Opening this Thursday, June 18th, at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, “From These Lands: Sharing Our Natural and Cultural Heritage” is a groundbreaking new exhibition commemorating America’s 250th anniversary through more than 600 rare objects and specimens representing all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the five U.S. territories. Drawn from the museum’s collection of more than 148 million artifacts and specimens, the 5,000-square-foot exhibition explores the people, landscapes, discoveries, traditions, and defining moments that have shaped the United States across millions of years of natural and cultural history. Many of the objects on display have rarely or never before been exhibited publicly.
Representing Louisiana in the exhibition are Brown pelican eggs, one of 11 objects from the state featured in the From These Lands exhibition. Museum collections provide insight into environmental challenges and recovery. Brown pelicans (Pelecanus occidentalis), Louisiana’s state bird, were nearly driven to extinction by the pesticide DDT, which caused their eggshells to thin and break. Museum collections like these reveal hidden impacts of human activity on wildlife, serving as warning signs and documenting the success of conservation efforts. The exhibition highlights the unique natural, cultural, scientific, and historical contributions connected to Louisiana and is expected to be viewed by millions of visitors from around the world during its multi-year engagement in Washington, D.C.
“This exhibition brings the entire country into one gallery,” said Kirk Johnson, Sant Director of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History. “As the country marks its 250th anniversary, ‘From These Lands’ presents an opportunity to celebrate the diversity of our landscapes, the depth of our history and the connections that link people and the natural world across borders.”
