“The Star Spangled Banner” has long been derided as a poor choice for our national anthem. Critics cite it as difficult to sing, difficult to understand, and most often, difficult to love. It has been ...

Among the world’s best-known national anthems, “The Star-Spangled Banner” (1814) emerged out of a welter of patriotic musical activity during the decades following our victorious conclusion of the ...

Inspired by the sight of the American flag after battle, Francis Scott Key wrote “The Star-Spangled Banner.” Its vivid imagery captured the spirit of survival, symbolizing the nation's push for ...

The centerpiece of the museum, the Star-Spangled Banner, is the historic flag that inspired Francis Scott Key to write the poem that became our national anthem. Greeting visitors upon entering the ...