udaipur

Art Across Cultures

Arts of the Islamic World

Cherry Blossom Tour

Chinese Brush Painting

Chinese Ceramic Art

Eat and Celebrate

Explore Buddhist Art

Freer in Egypt

Korean Ceramic Art

This docent-led online tour will feature works of art from the museum’s collections of Korean art. The tour will provide participants with the opportunity to take a close look at and gain an appreciation of the beauty of these artworks, including Korean celadon—one of the world’s best-known types of ceramics—while also learning about the history of Korean art and listening to interesting stories of how these works were acquired.

Nature in the Arts of Asia

The Peacock Room and American Art

Past Exhibitions

If you missed the exhibition when it was on view, you can still request a virtual tour.

Fashioning an Empire

One of our docents will share the art and culture of Safavid Iran (1501–1722), including textiles with sumptuous surfaces, original designs, and technical sophistication. These luxury textiles played a critical role in the social, cultural, religious, and economic life of Safavid Iran. Used for clothing, furnishing, and movable architecture, fabrics also functioned as important symbols of power and as ubiquitous forms of artistic expression.

The tour begins on March 1 to coincide with Nowruz, the celebration of the Persian New Year.

Hokusai and the Art of Japan

My Iran: Six Women Photographers

• Explore Art + Culture

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The collections and archives.

Looking for an object or work of art?

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Experience the museum’s collections in a deeper and more meaningful way. Our free, hour-long, on-site tours led by knowledgeable docents will inform and engage you while providing a unique look at the museum, and our free online tours bring the museum to you.

With a range of topics, there is something for everyone. Reserve your tour today to begin your journey of discovery.

On-site Tours

Enjoy some of the finest works of art on a free, hour-long, docent-led tour and learn about commonalities and differences in cultures, aesthetics, and ideas. No reservations required.

Please visit the museum’s events calendar for details of all tours currently on offer.

Review our visitor policies and admission information before planning your visit.

Walk-in Tours

Celebrate our museum’s centennial with a tour featuring Charles Lang Freer’s collection of Asian and American art. Join our docents on an interactive journey to explore the highlights of the museum’s outstanding collections , including the famous Peacock Room . No reservation needed.

Join a tour of the special exhibition Anyang: China’s Ancient City of Kings , featuring artworks excavated from the capital of the ancient Shang Dynasty (ca. 1250 BCE–ca. 1050 BCE), including jades and bronze vessels. Learn about the advanced technology of bronze casting, explore intricate and sophisticated designs of ritual objects, and discover famous “oracle bones.”

11 a.m.–12 p.m., first Sunday of every month; meet at the Freer information desk

We read books about the art we love, and we can explore so many materials online. But how much time do we get to spend with objects in person? And how will we see those objects differently when we use a pencil and a sketchbook—not because we are artists but because sketching can help us see and understand art traditions and artworks in a different way?

Join docent Sushmita Mazumdar every first Sunday of the month as she guides you to use pencil and paper to consider the unique ideas and expressions of Asian artists from various traditions spanning the continent across centuries. All materials will be provided. No reservation needed.

American artist James McNeill Whistler’s Peacock Room is a highlight of the National Museum of Asian Art, and his ideas and influence can be felt throughout the museum. Experience Whistler’s paintings, watercolors, pastels, and prints along with objects by Asian artists that inspired his style and subjects. Join a walk-in, docent-led tour to explore the many sides of Whistler.

The National Museum of Asian Art invites you to celebrate the women in our collection—ancient and modern, human, and divine. This docent-led tour will introduce you to influential women and their little-known stories.

Join our docents for engaging and collaborative hands-on activities that are geared toward families with children ages 5 and up. Exciting stories, scavenger hunts, sketching, and other activities will bring the whole family together to imagine, create, and learn.

Group Tours

You can schedule a private on-site tour for a group of ten or more visitors by going to the on-site tour request form. Please use the Notes section if you would like to customize your tour to feature specific topics or a special exhibition.

We also offer these tours in other languages: Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Hindi, Spanish, and Cantonese.

• Request a Tour

Self-Guided Visits

Groups with ten or more visitors are welcome to experience the National Museum of Asian Art as a group on their own schedule and at their own pace. Advanced registration is encouraged.

Bringing a self-guided group:

• Familiarize yourself with the exhibitions that will be on view during your visit.
• Review the “things to know” below.
• Complete the request form for self-guided groups at least one week in advance of your visit.
• See the plan your visit page for general information about hours, public transportation, and parking.
• Reserve a Visit

Group Visit Guidelines

Things to know.

• All groups must provide at least one chaperone per ten students. Chaperones must remain with their assigned group at all times and assist with encouraging museum rules, managing the group, and modeling good behavior.
• Please provide clipboards if students will be writing to discourage the use of walls and display cases as writing supports.
• Pencil is the only writing implement permitted in the galleries.
• Photographs may be taken of the permanent collections but not of loan objects or exhibitions; please be aware of “no photography” signage in the galleries.
• Please indicate any accessibility requests in the “additional notes” section of the request form.

Adult Group Tours

I agree to the following:

• The group leader/contact will respond to the tour scheduler in a timely manner to confirm the reservation.
• Arriving late for a reserved tour will result in a shorter tour.
• Arriving more than 20 minutes late for a reserved tour will result in cancellation. A new form will need to be submitted to request another reservation.

School Group Tours

• tours in some foreign languages (please specify)
• tours for visually impaired visitors
• sign language interpreters
• The group leader/contact will carefully read the written confirmation and logistical information, including which building the group should enter, that will be provided two weeks before the experience.
• To cancel or change tours, the group leader/contact should call the tour scheduler immediately at 202.633.1012. (For same-day or weekend cancellations and changes, please also call 202.633.0470.)
• The students participating in this experience are within the recommended ages listed on the field trips page .
• At least one chaperone must be provided per ten students.
• Chaperones will remain with their assigned group at all times.
• Chaperones must assist with encouraging museum rules, managing the group, and modeling good behavior.
• Students will not be given assignments by teachers or chaperones to complete during guided tours. (Docents will have activities prepared for students.)
• Food, beverages, and gum are not permitted.
• Please walk—do not run—in the galleries.
• Please do not lean on cases.
• Use your eyes, not your hands, to examine objects on display.
• You may speak at a regular level in the galleries, but please do not shout.
• Please make sure there is enough room for people to get around your group and through nearby entryways.
• When you arrive, all bags must be inspected.
• When you arrive, all student coats, bags, and lunches will be deposited into a large storage cart. If this is not an ideal situation, you may choose to leave these items on the bus. Contact us at [email protected] with any logistics questions.

Virtual Tours

Join a free, docent-led, virtual tour to explore highlights of the museum’s collections that showcase the richness and diversity of Asian art. Register here to select a date .

You can also request a free virtual tour for your group of ten or more adults. Our May schedule for reserved virtual tours is full. Please consider joining a public virtual tour in May.

• Request a Virtual Tour

Virtual Tour Topics

Anyang: china’s ancient city of kings.

Book a virtual tour of the special exhibition Anyang: China’s Ancient City of Kings , featuring artworks excavated from the capital of the ancient Shang Dynasty (ca. 1250 BCE–ca. 1050 BCE), including jades and bronze vessels. Learn about the advanced technology of bronze casting, explore intricate and sophisticated designs of ritual objects, and discover famous “oracle bones.”

