Smithsonian Institution Newsdesk

National Postal Museum Will Host Guest Artist Program

AnciraS — Mon, 03 Jun 2024 19:09:00 +0000

The Smithsonian’s National Postal Museum is hosting its summer Guest Artist Program with stamp artist Katie Kirk. From June through October, five free programs will offer visitors of all ages opportunities to learn about the process of designing and illustrating a U.S. postage stamp.

Stamp artists have the extremely challenging task of depicting the shared history, culture and beliefs of an entire nation on a 1-inch square piece of paper. They work to find the perfect balance between the countless perspectives and experiences of the American people with their individual artistic visions. This summer and fall, visitors to the National Postal Museum can join the museum and Kirk as they examine a collection of themes illustrated in her original stamp designs and illustrations.

“At the National Postal Museum, we like to say that ‘every stamp tells a story,’” said Jessie Aucoin, the museum’s education and visitor experience director. “Through an incredible range of programs, stamp artist Katie Kirk will demonstrate just how true that is!”

“When an institution like the Smithsonian contacts you, you answer the call,” Kirk said. “Ever since first traveling to Washington, D.C., on a family vacation as a child and visiting all the amazing Smithsonian museums, I couldn’t have imagined one day being asked to be a guest artist at the National Postal Museum. As someone who thoroughly enjoys learning about new things and connecting with people, having the chance to explore modes of education and create something lasting—it’s a dream come true.”

A list of the onsite and virtual programs is below:

Shapes in Nature
Tuesday, June 18; 10:30 a.m.
This onsite program is designed for children ages birth to 7 years, but all are welcome. Known for her bold, geometric designs, Kirk will lead young learners on an exploration of her use of shapes in animal stamps. They can enjoy a story time, play corner and hands-on craft activity. Registration is not required.A Love

A Love Story: Expressions of Love on Stamps
Thursday, July 25; 2 p.m. ET
This virtual program is designed for families with young children. Love comes in many forms and can be expressed in a countless number of ways. Throughout history, artists have used many different techniques and images to show how people show their love. Kirk will explore just some of the interesting designs used to represent love on postage stamps.

Behind the Design: The Art of the Stamp
Thursday, Aug. 8; 7 p.m. ET
This virtual program is designed for learners of all ages. What does it take to make a postage stamp? How are cultural identities and historic events clearly conveyed on such a small canvas? Kirk pulls back the curtain and discusses the design process with a stamp art director Antonio Alcalá and recent stamp artists Don Clark, Always with Honor (Tyler and Elsa Lang) and Ellen Surrey. Registration required.

Holiday Stamps Family Festival
Saturday, Sept. 14; 11:30 a.m.–4 p.m.
This onsite program is designed for learners of all ages, especially families with young children. The winter holidays will come to the museum early this year. Visitors can come and meet Kirk in person while the museum celebrates the new 2024 Christmas stamps issued by the Postal Service. There will be crafts, games and all sorts of winter holiday family fun. Registration is not required. Prior to the start of the Holiday Stamps Family Festival, the National Postal Museum will host the First Day of Issue ceremonies for the two 2024 Christmas stamps. Additional information on this event to come soon.

Spooky Soirée
Thursday, Oct. 3; 6 p.m.
This onsite program is designed for adults age 21 and above. Participants can get in the Halloween spirit with Kirk at the museum’s Spooky Soirée. It is an opportunity to explore the museum after dark, and the museum will bring the cemetery crafts, hair raising history and devilish drinks; visitors can bring the fun. Costumes are optional. This event is free and open to the public—advanced registration is encouraged but not required. If the program becomes too crowded, preference will be given to those who previously registered.

About Katie Kirk

Kirk is an illustrator and designer based in Minneapolis. Known for her bold colors and playful geometry, her minimalist style aspires to convey a lot using very little. She is a cofounder of Eight Hour Day, a creative studio she runs with her husband, Nathan Strandberg. Founded in 2005, their studio has worked with clients such as Target, Google, Amazon, IKEA, The New York Times and Apple, among others. Often inspired by folk art and midcentury design, her love of symbolism, cooking and nature are repeated themes in her work.

About the Smithsonian’s National Postal Museum

The National Postal Museum is devoted to presenting the colorful and engaging history of the nation’s mail service and showcasing one of the largest and most comprehensive collections of stamps and philatelic material in the world. It is located at 2 Massachusetts Ave. N.E., Washington, D.C., across from Union Station. The museum is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (closed Dec. 25). For more information, visit postalmuseum.si.edu. Follow the museum on Facebook, Instagram, X, Pinterest and YouTube.

