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Finding Aids to Official Records of the Smithsonian Institution Archives

Accession 12-554

National Museum of American History. Division of Political History

Exhibition Records, 1985-2012

Repository:Smithsonian Institution Archives, Washington, D.C. Contact us at osiaref@si.edu.
Creator:National Museum of American History. Division of Political History
Title:Exhibition Records
Dates:1985-2012
Quantity:2.5 cu. ft. (2 record storage boxes) (1 document box)
Collection:Accession 12-554
Language of Materials:English
Summary:

This accession consists of the records of William L. Bird, Curator, documenting his planning for and creation of the exhibitions "Holidays on Display" and "The Miniature World of Faith Bradford" at the National Museum of American History. "Holidays on Display," which closed in 2010, examined the art, industry and history of commercial holiday display that enchanted the American public from the 1920s through the 1960s. "The Miniature World of Faith Bradford," which opened in 2009, examines the life of Faith Bradford (1880-1970) and the miniature dollhouse furniture she collected and eventually donated to the Smithsonian Institution in 1949. Bird authored books for both exhibitions, "Holidays on Display" (2007) and "America's Doll House: The Miniature World of Faith Bradford" (2010), which are documented in these records. Materials include correspondence, memoranda, and notes; exhibition proposal; scripts; floor plans and design drawings; budget summaries; contracts and agreements; loan information; press releases; visitor comments; production photographs, negatives, and slides; exhibition books; object lists; interview transcripts; and meeting agendas. Some materials are in electronic format.

Descriptive Entry

This accession consists of the records of William L. Bird, Curator, documenting his planning for and creation of the exhibitions Holidays on Display and The Miniature World of Faith Bradford at the National Museum of American History. Holidays on Display, which closed in 2010, examined the art, industry and history of commercial holiday display that enchanted the American public from the 1920s through the 1960s. The Miniature World of Faith Bradford, which opened in 2009, examines the life of Faith Bradford (1880-1970) and the miniature dollhouse furniture she collected and eventually donated to the Smithsonian Institution in 1949. Bird authored books for both exhibitions, Holidays on Display (2007) and America's Doll House: The Miniature World of Faith Bradford (2010), which are documented in these records.

Materials include correspondence, memoranda, and notes; exhibition proposal; scripts; floor plans and design drawings; budget summaries; contracts and agreements; loan information; press releases; visitor comments; production photographs, negatives, and slides; exhibition books; object lists; interview transcripts; and meeting agendas. Some materials are in electronic format.

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Use Restriction

Restricted for 15 years, until Jan-01-2028; Transferring office; 3/13/2006 memorandum, Johnstone to Bird; Contact reference staff for details.

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Preferred Citation

Smithsonian Institution Archives, Accession 12-554, National Museum of American History. Division of Political History, Exhibition Records

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Container List

Box 1

Holidays on Display

Contacts, 2011

Box 1 of 3

Correspondence (general), 2002

Box 1 of 3

Notes, 2004

Box 1 of 3

Albert Bliss and the Bliss Display Company, 2003-2006

Box 1 of 3

Enchanted Colonial Village (Boston, Massachusetts), 2004

Box 1 of 3

J. N. Adams (Buffalo, New York), 2002

Box 1 of 3

Old King Cole (Canton, Ohio)

Box 1 of 3

Christian Hofmann (Germany), 2004-2006 (includes electronic records)

Box 1 of 3

David Coleman Interview (Pasadena, California), 2005

Box 1 of 3

Day-Glo, 2005

Box 1 of 3

Disney Company, 2003

Box 1 of 3

Dorfman Museum Figures, Inc., 2004

Box 1 of 3

Eisenhower Library, 2002

Box 1 of 3

Forsyth County, North Carolina, 2003

Box 1 of 3

Gardner Display Company, 2002

Box 1 of 3

Earl W. Gasthoff, 2003

Box 1 of 3

Guardian Industries, 2003

Box 1 of 3

Frank LaGiusa: General Electric Company, Nela Park, 2005

Box 1 of 3

Landy Hales

Box 1 of 3

Earl Hargrove, 2002-2007

Box 1 of 3

Myron Kaller: Night before Christmas, 2002-2003

Box 1 of 3

Cyrus Krake Interview (Minneapolis, Minnesota), 2002

Box 1 of 3

Gerard Lamparter, 2006

Box 1 of 3

Arthur Lavine, 2006

Box 1 of 3

Maryland Historical Society, 2001

Box 1 of 3

Pam Tobiason: Messmore & Damon Company, 2003-2008

Box 1 of 3

Mardi Gras, 2005

Box 1 of 3

Nantucket: Tony Sarg, 2006

Box 1 of 3

New York Times, 2002

Box 1 of 3

Russell Etling: Orange Bowl, 2006-2007

Box 1 of 3

Orange Bowl (Miami, Florida), 2002-2005

Box 1 of 3

Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters, 2003

Box 1 of 3

Please Touch Museum (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania), 2009 (includes electronic records)

