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Francis,

No, I did not notice it but honestly, there are many small displays and it's possible I overlooked it though I don't think I would have missed this one. It's also possible it is one of those items A&S will rotate in and out of the exhibit. Various A&S brochures suggest that Time and Navigation is 'permanent' and this usually means periodic refreshes.

In the 18 months since my first visit to this exhibit, many exhibits have improved. Today, the overall story line is clearer and there is better connection between inventors and famous users. As usual, the overall quality of artifacts is stunning however the explanations are thin; more so as the principles of operation become less mechanical and more electronic based.

One welcomed A&S policy change (for me at least) has been the elimination of cell phone numbers from exhibit text. Previously, A&S had listed local phone numbers with exhibit text to encourage viewers to call a recorded message for more detail about a display item. This led to pileups in front of display cases as people tried to make a call. There were many complaints about connections and the quality of sound.

It was encouraging to see so many people touring the Time and Navigation exhibit. The Smithsonion Press exhibit book is a welcome addition too.

Overall, a very good learning experience.

Ed