Object Timeline

  • We acquired this object.

2020

  • Work on this object began.

2021

2025

  • You found it!

Mask Brace, Essential

This is a Mask Brace. It is dated 2020. Its medium is biocompatible silicone. It is a part of the department.

Designed by mechanical engineer Sabrina Paseman, the Essential Mask Brace is a comfortable, sustainable, and affordable alternative to an N95 respirator. Made from soft, springy silicone rubber, the device presses a surgical mask snugly against the face. The CDC endorsed the use of mask braces in April 2021.

It is credited Courtesy of Sabrina Paseman.

Its dimensions are

H x W (Approx.): 15.2 × 20.3 cm (6 × 8 in.)

This object was previously on display as a part of the exhibition Design and Healing: Creative Responses to Epidemics.

There are restrictions for re-using this image. For more information, visit the Smithsonian’s Terms of Use page.

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If you would like to cite this object in a Wikipedia article please use the following template:

<ref name=CH>{{cite web |url=https://www-6.collection.cooperhewitt.org/objects/2318805603/ |title=Mask Brace, Essential |author=Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum |accessdate=25 March 2025 |publisher=Smithsonian Institution}}</ref>