Washington DC – National Museum of American History: Inventions

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Washington DC – National Museum of American History: Inventions

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At the top is the Micro Instrumentation and Telemetry Systems Altair 8800, a personal computer with keyboard and monitor, dating from about 1975. The company sold only the basic processor kit. Owners addd keyboards, monitors and other accessories.

On the bottom left is a camera dating from the 1880’s. George Eastman revolutionized photography with the introduction of the Kodak. Owners mailed the camera to Eastman Company to have their pictures developed and printed, and the camera reloaded.

On the bottom center is a radio dating from 1954. American firms Texas Instruments and IDEA devleoped the Regency TR-1, the world’s first commercially available transistor radio. It helped popularize another recent invention–rock and roll music.

On the bottom right is a telegraph key, dating from around 1844. Samuel Morse and Alfred Vail likely used this transmitter at the 1844 official opening of their electric telegraph line. For the first time people could communicate almost instantly over long distances.

The National Museum of American History (NMAH), administered by the Smithsonian Institute, collects, preserves and displays American heritage in the areas of social, political, cultural, scientific and military history. The museum, which first opened in 1964 as the Museum of History and Technology, is located on the National Mall in one of the last structures designed by McKim, Mead & White. It was renamed in 1980, and closed for a 2-year, million renovation by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP from 2006 to 2008.

The Smithsonian Institution, an educational and research institute and associated museum complex, administered and funded by the government of the United States and by funds from its endowment, contributions, and profits from its shops and its magazines, was established in 1846. Although concentrated in Washington DC, its collection of over 136 million items is spread through 19 museums, a zoo, and nine research centers from New York to Panama.

Image from page 71 of “The natural history of British birds, or, A selection of the most rare, beautiful and interesting birds which inhabit this country : the descriptions from the Systema naturae of Linnaeus : with general observations, either original

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Identifier: naturalhistoryo101819dono
Title: The natural history of British birds, or, A selection of the most rare, beautiful and interesting birds which inhabit this country : the descriptions from the Systema naturae of Linnaeus : with general observations, either original or collected from the latest and most esteemed English ornithologists : and embellished with figures, drawn, engraved, and coloured from the original specimens
Year: 1794 (1790s)
Authors: Donovan, E. (Edward), 1768-1837 Latham, John, 1740-1837 Pennant, Thomas, 1726-1798 Gilbert, Richard, 1794-1852, printer Donovan, E. (Edward), 1768-1837. Natural history of the nests and eggs of British birds Linné, Carl von, 1707-1778. Systema naturae. Regnum animale F. and C. Rivington (Firm), publisher F., C. and J. Rivington (Firm), publisher Law and Gilbert, printer R. & R. Gilbert (Firm), printer Leverian Museum (London, England)
Subjects: Birds
Publisher: London : Printed for the author, and for F. and C. Rivington …
Contributing Library: Smithsonian Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Biodiversity Heritage Library

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bje6lionable to indulge in thefantaftic introdu61ion of new names in the fcience of Natural Hiftorywhere others already applied are well know n and fufficiently eftablifliedto be underftood. We believe upon the beft information that thefpecies abounds in a ftate of nature in the eaftern parts of Siberia,svhere it frequents lakes and rivers^ and that it occafionally migratesfrom thence to other countries of Afia^ Africa^ and Europe, and hence PLATE CCXXXI. hence the fpecies might be perhaps diftlnguiilied with more proprietyby the appellation of the Siberian Goofe than any it bears at prefent. In point of fize the prefent fpecies exceeds that of the ordiHaryGoofe, and approaches nearer to the Swan; the length being morethan three feet: the annexed figure we trufl in this cafe as in nioftothers, will be found at leaft fufficiently accurate to fuperfede theneceffity of entering into any minute detail refpc6ling the colours andmarkings by which the plumage is diftinguiflied. PLATE 232 i i

