In commemoration of America’s 250th anniversary, join us for Treasures of American Cinema, a year-long series highlighting American cinematic history and excellence.

Lyrics in Motion: Classic American Musicals offers a glimpse into this vivacious genre. Early film musicals were often inspired by recorded hit songs or established stage productions. However, by the mid 20th century the American musical was tasked with delivering entertainment, fantasy, and a clear message of American post-war prosperity. Screen performances in the ’40s by well established stars like Lena Horne, Bill “Bojangles” Robinson, James Cagney, and Louis Armstrong made way for talents like Julie Andrews, Gene Kelly, and Leslie Caron in the ’50s and ’60s. In a time of expanding cultural consciousness, elaborate and colorful numbers drew audiences into theaters with their vitality and power.

Treasures of American Cinema is a unique collaboration with the Library of Congress’s Packard Campus for Audio Visual Conservation that brings treasures from the Library of Congress’s film collections, including new restorations and extraordinary, rarely seen titles, to the National Gallery throughout 2026. Titles borrowed from the Library of Congress will be projected in 35mm format when possible.