Description: The National Museum of Natural History (NMNH) first opened to the public on March 17, 1910, as the new United States National Museum. The National Museum was first housed in what is now the Arts and Industries Building. The postcards in this gallery provide exterior views of the building as well as images of exhibits inside the museum. We know that many of these postcards are
Description: The Smithsonian Institution Building, or Castle, was designed by architect James Renwick, Jr. Construction began in 1847 and was finished in 1855. The statue in front of the Castle, which is visible in many of these postcards, is of Joseph Henry, who was the first Secretary of the Smithsonian. The postcards in this gallery provide exterior views of the Castle.
Description: Although America declared its independence from Great Britain in 1776, Washington, DC, did not become the nation’s capital until July 1790. Today Washington is home to many historic national monuments and landmarks. The postcards in this gallery provide scenic views of a selection of these monuments and landmarks, including several of the Smithsonian’s museums.
Description: People use postcards to correspond with each other, but the way they have used postcards to communicate has changed over time. The postcards in this gallery show how postcards began as a quick way to send short communications between individuals, but have since evolved to be used for longer communications and for requests between academics. While the typical use for a postcard