National Museum of American Diplomacy
The National Museum of American Diplomacy’s education programs equip students to tackle the 21st-century challenges facing our country and the world. They reveal the complexity of international issues and the role that the U.S. State Department and diplomacy play in protecting the security and prosperity of Americans at home and abroad.
The National Museum of American Diplomacy Summer 2022 Teacher Workshop: Preparing Students for College, Career, and Civic Life with Diplomacy Skills will immerse teachers in the work of the U.S. Department of State and the skills of diplomacy. Teachers will:
NMAD is happy to announce the addition of three new diplomacy simulations through the Historical Diplomacy Simulation Program.
Our diplomacy simulations help participants engage in the art and practice of diplomacy. Instead of hypothetical scenarios, these diplomacy simulations are based on true, historical events. Through history, students are able to learn about the role that U.S. diplomats and the State Department play in international conflicts. The Historical Diplomacy Simulation Program is a project with the Una Chapman Cox Foundation as part of the initiative on American Diplomacy and Foreign Service, and developed along with partners National History Day and George Mason University’s Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media. The three new historic simulations are:
Barbary Pirates Hostage Crisis: Negotiating Tribute and Trade
Spanish-American Conflict of 1898: Treaties and Self-Determination
Suez Canal Crisis: National Sovereignty versus International Access to Waterways
What is the mission of the U.S. Department of State?
The mission of the Department of State is to represent America’s foreign policy abroad, and to advance the interests and security of the American people.
What are the pillars of American diplomacy?
The United States works closely with other governments, international organizations and local institutions to promote security, prosperity, democracy, and economic development.
Who is the Secretary of State?
The Secretary of State, appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate, is the President’s chief foreign affairs adviser.
How does the U.S. Department of State engage with other countries?
While the traditional role of diplomacy remains the daily interaction of Embassy officers with officials and agencies of the host government, public diplomacy has become more and more vital in an age of instant communication.
Who are U.S. diplomats and what do they do?
U.S. diplomats use personal relationships with officials and citizens of the hosting country to advocate for U.S. interests, to work together on common causes, and to explain U.S. society and values. Diplomats’ roles and responsibilities are immensely varied.
Learn more about who diplomats are and their different roles and responsibilities.
Where do U.S. diplomats work?
An embassy is the headquarters for U.S. Government representatives serving in a foreign country.
Learn more about what is an embassy and browse our map explorer to discover more about each U.S. embassy.
Would you like to step into the role of a diplomat, and negotiate with international partners to solve a global problem? Explore NMAD’s free diplomacy simulation materials.
What are these diplomacy topics about? Watch our expert videos designed for students. These videos are to be used alongside our diplomacy simulations. Explore our simulations.
Learn about the impact of illegal trafficking on endangered species and the global economy.
Discover the importance of fish as a food source and sustainable fishing practices.
Learn how freshwater is a vital resource that is often a point of conflict between nations.
Find out how counterfeit trade destabilizes economies and supports criminal organizations.
Learn about the challenges associated with the peacebuilding process in Darfur.
Learn about how U.S. diplomats and other global leaders work to protect refugees and migrants to prevent future migration crises.
Terms commonly used in diplomacy and international affairs.