Art Across Cultures

The creation of art is a universal human endeavor, but what connects artworks across cultures, and what sets them apart? Freer Gallery of Art founder Charles Lang Freer wrote, “For those who have the power to see beauty, all works of art go together.” The Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art is home to more than 46,000 objects, with strengths in arts of the Islamic world; the ancient Near East; South, East, and Southeast Asia; and the United States. On this museum highlights tour, your group will enjoy selections from diverse regions and time periods, exploring commonalities and differences in cultures, aesthetics, and ideas.

Arts of the Islamic World

The arts of the Islamic world encompass a great diversity of traditions far ranging in geography and historical period—from North Africa to India and since the advent of Islam in the late seventh century. The National Museum of Asian Art holds one of the country’s finest collections of arts of the Islamic world , with particular strengths in illustrated manuscripts and ceramics. Explore selections from the museum’s more than 2,200 Islamic art objects in an interactive online tour with one of our docents.

Cherry Blossom Tour

The revered sakura , or cherry blossom, has been celebrated in landscapes, figure paintings, and prints by artists from medieval Japan to Katsushika Hokusai and beyond. Long after the cherry blossoms fall in Washington, DC, you are invited to embrace hanami , the traditional Japanese custom of “flower viewing,” by going cherry blossom viewing in the museum’s Japanese art collections!

Chinese Brush Painting

In traditional Chinese literati culture, painting is esteemed as one of the “Three Perfections” alongside poetry and calligraphy. The Freer Gallery of Art houses one of the most important collections of Chinese painting outside of Asia, including masterworks and representative pieces from diverse genres and categories. In this online tour, participants will view stunning imagery and will examine refined brushwork in a selection of Chinese handscrolls, hanging scrolls, and more.

Chinese Ceramic Art

Ceramics is one of the most significant forms of Chinese art, and Chinese ceramics are among the most prized examples of the art form globally. A Chinese invention, porcelain ceramics are so identified with the country that they are still called “china” in the English-speaking world. The Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art houses an impressive collection of Chinese ceramics spanning more than four thousand years, from the Neolithic period to the early twentieth century. Highlights include works from renowned kilns and representative pieces from diverse genres and categories. Participants in this online tour will take a close look at beautiful ceramic works, gaining an appreciation of the creativity, artistic expression, and technical mastery of Chinese potters while also learning about the evolution of ceramic art in China.

Eat and Celebrate

Food is an important part of holiday celebrations throughout the world. You can join our docents to investigate works of art across Asia to discover how people in the past and the present celebrated through food and rituals. What foods were important and how they were grown or made? How and when were certain foods eaten? What special meaning did some foods have and why? What rituals and foods are still part of cultural traditions that people observe today? Explore food culture and celebrations through art.

Explore Buddhist Art

Encounter the beauty and diversity of Buddhist religious art across Asia on this docent-led online tour. From Buddhism’s origins in India and Nepal to its eventual arrival in Japan and Indonesia, participants can follow the journey of Buddhist art throughout the continent. This route features works from the exhibition Encountering the Buddha: Art and Practice Across Asia and selections from the permanent collections. Participants will receive an introduction to sites of contemplation and sacred power in Buddhist art and practice.

Freer in Egypt

In addition to his travels throughout East Asia, South and Southeast Asia, and West Asia, museum founder Charles Lang Freer visited Egypt three times between 1906 and 1909. Freer saw Egyptian art as an important part of his vision of universal beauty. His acquisitions included valuable Biblical manuscripts, glazed ceramics, glass, and other artifacts dating back thousands of years to pharaonic Egypt. Join your docent on this online tour to explore Freer’s vision, retrace his travels, and look carefully at the objects he acquired during his visits.

Korean Ceramic Art

The Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art houses an excellent collection of Korean art , especially ceramics. Charles Lang Freer (1854–1919), founder of the museum’s Freer Gallery of Art, acquired nearly 500 Korean art objects. When the museum opened its doors in 1923, Freer’s assembly of Korean art was considered unparalleled in quality and historical scope, and the collection has been expanded over the years.

This docent-led online tour will feature works of art from the museum’s collections of Korean art. The tour will provide participants with the opportunity to take a close look at and gain an appreciation of the beauty of these artworks, including Korean celadon—one of the world’s best-known types of ceramics—while also learning about the history of Korean art and listening to interesting stories about how these works were acquired.

Lunar New Year

Leap into the year of the dragon in 2024 with a virtual tour of our collections! On the tour, visitors will explore popular legends, learn to identify auspicious messages, and uncover the symbolism of animals, plants, and colors associated with the Lunar New Year.

Nature in the Arts of Asia

How are human relationships to the natural world expressed in art across cultures? How have artists throughout time celebrated the beauty of Asian landscapes? From flora and fauna to sea and sky, explore nature motifs in the museum collections in this online tour. Join our docents for an exploration of the natural world through art—perfect to get you ready for warmer weather and for being outdoors in the summertime.

Whistler's World

American artist James McNeill Whistler’s Peacock Room is a highlight of the National Museum of Asian Art, and his ideas and influence can be felt throughout the museum. Experience Whistler’s paintings, watercolors, pastels, and prints along with objects by Asian artists that inspired his style and subjects. Join a virtual, docent-led tour to explore the many sides of Whistler.

Virtual Tours of Past Exhibitions

If you missed an exhibition when it was on view, you can still request a virtual tour.

A Splendid Land: Paintings from Royal Udaipur

Immerse yourself in the ambience of an Indian city with a tour of the special exhibition A Splendid Land: Paintings from Royal Udaipur . Established in 1553, Udaipur was the capital of the Mewar kingdom in northwestern India. The exhibition features paintings commissioned by Udaipur’s royal court between the seventeenth and the nineteenth centuries. Colored with opaque dazzling pigments, these large paintings on paper and cloth feature topographical landscapes of Udaipur’s palaces, lakes, and hillsides. Join this tour of Udaipur’s painted world and experience the moods of its court ceremonies, festivities, hunting grounds, and temples.

Fashioning an Empire

Virtually visit the exhibition Fashioning an Empire: Safavid Textiles from the Museum of Islamic Art, Doha . View extraordinary seventeenth-century textiles, full-length portrait paintings from the Museum of Islamic Art, Doha, and beautiful illustrated manuscript folios from our collections.

One of our docents will share the art and culture of Safavid Iran (1501–1722), including textiles with sumptuous surfaces, original designs, and technical sophistication. These luxury textiles played a critical role in the social, cultural, religious, and economic life of Safavid Iran. Used for clothing, furnishing, and movable architecture, fabrics also functioned as important symbols of power and as ubiquitous forms of artistic expression.

The tour began on March 1 to coincide with Nowruz, the celebration of the Persian New Year.

Hokusai and the Art of Japan

The Japanese artist Katsushika Hokusai (1760–1849) is widely recognized for a single image— Great Wave Off the Coast of Kanagawa , an icon of global art—yet he produced thousands of works throughout his long life. Tour the former exhibition Hokusai: Mad About Painting , which featured works from the world’s largest collection of paintings, sketches, and drawings by Hokusai. The exhibition included works large and small, from six-panel folding screens and hanging scrolls to paintings and drawings. Together, these works reveal an artistic genius who thought he might finally achieve true mastery in painting—if he lived to the age of 110.

My Iran: Six Women Photographers

This online tour, featuring the 2019–20 exhibition of the same name, highlights Iranian postrevolutionary women’s photography in the museum’s collections. Discover nuanced and compelling stories of Iran through the contemporary lenses of Hengameh Golestan, Newsha Tavakolian, Shadi Ghadirian, Malekeh Nayiny, Gohar Dashti, and Mitra Tabrizian.

