Tour the National Inventors Hall of Fame Museum Exhibits

Begin your visit with the Gallery of Icons^™, where you’ll see an extraordinary display of icons commemorating each of the more than 600 Inductees we’ve welcomed since our founding in 1973. Hung in a tessellating hexagon pattern inspired by honeycombs and organized by patent number, this is a stunning visual representation of the history of American innovation.

Meet the newest class of Inductees, recognized in partnership with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Learn about the work of creators and innovators like Andrea Goldsmith, inventor of adaptive beamforming for multi-antenna Wi-Fi; Asad Madni, inventor of the MEMS gyroscope for aerospace and automotive safety; and James Allison, inventor of immune checkpoint blockade therapy.

Redefining what a Hall of Fame can be and do, we reach beyond the walls of our museum to inspire the next generation of creators, innovators and entrepreneurs. The Programs Room introduces visitors to our nationwide learning opportunities for PreK through college, designed to unlock creative potential through hands-on exploration and valuable lessons from our Inductees.

For the inside story of innovation, step into the Inductee Video Room. See unique interviews with some of the world’s greatest inventors and get a glimpse into our Inductees’ personal stories, in their own words.

Be inspired by this amazing prototype of HoloTile^™ floor technology! The Walt Disney Company’s most prolific inventor, 2024 Inductee Lanny Smoot co-created the world's first and only multi-person, omni-directional, modular, expandable treadmill floor. Watch how it allows people to share a virtual reality experience, letting them move in any direction without ever walking off its surface.

See a flight suit made with Nomex^® fiber, made possible by 2024 Inductee Alice Stoll, who was a pioneer in aerospace medicine and a researcher at the Naval Air Development Center. Her work led to the use of fibers like Nomex to make fire-resistant clothing, keeping people safe from thermal burns in the U.S. Armed Forces, fire departments and more.

On loan from the family of 2023 Inductees Louis and Cyril Keller, see the Keller brothers’ 1958 prototype of the world’s first compact loader. As you view this forerunner to the Bobcat^® skid-steer loader, discover a rich history of intellectual property and imagine the future of the compact equipment industry.

Feel the difference made by the patented wheelchair pushrim developed by 2023 Inductee Rory Cooper, founder of the Human Engineering Research Laboratories (HERL). When you visit this interactive exhibit, you’ll discover how Cooper and HERL are prototyping an equitable today and innovating a better tomorrow.

Feel the rush of a virtual skydive! Inspired by Inductee Floyd Smith, the daring trapeze artist and aviator who invented the modern parachute, this exhilarating exhibit gives you the chance to experience a freefall, deploy a parachute and enjoy a safe landing.