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Metro’s half-century legacy is taking center stage at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History as the nation approaches its 250th birthday.

A new mural installation inside the museum highlights destinations across Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia that visitors can reach by Metrorail and Metrobus. Created jointly by Metro and the museum, it includes a special transit map pointing to museums, monuments, historic neighborhoods, parks and cultural sites connected to the nation’s history.

Metro General Manager and CEO Randy Clarke said the transit system has shaped how people experience the capital region for 50 years, carrying riders to daily activities, civic gatherings and landmarks tied to defining moments in American history.

The exhibit is intended to help museum visitors explore places associated with the country’s founding while showing how public transportation connects those locations.

Adam Rozan, senior audience development lead at the museum, said the partnership helps visitors understand both the history of the American Revolution and the role transportation plays in reaching the places where history unfolded.

The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority serves approximately 4 million people across a 2,054-square-mile area. Its network includes six rail lines, 98 stations, 126 bus routes and door-to-door paratransit service.

Metro recorded 268.9 million trips in 2025, when the American Public Transportation Association named it Transit Agency of the Year. The recognition cited ridership growth, record customer satisfaction, expanded rail service, a redesigned bus network and improvements to the passenger experience.