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Smithsonian Introduces New Augmented Reality Experiences

Use technology to view nebulae, learn more about the American Art Museum, and see a 3D version of The Last Supper.

By Maggie Roth April 22, 2024

A series of new augmented reality experiences at the Smithsonian allows viewers to experience science and history innovatively.  

Augmented reality technology lets users view virtual objects in real-world contexts through a smartphone camera. With these filters, you’ll look through your smartphone camera and see virtual images projected onto the space as if they were in front of you, allowing you to see the item from all angles in 3D.  

The Smithsonian has several artifacts available to be viewed through augmented reality , and there are some significant new additions. Recently, the museum debuted three new programs. These include an Instagram filter that shows off celestial objects, an augmented reality tour of the American Art Museum, and a digitized version of the statue The Last Supper by Akili Ron Anderson.  

The Temple of Invention Augmented Reality Experience  

At the Smithsonian Art Museum, a new augmented reality experience gives you the chance to learn about the building’s history as the home to thousands of patent models. Viewers meet historic figures and experience moments from the museum’s past, such as Clara Barton tending to Civil War soldiers and a fire in 1877. Participants will also collect virtual cogs throughout the museum to help “restore the heart of the temple” in the AR game.  

This experience is recommended for families and elementary school–age children. It is available until May 16. The experience is free, but registration is recommended . Participants should begin the experience at the information center in the art museum’s Luce Center to check out an AR device.  

Celestial Objects  

Users can use Instagram to view 3D models of nebulae and exploded stars right through their phones. The Smithsonian used data from the Chandra X-ray Observatory, the world’s most powerful X-ray telescope, to create models of objects such as IC 443, a supernova remnant 5,000 light years from Earth. The models are supplemented with text to explain each item. 

They can be viewed on the Smithsonian’s Instagram account and online .  

The Last Supper  

The Last Supper , a 1982 statue by Akili Ron Anderson, is now available to be viewed anywhere through augmented reality. This 3D model is part of the National Museum of African American History and Culture’s online exhibition Jesus’ Hair Like Wool , which “explores contemporary and historical depictions of Black Messiahs within American religion and popular culture.” 

Feature image of The Temple of Invention Augmented Reality Experience by Albert Ting

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Virtual Tour

Visit our halls anytime..

The Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History virtual tours allow visitors to take self-guided, room-by-room tours of several exhibits and areas within the museum from their desktop or mobile device. Visitors can also access select collections and research areas at our satellite support and research stations as well as past exhibits no longer on display. You can explore the virtual tours here.

Did you know?

The Museum virtual tour is composed of over 750,000 high definition images stitched together!

“Things to Do” 

• Watch narrated virtual tours of select halls.
• Explore teaching resources you can access virtually.
• Search our digital collections .

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Virtual DC Museum Exhibits

Take a virtual tour of dc museums to keep the learning going..

DC has a plethora of museums, including 17 Smithsonians. If you're looking for creative ways to get out of your house and into a new environment without actually leaving your house, we've compiled a list of virtual museum offerings in DC. You can take a voyage to space, see live animals, discover famous women in history or view the Hirshhorn's Sculpture Garden from a whole new perspective. Read on for more! 

National Air and Space Museum

The Air and Space Museum takes visitors to the sky, showcasing the amazing technological achievements that have progressed aviation and space exploration throughout the last century. You can explore more virtual exhibits online  and below, we've linked to in-depth pages on some of the museum's most famous artifacts and a virtual walk-through. Additionally, students and educators can access STEM resources .  

• Lockheed SR 71 Blackbird
• National Air and Space Museum Walk-Through

Smithsonian National Zoological Park

Flamingos at Smithsonian's National Zoo - Guide to the zoo in Washington, DC

Go wild with online resources from one of the nation’s most popular zoological parks. Explore more virtual exhibits at Smithsonian's National Zoo  and check out the panda cam below, which offers a look at Xiao Qi Ji, the newest baby panda! Students and educators can Follow That Bird!   

Live Cams  

• Giant Pandas

Ford's Theatre

A working theater, historical monument, world-class museum and learning center, Ford's Theatre is the premier destination for exploring and celebrating the life and legacy of Abraham Lincoln in Washington, DC. You can view their many online exhibits , including one that focuses on Lincoln's assassination, or peruse  online teaching resources . If you're missing the Theatre's live performances, settle in for some virtual play readings .

National Museum of Women in the Arts

The National Museum of Women in the Arts is the only museum in the world solely dedicated to celebrating the diverse artistic achievements of women. Check out virtual exhibits for Graciela Iturbide's Mexico   and Delita Martin: Calling Down the Spirits . There's also 'RECLAMATION: Recipes, Remedies, and Rituals,'  an entirely online experience that serves as an evolving exhibition of the power of food and the kitchen table. You can also search the museum's comprehensive online collection and peruse fascinating artist profiles .

Hirshhorn Museum & Sculpture Garden

The Smithsonian Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden displays some of the most unique artworks in modern and contemporary art, including painting, sculpture and photography. Explore the Sculpture Garden through the museum's virtual view 1 and virtual view 2 . The museum is also offering an array of  at-home activities  for kids and  virtual programs  for art lovers.

National Portrait Gallery

Tony Brooks

The Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery captures America through the imagery of remarkable people who have shaped history. The museum is offering a range of  digital programs  while its physical doors are closed, including workshops, in-depth chats with artists, storytelling for kids and more.

Smithsonian 3D

Smithsonian

A small group of technologists working within the Smithsonian Institution Digitization Program Office have brought the Smithsonian museum collections to life with 3D digitization .

National Museum of African American History and Culture

@jessipatel

The  National Museum of African American History and Culture learning lab offers students and teachers digital resources including imagery, essential documents and engaging videos. These materials bring stories to life and inspire readers to become agents of change. You can also browse upcoming  virtual events  hosted by the museum.

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, DC - Museums in DC

Fortunately, you don't have to venture to the Unites States Holocaust Memorial Museum to experience their latest exhibit, Americans and the Holocaust, which examines the motives, pressures and fears that shaped the American response to Nazism, war and genocide. Browse through a curated list of frequently searched themes . 

George Washington's Mount Vernon

Take a time machine to colonial times when you step into Mount Vernon’s virtual tour of its property. You can step into each building, learn what its use was to the Washington family and discover what day-to-day life was like. Little known fact: You can even see the key to the Bastille prison that the Marquis de Lafayette gave to Washington as a gift, which resides in the main entrance of the mansion! You will feel as if you’re receiving a solo tour of one of the most majestic sites in the DMV area.

Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History

National Museum of Natural History

You might recognize the necklace pictured above from a little movie that stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet called 'Titanic'. The Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History has this necklace on virtual exhibit for you to see and learn more about . You can also take a  virtual tour  of the museum, check out upcoming  video programs  and dive into the museum's trove of  educational resources .

International Spy Museum

Peruse the largest collection of international espionage artifacts online, some that have never been seen by the public...until now! If you're an educator or a student, you can also access their free activities and lesson plans .

Museum of the Bible

Museum of the Bible in Washington, DC - New state-of-the-art museum near the National Mall

The state-of-the-art museum has launched a video series and podcast while their doors are closed during the crisis. You can also take virtual tours of their galleries.

This historic museum  supported by the Daughters of the American Revolution offers online exhibits , a digitized collections database and games , videos , and school lesson plans .

