Images highlighting the week-long events surrounding the historic presidential inauguration of Barack Obama will be on display April 29 to June 12. The exhibition features more than 30 framed photographs taken by 15 professional and amateur photographers, including David Hume Kennerly, Bob McNeely, and Karen Ballard.

18th-century sailing ships, 19th-century steamboats and fishing craft, and today’s mega-containerships: the Museum’s newest exhibition reveals the continuous and significant role maritime activity has played in American lives through hundreds of artifacts from the Smithsonian’s unparalleled collections. Spanning more than 300 years, the exhibition brings alive sights, sounds, and stories from oceans, inland rivers, and coastal communities. Visitors will explore life and work on the nation’s waterways, discovering the stories of whaling crews, river pilots, ocean liner passengers, immigrants, and many others.

On Mother’s Day (May 10), Americans honor mothers everywhere with gifts, cards, and get-togethers. To celebrate this year, why not make a donation to the Museum in honor of your loved one? Send an e-card to notify your special person about your gift. Your tax-deductible donation will help the Museum share its treasured collections with the public, and create new educational programs for all to enjoy, both on-site and online. Honor someone with a gift today!

During a special ceremony in April, show creator Vin Di Bona and host Tom Bergeron donated objects from the hit television series to the Museum’s entertainment collections. Artifacts include the camcorder used to film the first winning video in November 1989, an annotated script, an audience voting machine and a framed ticket to the show's first taping. Don’t miss the hilarious video clip reel on our blog!

Over 800 eligible entries were submitted (thank you, contestants!) and thousands of people rated and commented on their favorite singers in the Smithsonian’s first YouTube singing contest. Jordin Sparks, DeLyn, José Feliciano, Marcus Johnson, and others will judge the final round and select a Grand Prize Winner, who will be announced May 19. View the semi-finalist videos and let us know who your favorites are.

What’s new on our blog? Sue shares a story about a personal treasure that would be hard to give up—even to a museum collection. Art asks if ultimate sustainability is really sustainable? Carrie gives a big thumbs up on the new simulator rides. Paul describes how one can be inspired by anything—even brownies. Dana reminisces about wacky shenanigans captured on video tape. And the Museum shares “25 random things about me.” Check out our blog for these and other stories. While you’re there, subscribe to receive blog posts by email or RSS (links on the right side of the page).

Begun in 1930, the Museum’s collection of patent medicines has grown to over 4,000 products dating from the 19th century to the present day. The Museum is working to make more of this collection available online and has just added more than 300 new objects to the group. Browse such curiosities as Cascarets Candy Cathartic, Smith's Compound Pineapple and Butternut Pills, Pilgrim Oil, Dr. Kilmer's Swamp Root, K. & M. Effervescent Bromo Caffeine, and Bee Brand White Pine and Tar Cough Syrup Compound.

On March 20, fifteen teams of student inventors from around the nation presented their award-winning inventions at the National Museum of American History for the annual March Madness for the Mind competition. In this podcast, Peter Lu from MIT and Angel Hall from Washington State University tell us what it is like working in Lesotho and Malawi to design inventions that bring clean energy and water to remote communities in developing nations. .

See it in IMAX at the Smithsonian—tickets on sale now! Coming soon to our retail stores: souvenir “Night at the Museum” t-shirts, a poster, a mug, and a magnet.