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Museum Virtual Tour
The National Museum of American History is known for collecting over 3 million artifacts, which are classified as national treasures. This museum was opened in January 1964 to the public as The Museum of History and Technology. On the National Mall in Washington D.C it was as the sixth Smithsonian building. President Dwight D. Eisenhower authorized the release of $36 million for usage in running the museum on June 28, 1955 and on August 22, 1958 its groundbreaking took place. The museum occupies an area of about 750,000 square feet and this includes the basement, exhibition levels, offices and a mechanical penthouse. It qualified as a National Historic landmark, given its location on the National Mall. It became eligible for listing on the National Register of Historical Places, being one of the last structures designed by Mckim, Mead and White. In 1980, the name of the museum became The National Museum of American History to reflect its basic mission of collecting, caring, and studying objects that show the experience of the American people. Some of the collections in the museum include: Original Star-Spangled banner, Abraham Lincoln’s top hat, Dizzy Gillespie’s angled trumpet, and Dorothy Ruby’s slippers from the Wizard of Oz (Lubar, Kendrick, & NMAH, 69). The collection of the Mosaic of American life contains the single collection of American history. In 2008, the renovation of the buildings’ core center was completed, and this transformed its architecture by renewing and reorganizing the presentation of its collection.
The museum is located on the National Mall, at 14th street and Constitution Avenue, N.W., Washington D.C. It is opened as from 10.00 am to 5.30 pm everyday except December 25th, but on some occasions, the museum has some special extended hours where it closes at 7.30 pm instead of the normal 5.30 pm. Admission into the museum is free, although the schedule for the visit is subject to change and, before a visit, one has to check on their website for latest information. In order to get information, assistance, or write a comment, one may use the visitor information page on the website: http://americanhistory.si.edu/ or the official email address provided on the site: [email protected].
The website has been designed in a manner in which all the important information about the museum can be easily accessed depending on the information the visitor requires ranging from exhibitions, events, visits, collections and so on. The most interesting aspect about the website is that it acknowledges all its visitors and interacts with them by responding to their questions and comments, in addition to providing a chance for them to participate in their surveys in order to make improvements when necessary. In addition, the museum has put in measures that cater for the disabled visitors. The virtual tour of the museum provides an individual with total satisfaction as the information provided is sufficient enough for their study or area of interest. Observing the color choice of the website, one can describe them as clear and easy to look at without straining at all. Moreover, the site has been structured in away that facilitate ease of navigation.

Works Cited
Lubar, S. D., Kendrick, K. M., & NMAH (U.S.). Legacies: collecting America’s history at the Smithsonian. Washington D.C: Smithsonian Institution Press, 2001. Print.