The Smithsonian's Lemelson Center

Now Available: The Lemelson Center’s 2025 Activities Report!

From dynamic public programs and new educational initiatives to thought-provoking exhibitions and digital storytelling, this report highlights how we engaged audiences of all ages throughout the year around themes of innovation and invention.

Whether you joined us in person, tuned in online, or are discovering our work for the first time, we invite you to explore the report and learn how the Lemelson Center is inspiring generations of creative problem-solvers.

View the full report here: https://invention.si.edu/invention-stories/2025-lemelson-center-activities-report

In February, we had the honor of hosting Harry Edwards for our Innovative Lives program. Through his scholarship and advocacy, Edwards established the sociology of sports and reframed the role of athletes in conversations about equity, power, and public life.

In our latest blog post, revisit his reflections on the intellectual and social foundations of his work and watch the full program recording:

Reflections on Innovative Lives: Harry Edwards | Lemelson In February 2026, the Center hosted a virtual conversation with Harry Edwards, the founder of the sociology of sport as an academic discipline. 

3 innovative women + 2 jock straps = 1 game changing invention!

Who comes to mind when you think of an inventor?

Women have long created technologies that shape everyday life, from new materials to practical solutions for daily challenges. This Women’s History Month, explore stories of innovators including Stephanie Kwolek, Marion O’Brien Donovan, Kavita Shukla, and Alexis Lewis:
https://invention.si.edu/invention-stories/diverse-voices-women-inventors

Diverse Voices: Women Inventors | Lemelson Throughout American history, women with diverse backgrounds and interests created inventions that change our lives every day.

This Valentine’s Day, explore the surprising history of personal ads in “Advertising for Love,” our latest blog post!

For centuries people have turned to personal ads to find companionship and love, and those ads developed their own culture of communication. From early newspaper classifieds to today’s online dating profiles the search for connection reflects changing technologies and social expectations.

Read the full story on the Lemelson Center blog and discover how the invention of personal ads reveals more about how we connect than you might expect: https://invention.si.edu/invention-stories/advertising-love

Happy Valentine’s Day! 💌

Happy National Inventors Day!

Today we celebrate the creativity, persistence, and ingenuity of inventors whose ideas have shaped our nation and improved lives around the world. Invention is a powerful force for change, and its history is richer and more diverse than many of us realize.

At the Lemelson Center, we are committed to uncovering and sharing stories that expand our understanding of who invents and how innovation happens. We invite you to explore Lost Histories of African American Inventors, an invention story that highlights groundbreaking innovators whose contributions have too often gone unrecognized: https://invention.si.edu/invention-stories/lost-histories-african-american-inventors

On this National Inventors Day, we honor the inventors of the past and reaffirm our commitment to inspiring the innovators of the future.

Lost Histories of African American Inventors | Lemelson In a book written especially for kids, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar shares fascinating stories you probably don't know about 16 historical and contemporary African American inventors.

What role can sports play in advancing social change?

During the 100th national commemoration of Black History Month, we invite you to join us for "Innovative Lives: Harry Edwards," a free virtual program featuring a conversation with Harry Edwards, a trailblazing scholar, activist, and inventor of the sociology of sport.

Edwards will reflect on his life’s work, including his leadership of the 1968 Olympic Project for Human Rights, and discuss how athletes continue to shape conversations around justice and equality today.

Tuesday, February 24, 2026
1:00 EST
Online via Zoom
Free registration required: https://bit.ly/3MayYXL

Innovative Lives: Harry Edwards What role can sports play in shaping society? Join us for a live virtual conversation with the inventor of the sociology of sports.

New book release - available today!

The Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation is proud to announce the publication of American Bridge: Reinventing Building, Making History by Gregory Dreicer, released today by MIT Press as part of our Lemelson Center Studies in Invention and Innovation series.

American Bridge uncovers the hidden history behind a revolutionary shift in how the built world came together, from constructing one structure at a time to mass building at an industrial scale. Through stunning imagery and deep historical research, Dreicer traces the global exchange of ideas that shaped beams, trusses, and skeleton frames while challenging long-held assumptions about progress, nationalism, and innovation.

Learn more here:

American Bridge How did builders shift from the er****on of one structure at a time to the mass construction of hundreds of thousands? American Bridge explores a radical rei...

We’re thrilled to announce that the Jerome H. Lemelson Invention Notebook Transcription Project is now open to digital volunteers!

Jerome H. Lemelson (1923–1996) was one of the most prolific and versatile inventors in American history. With 600+ patents spanning everything from breakthrough medical and industrial technologies to playful gadgets and toys, Lemelson’s imagination knew no bounds.

Among his extraordinary legacy are 114 bound invention notebooks (1949–1994), filled with:

• detailed descriptions of ideas
• meeting notes
• sketches and diagrams
• early patent outlines
• taped-in and stapled-in materials like business cards
• dated and witnessed entries documenting his creative journey

These notebooks offer a rare window into how an inventor thinks and demonstrates how ideas evolve, shift, or stay stubbornly the same.

Now, you can help make this collection more accessible. Our goal: accurate, clear transcriptions that improve searchability and help researchers, students, and curious individuals explore Lemelson’s inventive mind. Transcriptions will always appear alongside images of the original pages.

Want to contribute? Visit the link in our bio to get started!

We’re thrilled to announce that the Jerome H. Lemelson Invention Notebook Transcription Project is now open to digital volunteers!

Jerome H. Lemelson (1923–1996) was one of the most prolific and versatile inventors in American history. With 600+ patents spanning everything from breakthrough medical and industrial technologies to playful gadgets and toys, Lemelson’s imagination knew no bounds.

Among his extraordinary legacy are 114 bound invention notebooks (1949–1994), filled with:

• detailed descriptions of ideas
• meeting notes
• sketches and diagrams
• early patent outlines
• taped-in and stapled-in materials like business cards
• dated and witnessed entries documenting his creative journey

These notebooks offer a rare window into how an inventor thinks and demonstrates how ideas evolve, shift, or stay stubbornly the same.

Now, you can help make this collection more accessible. Our goal: accurate, clear transcriptions that improve searchability and help researchers, students, and curious individuals explore Lemelson’s inventive mind. Transcriptions will always appear alongside images of the original pages.

Want to contribute? Visit this link to get started: https://transcription.si.edu/lemelson-notebooks-instructions