The Department of Defense is working with the Smithsonian Institution on a new permanent exhibit scheduled to open on Veteran’s Day.
“The Price of Freedom: Americans at War” will occupy about 18,000 square feet in the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History here. The exhibition will cover 250 years of American history, beginning with the French and Indian War of 1756 and running through the current war on terrorism.
“The overall theme of the exhibit is that wars have been defining episodes in American history,” said David Allison, project director for the exhibition. “But wars have multiple dimensions — political, economic and social — and this exhibition explores how Americans everywhere were impacted by wars.”
The exhibition will focus on the servicemembers who fought the nation’s wars, but it also will examine the sacrifices made by American individuals, families and communities during wartime, Allison said. It contains more than 800 artifacts, including weapons, uniforms, equipment, flags and medals. Hundreds of images, diary entries, video and audio pieces will help tell the story of what servicemembers and other Americans experienced during war.
“It’s not our words, but the words of those who lived these experiences that tell the story. It’s their words that carry the message,” Allison said. “The personal stories are really a very important part of this exhibition.”
Most of the stories in the exhibition will focus on the servicemembers who fought in the campaigns, rather than on senior military or civilian leaders.
“This exhibit is less about military strategy and grand campaign plans, and it is more about the soldiers, sailors, Marines and airmen,” Allison said. “We are telling their story in their words, using voice narratives.”