Washington, DC Area Events
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December 2009
Washington, DC, Area Events

red info icon The Rotunda and the National Archives Experience in Washington, DC, will open to the public at 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday, December 15 and remain open until 5:30 p.m. Winter hours of 10 a.m.–5:30 p.m. resume on Wednesday, December 16.

Program Highlights

Gang Plow, Julius Woeltz, 1941

November Events

 


Exhibit Highlights


Locations, Hours, and Contact Information

All events listed in the calendar are free unless noted; reservations are not required unless noted. Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. For McGowan Theater programs, the doors to the building will open 30 minutes prior to the start of the program. Use the Special Events entrance on Constitution Avenue.

New Deal Arts

Roger G. Kennedy

Tuesday, December 8, at 7 p.m.
William G. McGowan Theater
When Art Worked: The New Deal, Art, and Democracy
Under the New Deal’s Federal Arts Project, the American government helped artists get through a difficult time in history. The New Deal provided food, work, and wages, but it also employed out-of-work artists who worked to enhance community and protect our natural heritage. Tonight we present an illustrated discussion featuring rarely seen photographs of New Deal art and architecture as well as newly commissioned works. Roger G. Kennedy, director emeritus of the National Museum of American History and former director of the National Park Service, will discuss his book When Art Worked: The New Deal, Art, and Democracy. Joining the discussion will be David Larkin, editor and designer for When Art Worked. The program will be moderated by Nick Kotz, Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist, author, and historian. A book signing of When Art Worked will follow the program.

03747 MACBETH: Opening night of the Federal Theatre Project’s Macbeth. (Franklin D. Roosevelt Library)

Thursday, December 10, at noon
William G. McGowan Theater
75th Anniversary Noontime Film Series
From the Vaults: The Arts
Our final installment presents a selection of short films from the holdings of the National Archives including U.S.A., a New Deal–era short about the Federal Theatre Project; Upbeat in Music, a March of Time newsreel from 1943; and Rocka My Soul, a film profile of the Alvin Ailey Dance Company produced in 1967 by the United States Information Agency. (70 minutes.)

Thursday, December 10, at 7 p.m.
William G. McGowan Theater
Cradle Will Rock
The Charles Guggenheim Center for the Documentary Film, in partnership with the Washington Film Institute, presents a screening of the 1999 motion picture Cradle Will Rock. Written and directed by Tim Robbins, the film artfully recreates Depression-era New York City and dramatizes two watershed events from the time—the opposition to the Works Projects Administration/Federal Theatre Project’s production of Marc Blitzstein’s pro-union stage play The Cradle Will Rock, and the controversial commissioning of Mexican artist Diego Rivera to create a mural for Rockefeller Center. Stars Emily Watson, John Cusack, Hank Azaria, Bill Murray, and Cary Elwes. (132 minutes.) Please note—some scenes may be inappropriate for younger viewers.

The Hemingses of Monticello

Annette Gordon-Reed

Wednesday, December 16, at 7 p.m.
William G. McGowan Theater
The Hemingses of Monticello: An American Family
In The Hemingses of Monticello, the Hemings family finally comes to light in all its complexity. Pulitzer Prize–winning author Annette Gordon-Reed, professor of law at New York Law School and professor of history at Rutgers University, delves more deeply into the historical record than has ever been done before, employing many unpublished primary sources and revealing connections not only within the Hemings family but also to the Jefferson family and many other enslaved and free people from Virginia to France. A book signing of The Hemingses of Monticello will follow the program.

 

Naturalization Ceremony

Tuesday, December 15, at 10 a.m.
Rotunda
Bill of Rights Day Naturalization Ceremony
The National Archives, in partnership with the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia and the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services, continues its tradition of holding a naturalization ceremony for petitioners seeking American citizenship. This year’s ceremony, which will be part of the 218th anniversary of the adoption of the Bill of Rights, will be held in the Rotunda for the Charters of Freedom in the National Archives.

This moving ceremony is open to petitioners’ families and guests as well as to a limited number of members of the public holding tickets. Tickets are free but must be reserved by e-mailing specialevents@nara.gov.

Please note that the Rotunda of the National Archives will open to the public at 11:30 a.m. on this day and remain open until 5:30 p.m. Winter hours of 10 a.m.–5:30 p.m. resume on Wednesday, December 16.

