Exhibition Review

"The American Presidency: A Glorious Burden" would seem to be just the kind of exhibition that the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C., should be organizing. Drawn mainly from its extensive political collections and addressing a topic of national significance, this exhibit seems like the perfect bookend to balance the First Ladies collections at the museum that have long been a must-see as part of a pilgrimage to the nation's capital.	1
The presidency—something most Americans take for granted—is one of the distinctive elements of the American system of democracy, and one that embodies the intrinsic tension between the country's need for a strong leader and the reluctance of a democracy to place too much power in the hands of any one individual. I looked forward to the opportunity to explore this American love-hate relationship that plays out every four years when we choose a president. The title of this exhibition seemed to embrace that dichotomy and raised my expectations that the exhibition would, indeed, confront our long-term national ambivalence about power and the presidency.	2
I came away from the exhibition with those expectations sadly unfulfilled. While there are wonderful artifacts and interesting information, the exhibition as a whole fails to maintain a consistent focus, to develop meaningful themes that explore conflict, or to encourage dialogue with visitors.	. . .