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Innovation

Photos: The Smithsonian’s ‘Places of Invention’ exhibit, a look inside

By Erin Carson October 1, 2015, 6:15 AM PDT

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Photos: The Smithsonian’s ‘Places of Invention’ exhibit, a look inside

Places of Invention

Image: Erin Carson/TechRepublic

Places of Invention

The Smithsonian National Museum of American History looks at key spots in America where invention has boomed, and why.

The Smithsonian National Museum of American History’s exhibit on “Places on Invention” explores when the right circumstances lead to a hotspot of invention and innovation.

Image: Erin Carson/TechRepublic
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Photos: The Smithsonian’s ‘Places of Invention’ exhibit, a look inside

Silicon Valley, 1970s-1980s

Image: Erin Carson/TechRepublic

Silicon Valley, 1970s-1980s

Journalist Don Hoefler was the first to call Santa Clara Valley “Silicon Valley” in 1971 when talking about the development of microprocessors and personal computing.

Image: Erin Carson/TechRepublic
Photos: The Smithsonian’s ‘Places of Invention’ exhibit, a look inside

The first computer mouse

The first computer mouse

It looks quite different than what we’re used to. It was invented at the Stanford Research Institute in 1964 by Douglas Engelbart and his colleagues there. Xerox PARC researchers took the design further, and the mouse became popular with the release of the 1984 Apple Macintosh.

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Photos: The Smithsonian’s ‘Places of Invention’ exhibit, a look inside

The Bronx, 1970s

Image: Erin Carson/TechRepublic

The Bronx, 1970s

Music would never be the same after the birth of hip-hop in the Bronx in New York City.

Image: Erin Carson/TechRepublic
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Photos: The Smithsonian’s ‘Places of Invention’ exhibit, a look inside

Scratch that

Image: Erin Carson/TechRepublic

Scratch that

Early hip-hop artists figured out how to turn speakers, turntables, and other components into the first deejaying equipment.

Image: Erin Carson/TechRepublic
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Photos: The Smithsonian’s ‘Places of Invention’ exhibit, a look inside

Medical Alley, 1950s

Image: Erin Carson/TechRepublic

Medical Alley, 1950s

Organizations like the Mayo Clinic, 3M Company, Medtronic, and the University of Minnesota helped form Medical Alley in Minneapolis as a place of medical innovation.

Image: Erin Carson/TechRepublic
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Photos: The Smithsonian’s ‘Places of Invention’ exhibit, a look inside

Bubble oxygenator reservoir coil

Image: Erin Carson/TechRepublic

Bubble oxygenator reservoir coil

Here’s an example of an invention that came out of Medical Alley—this mechanism, created in 1955, oxygenates blood.

Image: Erin Carson/TechRepublic
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Photos: The Smithsonian’s ‘Places of Invention’ exhibit, a look inside

Hartford, 1800s

Image: Erin Carson/TechRepublic

Hartford, 1800s

Hartford, Connecticut became home to precision manufacturing in the 19th century.

Image: Erin Carson/TechRepublic
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Photos: The Smithsonian’s ‘Places of Invention’ exhibit, a look inside

Sewing machine

Image: Erin Carson/TechRepublic

Sewing machine

The sewing machine, created in 1844, was one of those inventions that changed a lot, including transferring the duty of making clothes from the housewife to the factory.

Image: Erin Carson/TechRepublic
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Photos: The Smithsonian’s ‘Places of Invention’ exhibit, a look inside

Hollywood, 1930s

Image: Erin Carson/TechRepublic

Hollywood, 1930s

The American film industry headed west chasing land that was cheap, weather that was good, and scenery that was varied. They found Hollywood, of course, in Los Angeles, California.

Image: Erin Carson/TechRepublic
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Photos: The Smithsonian’s ‘Places of Invention’ exhibit, a look inside

Technicolor

Image: Erin Carson/TechRepublic

Technicolor

A major innovation from Hollywood was the ability to shoot film in Technicolor. Here’s an early camera with that capability.

Image: Erin Carson/TechRepublic
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Photos: The Smithsonian’s ‘Places of Invention’ exhibit, a look inside

Fort Collins, 2010s

Image: Erin Carson/TechRepublic

Fort Collins, 2010s

More recently, Fort Collins, Colorado has become an important spot for the research and development of green technology.

Image: Erin Carson/TechRepublic
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Photos: The Smithsonian’s ‘Places of Invention’ exhibit, a look inside

Envirofit Cookstove prototype

Image: Erin Carson/TechRepublic

Envirofit Cookstove prototype

On the right you can see this 2011 prototype for a cookstove for people in developing countries. It burns cleanly, efficiently, and is affordable.

Image: Erin Carson/TechRepublic
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By Erin Carson
Erin Carson is a Staff Reporter for CNET and a former Multimedia Editor for TechRepublic.
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