Text Appearing After Image:
PLATE CCXXXIL ANAS BERNICLA,BRENT GOOSE.Ansere3. GENERIC CHARACTER. Bill convex, obtufe, the edges divided into lamellate teeth : tonguefringed and obtufe: three fore-toes conne6led, the hind one folitary. SPECIFIC CHARACTER AND SYNONYMS.Fufcous ; head_, neck, and breaft black: collar white. Anas Bernicla : fufca, capite, collo peftoreque nigris, collarialbo. Linn, Fn. Snec. 115.—Gmel. 513. 13.—Scop. Ann. I. A°. 84.—Brun. N°. 5%.—Frifch,t. IbQ.—Faun. Groenl. N°. Al—.BorowJk. Nat.111. p. 11. 3.—Lath, Lid, Orn. 844. Brenta, Brif, i. p. 304. 16. t. Sl.-^Id.Svo. ii. 442.—Ecr;. Syn, p. 130. S,^WilL p. 275. t, d^^,—-Klein,Av.p. 130. 8. Le PLATE CCXXXIL Le Cravaiit. Biif. ix. p. 87.~P/. Enl. 342. Brent Goose, Brand Goose. Brit. ZooL ii. JV®. 270.— Jlbin. /, t. g3.—JVill. (Angl.) p. 360. Lath, Gen. Sfjn. vi. p. 467. 27. Length, about twenty-one inches: the prevailing colour of thehead, neck, and upper part black in the male, in the female brownifli,and in the younge

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Image from page 107 of “The natural history of British birds, or, A selection of the most rare, beautiful and interesting birds which inhabit this country : the descriptions from the Systema naturae of Linnaeus : with general observations, either original

Image by Internet Archive Book Images
Identifier: naturalhistoryof91818dono
Title: The natural history of British birds, or, A selection of the most rare, beautiful and interesting birds which inhabit this country : the descriptions from the Systema naturae of Linnaeus : with general observations, either original or collected from the latest and most esteemed English ornithologists : and embellished with figures, drawn, engraved, and coloured from the original specimens
Year: 1794 (1790s)
Authors: Donovan, E. (Edward), 1768-1837 Latham, John, 1740-1837 Pennant, Thomas, 1726-1798 Gilbert, Richard, 1794-1852, printer Donovan, E. (Edward), 1768-1837. Natural history of the nests and eggs of British birds Linné, Carl von, 1707-1778. Systema naturae. Regnum animale F. and C. Rivington (Firm), publisher F., C. and J. Rivington (Firm), publisher Law and Gilbert, printer R. & R. Gilbert (Firm), printer Leverian Museum (London, England)
Subjects: Birds
Publisher: London : Printed for the author, and for F. and C. Rivington …
Contributing Library: Smithsonian Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Biodiversity Heritage Library

View Book Page: Book Viewer
About This Book: Catalog Entry
View All Images: All Images From Book

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Text Appearing Before Image:
III. This bears a general refemblance to the Wild Duck, Anas Bofchas ;and is confidered as a variety of that fpecies by Dr. Latham. Linnaeusdefcribes it as a diftincl; fpecies under the name Adunca; and itcannot but be iuterefting to afcertain the bird Linnaeus defcribes asa fpecies, whether it be really only a variety or not. We fliall there-fore offer no apology for its introduction in this place. The figure of the Hook-billed Duck in the annexed plate is takenfrom a very fine fpecimen in our Mufeum. The length is twenty-fiveinches : the form more flender than the Wild Duck in general: theneck white ; the legs thicker, the ftianks riling in a projection at thecommencement above the foot, and again at the knee, and the billincurvated in a moft lingular manner. The lingular incurvation of the bill might eafily fuggeft an ideathat it could be no other than an accidental deformity ; but this can-not be the fact, mice the fame character prevails unerringly throughoutthe whole race. PLATE

Text Appearing After Image:
PLATE CCXIX. SCOLOPAX LAPPONICA, mas.RED GOD WIT, male. GltALLiE. GENERIC CHARACTER. Bill roundifti, obtufe, longer than the head: noftrils linear: facecovered : feet four-toed, hind-toe confifting of many joints. SPECIFIC CHARACTER AND SYNONYMS.Bill yellowifh, legs black; body beneath rufous-ferruginous. Scolopax Lapponica: roftro flavefcente, pedibus^ nigris, fubtus tota rufo-ferruginea. Linn. Syft. I. p. 246. 15. En. Suec. n. 174.—Gmel. Linn. Syft. Nat. I.p. 667.—Lath. Ind. Orn. 718. Limosa Rufa: Briff. v. p. 281*5. t. 25. f. L—Id. Svo. 11.p. 281. La Barge rouffe. Buff. vn. p. 504.—PI. Enl 900.Red Godwit. Edw. t. US.—Br. Zool. 11. IV0 181. t. 67.—Lath. Gen. Syn. y.p. 142. 13. Thi» PLATE CCXIX. This figure reprefents the male bird, the length of which is feven-teen inches. The female is delineated in Plate CCX1II. Hi K^qollsO 4k PLATE ^ v.