The Phillips Collection

America's  first museum of modern art , which will celebrate its  centennial  in 2021, is currently open to the public and offering free admission. Make sure to read the museum's  COVID-19 protocols  before going. You can also join free online Phillips talks and other online events - check out the  calendar  - and shop the museum's  online gift shop .

National Geographic Museum

Immerse yourself in the awe-inspiring Becoming Jane exhibit, which has been converted into a virtual tour by the National Geographic Museum. Learn the incredible story of Dr. Jane Goodall and enjoy 360-degree videos. There's also an online showcase of the fascinating 'Women: A Century of Change'  exhibit .

National Archives

Even though you can’t currently visit the Archives, you can still browse through numerous collections of historical records and access millions of documents through the National Archives’ national network of online resources .

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Shining a light on the legacy of U.S. Latinas and Latinos 

Join us in exploring how Latino History is American History.

Explore " ¡Presente! A Latino History of the United States" in three ways:  

• Use the top menu to explore key themes
• Take a 360° self-guided virtual tour
• Explore an interactive map of the gallery    

Plan your visit to the Latino Gallery and learn more about Accessibility and Universal Design

Themes in ¡Presente!

Reexamine what you know about U.S. history by learning more about Latino identity, immigration, historical legacies, and how Latinas and Latinos have shaped the nation. Listen to first-person oral histories, examine 3D objects, dive into historical biographies, and explore some of the objects found in the exhibition to see how the past relates to the present. 

Latino History is American History  

There is no single Latino Immigration story. 

There is no singular Latino experience 

Latinos are Nation Shapers and Culture Makers 

360° Self-Guided Virtual Tour

See the gallery in virtual space!

Explore the "¡Presente!” exhibition in the Molina Family Latino Gallery as it looked when it first opened to the public. Since June 2022, we have rotated objects in the cases and welcomed visitors from across the United States and the world. Virtually experience for yourself "¡Presente! A Latino History of the United States".

