A Look Inside the Smithsonian's Philanthropy Exhibit

Remember a couple of years ago, when it seemed like we were all one big happy family, Americans of every age and political stripe, joined in common pursuit? Millions of us spent that summer pouring buckets of ice water on our heads, to raise money for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's disease.

Philanthropy has always played a big role in the U.S., helping to shape who we are, what we do and how. Now, it's the subject of a new exhibit called "Giving in America" at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C.