Box 1 of 3

SI Horticulture: Enchanted Colonial Village, 1985-2005

Box 1 of 3

Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, 2002-2004

Box 1 of 3

Richmond Times Dispatch, 2005

Box 1 of 3

Margaret Uberman Interview, 2004

Box 1 of 3

Woodward and Lothrop, 1999-2004

Box 1 of 3

Gasparilla Parade (Tampa, Florida), 2002

Box 1 of 3

Tudor Towne, 1994-2004 (includes electronic records)

Box 1 of 3

Matt Offen: Valley Decorating Company (Fresno, California), 1997-2005

Box 1 of 3

Rick Walsh, 2002

Box 1 of 3

Vaughn Parade Floats, 2002-2005

Box 1 of 3

Princeton Architectural Press: Contract, 2004-2006

Box 1 of 3

Reproduction Requests and Permissions, 2002-2009 (2 folders)

Box 1 of 3

Book Manuscript (Long Version), 2005-2008 (2 folders)

Box 1 of 3

William L. Bird, Jr.: "Holidays on Display" Book, 2007

Box 1 of 3

Box 2

Reader Responses, 2002-2007

Box 2 of 3

Cosmos Club Historic Preservation Foundation's Annual Dinner: Guest Speaker, 2005 (includes electronic records)

Box 2 of 3

Exhibition Notes, 2002-2009

Box 2 of 3

Arts and Industries Building, 2002

Box 2 of 3

Proposals, 2008-2009

Box 2 of 3

Email Correspondence, 2006-2009 (4 folders)

Box 2 of 3

Funding (general), 2003

Box 2 of 3

Funding: General Electric Company, Nela Park, 2003

Box 2 of 3

Funding: Marshall Field, 2002-2006 (2 folders)

Box 2 of 3

Funding: Macy's, 2002-2009

Box 2 of 3

Macy's: Bill Tracy Research, Interview, and Notes, 2003-2004

Box 2 of 3

Production Budget Summaries, 2009

Box 2 of 3

Conservation, 2009

Box 2 of 3

Education, 2009

Box 2 of 3

Loans, 2009

Box 2 of 3

Script, 2009 (2 folders)

Box 2 of 3

Installation: Labels and Panels, 2008-2009

Box 2 of 3

Exhibition Photographs, 2009 (includes electronic records)

Box 2 of 3

Press, 2009

Box 2 of 3

Visitor Comments, 2009-2010

Box 2 of 3

Production Photographs, Negatives, and Slides (includes electronic records) (4 folders)

Box 2 of 3

Floor Plan, 2009

Box 2 of 3

Box 3

The Miniature World of Faith Bradford

William L. Bird, Jr.: America's Doll House: The Miniature World of Faith Bradford Book, 2010

Box 3 of 3

America's Doll House: The Miniature World of Faith Bradford Book Manuscript, 2009

Box 3 of 3

America's Doll House: The Miniature World of Faith Bradford Book: Timeline and Notes, 2009-2010

Box 3 of 3

America's Doll House: The Miniature World of Faith Bradford Book: Princeton Architectural Press Contracts and Correspondence, 2009-2010

Box 3 of 3

America's Doll House: The Miniature World of Faith Bradford Book: Photograph Production, 2009

Box 3 of 3

America's Doll House: The Miniature World of Faith Bradford Book: Readers, 2008-2010

Box 3 of 3

Exhibition Correspondence, 2006-2008

Box 3 of 3

Exhibition Correspondence, 2009-2012

Box 3 of 3

Exhibition Labels, 2008

Box 3 of 3
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Holidays on Display Exhibition: Plan Drawings (Arts and Industries Building)

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Holidays on Display Exhibition: Design Concept Package, 2009

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Holidays on Display Exhibition: 100%, 65%, and 35% Design Drawings, 2009

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Holidays on Display Exhibition: Installation Labels, 2009

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The Miniature World of Faith Bradford Exhibition: Case Upgrade, 2009

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The Miniature World of Faith Bradford Exhibition: Reinstallation, 95% Design, 2008

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The Miniature World of Faith Bradford Exhibition: Space Planning Proposal, 2009 (3 drawings)

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The Miniature World of Faith Bradford Exhibition: Installation Labels

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