Two small exhibits at American History

What: Clotilde Arias' Spanish translation of the Star Spangled Banner and "View from Up North"

Where: National Museum of American History

When: until November 30 (View from Up North) and December 2010 (Clotilde Arias)

I didn't see these two items listed on my exhibit website when I was making my plans for November and December, so I'm glad I saw them before they closed. I recommend to anyone who is a regular museum goer to check exhibit listings regularly, as closing dates change and new shows are added frequently.

American History is one of the most crowded museums I visit. During the school year, there are class trips almost every day, and during the summer, families flock to this museum, as it offers a little something for everyone. I'm happy that so many people are taking such enjoyment from this museum and its collection, but there are times I dread going over there and fighting the crowds.

One area that is empty whenever I go over is the display cases from the museum's archives. I think the average tourist writes off the displays as boring, and the displays lack the drama or presence of some of the more popular exhibits. For all that it's a bit dull, the archives cases exhibits are often quite informative, and sometimes they dovetail quite nicely with another exhibit at the museum. For instance, when the museum had its show on the Apollo Theater, the archives cases featured memorabilia from performers who had appeared at the Apollo (ticket stubs, programs, etc.).

The exhibit I saw, View From Up North, consisted of artifacts showing the pre-World War II views of Americans toward Mexico and Mexicans. The first thing that struck me was that Americans thought of Mexico as a place of political turmoil and instability - a view pretty common today, as well. Romanticized pictures of Mexicans predominated: dashing cowboys and beautiful women. In fact, increased economic investment had lead to discontent among the common people; I was reminded of the drug wars causing so much death and destruction today. Americans knew very little of Mexico, and what they learned came from published images and from the displays at World's Fairs. There were even paper dolls inspired by Franklin Roosevelt's Good Neighbor Policy.

The second exhibit is a Spanish translation of the Star Spangled Banner, commissioned by the State Department in 1945. This is on display in the Star Spangled Banner exhibit, towards the end of the room. I love looking at the flag that flew over Fort McHenry; it reminds me of my childhood visits to what was then called the Museum of History and Technology, when I was one of those kids on a class trip. In the 1970s, the flag was hanging (I think where the entrance to the flag exhibit is now), exposed to all the elements. Now, of course, it's in a low light area, behind glass, to preserve it for future generations to see. The low light is handled extremely well; you can see where you're going at all times.

The State Department asked Arias to translate two verses of the anthem into Spanish and what you see on display are her hand-written notes, including corrections. I always like seeing someone's rough drafts; it's like looking at their mind at work.

Verdict: The archives exhibit is closed now, although I'm not sure how firm those closing dates are; it might be worth a look, if you're there anyway. It may not be worth a separate trip to see the Spanish translation, but if you're planning to see the flag area anyway, go now and see this added artifact as well.