Page 81 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Washington, DC

NA TIONAL MUSEUM OF A MERIC AN HIST OR Y  79

in the East Wing. It explores
the nation’s military history,
from the French and Indian
War in the 1750s to recent
conflicts in Afghanistan and
Iraq. The exhibition features a
restored Vietnam-era Huey
helicopter, uniforms from the
Civil War, a World War II jeep,
and General Colin Powell’s
battle dress uniform from
Operation Desert Storm.
The gunboat Philadelphia
is located on the third floor.
Sunk by the British in 1776,
the 54-ft (16-m), 29-ton timber
The kitchen of 16 Elm Street, rebuilt in the museum as it was in the 1940s boat rested on the bottom of
Lake Champlain until it was
include such iconic items as such things as anniversaries, found and recovered in 1935.
Dorothy’s sequin-covered ruby new acquisitions, and various The American Presidency:
slippers as worn by Judy research projects under taken A Glorious Burden displays
Garland in The Wizard of by the museum. over 400 objects that represent
Oz, the rarely displayed In the East Wing the lives and office of the presi-
walking stick used by of the second floor, dency. Artifacts include the
Benjamin Franklin, visitors can see the portable desk on which Thomas
Abraham Lincoln’s Star-Spangled Banner Jefferson wrote the Declaration
gold pocket watch, that flew over Fort of Independence, and the top
Muhammad Ali’s McHenry in 1814 and hat worn by President Lincoln
boxing gloves, and inspired Francis Scott the night he was shot.
a fragment of Key to write the lyrics Also here is a delightful teddy
Plymouth rock. that were later to bear. The name of the bear was
Through a chrono- become the national inspired by President Theodore
logical look at the anthem. Also on the “Teddy” Roosevelt, who, while
people, inventions, Teddy Bear, dating second floor are out hunting one day, refused to
issues, and events from 1903 rotating exhibits on shoot a bear cub that had been
that shaped the African-American captured for him. A cartoon
American experience, American history and culture. appeared in the Washington
Stories serves as a fascinating Post the next day, which inspired
intro duction to the history of the production of a range of
the United States. Third Floor bears, named Teddy Bears.
The West Wing also contains One of the
Within These Walls... This museum’s most
exhibition tells the story of popular exhibits,
American history through where fashion meets
the domestic lives of the history: The First
five families who lived at Ladies is a collection
16 Elm Street in Ipswich, of gowns worn by
Massachusetts, from the some of the nation’s
mid-1760s to 1945. During most iconic
its 200-year history, this extra- presidential wives.
ordinary house witnessed such The collec tion
momentous events as American includes Michelle
colonists forging a new way of Obama’s white
living, the birth of a revolution, chiffon gown
community activists united worn to the 2009
against slavery, a family on inaugural ball. It was
the home front in World War II, made by a relatively
and more. unknown designer,
Also on the second floor Jason Wu.
visitors can also explore a The largest
series of “artifact walls”, 275 ft exhibition on this
(84 m) of glass-fronted cases floor is The Price
lining the museum’s center of Freedom:
core. The walls highlight Americans at War Office of War information poster

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