Photo Flash: Daytime TV Gets Primetime Spot at Smithsonian in Time for 40th Annual Broadcast

"The Smithsonian was so highly revered by my father, I wish he were here to share this moment with me," says Susan Lucci, who joined Alex Trebek and Barney co-creators, Kathyand Phil Parker, as objects were added to the Smithsonian's Permanent Collections. On Thursday, May 9th, The National Museum of American History and The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS) announced a partnership that will secure that future generations will remember great moments in daytime television history. Scroll down for photos from the event!

The Smithsonian's National Museum of American History has added the first of many artifacts that reflect the contributions of daytime television programming to the national entertainment collection in a special ceremony to mark a new partnership with the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.

The announcement coincides with the 40th Anniversary of the Daytime EMMY Awards Broadcast on HLN, scheduled for June 16th at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles. The donations represent three of the primary Daytime Entertainment Emmy Awards categories-daytime dramas, game shows and children's programming.

Among the donations were items from All My Children actress Susan Lucci, Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek, who only the day before had been rank #8 on the Readers Digest list of America's Most Trusted People as he remarked "I've been known to break the rules on occasion" in order to show the audience how a donated item worked, after being told not to touch the items once they had been turned over to the museum, and Barney creators Phil and Kathy Parker, who said "What an absolutely WONDERFUL event!! Phil and I felt both honored and humbled to have been a part of it."

The objects range from show scripts and original art to set props and other memorabilia, including the white gown Lucci wore for the now iconic cover or People Magazine (Taken at 6:00am, the day after she won the EMMY) and shoes worn when she won a Daytime Emmy Award in 1999. "What I didn't mention was that I also wore these shoes to the White House," added Lucci. Other items included a 1984 Jeopardy! script with handwritten notes by Trebek and a script from the first video to be released in the Barney & the Backyard Gang series along with a plush toy of the purple dinosaur.

Thursday's ceremony officially launched a three-year collecting initiative by the museum in their partnership with NATAS to help the museum expand its capacity to tell the story of daytime television and the Daytime EMMY Awards. "Since the advent of television in the 1940s, the medium has changed to meet the interests of viewers and their daily lives," said John Gray, director of the museum. "As we reflect on what it means to be an American, we want to expand our collections to illustrate the influence of daytime television on American culture.""We are excited at the prospect of working with the Smithsonian to tell the story of daytime television and its impact on popular culture in America," said Malachy G. Wiegnes, chairman of NATAS. "The 40th anniversary of the Daytime Awards show this June 16 is an ideal venue to showcase the partnership."

The museum's television collections contain costumes, scripts, props and set pieces, including Archie Bunker's chair from All in the Family, marionettes from The Howdy Doody Show, the puffy shirt from Seinfeld and Denis Leary's firefighter costume from Rescue Me. An exhibition exploring American culture is currently in development and will draw on the museum's television, theater, music, sports and entertainment collections. The exhibition is scheduled to open in late 2016.

The first Daytime Emmy Awards show was broadcast in 1974 and hosted by Barbara Walters and Peter Marshall. The Daytime Emmys represent the best of television programming in eight categories-daytime dramas, talk shows, morning programs, game shows, children's programming, legal/court shows, culinary shows and lifestyle and travel programs-as well as "new approaches" categories.

NATAS is a professional service organization dedicated to the advancement of the arts and sciences of television and the promotion of creative leadership for artistic, educational and technical achievements within the television industry. NATAS recognizes excellence in television with the Emmy Award. For more information, visit www.emmyonline.tv. The June 16th 40th Anniversary Broadcast on HLN is slowly becoming the must watch event, with requests for tickets flooding the NATAS offices.

Through incomparable collections, rigorous research and dynamic public outreach, the National Museum of American History explores the infinite richness and complexity of American history. The museum helps people understand the past in order to make sense of the present and shape a more humane future. It is currently renovating its west exhibition wing, developing galleries on business, democracy and culture. For more information, visit http://americanhistory.si.edu. The museum is located at 14th Street and Constitution Avenue N.W., and is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (closed Dec. 25). Admission is free. For Smithsonian information, the public may call (202) 633-1000.

Photo Credit: Neshan Naltchayan, courtesy and copyright NATAS.

John Gray (Smithsonian Director) Phil Parker, Kathy Parker, Susan Lucci, Alex Trebek, Malachy G. Wiegnes (NATAS Chairman)

News Crews cover the ceremony in D.C.

Front Row - David Michaels, Carolyn Grippi, Phil Parker, Kathy Parker, Alex Trebek, Susan Lucci and Malachy G. Wiegnes

Donated Items revealed on stage

John Gray, Phil Parker, Kathy Parker, Alex Trebek and Susan Lucci

Malachy G. Wiegnes (NATAS Chairman) and John Gray (Smithsonian Director) sign agreement

Smithsonian Entertainment curator, Dwight Bowers, looks on as Phil and Kathy Parker sign their Deed of Gift

Dwight Bowers looks on as Alex Trebek signs his Deed of Gift

Dwight Bowers looks on as Susan Lucci signs her Deed of Gift

Phil Parker, Kathy Parker, Alex Trebek and Susan Lucci look on as their items are accepted

Kathy and Phil Parker with their items

Alex Trebek with Jeopardy! items

Alex Trebek opens a donated Jeopardy! item

Susan Lucci with her donated items

Malachy G. Wiegnes (NATAS Chairman), Dwight Bowers (Smithsonian Entertainment Curator) and John Gray (Smithsonian Director)

NATAS staff with Donors (Lft to Rt) David Michaels, Carolyn Grippi, Alison Gibson, Tim Egan, Malachy G. Wiegnes, Robert Martin Liebscher, Susan Lucci, Alex Trebek, Kathy Parker, Phil Parker, Barbara Williams, Les Heintz