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‘Life in the Ocean Touches Everyone’: U.S. Rolls Out First National Ocean Biodiversity Strategy

AnciraS — Mon, 03 Jun 2024 17:01:04 +0000

Roughly 2 million species live in the world’s ocean. But scientists have only described a mere 10% of them. With extinctions on the rise and biodiversity threatened worldwide, many species are in danger of vanishing before researchers can identify them or fully grasp the benefits they provide.

The National Ocean Biodiversity Strategy calls for a stronger, more unified and inclusive approach to ocean conservation. Written by a team led by the Smithsonian and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the strategy was announced by the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy June 3. It represents the first nationwide strategy aimed at changing course to save marine life and all the services it provides to people. The plan seeks to improve scientists’ ability to gather and share knowledge and use that knowledge for more effective protections.

“We are confronting biodiversity loss and its implications for human well-being, alongside the challenges posed by climate change and social inequity,” said Ellen Stofan, Under Secretary for Science and Research at the Smithsonian. “But we hold the power to overcome these obstacles with a united, society-wide effort to preserve nature and its benefits.”

The prosperity and health of the U.S. is inextricably tied to the ocean and its life. The ocean contributes nearly $400 billion to the U.S. economy every year and provides 2.4 million jobs according to NOAA, including fishing, shipping, tourism and energy. And the nation’s ocean waters are vast: The total ocean territory under U.S. management—known as the “U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone”—covers an area larger than all 50 states combined. Much of this prosperity comes from the ocean’s diverse species and habitats.

“Life in the ocean touches everyone,” said Gabrielle Canonico, leader of the U.S. Marine Biodiversity Observation Network at NOAA and co-chair of the team that wrote the strategy. “Every other breath we take comes from the oxygen produced by microscopic ocean plants, and more than a billion people worldwide rely on food from the ocean as their primary source of protein. But these and other benefits will degrade with biodiversity loss, with dire consequences especially for frontline communities.”

Critical gaps remain in the nation’s protection and even knowledge of ocean life. The knowledge scientists do possess about the ocean is often scattered, with many organizations gathering information in different formats that are difficult to share. Many smaller organisms, including those that cause disease, are barely studied at all. Scientists suspect these neglected species contain secrets vital to keeping coral reefs and fisheries thriving and the ocean’s plankton pumping atmospheric carbon into the deep sea. The strategy addresses this challenge with plans to strengthen the nation’s ocean observing system and the information pipeline that delivers knowledge to those who need it.

“We are advancing frontier technologies for biodiversity science and understanding,” said Sarah Kapnick, NOAA chief scientist. “But it is critical that we come together around the use of evidence-based metrics and indicators for decision making in ocean spaces, and for monitoring, reporting and verification to ensure that investments in conservation or development deliver the desired outcomes while minimizing negative impacts to ocean life.”

“Biodiversity is the beating heart of the ocean that supports society, but it’s in trouble,” said Emmett Duffy,the other co-chair of the strategy’s writing team and chief scientist of MarineGEO at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center. “This strategy is our best chance yet to turn the tide. We need to implement it to reach a future where people and the rest of nature thrive together by joining forcesand leveragingthe power of people and technology to understand the living ocean ecosystem.”

The National Ocean Biodiversity Strategy outlines a threefold plan to create a more inclusive, evidence-based network of protection in U.S. ocean waters and the Great Lakes:

Coordinate ocean research and conservation across the U.S. As a first step, the strategy would bring together federal agencies with ocean-related missions to engage stakeholders, including states, Tribes and local communities, toward co-designed solutions. A key part of this process is documenting the economic and cultural values of the ocean, to reveal the hidden costs of degrading nature and include them properly in economic decision making across government and private sectors.
Strengthen the information pipeline. The U.S. has a wealth of existing data on ocean life, but much of it is inaccessible to policymakers and managers who are making decisions on the ground. The strategy calls for stronger support of centralized, open-source databases that everyone with a stake in the ocean’s health can find and use. This also requires revamping the neglected field of taxonomy to reveal undiscovered species and harnessing new technologies to track biodiversity, such as environmental DNA (“eDNA”), satellites and artificial intelligence.
Protect, conserve, restore and sustainably use ocean biodiversity. The strategy’s success hinges on partnerships with all key stakeholders—states, Tribes, local communities, NGOs and the private sector, including commercial and recreational fishers. The strategy calls for listening sessions as a critical starting point for collaborations built on trust. As each group’s needs and contributions are understood, managers can use their continually improving biodiversity knowledge to co-create protection measures that work over the long term, with the benefit of community input.