Learn More about Object Rotations

Object Credit Lines

• Inditas Dance Regalia. Delilah and Chavela Trujillo (Abiquiú Pueblo), Abiquiú, New Mexico, 2021.
• Tortuguita . Jesús Barraza, 2017. Courtesy of Jesús Barraza
• The History of Mexico; The Great City of Tenochtitlan (detail). Diego Rivera, 1945. Courtesy of Diego  Rivera, Palacio Nacional mural, Mexico City, 1945
• Puerto Rico (inferred), 1200–1500 CE. Loan from the National Museum of the American Indian, Smithsonian Institution (23/6097)
• Mexico, 400–800 CE. Loan from the National Museum of the American Indian, Smithsonian Institution (23/2216)
• Costa Rica, 800–1200 CE. Loan from the National Museum of the American Indian, Smithsonian Institution (22/8837)
• Mexico, 1150–1521 CE. Loan from the National Museum of the American Indian, Smithsonian Institution (17/7363)
• Peru, 1100–1600 CE. Loan from the National Museum of the American Indian, Smithsonian Institution (11/1359)
• Gravure “Indiens timucua,” from Indorum Floridam provinciam inhabitantium eicones. Engravings published by Theodor de Bry, after watercolors made by Jacques Le Moyne de Morgues, 1591 CE. Courtesy of CCI / Bridgeman Images
• Black Chakwaina Katsina. Anthony Briones (Hopi), 2005. Loan from National Museum of Mexican Art Permanent Collection, 2006.15, Purchase for The African Presence in Mexico exhibition Uniform design “Black Militiaman from Puerto Rico.” José Campeche, 1785. ©MECD. State Archives (Spain)
• De Chino, e India, Genízara (From Chino and India, Genízara). Francisco Clapera, Mexico, around 1775. Courtesy of Denver Art Museum: Gift of Frederick and Jan Mayer, 2011.428.14
• Odesi. Manny Vega, 1990. Loan from Manny Vega
• Dance of native Californians at San Francisco de Assis Mission, California. Ludwig Choris, 1816. Courtesy of UC Berkeley, Bancroft Library [1963.002:1312-FR]
• Coatlaxopeuh-She Who Tramples the Serpent. Jorge Rosano, 1996. Loan from National Museum of Mexican Art Permanent Collection, 1996.37, Gift of the artist
• Puerto Rico, 1200-1500. Loan from the National Museum of the American Indian, Smithsonian Institution (3697)
• Possibly engraved by Joaquín Sotomayor, published by Joseph Bernardo de Hogal, 1737. Courtesy of the John Carter Brown Library
• Mexico, 1782? Autry Museum; 88.127.76
• Virgin of Monserrate (The Miracle of Hormigueros). Puerto Rico, late 1700s or early 1800s. National Museum of American History
• Santa Barbara. 1700s CE. Loan from Smithsonian American Art Museum, Teodoro Vidal Collection
• Oché Changó. Baba Ade Cola, California, 2010. Loan from Collection of Joseph M. Murphy
• Divination Tray (Opon Ifa). From the Yoruba people in Efon, Nigeria, West Africa, 1960. Loan from Fowler Museum at UCLA, Gift of the Ralph B. Lloyd Foundation
• 1686. Courtesy of the John Carter Brown Library
• Puerto Rico (inferred), 1200–1500 CE. Loan from the National Museum of the American Indian, Smithsonian Institution (23/6092)
• Po’Pay 2180; Leader of the Pueblo Revolt, Revolt 1680/2180 Series. Virgil Ortiz (Cochiti Pueblo), 2018. Loan from Virgil Ortiz, Cochiti Pueblo, New Mexico
• Pueblo Revolt 1680 Jar. Jason García (Santa Clara Pueblo), around 2018. Loan from Robert S. Peabody Institute of Archaeology
• The Opener. Jacob Lawrence, 1997. Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, © 2020 The Jacob and Gwendolyn Knight Lawrence Foundation, Seattle / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
• Primer centenario de la abolición de la esclavitud en Puerto Rico, 1873-1973 (First centenary of the abolition of slavery in Puerto Rico, 1873-1973). Augusto Marín, 1973. Courtesy of the estate of Augusto Marín, reproduction provided by Princeton University, Firestone Library
• Puerto Rican registration form for enslaved persons, Maricelle Ana and Mauricio. Puerto Rico, 1867. Loan from Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
• Autorretrato (Self-Portrait). Pío Casimiro Bacener, 1894. Loan from Smithsonian American Art Museum, Teodoro Vidal Collection
• Francisco Menéndez. Rafael López, 2021.
• Toypurina. Rafael López, 2021.
• Late 1600s CE. Autry Museum; 88.127.50
• Retablo of the Holy Child of Atocha. Rafael Aragón, New Mexico, 1840–1850. National Museum of American History
• The Good Shepherdess. José Aragón?, New Mexico, 1840–1850. National Museum of American History
• His-oo-sán-chees, Little Spaniard, a Warrior. George Catlin, 1834. Loan from Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Mrs. Joseph Harrison, Jr.
• San Miguelito Ranch Map: Monterey County, Calif. 1841. Courtesy of UC Berkeley, Bancroft Library
• California (inferred), around 1880. Loan from the National Museum of the American Indian, Smithsonian Institution (9/7331)
• Branding Iron. California. National Museum of American History
• Roping, Ninety-Six Ranch. Carl Fleischhauer, 1980. Courtesy of Paradise Valley Folklife Project collection, 1978–1982 (AFC 1991/021), American Folklife Center, Library of Congress
• New Mexico, 1600–1700. National Museum of American History
• Navajo women shearing sheep. Department of Defense, Department of the Army, Office of the Chief Signal Officer, 1900s. Courtesy of National Archives
• Diné (Navajo), New Mexico, 1865–1875. Loan from the National Museum of the American Indian, Smithsonian Institution (19/7319)
• Drawing of the Bay of Monterey, with a figure on horseback, from Alexander Forbes’ book, California: A History of Upper and Lower California. Alexander Forbes, 1839. Courtesy of California Historical Society Collection at the University of Southern California
• The Fitch-Carrillo Family. Rafael López, 2021.
• Uncle Sam with a Big Stick Political Cartoon. Louis Dalrymple, around 1905. Courtesy of Bettmann / Getty Images
• Albion press, Hopkinson & Cope. 1845. National Museum of American History.
• El observador mexicano (The Mexican Observer). (Phoenix, Ariz.). April 23, 1898. Courtesy of Arizona State Library, Archives and Public Records & Library of Congress
• Remember the Alamo? Eric J. García, 2021.
• Gertrudis Navarro. Courtesy of Prints and Photographs Collection, di_05370, The Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, The University of Texas Austin
• Gunpowder Horn 1837. Autry Museum; 89.28.1
• Juan Nepomuceno Seguín. Thomas Jefferson Wright, 1838. Courtesy of The State Preservation Board, Austin, Texas
• Tejano Stock Saddle. Texas, 1800s. Loan from TexasTejano.com
• Tejano Riata/ Leather Lariat. Texas, 1800s. Loan from TexasTejano.com
• Courtesy of Prints and Photographs Collection, di_03371, The Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, The University of Texas Austin
• Map of the State of Coahuila and Texas . Engraved by W. Hooker, 1833. Courtesy of Texas State Library and Archives Commission [01607b]
• Leather Jacket Around 1850s. Autry Museum; 90.107.1, donated by Mrs. Roblay McMullin
• 1848. Courtesy of ART Collection / Alamy Stock Photo
• “To Arms! To Arms! Volunteers for the Mexican War!” 1846. Courtesy of University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History
• Gate of Belen: Mexico, the 13 th September, 1847 Garita de Belen: Mexico, el dia 13 de Septembre de 1847. 1847. Courtesy of Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division [LC-DIG-pga-08752]
• Guerrilleros mexicanos (Mexican guerrillas). Around 1848. Courtesy of Division of Cultural and Community Life, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution
• Mexican Cavalryman’s Cuirass. Manufacture de Klingenthal, 1832-1839. Loan from the Missouri Historical Society, St. Louis
• Map of the United States of America. J.H. Colton, 1848. Courtesy of David Rumsey Map Collection, David Rumsey Map Center, Stanford Libraries
• Courtesy of Security Pacific National Bank Photo Collection, Los Angeles Public Library
• Doña Tules. Diana Bryer. Courtesy of Diana Bryer
• Straggling Emigrants: fall of 1849. Joseph Goldsborough Bruff, 1849. Courtesy of journal and drawings of J. Goldsborough Bruff, 1849-1853, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California [mssHM 8044 (123) 6715]
• American Progress. John Gast, 1872. Autry Museum; 92.126.1.
• Portrait of Pío Pico and Family. 1852-1854. Courtesy of Seaver Center for Western History Research, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County
• Pío Pico’s Telescope 1852–1892. Autry Museum; 93.21.13.2, acquisition made possible by the Ramona chapter, Native Sons of the Golden West
• Joaquin Murieta, 1859. Charles C. Nahl, 1859. Courtesy of UC Berkeley, Bancroft Library [1963.002.1321-FR]
• Poster Advertising the Display of Joaquín Murrieta’s Head. Autry Museum; 94.22.38
• Around 1895. Courtesy of History and Art Collection / Alamy Stock Photo [PBN5MA]
• The Squatter and the Don. María Amparo Ruiz de Burton (C. Loyal), San Francisco, 1885. Loan from the University of Houston Arte Público Press / Recovering the US Hispanic Literary Heritage Program
• Hanging of the Mexican woman [Josefa Loaiza]. San Francisco, Cal.: California Publishing Co., 1893. Courtesy of California State Library [(C)001541367CSL01-Aleph]
• Sin título [Rendición de William Walker] (Untitled [Surrender of William Walker]). Oscar Vargas González (attributed), 1982. Courtesy of John Mitchell / Alamy Stock Photo [AP93CX]
• The War in Nicaragua. William Walker, originally published in 1860.
• Bombardment of San Juan, Porto Rico [i.e., Puerto Rico]. Around 1898. Courtesy of Library of Congress [LC-USZC4- 8328]
• Sotero Figueroa. Rafael López, 2021.
• Cuba addressing Uncle Sam: “I come to buy, not to beg, sir,” a 1903 cartoon. William Allen Rogers, 1903. Courtesy of North Wind Picture Archive [SOCI2A+00039]
• School begins. Louis Dalrymple, 1899. Courtesy of Library of Congress [LC-USZC2-1025]
• Boy in Costume, Selling Food and Drink on Street Outside Wood Frame Building APR 1901. Helen H. Gardener, 901. Courtesy of National Anthropological Archives, Smithsonian Institution [NAA INV 04331600]
• Lucila Santoni (seated) and “la Valdinisa” de Ponce. Around 1910. Courtesy of Teodoro Vidal Collection, Archives Center, National Museum of American History
• Two Non-Native Women, School Teachers? With Schoolchildren, Outside School. Courtesy of National anthropological Archives, Smithsonian Institution [NAA INV 04357200]
• A native Porto Rican thatched hut. Around 1904. Courtesy of Library of Congress [LC-DIG-stereo-1s16234]
• El genio del ingenio (The demon of the sugar mill). Julio Tomás Martínez, 1910. Courtesy of the collection of Arnold Benus
• Yabucoa, Puerto Rico. Wife of a sugar mill worker who is on strike at the mill. Jack Delano, 1942. Courtesy of Library of Congress, [LC-USF33- 021493-M1]
• Handheld Drum. Puerto Rico, 1900s. National Museum of American History
• Machete National Museum of American History
• Motor and Pestle for Grinding Coffee Beans. Puerto Rico, around 1970. National Museum of American History
• Jataca or ladle Puerto Rico, mid-1900s. National Museum of American History
• Silver Soup Ladle. Puerto Rico, probably late 1800s. National Museum of American History
• Coconut shell spoon. Puerto Rico, late 1800s. National Museum of American History
• San Juan (vicinity), Puerto Rico. In a needlework factory. Jack Delano, 1942. Courtesy of Library of Congress [LC-USF34- 048414-D]
• Sewing Basket. Late 1800s. National Museum of American History
• Garment Iron. National Museum of American History
• Vergüensa [sic] Contra Dinero (Honesty versus Money). 1940s. Courtesy of The Luis Muñoz Marín Foundation
• 3c Puerto Rico Gubernatorial Election single. Post Office Department, 1949. Courtesy of National Postal Museum, Smithsonian Institution
• Luis Muñoz Marín, June 23, 1958 ( TIME Magazine cover). Bernard Safran, 1958. Courtesy of TIME, © 1958, TIME USA LLC, all rights reserved, used under license
• Albizu Campos Speaks: Habla Albizu Campos (Paredon P-2501). Don Albizu Campos (Artist), Jorge López
• Pedro Albizu Campos. Rafael López, 2021.
• Sanchez family. 1921. Courtesy of Anna Ríos Bermúdez
• Raft used by Cuban balseros , Around 1992. Loan from Anacostia Community Museum, Gift of Humberto Sanchez
