First Ladies at the Smithsonian exhibition: From inaugural fashion to public service
Whether working on the campaign trail, spinning across the dance floor in her inaugural gown or simply breaking ground on the White House vegetable garden, Michelle Obama has already captivated the nation with her spirit and grace as First Lady. In her new role, Obama joins a long tradition of women who have had considerable influence on the U.S. presidency and society as a whole.
To celebrate the public, private and political legacies of these influential women, the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History opened the First Ladies at the Smithsonian exhibition last December. The new exhibition features 14 dresses and more than 90 other objects, providing an overview of the museum’s nearly century-old First Ladies Collection, one of the Smithsonian Institution’s most popular attractions.
Divided into three main sections, First Ladies at the Smithsonian highlights the evolution of the Smithsonian’s First Ladies Collection, the tradition of the inaugural gown, as well as the first ladies’ historical significance in American society and politics. The first section chronicles the history of the First Ladies Collection, established in 1912 as the “Collection of Period Costumes” and the first Smithsonian collection to focus on women. The second section explores the tradition of the first lady’s inaugural gown coming to the Smithsonian. Finally, the third section focuses on the first ladies’ contributions as campaigners, hostesses and public policy advocates.
“The original first ladies exhibition of 1914 was the first at the Smithsonian to prominently feature women,” says museum director Brent D. Glass. “Today we continue to delve deeper into the contributions of first ladies to the presidency and American society.”
In keeping with this development, the First Ladies at the Smithsonian exhibition will eventually lead to an expanded program on first ladies’ history, which is due to open in the next few years.
For more information about the First Ladies at the Smithsonian exhibition and the National Museum of American History, visit americanhistory.si.edu.