The Smithsonian has been celebrating innovation in American culture for more than 150 years and the highest honor we now give in that regard is the American Ingenuity Award, which showcases revolutionary breakthroughs in the arts and sciences, education and social progress. Winners and presenters have included Nobel laureates, rock stars and civil rights icons—from physicist Stephen Hawking, to Tesla and SpaceX founder Elon Musk, to musicians David Byrne and St. Vincent, writer and educator Dave Eggers, virtual reality inventor Palmer Luckey, and Grammy-award winner Rosanne Cash. The American Ingenuity Award itself was created by the artist Jeff Koons.

Learn more about the winners of the American Ingenuity Awards

Read more stories about innovation and ingenuity at Smithsonian.com