The path to becoming a diplomat is not always obvious. For Carl T. Rowan, he paved his path with his storytelling. His many articles on racism in America and international…
“One of the duties of a minister in a foreign land is to cultivate good social, as well as civil relations, with the people and government to which he is…
Diplomacy skills are not just any skills. They are the specific skills diplomats employ to succeed in their duties. To help the public demystify the skills of diplomacy, the National…
When Civil War erupted in April of 1861, President Abraham Lincoln and Secretary of State William Seward’s official reason for the war was to preserve the union of states, not…
In 1861, as the Civil War was beginning at home, U.S. diplomats faced a unique dilemma. The United States needed to maintain relationships abroad. At the same time, the self-proclaimed…
Being a diplomat can mean putting yourself at risk, especially in times of violence or war. Diplomats may help evacuate their nation’s citizens from dangerous situations or stay in contact…
Ambassador Arnold Chacon has served as a diplomat in the U.S. Foreign Service for 40 years. His dedication to his career as a public servant began early through his years…
The word esperanza in Spanish means “hope” or “expectation.” This word, both in its promise and sense of duty, captures the career of Carmen G. Cantor, the United States Ambassador…
Mari-Luci Jaramillo was a renowned educator who served as Ambassador to Honduras under Carter’s administration from 1977-1980. Jaramillo started her career as a teacher but quickly grew her leadership skills…
When Lino Gutiérrez joined the U.S. Foreign Service in 1977, he found himself to be the only Latino in his class. At that time, Hispanic Americans comprised only four percent…
Above: Sheikh Ali Jaber Al Sabah, Mayor of Jahra City and son of the Amir of Kuwait, lays flowers at the U.S. Embassy in Bayan, Kuwait. (AP Photo/Gustavo Ferrari) Originally…
August 27, 2021 marks 93 years since the signing of the Kellogg-Briand Pact. The United States and France drafted the treaty, officially known as the General Treaty for Renunciation of…
In April 1971, nine players from the U.S. Table Tennis team took a historic trip to China, becoming the first delegation of Americans to visit the country in decades. Following…
How does a diplomat become a great leader? Who and what has inspired them? The National Museum of American Diplomacy helps answer these questions through an exploration of some of…
In 2012, I had just arrived at my first overseas assignment in Sierra Leone when I was asked to deal with a protest outside the U.S. embassy. Relatives of people…
Americans who choose to enter the United States Foreign Service do not take the decision lightly. These professional diplomats spend most of their careers abroad, serving two-to-three years at a…
Born in California in 1920 to Korean immigrant parents, Dr. Sammy Lee represented and served the United States in many ways. By the 1950s, Lee was an Olympic gold medalist,…
These Great Seals were damaged during attacks on U.S. diplomatic missions. They are physical reminders of the dangers that Diplomatic Security Service special agents and personnel face in protecting our…
On April 30, 1975, the South Vietnamese capital of Saigon fell to the North Vietnamese Army, effectively ending the Vietnam War. In the days before, U.S. forces evacuated thousands of…
Serving 41 years in the United States Foreign Service, Ambassador Aurelia Erskine Brazeal was the first African American woman to be appointed ambassador by three presidential administrations. She was also…
Each month, the National Museum of American Diplomacy highlights special artifacts from the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service. This month, we are showcasing an old and special artifact…
In honor of Women’s History Month, the National Museum of American Diplomacy celebrates the diplomatic legacy of Marjorie Merriweather Post, philanthropist, businesswoman, and collector.
Our artifact donors’ generosity has resulted in an active start to our collecting in 2021. Highlights from these recent acquisitions include a photograph of new consular officers from 1909 (the…
Ambassador Edward J. Perkins knew segregation well. He was born into a segregated and racist society in 1928 on a small farm in the American south. His life took him…
In the early years of the Republic, the Secretary of State cabinet position appeared to be a stepping stone to the presidency. This pattern began with Thomas Jefferson, who became…
In 1869, Ebenezer D. Bassett was appointed as the Minister of the Republic of Haiti, making him the first African American Chief of Mission. Throughout his career, Bassett defended the…
Dr. Ralph J. Bunche was a pioneering African American diplomat who shaped some of the most remarkable moments in the twentieth century. Dr. Ralph Bunche as a civil rights activist…
January 27th is International Holocaust Remembrance Day, a day to honor the six million Jewish victims of the Holocaust and millions of other lives lost. Today we pause to honor…
In November 1979, 52 Americans in the U.S. Embassy in Tehran were taken hostage by Iranian students. Everyone, from the most junior staff members to the person in charge of…
For the National Museum of American Diplomacy, building our artifact collection has always involved a focus on both the past and the present. Collecting has focused on not only documenting…
The National Museum of American Diplomacy has collected some significant items in recent weeks. These include a diplomatic passport issued to Ambassador Edward R. Dudley, the first African American to…
Explore stories about people and artifacts in our collection.
