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Film chemist Beverly Wood (left) and Alice Guy Blanché (right).
We envision a world in which everyone is inventive and inspired to contribute to innovation.
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Film chemist Beverly Wood, undated (left). Courtesy of Henner Hofmann, ASC, AMC via University of Mary Washington Magazine; Filmmaker Alice Guy Blaché, 1913 (right). Courtesy Collection Solax via Wikimedia Commons

Explore

Behind every invention, there is a story. Discover those stories here.

 

Black and white photo of Early French cinema pioneer Alice Guy-Blaché standing with camera tripod.
Blog

Ready for Their Close-ups: Women Inventors in Filmmaking

In honor of Women’s History Month, we celebrate female inventors in filmmaking.

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Invention Stories

Inspiring STEM Pathways

Contemporary Inventors as Role Models for the Next Generation

A middle-aged woman sitting on a barrel next to an outside staircase. She is holding a sketchbook.
Blog

Immigrant Lili Réthi Revealed the Drama of Construction

Graphic illustrator Lili Réthi depicted engineering, construction, and industrial projects with sensational realism.

Study

Scholars and students, join us in studying our passion: invention! Apply for a fellowship, travel grant, or internship. Explore our collections. Consult our research reports and best practices for documenting and collecting inventors’ materials. And check out our Lemelson Center/MIT Press book series.

Montage of book covers published in the Lemelson Center Studies series
Lemelson Center Books

Lemelson Center Studies in Invention and Innovation

Books in the interdisciplinary Lemelson Center Studies in Invention and Innovation series explore the history of invention and innovation and the work of inventors and the technologies they create.

Logo for the Modern Inventors Documentation database, showing a stylized head with words like creativity and innovation written on different parts of the brain
Archives

Sohmer & Co. Records, 1872-1989

Inventor Name Sohmer & Company

Archival intern Elizabeth Garber
Research Opportunities

Lemelson Center Archival Internship

Lemelson Center Archival Interns work on invention-related collections at the National Museum of American History Archives Center.

Try

Get hands-on with the history and the process of invention! Try all sorts of ways to get creative!

An adult man is working with a young girl on an activity in SparkLab
Spark!Lab

About Spark!Lab

Draper Spark!Lab is where museum visitors become inventors.

Ralph Baer playing his Telesketch game, 1977
Encouraging Innovative Thinking

Ralph H. Baer Endowment for Invention Education

Contributions to the Ralph H. Baer Endowment will support invention education through the Lemelson Center.

Sparky logo
Spark!Lab

Frequently Asked Questions about Spark!Lab

Draper Spark!Lab is a hands-on invention activity center where visitors learn that invention is a process and that everyone is inventive.

Surprise me!

Events

  • Apr 12, 2023

    Innovative Lives: Amy Prieto and Sunil Cherian

  • May 10, 2023

    Innovative Lives: Theresa Dankovich and Madison Maxey

In the news

  • Dec 06, 2022

    We're Hiring! Spark!Lab Facilitator (PART-TIME)

  • Apr 21, 2022

    Smithsonian Institution, USA Skateboarding and Levitt at the Falls Collaborate To Bring Innoskate Festival to Sioux Falls and Pine Ridge

  • Mar 15, 2022

    Spark!Lab Is Hiring! Floor Manager (FULL TIME)

  • Mar 10, 2022

    Collaboration of Disciplines Across Atlantic Coast Conference Stimulates Creativity and Innovation at Smithsonian Festival

On view

Visit the Lemelson Hall of Invention and Innovation

Draper Spark!Lab is open on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from 11:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m.

The National Museum of American History is open seven days a week! Visit us every day from 10:00 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. Admission is free and masks are not required to visit Smithsonian museums or the National Zoo. Information about other Smithsonian museums and their hours of operation, as well safety tips and guidelines for visiting may be found on the main Smithsonian website.

Plan your visit >>

The Lemelson Hall of Invention and Innovation features:

Draper Spark!Lab, our hands-on invention workshop for children and families. Want to invent at home? Check out the DO Try This at Home section of our website!

Places of Invention, an exhibition that explores what can happen when the right mix of inventive people, untapped resources, and inspiring surroundings come together.

Inventive Minds, a changing gallery that highlights the Lemelson Center’s work on documenting inventors.

Location and Hours:

The Lemelson Center, the Lemelson Hall of Invention and Innovation, and Spark!Lab are located at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History.

Hours are subject to change for holidays, inclement weather, and urgent maintenance issues. Please check the museum calendar for updates.

Learn more about our exhibitions

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