The Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History will open its doors to the public Friday, Nov. 21, providing a new look at the almost 200-year-old Star-Spangled Banner and a rare chance to see the White House copy of President Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address.
The reopening will mark the completion of a two-year, $85 million renovation of the building’s center core, dramatically transforming the museum’s architectural appeal while reorganizing and renewing the presentation of its extensive collections.
Visitors will enter a dramatic five-story sky-lit atrium, surrounded by artifact displays filled with more than 400 objects showcasing the breadth and depth of the museum’s three million objects representing the cultural, social, technological and political history of the United States. An architectural representation of a waving flag—960 reflective tiles made of polycarbonate material—frames the entrance to the Star-Spangled Banner gallery. The gallery itself is a climate-controlled state-of-the-art chamber designed to evoke the “dawn’s early light.” An exhibition that includes multimedia displays and historic objects will tell the story of the flag and the National Anthem.
“For people of all ages, a visit to the National Museum of American History can be a defining event—providing a deep and fundamental understanding of what it has meant to be an American,” said Brent D. Glass, director of the museum. “Millions of visitors will enjoy new opportunities to explore the American narrative and the core stories of our national experience in an inspiring and memorable setting.”
The renovation project focused on three areas: architectural enhancements to the center core, including a grand staircase and a skylight; construction of a new Star-Spangled Banner gallery and updates to the 44-year-old building’s infrastructure. Architectural firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP of New York designed the project and Turner Construction Company is responsible for the overall construction. New York design firms Chermayeff & Geismar Studio and C&G Partners are working with Skidmore, Owings & Merrill on the new gallery for the Star-Spangled Banner.
The Star-Spangled Banner
The Star-Spangled Banner will return to the heart of the museum in a dramatic new display that provides a contemplative setting for visitors. A 40 by 19 foot abstract representation of the flag will soar above the entrance and will be a focal point of the second floor. The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation generously provided $2.5 million for its construction.
A special enclosure, fronted by a 45-foot-long floor-to-ceiling glass wall, will protect the fragile wool and cotton flag while providing maximum visibility to visitors. The chamber’s lighting, mechanical, security and fire prevention systems, as well as the table upon which the flag rests and the new gantry (movable bridge) that museum staff will use to inspect the flag, are designed to work together to ensure the long-term care of the flag. All support structures and mechanisms will be hidden from public view and the flag will appear to be floating.
The 30-by-34-foot banner will be displayed at a horizontal orientation according to U.S. flag code and, in order to reduce stress to the textile, at a 10-degree angle of elevation. Low light levels will protect the flag yet are dramatic enough to evoke an atmosphere of the “dawn’s early light,” similar to what Francis Scott Key experienced on Sept. 14, 1814, when he penned his poem that became the national anthem in 1931. The room has separate environmental systems maintaining a constant temperature of 68 to 72 degrees Fahrenheit and relative humidity of 50 percent.
The first stanza of Key’s poem will be projected prominently on the wall above and behind the Star-Spangled Banner. An interactive image of the flag will provide additional information.
The Star-Spangled Banner Preservation Project is made possible by major support from Polo Ralph Lauren. Generous support is provided by The Pew Charitable Trusts, the U.S. Congress, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and the American Express Historic Preservation Fund. The conservation project is part of Save America’s Treasures, a public–private project of the White House Millennium Council and the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
The History Channel, a donor through financial contributions and in-kind gifts, will release a new one-hour special touching on the flag’s colorful history, including the specialized conservation treatment undertaken by the museum and the new high-tech flag chamber. A part of the channel’s “Save Our History” series, the documentary will air in November. -- www.americanhistory.si.edu
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