Generally, the day after Thanksgiving is one of the busiest days of the year for Smithsonian museums. While some folks work off their turkey and pumpkin pie by hitting the shopping malls, others take to the National Mall and surrounding areas to view America's treasures. If you're one of those merry museum-goers this Friday, consider a visit to "The Great American Hall of Wonders" at the Smithsonian American Art Museum.
This grandly-titled exhibit celebrates the spirit of American innovation by exploring art, mechanical inventions and scientific discoveries in the 19th century. It also features a handful of lovely books from our very own Smithsonian Libraries' collections, such as Alexander Wilson's American Ornithology, or, The natural history of the birds of the United States.
American Ornithology; or The natural history of the birds of the United States , 1808-1814. Plate 6
Three other volumes on view are:
- Statistical atlas of the United States based on the results of the ninth census 1870 (1874).
- Report of the Geological exploration of the fortieth parallel . . ., 1870-1880, Vol 6.
- John D. Godman, American natural history, 1826-1828.
But you needn't hurry out on Black Friday to view the exhibit. It will be on display until January 8th of 2012. If you can't make it to DC, check out the Smithsonian American Art Museum's webpage for a slideshow and podcasts.
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