The Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History will open a new exhibition on Thursday, June 18, to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the United States. Titled “From These Lands: Sharing Our Natural and Cultural Heritage,” the installation will present more than 600 specimens and cultural objects drawn from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and five U.S. territories.
The 5,000-square-foot exhibition will be on view through December 2029 and gathers items from the museum’s collection of over 148 million objects. Many of the artifacts have not been publicly displayed before. The collection aims to illustrate connections between people, geography, and the natural world.
“This exhibition brings the entire country into one gallery,” said Kirk Johnson, the Sant Director of the National Museum of Natural History. He added that the display offers a chance to observe the nation’s diverse landscapes and history.
A National Collection
The objects on view were selected by the museum’s seven research departments to tell regional stories.
Items will include a blue gemstone from California, a Northern bobwhite specimen collected by a young Theodore Roosevelt in New York, and traditional Samoan bark cloth.
The displays will also explore Indigenous heritage through items such as a Tlingit ceremonial hat and a dugout canoe from the Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin.
According to co-curator Torben Rick, the exhibition focuses on the theme of connection. “Visitors come to the National Museum of Natural History and get a chance to see themselves reflected in its stories,” he stated.
The exhibition will also incorporate interactive media. A series of animated maps called “Connected by Nature” will show how shared natural features cross geographic borders.
Another interactive display will allow visitors to create and send digital postcards featuring official state flowers, birds, and fossils.
Programs and Additional Resources
To accompany the exhibition, the museum plans to host a series of public programs.
A companion book and an online version of the exhibition will also be made available.
The project is part of “Smithsonian’s Our Shared Future: 250,” an institution-wide initiative for the anniversary.
