National Inventors Hall of Fame and Museum

The National Inventors Hall of Fame (NIHF) is free and located on the United States Patent and Trademark Office campus in Alexandria, Virginia. Visitors can interact with and explore our kiosks and archives.

Current exhibits

National Inventors Hall of Fame

The National Inventors Hall of Fame showcases the more than 600 inventors who have been inducted into NIHF and their great technological achievements that helped stimulate growth for our nation and beyond. NIHF inspires the next generation of innovators by connecting them through the story of invention.  The interactive gallery of icons allows you to discover how these innovators have shaped the world around us.  The most recent inductees are featured in a special display where you can see prototypes of their inventions and hear them discuss their inventive processes.

Intellectual Property Power

Celebrate the story of intellectual property and appreciate its significance to progress, innovation and culture. To illustrate how trademarks and patented material make modern amenities possible, this experience features installations from:

• The Ford Motor Company: Take a seat in a one-of-a-kind ride—a 1965 Ford Mustang merged with a 2015 Ford Mustang (see video below). You’ll get a hands-on experience with Intellectual Property Power and see first-hand how patents fuel the evolution of technology.
• Qualcomm: Plug into the story of Qualcomm’s smartphone technology, powered by our patent system. Started decades ago with the aim of giving each person their own phone number, today these innovations enhance the lives of billions of people around the world.
• International Trademark Association: Test your skills at recognizing authentic consumer products versus counterfeit goods. Besides counterfeit education, the exhibit also highlights the value of trademarks and why they are important to consumers. 

History of Patent Examination

See how the Patent Office and the process of patent examination have changed over the past 226 years, featuring patent models that were submitted to the office in the 1800s.

Programs

Find out what inventor superpower you have, by answering questions that align you with one of our superhero National Inventors Hall of Fame Inductees. Learn how the NIHF is helping to grow the next generation of great inventors through programs like the Collegiate Inventors Competition, Camp Invention, and Patents for Humanity.

Plan Your Visit

The NIHF Museum is completely free and open to the public. It is located in the atrium of the United States Patent and Trademark Office's Madison Building, 600 Dulany Street, Alexandria, Va., and is easily accessible from the King Street and Eisenhower Avenue Metro stations. Please check our location page to obtain information about local mass transportation systems, to view a larger area map, and to obtain driving and parking directions.

The museum is open Monday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and the first Saturday of the month from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Please contact the museum to schedule Saturday groups. The museum is closed Sundays and federal holidays*. There is a gift shop.

School and group tours are welcome at the museum. Please contact museum@invent.org or the National Inventors Hall of Fame at 800-968-4332 at least two weeks ahead of time to schedule a group tour.

If you cannot come visit in person, check out this virtual tour of the museum with Mo Rocca, Emmy award-winning CBS Sunday Morning correspondent and host of the Henry Ford's Innovation Nation.

History

NIHF was founded in 1973 by the USPTO and the National Council of Patent Law Associations, now the National Council of Intellectual Property Law Associations.

Previously located in Akron, Ohio, the NIHF Museum was moved in 2008 to the campus of the USPTO in Alexandria, Virginia. The museum is run by the nonprofit National Inventors Hall of Fame in partnership with the USPTO.

*Federal holidays: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, President's Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veterans Day (observed), Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day.