The Science of History

Preserving and exploring history through science is not new. However, the technology we use to study and preserve history has changed. No matter if it is archeology or chemistry, scientist are hard at work in the field working to save historical treasures. Join us as we learn more about these treasures and how they are preserved.

During the War of 1812 Fort McHenry stood guard to Baltimore harbor. After the British captured Washington, D.C. they headed to Baltimore. On the morning of Sept. 13, 1814 the British bombarded the fort. A lawyer by the name of Francis Scott Key was in the harbor on a flag-of-truce ship throughout the night. By dawn, the British tapered off their attack. As Key viewed Fort McHenry's flagpole to see if the fort had been captured he saw the 30 x 35 foot flag raised as a gesture of defiance. "Thrilled by the sight of the flag and the knowledge that the fort had not
fallen, Key took a letter from his pocket, and began to write some verses on the back of it." Later the poem was set to the English song, "To Anacreon in Heaven." In 1931, legislation was enacted that made the "Star-Spangled Banner" our national anthem.

The flag was donated to the Smithsonian Institute in 1912 by the grandson of the commander of Fort McHenry. Since acquiring the flag, many attempts to preserve it have been made using state-of-the-art conservation and exhibition techniques. The flag had been displayed in the Museum of American History until the most recent restoration project. The flag was last cleaned in 1982 at which time a flexible screen was installed to protect it from light and dust. In 1994, experts decided that "despite past care, the Star-Spangled Banner had weakened and required further preservation." To preserve the flag, they had to move it. Given the fact that the flag is over 185 years old, weighs approximately 150 pounds and is so fragile this was no easy task. To move it, they lowered the flag's aluminum frame with cables and laid it horizontally. Next conservators examined "every inch of the flag, documented its condition, and carefully vacuumed it in preparation for its move to a new laboratory."

In designing the conservation laboratory the idea was to make the process as accessible to the public as possible. There is a 50-foot long glass wall, in which museum visitors can view the conservation process. A moveable gantry (bridge) gives the conservators a working surface above the flag. From the gantry conservators use surgical instruments to preserve the flag. In order to protect the flag from contaminants the lab is equipped with its own air conditioning and heating systems. The laboratory's light levels, temperature and humidity is also controlled in order to further protect the Star-Spangled Banner.

It is estimated that there are over 30,000 artifacts on the fort's grounds. In 1997, the Curator of Fort McHenry documented and placed archeological work done at the fort online through the National Park Service. Explore, Learn and Participate in archeology by visiting other historical battlefields.