Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute and Royal Commission for AlUla Break Ground on Arabian Leopard Exhibit

Landmark Exhibition at the Smithsonian American Art Museum Unites U.S. Bicentennial Photography Surveys for the First Time DillardKL Tue., 09.15.2026 | 9:37 am “Much Here Is Beautiful: Photography Surveys of the U.S. Bicentennial” at the Smithsonian American Art Museum brings together, for the first time, photography surveys that capture an expansive and evocative portrait of America in the years surrounding the 1976 U.S. Bicentennial. From the California coast to the Kansas heartland to the streets of New York City, the exhibition features images taken across the country by more than 70 photographers as part of the federally funded Surveys Grant Program. Bringing together 225 photographs, “Much Here Is Beautiful” places the Bicentennial images within the broader legacy of federal survey photography dating back to the 19th century and its lasting impact on generations of artists. “Much Here Is Beautiful” is the culmination of years of research, drawing on the museum’s rich photography holdings and uncovering U.S. Bicentennial survey photographs held in collections nationwide, revealing new discoveries and previously unseen works. The exhibition, organized by John Jacob, the McEvoy