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: New & Improved! The Age of Convenience in the Home 

NOW ON VIEW: UNSPUN: Stories of Silk

NOW ON VIEW: Dark Matter: The Art of Anthracite by Andrea Krupp

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.

Funding support for NMIH is provided in part by: