After years of building, collecting and perfecting, the Smithsonian National Museum of American History opened Entertainment Nation.
The brand new wing is dedicated to music, movies and TV shows, celebrating entertainers who helped create and define American culture and music. It is the first exhibit to focus on entertainment history.
The exhibit begins with a dazzling red carpet and includes iconic features such as a yellow brick road, the magical ruby slippers, Star Wars' C-3PO and R2-D2, and some of the first Muppets on display. It is complete with immersive surround-sound, enhancing the listening experience for museum visitors.
This year, the Smithsonian honored stars such as Gloria and Emilio Estefan, Susan Tedeschi, and Dave Grohl with the James Smithson Bicentennial Medal. The award, established in 1965, honors people who have made distinguished contributions to the advancement of areas of interest to the Smithsonian.
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The event was all smiles, speeches and celebration.
Grohl, who grew up in the DMV, had a special connection to the museum.
"My mother was a public school teacher, and she would have the summers off, and on those terribly hot and humid days, we would escape the heat by just coming to the Smithsonian for the air conditioning," he said at the awards ceremony, which coincided with the opening of Entertainment Nation.
For Tedeschi, the museum's focus on music has great significance.
"Music is so heavy when it comes to culture because when you think about it ... you're writing stories about things that are happening and you're a voice for people who maybe can't speak up," she said.
The exhibit will also be the largest long-term bilingual exhibition on the National Mall. The graphics, video, and compelling stories showcase how Americans have used entertainment to both spark delight and understand other viewpoints throughout history.
"Relax and enjoy every moment," Gloria Estefan said about her career in music. "Because sometimes when you're out there, trying to do so many things at once, moments get away from you. You're trying to get through the experience rather than really being in it."
Through Dec. 18, visitors can enjoy dynamic conversations about the cultural impact of entertainment, intimate talks with curators, sneak peeks at objects from the national collection, film screenings of pop culture classics, free activities, and musical performances that bring entertainment history to life.
