America’s entertainment industry has arguably been the gold standard for the past century. Whether Hollywood movies, Broadway musicals, professional sports, rock ‘n roll, or literature, America’s culture flows in many ways from its sources of entertainment. The Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History (NMAH) has launched a 20-year exhibition recalling, explaining, and honoring those sources.
This exhibit is called “America: The Entertainment Nation” and displays more than 200 objects at any one time. Each year, those 200-plus objects are replaced by other artifacts held in museum storage. With so many to choose from, staff might have a challenge picking the objects to display.
“We steward over 1.8 million objects at our museum, with limited real estate in the galleries to showcase the collections,” said John Troutman, curator of music and musical instruments for NMAH.
An Entertaining Vision
Troutman, who joined the museum in 2016, said the vision for Entertainment Nation began well before he arrived. Shortly after his hiring, a team of curators, conservators, and managers began discussing how to successfully present so many pieces in an educational and visually appealing way.
“Our team spent about five years designing the exhibition, selecting and preparing the first round of objects for display, drafting the text, developing the audio/visual features, [and] raising from generous donors the $18 million or so dollars required to build the exhibition, and constructing it onsite,” he said.
Although the primary construction has been completed, the exchanging of objects on an annual basis will keep the exhibition fresh for the next two decades. If tourists visit the museum annually, they will receive a new experience each time. The exhibit doesn’t hold a specific theme, but showcases pieces from circus acts and sports moments to radio equipment and television shows, covering more than two centuries of American entertainment.
Telling the American Story
Show business in America, whether visual or audial, has often helped tell the story of America. It has also helped in creating the story of America. Troutman noted that those two purposes of American entertainment were the primary objectives behind creating the exhibition.
“We focused on the histories of those entertainments that have become national fixtures and experiences that everyone in the country has a relationship with,” Troutman said. “These entertainments have long served to bring us together, as well as to provide historic opportunities for Americans from all backgrounds to ‘take the stage,’ even when, for example, they came from remarkably challenging circumstances, including those whose equal rights as citizens had been denied.
American Entertainment as Global Influence
With nearly 20 years remaining for the exhibition, Troutman said that he hopes that Entertainment Nation will also explore more deeply and showcase the influence the country’s industry has had globally. Especially over the last half century, America’s movies, music, shows, literature, and sports leagues have extended well beyond its own borders and into practically every country on earth.
“Our entertainment industry represents one of our most successful exports to other nations,” Troutman explained. “The U.S. State Department, for example, has long depended upon musicians, actors, and athletes to serve as ‘cultural ambassadors,’ representing the richest exemplars of our democratic values. A prime example of this is when the government in the 1950s through 1970s sent jazz musicians, such as Dizzy Giillespie and Louis Armstrong, on tours around the world, particularly in countries ‘in play’ for U.S. influence during the Cold War.”
“Entertainment Nation” is an exploratory celebration of some of the most famous, influential, and at times controversial, daring, and awe-inspiring Americans and American moments. As with any history exhibit, it provides a walk down memory lane, but rarely has a history exhibit evoked such personal memories or been so entertaining.
