May

National Museum of African American History and Culture Library

Eleven objects – books, videos, and more – significant to the African American story are featured in this exhibition of highlights from the National Museum of African American History and Culture Library, part of the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives. They span over a hundred years and a variety of formats – from an 1886 biography of Harriet Tubman to a 2009 artists’ book celebrating the inauguration of President Barack Obama. Through December 2023.

Explore early handmade books through the myriad natural materials—animal, vegetable, and mineral—that went into their making. Nature of the Book shows what the use of these varied and sometimes surprising resources can tell us about the book, touching on questions of use, process, global trade, and economy. On display in the National Museum of Natural History through March 17, 2024.