Breaking Bad Donates Props to the National Museum of American History

“Blue Sky” crystal meth, hazmat suits, and a paper cup from a fictional, fried chicken fast-food joint now belong in the same museum as the Star-Spangled Banner. The National Museum of American History added Breaking Bad to its list of iconic TV shows on Tuesday, when series producers and cast members Bryan Cranston, Aaron Paul, Dean Norris, Jonathan Banks, and RJ Mitte donated a series of props and memorabilia to the museum.

“If you had told me there’d be crystal meth in the same museum as the Star-Spangled Banner, Thomas Edison’s light bulb, Abraham Lincoln’s pocket watch, and Dorothy’s ruby slippers, I’d have told you you were using too much of Walter White’s product,” Vince Gilligan, Breaking Bad’s creator, said during the donation ceremony.

The show joins other popular series, such as All in the Family, Mad Men, Seinfeld, and the Wonder Years, that have also been immortalized in the museum. The newly donated costumes and props won’t be on display until 2018 for an exhibit on American art, culture, and entertainment, but here’s a sneak peek.

Props from Breaking Bad: A cup from Los Pollos Hermanos, a fast-food chain that was involved in money-laundering and illegal drug activities, and two baggies of the notorious crystal meth manufactured by characters Walter White and Jesse Pinkman. Photograph by Ryan Weisser.

The two Tyvek suits worn by Walter White and Jesse Pinkman throughout the show. Rustling from the thick, plastic-like hazmat suit (right) worn in season one led producers to switch over to the quieter, satin-like suits (left). “Neither of them breathe, so it’s like being in a sauna, wearing those things,” Cranston said. “But looking at them now brings back good memories.” Photograph by Ryan Weisser.

Hank Schrader’s DEA ID card and Marie Schrader’s purple corkscrew. In the show, Hank is White’s brother-in-law and the assistant special agent in charge of the DEA’s Albuquerque office. Marie, Hank’s wife, wears the color purple throughout the show and decorated her home in shades of purple. Color holds meaning throughout the show, and creator Vince Gilligan said characters wearing purple are usually being misguided. Photograph by Ryan Weisser.

A Better Call Saul matchbook. Better Call Saul is a Breaking Bad spin-off /prequel, where we learn more about White and Pinkman’s lawyer, Saul Goodman. Photograph by Ryan Weisser.

Walter White’s “Heisenberg” hat, named after the science teacher, Werner Heisenberg, who discovered the uncertainty principle, and, like White, was diagnosed with cancer. Photograph by Ryan Weisser.

Ryan Weisser

UX Designer

As Washingtonian’s UX designer, Ryan works with Washingtonian’s editorial and digital teams to design digital products that address reader’s needs online. Her background in interactive journalism and web production influence design strategies that ensure users have the best possible experience–on any platform.

Ryan enjoys running, trying new restaurants in DC, and Instagramming her favorite places around DC. You can follow her on Instagram (@ryan_weisser) and on Twitter (@Ryan_Weisser).