Costume elements from the show's protagonist Simba and the tribal shaman Rafiki will be donated to the collection, which also features iconic objects from Broadway's Cats, Rent and The King and I.

Among the items donated are the stylized lion mask and headdress of Simba and the costume, custom shoes and hat designed for Rafiki.

Julie Taymor designed the costume and the masks (with Michael Curry) for the original Broadway production of The Lion King, which opened on November 13, 1997. The hit musical now plays the Minskoff Theatre.

In a statement museum director Brent D. Glass said, "Taymor's designs bring the story of Simba the lion cub, fulfilling his destiny to become King in the African Pride Lands, to life. This donation is a significant addition to the museum’s entertainment collection and joins materials representative of Broadway hits."

Thomas Schumacher, producer and president of Disney Theatrical Productions, added, "It is a tremendous honor to see Taymor's groundbreaking creative vision recognized by a world-renowned organization like the Smithsonian. The Lion King is more than a musical—it has become a global phenomenon, and this donation forever seals its place as an icon of American culture in one of our country's leading history museums."

The Smithsonian's National Museum also boasts artifacts from Rent, The King and I, Hello Dolly!, Fiddler On the Roof, Cats, This Is the Army, Kiss of the Spider Woman, Mame and Lorelei; three Tony Awards; props from The Fantasticks; Rose-Marie's copy of the musical score of Top Banana; and numerous Broadway Playbills and posters.

The National Museum of American History "collects, preserves and displays American heritage in the areas of social, political, cultural, scientific and military history." To learn more about the museum, visit http://americanhistory.si.edu. For Smithsonian information call (202) 633-1000 or (202) 633-5285.