• Around 1900. Loan from Anna Ríos Bermúdez
• Under the Texas Sun. Conrado Espinoza, Spanish-language edition originally published in 1926, English translation by Ethriam Cash Brammer de Gonzales, published by Arte Público Press in 2007.
• 4th of July from the south border. Felipe Galindo, 1999. © Felipe Galindo / Feggo
• Cuban refugees onboard the first Freedom Flight arrive at Miami International Airport, 1965. Courtesy of HistoryMiami Museum [1989-011-4510]
• Child Refugee Dress Cuba. National Museum of American History
• Pan American Airlines, United States, 1960. National Museum of American History
• Army Airborne Troops Frisking Suspect. 1965. Courtesy of Hulton Deutsch / Getty Images
• No Aid for Contra Terror. Mark Vallen, Shock Battalion, 1986.
• El Pulgarcito: Órgano informativo del Comité de Salvadoreños Progresistas (El Pulgarcito: Information Body for the Committee of Progressive Salvadorans). Vol. II, No. 17, 1977.
• Smith-Corona Coronet Automatic Electric Blue Typewriter. Around 1960. Loan from Mario Bencastro
• Odyssey to the North. Mario Bencastro, 1999.
• José González’s first communion day. Courtesy of Dr. José B. González
• Tampa: Impresiones de Emigrado (Tampa: Impressions of an Emigrant). Wenceslao Gálvez, 1897. Loan from the University of South Florida Libraries
• Black Cuban, Black American: A Memoir. Evelio Grillo, 2000.
• Grillo Family Photo. Washington, D.C., 1947. Loan from Rosa Grillo
• Evelio Grillo. Rafael López, 2021.
• General Store. 1920s. Courtesy of Anna Rios Bermudez
• A bracero stoops down with a short-handled hoe to cultivate a pepper field in California. Leonard Nadel, 1956. Courtesy of Leonard Nadel Photographs and Scrapbooks, Archives Center, National Museum of American History
• Braceros Listening to Radio. Leonard Nadel, 1956. Courtesy of Leonard Nadel Photographs and Scrapbooks, Archives Center, National Museum of American History
• Radio. National Museum of American History
• XLR8 3M hard hat painted by Elias Zapata, Eli’s Collision, Austin, TX. Loan from the private collection of María Rios, President + CEO, Nation Waste, Inc., Houston, TX, www.nationwaste.us
• Carolina Herrera, 1987–1992. National Museum of American History
• Sazón Garifuna food truck. 2020. Photograph by John Nova Lomax for the Brays Oaks Management District, Houston TX
• Teresa Ruelas (born Guerra). Rafael López, 2021.
• Teresa Ruelas’s Bible. 1989. Loan from the Collection of Abraham Ruelas, PhD
• Peru, 1923. Clotilde Arias Papers, 1919–1957, Archives Center, National Museum of American History
• Music sheet for “The Star-Spangled Banner” in Spanish, 1945. Clotilde Arias, 1945. Courtesy of Clotilde Arias Papers, Archives Center, National Museum of American History
• Demonstrators against bilingualism at Metro Center. Dade County, 1987. Courtesy of HistoryMiami Museum [1995-277-5100]
• Jairo Jaime Graduation Cap and Stole. 2019. National Museum of American History
• My Dreams Are Not Illegal. Yocelyn Riojas, 2017.
• Sneakers. Recovered from the Sonoran Desert, 2009. Loan from Undocumented Migration Project
• Backpack Recovered from the Sonoran Desert, 2010. Loan from Undocumented Migration Project
• MP3 Player Recovered from the Sonoran Desert, 2009. Loan from Undocumented Migration Project
• Celebración de 4 de Julio (Fourth of July Celebration) [screenprint poster]. Miguel Antonio Lebron, 1984.  Courtesy of Puerto Rico Division of Community Education [DIVEDCO] Poster Collection, Archives Center, National Museum of American History
• La Insurrección de los Reyes Magos (The Insurrection of the Three Kings) [screen print poster]. Antonio Maldonado, 1973. Courtesy of Puerto Rico Division of Community Education [DIVEDCO] Poster Collection, Archives Center, National Museum of American History
• Jesús Colón. Rafael López, 2021.
• Viajando con Mis Raíces (Traveling with My Roots). Samuel Miranda, 2010. Loan from Samuel Miranda
• Cuatro. Puerto Rico, 1900s. National Museum of American History
• Navy Starts Last Round Of Training Exercises On Vieques. Humberto Trias/Getty Images, 2003. Courtesy of Getty Images
• La Semana del Emigrante (Week of the Emigrant). José Melendez Contreras. Courtesy of Puerto Rico Division of Community Education [DIVEDCO] Poster Collection, Archives Center, National Museum of American History
• The Gathering. Hiram Maristany, 1964. Courtesy of
• Smithsonian American Art Museum, Museum purchase through the Smithsonian Latino Initiatives Pool, administered by the Smithsonian Latino Center, © Hiram Maristany
• Desde Puerto Rico A Nueva York (From Puerto Rico to New York). La Sonora Ponceña, Inca Records, 1972.
• Taller Boricua. Jorge Soto, 1974. Courtesy of Jorge Soto Sánchez, © Betty González-Soto, reproduction courtesy of El Museo Del Barrio (Photography by Martin Seck)
• Tracksuit worn during a 1995 performance. National Museum of American History
• Latin N.Y. 1977.
• Down These Mean Streets. Piri Thomas, originally published in 1967.
• Palante, Volume 3, Number 3. 1971. Loan from Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
• Sassy Girls: Puerto Rican Day Parade dancers on Fifth Avenue in New York in summer 2003. Wanda Benvenutti, 2003. Courtesy of Wanda Benvenutti
• Antonia Pantoja. Rafael López, 2021.
• Rising Up After Maria. Monica Paola Rodriguez, 2019. Courtesy of Monica Paola Rodriguez
• Raíces, historia y justicia latinas (Latino Roots, History, and Justice). Verónica Castillo
• Kite Flying on Rooftop [Boy pictured: Carlos (Charlie) Diaz]. Hiram Maristany, 1964. Courtesy of Smithsonian American Art Museum, Museum purchase through the Smithsonian Latino Initiatives Pool, administered by the Smithsonian Latino Center © Hiram Maristany
• Padre Varela stamp © 1997. © United States Postal Service, reproduction courtesy of the National Postal Museum
• En defensa de mi raza I (In Defense of My People I). Alonso S. Perales, 1936. Loan from the University of Houston Arte Público Press / Recovering the US Hispanic Literary Heritage Program
• First LULAC Convention - Corpus Christi, TX - 5/17/1929? Courtesy of Benson Latin American Collection, LLILAS Benson Latin American Studies and Collections, The University of Texas at Austin
• Leonor Villegas de Magnón and Aracelito Garcia with flag of La Cruz Blanca. 1914. Courtesy of the Leonor Villegas de Magnón Collection, Recovering the US Hispanic Literary Heritage Program, University of Houston
• Healthcare Icon photograph. 1980s. Courtesy of Dr. Martha Molina Bernadett
• Physician’s Bag and Stethoscope. Loan from the collection of Dr. Martha Molina Bernadett, daughter of C. David Molina, MD
• Opon Ifá divination tray. Adrian Castro, 1999. Loan from Adrian Castro
• Silver Opele divination chain. Adrian Castro, 1998. Loan from Adrian Castro
• The House on Mango Street. Sandra Cisneros, 1984. Loan from Susan Bergholz
• “Discrimination in the school system,” Report No. 1, Spanish American League Against Discrimination (S.A.L.A.D.), 1974.  From the Vertical File, Courtesy of the Cuban Heritage Collection, University of Miami Libraries, Coral Gables, Florida
• Carlos Cooks: Black Power. Moses Ros, 2013. Loan from Moses Ros (Suárez)
• Barbershop, Washington Heights, New York. Winston Vargas, 1961. Courtesy of Smithsonian American Art Museum, museum purchase through the Smithsonian Latino Initiatives Pool, administered by the Smithsonian Latino Center, and through the Frank K. Ribelin Endowment
• Activists in Puerto Rico raise their fists in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. Joaquín Medina, 2016. Courtesy of Joaquín Medina
• Jaime Escalante. Rafael López, 2021.
• Tinku Outfit. 1977. Loan from Julia García
• Rick Reinhard, 1987. Courtesy of Rick Reinhard
• Concert Poster. Printed by Woolever Press Los Angeles, California, 1950s. Loan from Mark and Dan Guerrero
• Around 1974. Courtesy of the Pura Belpré Papers, 1897-1985, at the Center for Puerto Rican Studies Library & Archives, Hunter College, City University of New York
• Teatro SEA, 3D printed reproductions of the originals made in 2021, costumes by Ingrid Harris, paint by Keith Saari. Loan from Collection of the Society of the Educational Arts/Teatro SEA, www.teatrosea.org
• Bananhattan, from the portfolio Manifestaciones. Dominican York Proyecto GRAFICA, Yunior Chiqui Mendoza, 2010. Courtesy of Smithsonian American Art Museum, museum purchase made possible by the R.P. Whitty Company and the Cooperating Committee on Architecture
• Primitivo Santos y Su Combo en Washington . 1967
• Dominoes. Acquired in 2018. Loan from HistoryMiami Museum
• The Poet X . Elizabeth Acevedo, 2018.
• Frank Espada. Around 1954. Courtesy of the National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution; acquisition made possible through the Smithsonian Latino Initiatives Pool, administered by the Smithsonian Latino Center, unidentified artist [NPG.2018.77]
• Latina Lesbians, Carla Barboza. Laura Aguilar, 1987. © Laura Aguilar Trust of 2016
• 1970. Copyright Joe Razo and Raúl Ruiz. From the La Raza Photograph Collection. Courtesy of the
• UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center
• White Shawl. National Museum of American History
• Boycott Lettuce and Grapes Women’s Graphic Collective, Illinois, around 1972. National Museum of American History
• NFWA leader Larry Itliong call out to scabs to leave struck vineyard near Delano. Ernest Lowe, 1965. Courtesy of University of California, Merced Library, © The Regents of the University of California
• Hijas de Cuahtémoc (Daughters of Cuahtémoc) Long Beach, California, 1971. National Museum of American History
• Boycott Non-Union Lettuce. National Museum of American History
• Boycott Chiquita. National Museum of American History
• Viva Kennedy . National Museum of American History
• Cubans for President Nixon. National Museum of American History
• Viva Reagan! National Museum of American History
• National Rainbow Coalition. 1983
• Recorded Live at Sing Sing. Eddie Palmieri with Harlem River Drive, 1972. Tico Records.
• Frank Espada, New York, 1964. Courtesy of Frank Espada Photographs, Archives Center, National Museum of American History
• Fighting for Gay & Lesbian Health . 1993. Loan from the José Gutiérrez Archive and Collection
• Roberto Clemente. Around 1970s. Courtesy of Focus on Sport / Getty Images
• Gay rights activists at City Hall rally for gay rights (Detail), 1973. Courtesy of the Manuscripts and Archives Division, The New York Public Library, photo by Diana Davies
• Dr. Roberto Davila. 2015. Courtesy of Dr. Roberto Davila
• Custom hand-painted Krooked skateboard. 2018. Loan from Mark Gonzales
• Judy Baca Brushes. Around 1980. National Museum of American History
• Judy Baca Boots. Around 2011. National Museum of American History
• Judy Baca. Rafael López, 2021.
• Love and Rockets #1 . Gilbert, Jaime and Mario Hernández, 1982.
• José Julio Sarria. Rafael López, 2021.
• José Julio Sarria blue dress. Loan from the José Gutiérrez Archive and Collection
• Rosa Cervantes U.S. Air Force Uniform. National Museum of American History
• Superman. Noé Reyes from the State of Puebla, Mexico works as a delivery boy in Brooklyn, New York. He sends 500 dollars a week. From the Real Story of the Superheros series, 2005-2010. Courtesy of the artist, Dulce Pinzón
• Sonia Sotomayor. Timothy Greenfield- Sanders, 2010. Courtesy of National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, © 2011 Timothy Greenfield-Sanders [NPG.2015.27]
• Rumba Dress. Sully Bonnelly, worn by Cruz at the 2002 Latin Grammy Awards. National Museum of American History
• Gwen Ifill: Black Heritage © 2020. Courtesy of United States Postal Service, All Rights Reserved, Used with permission
• Aviator’s Helmet. NASA, used between 1990–2007. Loan from Ellen Ochoa
• Borderlands/La Frontera: The New Mestiza. Gloria Anzaldúa, originally published in 1987.
• The Afro-Latin@ Reader: History and Culture in the United States. Edited by Miriam Jiménez Román and Juan Flores, 2010.
• Surviv e. Dangerhouse, 1978.
• La Horchata: En los tiempos de cuarentena (In Times of Quarantine). Issue #8, 2020–2021.

