<em>Life with Teena</em> was the result of a market survey of white, middle-class teenage girls and what they bought in 1945. The booklet that turned the raw data into the charming character of Teena was used to persuade retailers, manufacturers, and advertisers to pay more attention to the spending power of teen girls.

Teens and Teena

Intern Ann Abney examines Life with Teena, a 1945 marketing survey of teenage American women.

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Illustration from the article “The Pawnbrokers of New York,” 1859.

The History of Pawning

Historian Wendy Woloson describes the history of pawning and her search for a historic sign.

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Mars, Incorporated Funds Exhibition

Mars, Incorporated is the principal sponsor of the American Enterprise exhibition.

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Magnavox Odyssey Video Game Unit

An Industry “zAPPed”: The state of board games today

Emily Bryant surveys the state of the board game industry and the place of board games in Americans' lives.

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Making Kash, Making Culture

The Martin Agency's Mike Lear reveals the origins of Kash, one of GEICO's most successful spokes-characters.

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The making of Labor Day

Historian Paul Buhle and labor cartoonist Mike Konopacki explore the history and legacy of Labor Day.

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The exhibition is helping collect stories about the nation's agricultural heritage.

Peter Liebhold.

Visit the Blog

See what the exhibition team is up to by reading the latest blog posts.

1912 Time Clock

Explore the Exhibition

Read about the exhibition’s major sections and historical objects.

Photo. Paul Bardole improved his tractor by building a cab to protect himself from the elements, Rippey, Iowa, mid 1940s.

Agricultural Innovation and Heritage Archive

Learn how you can contribute to the exhibition through a new collecting initiative.