A Smithsonian Institution-affiliate, the National Museum of Industrial History is dedicated to preserving America’s rich industrial heritage through dynamic permanent and changing exhibits, engaging programs, and a robust artifact and archival collection. An integral part of the NMIH mission is to collect and preserve the historic artifacts and stories of men and women who built industrial America.
EXHIBITS
NOW ON VIEW: Robert Fulton: Industrious Revolutionary
PERMANENT EXHIBITS
PAST EXHIBITS
VIRTUAL EXHIBITS
ARCHIVES & COLLECTIONS
As a steward of America’s vanishing industrial artifacts and landscape, the Museum is responsible for the care, preservation, and conservation of its collection to protect these artifacts for future generations.
In addition to the 200+ artifacts we have on display in our museum facility we have thousands of artifacts and archival materials in our storage facilities that span the breadth of American industrial history. Highlights include:
ARCHIVES
Bethlehem Steel Corporation Photo Collection
Bethlehem Steel Archival Collection
Western Electric- Agere collection—features the historic innovations in electronic components including: vacuum tubes and quartz crystals, early transistors, silicon microchips, semiconductors and fiber-optic components.
Newcomen Society of North America Library and Archives
COLLECTIONS
Collection of Iron and Steel Industrial Models showcasing the processing of raw material to finished product
Scientific and Technical Collection of Power Machinery Models
20th Century Printing Collection
Woodworking Machinery Collection
1940’s Era Weldment Machine Shop
19th and 20th Century Textile Machinery
The Snelling 20th century propane distillation equipment collection
Iron and Steel Production Artifacts from Bethlehem Steel
CONNECT WITH US
Looking to donate documents/photos/machinery/artifacts? Please use our ‘Donate an Artifact’ form!
For all other inquiries, please email [email protected] or contact 610-694-6644.