Legacies: Collecting America's History at the Smithsonian [FIRST EDITION, FIRST PRINTING]

Lubar, Steven; Kendrick, Kathleen M.

Published by Smithsonian Institution Press in association with the National Museum of American History, Behring Center, Washington, 2001

About this Item

Fine condition oversized (12 inches tall) color photographic stiff semi-hard softcover wraps. Includes Foreword by Spencer R. Crew; Acknowledgments; Introduction: What is Worth Saving?; Notes; Further Reading; Photograph Credits; and Index. Profusely illustrated with both black-and-white photographs and color photographs. "The Smithsonian Institution has been America's museum since 1846. What do its vast collections - from the ruby slippers to a piece of Plymouth Rock, first ladies' gowns to patchwork quilts, a Model T Ford to a customized Ford LTD low rider - tell Americans about themselves? In this lavishly illustrated guide to the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History, Steven Lubar and Kathleen M. Kendrick tell the stories behind more than 250 of the museum's treasures, many of them never before photographed for publication. These stories not only reveal what America as a nation has decided to save and why but also speak to changing visions of national identity. As the authors demonstrate, views of history change over time, methods of historical investigation evolve and improve, and Americans' understanding of the past matures. Shifts in focus and attitude lie at the heart of Legacies, which is organized around four concepts of what a national museum of history can be: a treasure houses, a shrine to the famous, a palace of progress, and a mirror of the nation. Thus, the museum collects cherished or precious objects, houses celebrity memorabilia, documents technological advances, and reflects visitors' own lives. Taking examples from science and technology, politics, decorative arts, military history, ethnic heritage, popular culture, and everyday life, the authors provide historical context for the work of the Smithsonian and shed new light on what is important, and who is included, in American history. Throughout its history, Lubar and Kendrick conclude, the museum has played a vital role in both shaping and reflecting America's sense of itself as a nation." - Excerpt from the inner front jacket flap. Seller Inventory # 002094

Bibliographic Details

Title: Legacies: Collecting America's History at ...

Publisher: Smithsonian Institution Press in association with the National Museum of American History, Behring Center, Washington

Publication Date: 2001

Binding: Soft cover

Condition: Fine

Edition: 1st Edition