At the beginning of the month, the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History opened the American Enterprise exhibit, introducing visitors to the ingenuity of America’s farmers and ranchers.
According to Agri-Pulse, visitors can see firsthand how innovation has driven American business as they walk through the four eras of enterprise: the Merchant Era (1770-1850), the Corporate Era (1860-1930), the Consumer Era (1940-1970) and the Global Era (1980-2010).
Visitors also can experience what it is like to be a farmer at the Farming Challenge. From choosing how to irrigate their crops to investing in new equipment, they take the wheel in an interactive tractor cab where they quickly learn the tough decisions farmers face each day.
The Smithsonian also opened a special biography wall, highlighting business leaders and agricultural innovators like Norman Borlaug and Barbara McClintock.
The new American Enterprise exhibit has not only chronicled the story of innovation in agriculture, it’s bridging the gap for consumers far removed from the farm.