Lead authors Duffy and Canonico emphasize that this strategy is a first step—a high-level roadmap to a more sustainable ocean. An implementation plan is currently in development to outline specific actions tailored to regions communities based on feedback collected through engagement with stakeholders.

The full strategy is available on the Office of Science and Technology Policy website. For photos or to speak with one of the authors, contact Kristen Goodhue at goodhuek@si.edu.

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TEMPO Air Quality Data Now Publicly Available

SmallD — Fri, 31 May 2024 15:31:00 +0000

Cambridge, MA—Air pollution data on a neighborhood scale are now available in near real-time from the TEMPO instrument (Tropospheric Emissions: Monitoring of Pollution). The mission gathers hourly daytime scans of the atmosphere over North America from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Coast and from roughly Mexico City to central Canada.

The primary instrument on TEMPO, a collaboration between NASA and the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (SAO), is an advanced spectrometer that detects pollution within the troposphere, the lowest layer of Earth’s atmosphere.

"TEMPOs data will play an important role in the scientific analysis of pollution," said senior physicist Xiong Liu at SAO, a member of the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian (CfA), and principal investigator for TEMPO. "For example, we will be able to conduct studies of rush hour pollution, linkages of diseases and health issues to acute exposure of air pollution, how air pollution inordinately impacts underserved communities, the potential for improved air quality alerts, the effects of lightning on ozone and the movement of pollution from forest fires and volcanoes."

"Previous satellite instruments in low-Earth orbit measure a given location on the ground once per day, always at the same time,” said Caroline Nowlan, TEMPO team member at SAO. “However, air quality can change a lot over a day. For instance, cities usually have two rush hour peaks in pollution, and changing winds mean a plume from a power plant could be changing direction hour-to-hour. TEMPO is so groundbreaking because it is in an orbit that allows us to continuously scan North America, and, for the first time, allows us to monitor pollution over all daylight hours."

Scientists at SAO conceived the concept of TEMPO and developed ground systems hardware and software, responsible for commanding the instrument and receiving and processing its raw data into science data products. After initial processing, the data are posted to NASA’s Atmosphere Science Data Center (ASDC) at Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, where they are now made available to scientists and the public.

An early adopter program has allowed policymakers and other air quality stakeholders to understand the capabilities and benefits of TEMPO's measurements. Since October 2023, the TEMPO calibration and validation team has been working on evaluating and improving the various TEMPO data products.

"All the pollutants that TEMPO is measuring cause health issues," said Hazem Mahmoud, science lead at NASA’s ASDC. "We have more than 500 early adopters that will be using these datasets right away. We are looking at epidemiologists and health researchers using this data in the future. We are looking at anybody who's studying the respiratory system and needs to answer questions about the impact of these pollutants on health." Measurements by TEMPO include air pollutants such as nitrogen dioxide, formaldehyde and ground-level ozone.

"Poor air quality exacerbates pre-existing health issues, which then leads to more hospitalizations," said Jesse Bell, executive director at the University of Nebraska Medical Center’s Water, Climate, and Health Program. Bell is an early adopter of TEMPO’s data.

Bell noted that there is a lack of air quality data in rural areas since monitoring stations are often hundreds of miles apart. There is also a noticeable disparity in air quality from neighborhood to neighborhood. "Low-income communities, on average, have poorer air quality than more affluent communities," Bell said.

"Hourly, high spatial resolution observations by TEMPO provide novel datasets for improving emission estimates, monitoring pollution exposure and enabling stakeholder communities to better understand the impacts of poor air quality," said Huiqun Wang, a physicist and TEMPO team member at SAO.

Determining sources of air pollution can be difficult as smoke from wildfires or pollutants from industry and traffic congestion drift on winds. TEMPO should make it easier to trace the origin of some pollutants.

Erika Wright, a science educator at SAO, is excited to put TEMPO data in the hands of students, educators and the public. "We are working with CfA scientists and educators on the development of new user-friendly data visualization tools so that public audiences can access and monitor air quality data in their own communities and across North America."

A new TEMPO data visualization tool, created by the Cosmic Data Stories team at the CfA, is available at tempo.si.edu/data_for_public.html.

TEMPO was built by BAE Systems Inc., Space & Mission Systems (formerly Ball Aerospace) and was launched from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida Friday, April 7, 2023. It flies aboard the Intelsat 40e satellite built by Maxar Technologies. The TEMPO Ground System, including the Instrument Operations Center and the Science Data Processing Center, are operated by the SAO part of CfA, in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

For more information about the TEMPO instrument and mission, visit https://tempo.si.edu.

About the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian

The Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian is a collaboration between Harvard and the Smithsonian designed to ask—and ultimately answer—humanity's greatest unresolved questions about the nature of the universe. The Center for Astrophysics is headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, with research facilities across the U.S. and around the world.

