Crash-Test Dummies Vince and Larry Land in Smithsonian National Museum of American History

(July 15) -- Did you hear the one about a couple of dummies going to the museum?

Larry crash dummy costume from television commercials is seen in this undated photo from the Smithsonian Institution.

Hugh Talman, Smithsonian Institution

Larry the crash test dummy's costume is now part of the Smithsonian's collection.

What a minute! This is no joke.

Washington's Smithsonian National Museum of American History has acquired the costumes and assorted body parts of the dummies Vince and Larry that were used as part of the road-safety TV campaign through the 1980s and 1990s. The ad's tagline was "You could learn a lot from a dummy."

"Millions of lives have been saved on America's roadways thanks to the combined efforts of lawmakers, automakers, engineers and safety advocates," museum director Brent D. Glass said in a statement. "This research collection offers a tangible record of these efforts."

Other artifacts in the road-safety exhibit include a three-point seat belt from a 1961 Volvo and road-safety literature from the 1930s.

General Motors donated an actual crash test dummy. The Hybrid III dummy spent 15 years taking a beating in the company's testing units, suffering barrier crash tests, sled tests and out-of-position airbag tests.

Vince crash dummy head from television commercials is seen in this undated photograph from the Smithsonian Institution.

Hugh Talman, Smithsonian Institution

Visitors to the Smithsonian's American history museum will get a look inside the head of Vince the crash test dummy.

"He didn't live the celebrity lifestyle of Vince and Larry," GM vice president Michael J. Robinson said. "So, it's good to see him retire in the relative comfort of the Smithsonian."

It wasn't until the 1950s that authorities began to take steps to improve the safety and design of cars. Previously, all road-safety efforts focused on driver behavior.

"This is about America's relationship with its cars; we all know it's a love affair," said Roger White, associate curator at the museum. "But automobiles had to change to make them truly useful and acceptable."