A few of the exhibitions I have curated or co-curated are listed below. These exhibitions were done at the Albert H. Small Center for National Capital Area Studies at the George Washington University Museum.
Eye of the Bird: Visions and Views of D.C.’s Past (October 17, 2018 – December 23, 2019)
This exhibition examines the evolution of Washington, D.C., through two new bird’s eye view paintings by Peter Waddell. One painting imagines the grand city which planner Pierre L’Enfant envisioned. The other captures the city’s development by 1825, the year L’Enfant passed away. This exhibition also explores the genre of nineteenth-century bird’s eye view prints.
Greetings from Washington (March 31, 2018 – September 9, 2018)
From souvenirs, to marketing devices, to the past equivalent of an “I arrived safely” text, postcards tell stories about people and places. The postcards of Washington in this exhibition demonstrate how postcard aesthetics and uses, as well as commercial portrayals of Washington, have changed over time.
Breaking News: Alexander Hamilton (March 31, 2018 – September 9, 2018)
Drawing on historical newspapers from the collection of Antonia M. Chambers, this exhibition highlights important life events and accomplishments of Founding Father Alexander Hamilton, who played a role in bringing the U.S. capital to Washington, D.C.
Treasures from the Albert H. Small Collection (ongoing)
A selection of maps, letters, prints, and artifacts on display from the museum’s Albert H. Small Washingtoniana Collection documents the formation, development and history of Washington, D.C., from the eighteenth to the mid-twentieth century.
Foundations for a Nation explores how public competitions, the preferences of individual presidents, and unanticipated historical events shaped two of Washington’s most iconic landmarks: the U.S. Capitol and White House.
Rare campaign flags and patriotic textiles from the Collection of Mark and Rosalind Shenkman illustrate how presidential campaigning developed in the nineteenth century. Additional pieces from the Albert H. Small Washingtoniana Collection broaden the story.