Washington Journal

Tuesday, December 1, 8:30 a.m.–10 a.m.
William G. McGowan Theater
Live Taping of C-SPAN’s Washington Journal
The National Archives is pleased to host students from the Close Up Foundation’s government studies program for a special live taping of C-SPAN’s Washington Journal program. Washington Journal guests will discuss current events and topics including government, business, and economics and take audience questions. Seating is limited and must be reserved for this program. Please call 202-357-5127 or write to Public.Program@nara.gov to reserve a seat. Due to the nature of this program, late arrivals cannot be seated.

BIG!

BIG! exhibit celebrating the 75th Anniversary of the National Archives logo

The National Archives Experience continues to present lecture and film programs in celebration of our exhibit, "BIG!"



Saturday, December 12, at noon
William G. McGowan Theater
Shrek
Beautiful princesses, handsome princes, witches, ogres, and fire-breathing dragons turn up in almost every fairy tale. They’re all in this computer-animated adventure, but their roles, and the surprising plot twists, are anything but expected in this fun adaptation of the children’'s book by William Steig. Features the voices of Mike Meyers, Cameron Diaz, and Eddie Murphy. (2001, 90 minutes)

Wednesday, December 16, at noon
Jefferson Room
A Country of Vast Designs: James K. Polk and the Conquest of the American Continent
Robert Merry, author of A Country of Vast Designs, focuses on a crucial epoch in U.S. history, arguing that even though President James K. Polk was only in office one term, he completed the story of America’s Manifest Destiny. After threatening England with war over the rich lands of the Oregon Territory and ceding the western lands won through an unpopular war with Mexico, when Polk relinquished office, the country had grown by more than a third. A book signing will follow the program.

 

75th Anniversary of the National Archives

NARA 75th anniversary logo Congress established the National Archives in 1934. This year marks its 75th anniversary. Join us as we present programs and films celebrating this important milestone.

Wednesday, December 9, at noon
Jefferson Room
75th Anniversary Noontime Lecture Series
Featuring authors whose research significantly reflects the holdings of the National Archives
K Blows Top: A Cold War Comic Interlude, Starring Nikita Khrushchev, America’s Most Unlikely Tourist
Author Peter Carlson marks the 50th anniversary of Khrushchev’s 1959 trip across America by discussing his book K Blows Top. From New York to Los Angeles, Khrushchev cracked corny jokes, threw tantrums, sparked a riot in a San Francisco supermarket, and befriended or offended a cast of characters including Richard Nixon, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Marilyn Monroe. This surreal road trip takes place against the backdrop of the fifties in capitalist America, the Cold War, and the all-too-human follies of flawed men who possess the power to incinerate civilization. A book signing will follow the program.

Hollinger Box icon Know Your Records Programs:  December

Wednesday, December 2, at 11 a.m.
Room G-24, Research Center (Enter on Pennsylvania Avenue)
Introduction to Genealogy
Archives staff will present a lecture on basic genealogical research in Federal records. This lecture occurs on the first Wednesday of the month, and the next one will take place on Wednesday, January 6.

Save the Date!

Sixth Annual Genealogy Fair

Wednesday, April 14, and Thursday, April 15, 2010
Pennsylvania Avenue Plaza and Research Center
The National Archives will host its sixth annual Genealogy Fair over two days. The fair showcases Federal records located at the National Archives and professional genealogy organizations’ resources for doing research on family history. The fair will provide information and guidance for experienced genealogy professionals and beginners. See photos and other information about last year's fair and visit the Genealogy Fair web page periodically for updated schedule, speaker, and exhibitor information.

Boeing Learning Center

An exciting space designed to provide parents and educators of all levels with methods and materials for teaching with primary source documents. Open Monday–Saturday, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.

The ReSource Room is open Monday–Saturday, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.

Exhibits

Permanent Exhibits

Rotunda for the Charters of Freedom:The Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights are on permanent display in the Rotunda. "A New World Is at Hand" surrounds the Rotunda's centerpiece cases. Presenting a selection of milestone documents, the exhibit chronicles the creation of the Charters of Freedom in the 18th century and their impact on the course of history in the United States and around the world.

