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Welcome to American History
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The museum's world class collections help tell the complex history of our nation. We are located on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.
Open today 10:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
[Plan Your Visit](/visit)
[Explore Food History](/explore/exhibitions/food)
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From the impact of new technologies to the influence of social and cultural changes, _FOOD: Transforming the American Table_ explores the transformation of food and drink in post-World War II America. Julia Child’s home kitchen—with its hundreds of tools, appliances, and furnishings—begins an experience of artifacts, documents, videos, and stories about sweeping changes from 1945 into the new century.
[Visit the FOOD Exhibition](/explore/exhibitions/food)
### Stories
* [“Chocolate is a Fighting Food!”: Chocolate bars in the Second World War](/explore/stories/chocolate-fighting-food-chocolate-bars-second-world-war)
Article
* [Grape gluts and Mother Clones: Prohibition and American wine](/explore/stories/grape-gluts-and-mother-clones-prohibition-and-american-wine)
Article
* [Postwar potluck: Grilling out, convenience cooking, and other 1950s food trends](/explore/stories/postwar-potluck-grilling-out-convenience-cooking-and-other-1950s-food-trends)
Article
[View More Stories](/explore/stories)
### Objects from the Collections
### [Concepción “Concha” Sanchez's apron](https://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/nmah_1322194)
When her family's grocery store faltered in the Great Depression, Concha supported her loved ones by creating a tortilleria. She wore this cotton apron while making tortillas in her small neighborhood business.
### [Charlie Papazian's spoon](https://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/nmah_1862566)
From the 1970s onward, generations of homebrewers looked to Charlie Papazian for guidance as they worked to invent flavorful beers at home. He used this wooden spoon in his teaching demonstrations.
### [Anne L. Bernat's casserole dish](https://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/nmah_1425270)
In 1967, Anne L. Bernat received a set of CorningWare® dishes as a wedding present. Decades later, she still used pieces from the set to heat, serve, and store casseroles and other foods.
[Browse All Collections](/collections/search)
**As the nation’s history museum,** we empower people to create a just and compassionate future by exploring, preserving, and sharing the complexity of our past.
[About Our Mission](/about)
Featured Events
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* ### [The Power of Giving: Women in Philanthropy](/events/calendar/power-giving-women-philanthropy)
Wednesday, March 12, 2025
* ### [History Film Forum presents "Change, Not Charity: The Americans with Disabilities Act"](/events/calendar/history-film-forum-presents-change-not-charity-americans-disabilities-act)
Thursday, March 13, 2025
[View All Events](/events/calendar)
Dive Into Exhibitions
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### [The American Presidency](/explore/exhibitions/american-presidency)
#### A Glorious Burden
More than 900 objects, including national treasures from the Smithsonian’s vast presidential collections, bring to life the role of the presidency in American culture.
On View 3 Center
Online
### [American Enterprise](/explore/exhibitions/american-enterprise)
American Enterprise chronicles the tumultuous interaction of capitalism and democracy that resulted in the continual remaking of American business—and American life.
On View 1 West
Online
### [American Democracy](/explore/exhibitions/american-democracy)
#### A Great Leap of Faith
American Democracy: A Great Leap of Faith explores the history of citizen participation, debate, and compromise from the nation’s formation to today.
On View 2 West
Online
[Explore All Exhibitions](/explore/exhibitions?search_api_fulltext=&field_exhibit_type%5B670%5D=670)
Meet Food Innovators
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### [Grace Young](/explore/topics/food/cooking-up-history/cooking-history-preserving-wisdom-chinese-kitchen)
### [Lena Richard](/explore/stories/chef-lena-richard-culinary-icon-and-activist)
### [Sean Sherman](/explore/stories/hyperlocal-ultraseasonal-uber-healthy-and-utterly-delicious-reviving-indigenous)
### [Julia Child](/explore/exhibitions/food/online/julia-childs-kitchen)
### [Charlotte Cramer Sachs](https://invention.si.edu/charlotte-cramer-sachs)
### [Warren Winiarski](/explore/exhibitions/food/online/wine-table/judgment-paris/napa-vintner)
### [Silvana Salcido Esparza](/explore/topics/food/cooking-up-history/cooking-history-celebrating-comida-chingona-lowrider-lifestyle)
### [Ilhan New](/explore/stories/la-choy-and-korean-cofounder-ilhan-new-negotiating-asian-culinary-identities)
Donate Today and Make History
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Help us to preserve, protect, and display America's historic treasures.
[Donate Today](/support)
Museum Topics
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### [Food History](/explore/topics/food)
### [African American History](/explore/topics/african-american-history)
### [Science and Mathematics](/explore/topics/science-mathematics)
### [American Culture](/explore/topics/american-culture)
[Explore More Topics](/explore/topics)
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