Over a Century's Worth of American Labor History Visits the Museum!

Work and the workplace have gone through enormous changes between the mid-19th century, when 60 percent of Americans made their living as farmers, and the late 20th century. A new traveling exhibition, “The Way We Worked,” features 86 photographs from the National Archives focusing on the history of work in America and documenting work, clothing, locales, conditions and conflicts. These exquisite photographs, along with accompanying artifacts, span the years 1857 to 1987 and provide visitors with a fascinating glimpse of a nation at work. The exhibition will open on September 18th, 2010 and ends November 20th, 2010.

“The Way We Worked,” was created by the National Archives with the support of the Foundation for the National Archives and is organized for travel by the Smithsonian Institution of Traveling Exhibition Services (SITES).