WASHINGTON, D.C. — Nov. 6, 2026. The Smithsonian’s Archives of American Art opened a new exhibition Friday tracing how American makers have changed ceramics, textiles, glass, metal and wood through experimentation, teaching and personal expression. A companion monthly podcast is scheduled to debut November 11.
The exhibition, Materials, Methods, and Meanings: Craft in the Archives of American Art, is on display at the Lawrence A. Fleischman Gallery in the Donald W. Reynolds Center for American Art and Portraiture. The show is part of the Smithsonian’s programming marking the United States’ 250th anniversary.
Why archives are part of the story
The Archives of American Art says the display draws on approximately 70 original items connected to 30 artists and craft professionals. Alongside finished or preparatory work, the collection includes tools, samples, sketches, notes, correspondence and photographs that explain how creative choices were made.
These records offer a different view from a gallery label attached to a finished vase or textile. They can show the experiments that did not work, the exchange of techniques between makers, and the memories or ideas embedded in the finished work.
A podcast devoted to American makers
The Smithsonian also announced United States of Craft, a new monthly audio series hosted by Glenn Adamson and Sarah Archer. The first episode is due Wednesday, November 11. The series aims to bring makers’ experiences and craft history to listeners outside Washington, offering a way to learn even without visiting the exhibition.
Free admission and visiting information
The exhibition is scheduled to run through April 16, 2027. Admission is free, and the Archives lists daily gallery hours of 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. in the Reynolds Center near 8th and F Streets NW. Visitors should check the Smithsonian’s current hours and holiday closures before traveling.
For people interested in preserving family histories or community techniques, the exhibition also makes a larger point: notes, photographs, recordings and ordinary working materials can be as important to understanding a craft tradition as its most celebrated objects.
Sources: Smithsonian November 6 news announcement and the official exhibition listing.
Photo note: Featured image shows genuine hands working clay, by Taylor Heery / Unsplash; it does not depict an object or artist in this exhibition. The Smithsonian’s separately published archival exhibition image has different copyright restrictions and is not reproduced here.
