Smithsonian Collections Online

Gale is working with the Smithonian Institution to expand access to archival content on selected materials held at various Smithsonian respositories, including: the Smithsonian Libraries, Dibner Library of the History of Science and Technology, the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Library, and the National Museum of American History's Archives Center and Library.

Evolution of Flight, 1784-1991

This collection consists of images, diaries, correspondence, scrapbooks, draft technical specifications, government documents, and other primary source materials available within the National Air and Space Museum's archives and library.  It covers early flight, inventions, air races, the fighter pilot, the evolution of aerial weaponry, training programs, navigational technology, landmark altitudes and long-distance flights, Zeppelin travel, engines and propulsions, Germany's WWII jet program, the Cold War aviation race, and America's current high tech air fleet.

World's Fairs and Expositions: Visions of Tomorrow

This collection consists of over 500,000 pages of primary source documents from a century of World's Fairs. Ranging rom 1840-1940, these materials include general histories, exhibition catalogs, official histories, commemorative accounts, exposition publications, visitors' guides, lectures, technical reports and promotional publications. They were drawn from several libraries and reflect the international nature of the World's Fair, including exhibitions in London (1851), Melbourne (1880), Barcelona (1888), Paris (1889), Chicago (1893), and Rio de Janeiro (1908). Topic relate to a variety of subjects, such as history, architecture, arts, science and technology, gender and ethnic studies, and photography.

Trade Literature and the Merchandising of Industry

This digital collection of nineteenth and early twentieth century materials documents the evolution of American (and some international) business and industry. Covering approximately the years of 1820-1926, the material includes catalogs, pamphlets, advertising materials, and ephemera of the emerging industries of that period, such as steam engines, railroads, motorized vehicles, agricultural/farm machinery, building and construction, mining, and others.