Jujia Li
Prof Harris
HUM 1020
Museum Project
Nov.12.2014

The National Museum of American History

During this fall term.I went to the The National Museum of American History. It was a pleasure to having a chance to visit this Historical museum.Inside The National Museum of American History,I saw collects, preserves and displays the heritage of the united states in the areas of social, political, cultural, scientific and military history. Among the items on display are the original Star-Spangled Banner and Archie Bunker's chair. The museum is part of the Smithsonian Institution and located on the National Mall at 14th Street and Constitution Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. Although the main them of the museum is history of America. The most interested one i found during my trip are the Sculpture of George Washington by Horatio Greenough,in 1840.Horatio Greenough was an American sculptor. he was born in Boston on September 6, 1805. In 1814 Horatio Greenough enrolled at Phillips Academy, Andover, and in 1821 he entered Harvard University. he learned Italian and French, but also still studied anatomy and kept modeling sculptures.One of his best known work are the sculpture of George Washington.Greenough had modeled his figure of Washington on a classical Greek statue of Zeus, but many Americans found the sight of a half-naked Washington are offensive. The reason i want to talk about this art is because i found that American artist are also influenced by the Greek culture. And you can tell how powerful the Greeks affects our Humanity. The George Washington is a massive sculpture by Horatio Greenough commissioned for the centennial of U.S President George Washington's birth in February 22, 1732. The sculpture is made with stone and it weight around 18 tons. At first the sculpture was located east lawn of the Capitol in 1843.In 1908 Greenough's statue finally came to its final home for the next 56 years.Congress transferred it to the Smithsonian. It remained at the Castle until 1964, when it was moved to the new Museum of History and Technology. The marble Washington has held court on the second floor ever since.(Smithsonian Press). The trip of Washington D.C