# The Smithsonian has a COVID exhibit

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-smithsonian-has-a-covid-exhibit/919770>\
**Category:** The Quarantine Zone\
**Tags:** covid-quarantine\
**Created:** [September 4, 2020, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-smithsonian-has-a-covid-exhibit/919770 "2020-09-04T03:08:29Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\
**Post date:** [September 4, 2020, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-smithsonian-has-a-covid-exhibit/919770/1 "2020-09-04T03:08:29Z")

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And specifically, the National Museum of American History.

> **[National Museum of American History Coronavirus Artifacts](https://www.c-span.org/video/?474681-1%2Fnational-museum-american-history-coronavirus-artifacts)**
>
> Alexandra Lord, medicine and science director and curator at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History, discussed the museum's coronavirus pandemic artifacts collection.

Like I’ve told my nieces, and other kids, we are always living in future history.

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**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\
**Post date:** [September 9, 2020, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-smithsonian-has-a-covid-exhibit/919770/2 "2020-09-09T00:12:17Z")

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probably should mention that the museum is still closed

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**Author:** ![tofor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tofor/32/13727_2.png) [@tofor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tofor)\
**Post date:** [September 9, 2020, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-smithsonian-has-a-covid-exhibit/919770/3 "2020-09-09T13:08:51Z")

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I didn’t watch the video, but the headline says they have ‘artifacts’, not an ‘exhibit’. The Smithsonian has hundreds of thousands of artifacts which are not on display.

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**Author:** ![tofor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tofor/32/13727_2.png) [@tofor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tofor)\
**Post date:** [September 9, 2020, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-smithsonian-has-a-covid-exhibit/919770/4 "2020-09-09T13:11:48Z")

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Actually, make that millions:

> The total number of artifacts, works of art and specimens in the Smithsonian’s collections is estimated at 156 million…

> **[Smithsonian Collections | Smithsonian Institution](https://www.si.edu/newsdesk/factsheets/smithsonian-collections)**
>
> The Smithsonian Institution—the world’s largest museum and research complex—includes 19 museums and galleries and the National Zoological Park.