It was, of course, the huge American flag that flew over Baltimore's Fort McHenry on a hot summer ... That giant flag, one of the Smithsonian's proudest treasures, is being cleaned and perked ...

It opened in January 1964. Smithsonian Institution Archives The Star-Spangled Banner, the flag that inspired the lyrics to our national anthem, is on display in its own protective chamber.

Explore America and discover people, places, art, history, and other items related to Maryland in the Smithsonian's growing digitized collections. The original Star-Spangled Banner, the flag that ...