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Welcome to the Museum of the American Election, 2008!

We have an entire roomful of artifacts and some exciting interactive exhibits to distract you as we await the outcome of the race for the White House. So stop biting your nails in nervous anticipation and come on in.

This campaign produced so many memorable images (think pit bull with lipstick) and moments (think John McCain aimlessly wandering the debate stage) that we had trouble narrowing our exhibits down to these iconic few. But here they are, for your discernment.

The Hillary Clinton pantsuit: Yes, we know she didn't make it to the White House, but the senator and former first lady, in her signature outfit, changed the perception of senior American female politicians forever by “manning up” for the top job, showing she had the power, polish and policy, if not the delegates, to be commander-in-chief. But what's that in the corner? Oh, that's the Hillary nutcracker, a novelty item that also proved sadly that sexism was no novelty on this campaign trail.

Next we come to the cheesy Greek columns that framed Senator Barack Obama's historic acceptance of the Democratic nomination before rapturous thousands at Denver's Invesco Stadium. How close he came that night to what he has never needed – manufactured grandiosity, ramped-up self-importance.

But he was only briefly in hubris hell before demonstrating he could coolly handle the heat of both a bitter race and a full-blown economic mess.

Speaking of cool, over here is the starched white shirt Mr. Obama has almost always favoured for his appearances. Ironic – or necessary – that the first serious African-American presidential contender should be the most conservative dresser on the trail, that crisp shirt signifying both formality and business. It showed Mr. Obama was dressed for success and emphatically not from the 'hood in post-civil-rights America. A black man, a white shirt, may just be the graphic combination needed to change the colour of presidential politics forever.

Let's head over to the fun interactive section, where we've got Republican presidential contender John McCain. You can hear an endless recorded loop of “my friends” playing while you try a video game featuring a map of America with icons representing Mr. McCain's 13 houses. See how quickly you can slot those houses into all their correct locations! Now try to fit his countless cars into all available garages. Oops, what's that suddenly appearing on the screen? It's an Obama ad. My friends, that was not supposed to be there. We've also got a hologram of Mr. McCain's brain that lights up every time the anger button is pushed.

Over at the Joe Biden exhibit is a floor-to-ceiling text message – which is how the Obama campaign cleverly announced this long-time Democratic pol was Mr. Obama's veep choice, underscoring the fact that by deftly using the Internet and electronic communications , the Democrats were wooing millions of new young voters.

Ah, at last we come to the moose in the centre of the room. Alaska Governor Sarah Palin. The huntin', shooting and hatin' Republican vice-presidential candidate who galvanized the base but who, because of her obvious lack of depth or understanding about national and international issues, became a liability. We've included a recording of a heartbeat – kathump kathump – a reminder of how close Ms. Palin would be to the presidency; a Neiman Marcus shopping bag; an autographed picture of Katie Couric, and a 2012 campaign sticker that says “Palin Rules.” Will she?

Next we come to a giant television converter. It might as well be a vial of heroin, so addicted were so many of us to our media fix, turning our TV areas into Situation Rooms with a View. Talking heads? Bring 'em on. CNN's David Gergen, you light up my life. And of course Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, you rocked the election on Saturday Night Live with a Palin impersonation that was better than the real thing, and Ms. Poehler's slam dunk Palin rap only days before delivering a baby. The world simply couldn't get enough of this non-stop election commentary. Whatever the outcome, the detox will be brutal.

And now, a Canadian contribution to this election, a new species on display: Frumletus Turncoatus. That's right, a partisan pundit or political adviser who declares publicly that his party's choices are all wrong. That's what the former Bush speechwriter, our own David Frum, did, joining other prominent conservatives (Obamacons, as The Economist called them) who agonizingly admitted they just couldn't stomach the Republican ticket. We'll see if their declarations, especially that of General Colin Powell, who endorsed Mr. Obama, made a difference.

Well we're almost out of time here, and we haven't even got to History! Quickly then, let's visit the bust of Karl Marx – it's over there, standing on its ear. Who'd have thought cries of “Socialism!” would be the last remaining squawks of this jaw-dropping campaign?

And finally, we've managed to acquire the original handwritten notes for Martin Luther King's famous “I have a dream” speech. Oh dear. I see this display case is wet with tears. But are they tears of frustration or tears of joy?

Come back tomorrow for the answer to that one.