Exhibit Themes

The future exists only in our imaginations. But, during the twentieth century, Americans have expressed their imaginings about the future in books, movies, magazines, television, radio, toys, and advertising. The future presented in these media ranges from cheerful utopias of technological wizardry to dark visions of societal disfunction.

During the nineteenth century, Americans thought that proper housing was essential to the future social and moral health of their families. But ideas about the home evolved; the home became a "machine for living," and modern architecture, mass production, and increased automation within the home took precedence over real human and societal needs. Home designs continued to reflect contemporary beliefs about family life, gender roles, and social relations. Today, many home designs show exteriors that harken back to the past while their interiors are replete with the latest gadgets.

Futuristic vehicles are uniquely American ways of imagining tomorrow, reflecting our faith in progress and technology. Before the 1920s, mass transit systems dominated Americans' visualizations of future transportation. But the automobile quickly became the dominant mode of transportation and so was the focus of designers' and planners' futuristic visions.

"Ideal" American communities envisioned in the early 20th century reflected hopes, excitement, and fears about the reality of an increasingly urban society. Strategies for future communities were marked by a series of contradictions: communitarianism v. individualism, image v. social reality, utopia v. urban chaos. Today, planned communities where work, leisure, and domestic life can be harmoniously integrated echo the communitarian utopias of the 19th century.