See the Original Star‑Spangled Banner at DC’s National Museum of American History

Walking into the National Museum of American History, one of the first things you see is Flag Hall. It’s here that the original Star‑Spangled Banner can be viewed. 

Its tattered stripes and reduced number of stars tell a vivid story of endurance and symbolism.

A Brief History of the Star‑Spangled Banner Flag

Commissioned in 1813 by Fort McHenry’s commander, Major George Armistead, who demanded “a flag so large that the British would have no difficulty seeing it from a distance. Today, the flag is still a huge 30 × 34 ft relic stitched from cotton and wool, but it was originally 30 by 42 feet. 

Mary Young Pickersgill and her team sewed it—including her daughter, nieces, and 13-year-old African American indentured servant Grace Wisher—using 300 yards of wool and cotton stars measuring 2 feet across.

The flag flew triumphantly on the morning of September 14, 1814, signifying American victory after a 25‑hour British Navy bombardment. It inspired Francis Scott Key to pen “Defence of Fort McHenry,” later set to music and adopted as the U.S. national anthem in 1931.

The flag was passed down through generations of the Armistead family, who gifted and donated it in fragments over the years. Eventually, it was donated to the Smithsonian in the early 1900s.

Viewing the Flag

We make sure to walk through and see the special piece of history each time we visit the museum in D.C.  The Smithsonian has implemented preservation efforts to ensure the flag remains on view for the public for years to come. 

The first thing you notice when you walk into Flag Hall is that the lighting is very dim. That’s to protect the flag, which is housed behind glass in a temperature and humidity-controlled room.  There are no pictures allowed, and the staff strictly enforces that rule. 

There are interesting interpretive panels about the War of 1812 on each side of the hall. 

Seeing the Star-Spangled Banner in person is an engaging experience with a defining moment in American history—a reminder of resilience and the anthem that still echoes its name.