Explore the Gallery

Take a virtual tour of the Molina Family Latino Gallery.

Explore this interactive map to learn more about the features in the Molina Family Latino Gallery and content from the ¡Presente! exhibit. You can also explore the content through the legend on the right hand side of the map.  

Years in the making, the NPM Archives

By Mitch Toda , Head Archivist

National Postal Museum Archives Mission Statement

NPM Archives collects materials that strengthen and support the Museum's goal to be a global leader and advocate for the research, study, and exhibition of postal operations history, philately, and the mail. To this end the Archives appraises, acquires, describes, preserves, and makes accessible archival collections that document postal operations history, philately, the mail, and their roles in the United States and internationally.

The archival collection aims to represent the diversity of the lived American experience and be inclusive of its scope in terms of creators, collectors, subject matter, geography, time periods and media.

In the fall of 2023, I found myself embarking on a new journey at the National Postal Museum (NPM) to start their Archives! In this new role as the Founding Archivist, I was presented with the wonderful opportunity and privilege to build an Archives from the very beginning. It was to my great benefit that others had laid the important groundwork to call for and justify having an archive at the Museum.

While the Museum has held archival materials in its collections since its beginnings as the National Philatelic Collection at the National Museum of American History , the first proposal for the establishment of a NPM Archives was written on June 16, 2008 by Diane DeBlois and Robert Dalton Harris who were at the time members of the Museum Advisory Council. Also in 2008, a supporting archives assessment report was written by Nicole Osier, under the supervision of NPM Curator Daniel Piazza, as part of a practicum project for a graduate course on the Administration of Archives and Manuscripts at George Mason University.