The Public Vaults: This interactive exhibit invites visitors into the stacks and vaults of the National Archives to explore the raw material from which history is made. From Washington's letters, Lincoln's telegrams, and FDR's fireside chats to UFO reports and declassified secrets of World War II, these documents chronicle both great national events and the lives of individual Americans.

Magna Carta: This foundation document of English common law was confirmed by Edward I in 1297. Only four originals of the 1297 Magna Carta remain, and only one permanently resides in the United States. Purchased by David M. Rubenstein in 2007, it is on loan to the National Archives. West Rotunda Gallery.

Special Exhibit in Washington, DC

New Exhibit BIG!

Last Chance to see BIG!
This popular exhibit featuring big records, big events, and big ideas closes January 4, 2010. Don’t miss this opportunity to see the nation’s original records in their full-scale glory, including the 13-foot scroll of the Articles of Confederation (never before displayed unrolled) and a 13-by-13-foot map of the Gettysburg Battlefield. Also featured are a gigantic footprint of a dinosaur and the size 22 sneakers of basketball legend Shaquille O’Neal. Embodying America’s biggest idea, the first printing of the Declaration of Independence produced on the night of July 4–5, 1776—one of the greatest treasures in our holdings—is a special highlight of the exhibit.
Lawrence F. O’Brien Gallery through January 3, 2010

Special Exhibit in College Park, Maryland

Auditorium Lobby at the National Archives Research Center:

"The Long View" features digitally produced facsimiles of historic panoramic photographs from the Still Picture holdings.

Motorcycle Corps, Army Motor Service - Under Command of J. S. Berryman. US Capitol. Wash., DC. Jan. 26, 1919, By R. S. Clements. Records of the War Department General and Special Staffs (165-PP-60-47)

The exhibit not only showcases the wide variety of panoramic techniques, but also includes National Archives records such as cartographic maps and patent drawings that relate to the photographs. Thirty-four panoramas and other records are on display and span the period from 1864 to 1997.
See more panoramas online.

Traveling Exhibits

The traveling exhibit program makes it possible for people across the country to experience selected historical documents and artifacts that reflect our national experience.

child with coal dust on face Eyewitness:  American Originals from the National Archives

Drawing on rarely displayed documents, audio recordings, and film footage culled from the extensive holdings of the National Archives and its Presidential libraries, "Eyewitness" features first-person accounts of watershed moments in history.
Online exhibit

Online Exhibits

Dozens of exhibits can be experienced online. Visit Now!

Locations, Hours, and Contact Information

The National Archives Experience
Constitution Avenue between 7th and 9th Streets, NW, Washington, DC

For details, see the Visitor's Map or visit the National Archives Experience.

Please note that the Rotunda of the National Archives will open to the public at 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday, December 15 and remain open until 5:30 p.m. Winter hours of 10 a.m.–5:30 p.m. resume on Wednesday, December 16.

Exhibit Hours:

  • Daily, 10 a.m.–5:30 p.m. through March 4.
  • Last admission is 30 minutes prior to closing.
  • Open every day except Thanksgiving and December 25.

Admission free.

All events listed in the calendar are free unless noted; reservations are not required unless noted. Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. For McGowan Theater programs, the doors to the building will open 30 minutes prior to the start of the program. Use the Special Events entrance on Constitution Avenue.

For details, see the Visitor's Map or visit the National Archives Experience.

For reservations or to be placed on the mailing list, call 202-357-5000, or toll free at 1-877-874-7616, or e-mail public.program@nara.gov.

The National Archives Research Center
700 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC and 8601 Adelphi Road, College Park, MD.

Research Hours for both locations:

  • Monday, Tuesday, and Saturday, 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

  • Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, 9:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.

Check the Washington, DC and College Park, MD location information for records pull times and other important details.

Call 202-357-5450 for a docent-led guided tour.

wheelchair icon TDD: 301-837-0482. The National Archives is fully accessible. To request an accommodation (such as a sign language interpreter) for a public program, please call 202-357-5000, or toll free at 1-877-874-7616, or e-mail public.program@nara.gov at least two weeks prior to the event.


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The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration
8601 Adelphi Road, College Park, MD 20740-6001
Telephone: 1-86-NARA-NARA or 1-866-272-6272