President George Washington, meet Senator John Heinz
The Senator John Heinz History Center’s new exhibition “Discover the Real George Washington: New Views from Mount Vernon,” goes beyond the iconic image on the dollar bill to reveal the real George Washington as not only a general and president but as a young land surveyor, experimental farmer, and savvy entrepreneur.
One of the many sets of dentures George Washington used in his lifetime. Ouch. (Photo courtesy of the Heinz History Center)
Organized by fellow Smithsonian Affiliate George Washington’s Mount Vernon Estate and Gardens, this groundbreaking exhibition features highlights from Mount Vernon’s world-class collection of George Washington items, many of which have never traveled out of Virginia, including the only surviving set of Washington’s wooden dentures, firearms from the Revolutionary War, and letters written by Washington. The History Center is the premier venue on a nine-city national tour the exhibition will take over the next few years. Visit the Web site, for further details about this exciting exhibition.
About the Senator John Heinz History Center
From the pre-revolutionary drama of the French & Indian War to the legendary match-ups of the Super Steelers, discover 250 years of Pittsburgh history at the Senator John Heinz History Center. An affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution since 2000, the History Center is the largest history museum in Pennsylvania. Since their affiliation with the Smithsonian, the History Center has hosted six Smithsonian Institution Travelling Exhibition shows, borrowed more than 20 artifacts ranging from buckskin moccasins from the National Museum of the American Indian to a radio transmitter from the National Museum of American History, and participated in countless events in collaboration with the Smithsonian Institution.
A representation of George Washington's presidential inauguration. (Photo courtesy of the Heinz History Center)
About George Washington’s Mount Vernon Estate and Gardens
Mount Vernon also became an Affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution in 2000. They have complemented their exhibitions and collections with artifacts on loan from the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History and National Portrait Gallery. In collaboration with NPG, they also host tours of the Donald W. Reynolds Museum and Education Center at Mt. Vernon. Mount Vernon’s staff members participate in Smithsonian’s Teacher’s Night, where they bring a first-person interpreter to give a demonstration as George Washington. Mount Vernon strives to preserve George Washington’s place in history through thought-provoking tours, entertaining events, and stimulating educational programs on the Estate and in classrooms across the nation. Mount Vernon is owned and operated by the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association, America’s oldest national preservation organization, founded in 1853.
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Posted: 6 April 2010
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