From there a decade would pass until a 2018 grant application by Susan Smith, Winton M. Blount Research Chair, secured funding from the Smithsonian Institution Women's Committee for a survey and analysis of archival materials. The work for this was carried out by Allison Marsh, PhD, from 2020 to 2021 and provided the survey and narrative description, as well as a framework and recommendations for the creation of the archive at the Museum. Additional support for an archives came from the 2019 Smithsonian Organization and Audience Research report conducted at the request of Elliot Gruber, Director, "Collections and Preservation Department at the National Postal Museum: Assessment of Its Operations and Structure Benchmarked with Other Organizations" which specifically recommended that the Museum hire an archivist to manage its archival materials.

One of my first activities to start the NPM Archives was to determine how its collections and what it collects complements the Museum's existing collections. Marsh's survey and report provided great background information about the archival material at the Museum and was extremely helpful in beginning the work of creating a Collections Stewardship Plan for the Archives. The Plan provides a framework for what the Archives is, what it collects, and how it functions within the Museum. Elements of the Archives' Plan include identifying the types of programs supported by the collections, determining its audience, ascertaining the Museum collection strengths and weaknesses, ascertaining the subject areas collected, developing the collecting scope of the Archives, formulating the acquisitions process, explaining how collections may be accessed by public, outlining the deaccessioning process of collection materials, and laying out an implementation strategy.

The work to write the Collections Stewardship Plan was very much a collaborative effort between myself and the staff of the Curatorial and Collections Departments. It was also very much informed through meetings with various archival colleagues within the Smithsonian at the Anacostia Community Museum, the Archives of American Gardens, the National Museum of African Art, the National Museum of American History, the National Museum of Asian Art, and the National Museum of the American Indian. What I learned from my colleagues' experiences, their workflows, and their best practices influenced my formulation of the Archives Collections Stewardship Plan. After many months of edits, comments, and feedback the Archives Collections Stewardship Plan was approved in February 2024. With the plan in place, it was now time to start the process of implementing the plan.

When opening the storage cabinets in my space for the first time, lo and behold there were already archival collections waiting for me to work on! The materials are a legacy of past transfers of records from the Post Office Department to the Smithsonian. In learning more about the collections at the Museum and how the Museum functions, it was clear to me that the primary avenues of growth of collections in the Archives will come through a survey and appraisal of existing "archival" items as identified in the Museum's collections management system as well as through the ongoing offers of donations of items from folks to the Museum.

As with the majority of the archives at the Smithsonian I chose to manage and process the Archives' collections in the archival information management application, ArchivesSpace. With the application I can manage provenance and administrative collection information, collection locations, create finding aids, and can link to digital objects.

Currently there are three finding aids to collections available in the Smithsonian Online Virtual Archives and the Smithsonian Collections Search Center . The NPM Archives webpage went live in April and we are ready to begin welcoming people to come do research with us!

About the Author Mitch Toda joined the National Postal Museum in the Fall of 2023. He graduated with a Master's in Library and Information Science with a concentration in Archival Studies from the University of California, Los Angeles and received his B.A. in Art History from the University of California, Irvine. Prior to working at the museum, Mitch held positions at the Smithsonian Institution Archives, The Huntington Library, and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. He has the privilege of starting the Archives at the Museum and works to acquire, catalog, preserve, and make accessible archival collections that document postal operations history, philately, and the mail.

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The National Museum of Natural History (NMNH) is one of the most visited museums in the world and hosts more than 4.5 million visitors a year! It’s our job as museum educators to use our expertise to make these visits engaging and impactful. With our museum’s core mission of promoting an understanding of the natural world and our place in it, we leverage the awe and wonder of our collections and science to deepen experiences connected to the natural world.  Visiting the museum, you can expect a menu of programs that utilize objects from our collection of over 148 million specimens, as well as science tools, to evoke two-way conversations and hands-on explorations. Our museum is a unique space where visitors of all kinds, including teachers, students, and families can share their observations, questions, and ideas with us (and each other).

Sparking Connections and Inspiring Involvement

The 23,000-square-foot Sant Ocean Hall is one of the museum's largest exhibits, providing all who visit with a unique and breathtaking introduction to the majesty of the ocean. Opened in 2008, with essential support from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA), the hall's combination of over 600 marine specimens and models, high-definition video, a Science on a Sphere experience, and Explorer Theater, gives learners a multitude of ways to explore the ocean's past, present, and future.  The exhibit emphasizes the human connection around a central theme -- t he ocean is essential to all life on Earth, including yours. At one level, educators at the museum aim to inspire awe and wonder in ocean organisms and ecosystems, but we also aim to make natural history science accessible to everyone. This includes how we do science, who does science, and why science is important. To ensure opportunities for all learners exist, we connect the science concepts we teach with art, engineering, and technology.  

Some programs are specifically designed to help learners realize just how connected they are to the ocean – taking them on a journey to discover the important and often hidden connections, fostering a sense of caring, and inspiring action.  These programs draw from best practices in climate communication and our own institution’s Earth Optimism approach. Just getting ready for official launch after a year of iterative design and testing is our newest offering currently named The Ocean Around Us. During this tour, visitors stop at six carefully selected stations, chosen for the impactful stories of human connections that have applicable solutions. These include a stop at our leatherback sea turtle to explore the impacts and solutions to light pollution and Phoenix, our North Atlantic Right Whale, for a discussion on engineered solutions to whale entrapment. This tour encourages people to share ideas and ask and respond to questions, involves objects for tactile exploration, and highlights a range of solutions that can be applied by anyone living anywhere. Similarly, our facilitated Science on a Sphere programs explore different global data sets that show how and why our Earth is changing and are used to foster conversations about the patterns revealed and what we can do about it.

Bringing Learners Face-to-Face with the Experts

Some of our signature programs connect visitors directly with scientists and other ocean-related experts such as artists, educators, and engineers, creating unique opportunities to interact with people they might never meet otherwise. These programs not only elevate the museum’s science, they also expose a multitude of career pathways, emphasize the importance of STEAM, and challenge common misconceptions about science and scientists, making science more accessible in a variety of ways. The Expert is In programs feature our own scientists, post-doctoral students, interns, and collaborators who bring their own objects and objectives to the museum floor.  In other spaces, like the Explorer Theater, we host Ship to Shore broadcasts to researchers at sea who study a range of topics from deep sea coral species to impacts of climate change that are driven by visitor questions.  In this space, we also test out a range of innovative programs centered around the work of experts.

Finding Your Blue from Anywhere

For those who can’t journey to the museum in Washington, D.C., our online programs offer many options. There are Self-Navigating Virtual Tours  with 360° views, and Narrated Virtual Tours that provide an overview of the Ocean Hall, and share stories around several other select exhibits. We also offer one designed specifically for students , a collaboration that visits five of the Sant Ocean Hall “giants” and goes behind the scenes to see living jellyfish with Zoologist Allen Collins. Finally, the Ocean Portal supports the Smithsonian’s Ocean Initiative and serves as a virtual connection to everything related to the ocean – unusual and everyday organisms, ocean-inspired art, and researchers devoting their lives to exploring this mysterious ecosystem. This Earth Month, consider ways that you might learn more about our ocean planet and inspire conservation actions, both big and small.   

Carla Easter | READ MORE

Dr. Carla Easter is the museum’s first Broh-Kahn Weil Director of Education. She supports the educators who develop and deploy the museum’s digital and onsite educational and community programming, welcome and engage visitors, and operate the Insect Zoo, Butterfly Pavilion, and Q?rius, the Coralyn W. Whitney Science Education Center.

Jennifer Collins | READ MORE

Jennifer Collins is the museum’s Learning Experience Manager for Exhibits and Initiatives. She leads teams that engage different audiences in natural history science and serves on different exhibit design teams.