Think of an historic event you personally witnessed or experienced first hand. Do you remember what you wore? NMAD has several articles of clothing in its collection belonging to diplomats…
NMAD mourns the passing of American diplomat Hans Tuch. In 1959, as the U.S. Embassy Moscow Public Affairs Officer Hans “Tom” Tuch accompanied U.S. Vice President Richard Nixon and Soviet…
Katie Speckart joined the museum in 2004. At that time, the collection consisted of 1,500 artifacts without an exhibition space of its own. Over the ensuing years, Katie played a…
NMAD curatorial staff worked with U.S. Embassy Kingston, Jamaica to collect a sign from a recent Black Lives Matter protest in Kingston which took place outside the embassy building. As…
Have a case of wanderlust? As you take a look at this passport from the museum’s collection, join Meyer Franklin Kline and his wife Mildred Kline as they travelled the…
glifaa–then known as Gays and Lesbians in Foreign Affairs Agencies (then GLIFAA) was born in the living room of David Buss and David Larson on March 8, 1992, over brunch.…
Woman’s suit worn by U.S. Ambassador to Kenya Prudence Bushnell, 1998. Gift of U.S. Ambassador Prudence Bushnell I was determined that we were going to get through this as a…
In 1949, Ambassador Edward R. Dudley was the first African American to hold the rank of ambassador. His legacy also includes a long history of civil rights activism and a…
Passport Travels: Myriam Johnston, U.S. Information Agency Officer Spurred by a desire to see the world, Myriam Johnston joined the U.S. Information Agency (USIA) in 1955. President Eisenhower had established…
The pages in the passport that include appended photos of Ellis and Lucy’s son (left) and daughter (right). Lucy Barnard Briggs used this passport in our collection for more than…
Richard Solomon, a China scholar and diplomat, during a period of “Ping-Pong diplomacy.” Here he is pictured with Zhuang Zedong in 1972. (Solomon Family Photo) Inscribed Ping Pong PaddleGift of…
Philip Habib: America’s Diplomat Born to parents who immigrated to the United States from Lebanon, Philip C. Habib grew up in New York and joined the Foreign Service in 1949.…
Honoring African American Trailblazers in Diplomacy These African American pioneers shaped American history. Read on to discover more about trailblazing ambassadors, influential activists, and a Nobel Peace Prize winner. Ambassador…
May 30, 1935 – October 16, 2019 (age 84) As the first female Diplomatic Security special agent, Patricia Anne (Patti) Morton was very aware of the legacy she would leave…
We salute our nation’s veterans! An estimated 7,100 military veterans serve our nation in diplomatic capacities at the Department of State. Throughout our nation’s history, the branches of the military…
America played an important role in Poland’s regaining its independence following World War I. On January 8, 1918, President Woodrow Wilson, inspired by the Polish statesman and virtuoso Ignacy Jan…
This original August 3, 1789 issue of The Independent Gazetteer or the Chronicle of Freedom provides notice of and complete text of the July 27, 1789 act establishing the Department…
May 13 marks the 218th anniversary of President Thomas Jefferson ordering U.S. naval vessels to stop Barbary interference with American trade in the Mediterranean. Jefferson’s decision to use force against…
The Consulate General had its windows and doors blown in or out several times, and all of us had narrow escapes, but no one was actually hit, a miracle in…
Use these online exhibits to teach diplomacy concepts and events in your classroom.
An interactive timeline telling the story of the rise and fall of the Berlin Wall.
Telling the story of the Dayton Peace Accords that ended the Bosnia-Herzegovina war.
Read the stories of women diplomats that made a difference in diplomacy.
Discover the work of our nation’s diplomats.
Watch our series of virtual events on topics in diplomacy.
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