Accession 18-140

National Museum of American History. Division of Work and Industry

Exhibition Records, 1960, 1981, 1998-2012

Descriptive Entry

This accession consists of records that document planning, development and production activities for the exhibitions "On Time" and "Robots on the Road: Stanley," as well as the Halls of Timekeeping and Light Machinery at the National Museum of American History, and when the museum was known as the Museum of History and Technology. Earlier records date back to when the Division of Work and Industry was known as the Division of Mechanical and Civil Engineering, the Division of Mechanisms, and the Division of the History of Technology. Staff represented in these records include curators Edwin A. Battison and Carlene E. Stephens. The exhibition "On Time" examined the ways Americans measured, used, and thought of time over the last 300 years, beginning with biological rhythms and environmental clues to our current reliance on clocks and watches. "Robots on the Road: Stanley," which was added to the exhibition "Science in American Life" in 2008, featured a robot car named "Stanley" that offered a glimpse into the future of smart cars.

Materials include correspondence; agreements; budget summaries; scripts; floor plans and drawings; visitor comments; a press kit; brochures; object lists; photographs; and ephemera. Some materials are in electronic format.

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Restrictions

Restricted for 15 years. until Jan-01-2028; Transferring office; 2/1/2011 memorandum, Johnstone to Jones; Contact reference staff for details.

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Index Terms

This collection is indexed under the following access terms. These are links to collections with related topics, persons or places.

Name

• Battison, Edwin A.
• Museum of History and Technology (U.S.)
• Museum of History and Technology (U.S.). Division of Mechanical and Civil Engineering
• National Museum of American History (U.S.). Division of Mechanisms
• National Museum of American History (U.S.). Division of the History of Technology
• National Museum of American History (U.S.). Hall of Light Machinery
• National Museum of American History (U.S.). Hall of Timekeeping
• On Time (Exhibition) (1999-2006: Washington, D.C.)
• Robots on the Road: Stanley (Exhibition) (2008-2012: Washington, D.C.)
• Science in American Life (Exhibition) (1994-2011: Washington, D.C.)
• Stephens, Carlene E., 1949-

Subject

• Autonomous vehicles
• Clocks and watches
• Museum curators
• Museum exhibits
• Scientific apparatus and instruments
• Technology -- History

Physical Characteristics of Materials in the Collection

• Brochures
• Color negatives
• Color photographs
• Digital versatile discs
• Drawings
• Electronic records
• Ephemera
• Floor plans
• Manuscripts

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Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Smithsonian Institution Archives, Accession 18-140, National Museum of American History. Division of Work and Industry, Exhibition Records

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