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Research News

National Museum of African American History and Culture To Display Space Devoted to Black Design

AnciraS — Thu, 30 May 2024 19:04:00 +0000

The Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture will open a new space in its Visual Arts Gallery. “Reclaiming My Time,” the first exhibition in the space devoted to contemporary Black designers will open Friday, May 31. “Reclaiming My Time” will feature chairs and other work by designers who engage with ideas related to rest, repose and histories of labor and leisure. The space includes 15 objects from the museum’s collection, spanning seating, lighting, photography and graphic design. For more details about this exhibition, visit nmaahc.si.edu/reclaiming.

“The rich history and ongoing excellence of Black design is one of the many aspects of Black culture we feature in the Museum—and with this show that form of Black creativity is all the more highlighted for its artistry as well as its utility,” said Kevin Young, the Andrew W. Mellon Director of the museum. “Especially through highlighting our growing collection of seating designs, we are stressing the importance of taking time for rest and restoration. Our resilience and rejuvenation depend on our ability to rest well.”

“Reclaiming My Time” connects the concepts of resistance and resilience found in the nearby Reckoning art exhibition with rest in and among Black communities, featuring the display of carefully curated seating and graphic material by contemporary Black designers. The exhibition is centered around 15 designers including Jomo Tariku, Gail Anderson and Norman Teague, whose work weaves new narratives into objects like chairs that are used daily. Through objects and images, “Reclaiming My Time” examines the role of rest as a necessary component of resilience.

Taken from a phrase popularized by Congresswoman Maxine Waters in 2017 during a hearing on Capitol Hill, “Reclaiming My Time” became an anthem for those refusing to let their time be misspent.

This 300-square-foot gallery within “Reckoning” focuses on the chairs and stools but also on ideas about rest and restoration involved in making time to sit and reflect. “Reclaiming My Time” will remain on view for one year before showcasing rotating displays related to design and architecture.

The space will also include books related to design, rest, and self-reflection, such as Tricia Hersey’s Rest Is Resistance. The “Reclaiming My Time” gallery was made possible by significant support from CBRE.

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Two New Giant Pandas Coming to Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute From China by End of the Year

AnciraS — Wed, 29 May 2024 11:59:00 +0000

Today, May 29, the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute (NZCBI) announced it will welcome a new pair of giant pandas, Bao Li [BOW-lee] and Qing Bao [ching-BOW], to the Zoo by the end of the year. Giant pandas are icons in Washington, D.C., and beloved around the nation and the world. For more than five decades, NZCBI has created and maintained one of the world’s foremost giant panda conservation programs, helping move the panda from “endangered” to “vulnerable” on the global list of species at risk of extinction.

“We’re thrilled to announce the next chapter of our breeding and conservation partnership begins by welcoming two new bears, including a descendent of our beloved panda family, to Washington, D.C.,” said Brandie Smith, NZCBI’s John and Adrienne Mars Director. “This historic moment is proof positive our collaboration with Chinese colleagues has made an irrefutable impact. Through this partnership, we have grown the panda population, advanced our shared understanding of how to care for this beloved bear and learned what’s needed to protect wild pandas and preserve native habitat.”

In the video announcement released today on NZCBI’s social media channels, First Lady Dr. Jill Biden joined Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie G. Bunch III and Smith to reveal pandas are coming back to the nation’s capital. This news comes just six months after giant pandas Tian Tian, Mei Xiang and their cub, Xiao Qi Ji, went to China last November, prompting a nationwide outpouring of farewell from millions of panda fans of all ages. One of the two new giant pandas is related to NZCBI’s former “panda family”:

Bao Li: Two-year-old male Bao Li—whose name means “treasure” and “energetic” in Mandarin Chinese—was born Aug. 4, 2021, at the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda (CCRCGP) in Sichuan to father An An and mother Bao Bao. Not only was Bao Li’s mother born at NZCBI in 2013, his grandparents, Tian Tian and Mei Xiang, lived at NZCBI from 2000 to 2023, where they served as ambassadors for their species.
Qing Bao: Two-year-old female Qing Bao—whose name means “green” and “treasure” in Mandarin Chinese—was born Sept. 12, 2021, at CCRCGP, to father Qing Qing and mother Jia Mei. Qing, her father’s name, evokes the lush and mountainous habitat where giant pandas roam in the wild. Bao, which means “treasure,” reflects that she is cherished by all who know her.

Bao Li currently lives at the Shenshuping Base in Wolong. Qing Bao lives at Dujiangyan Base in Sichuan.

FedEx will serve as the Zoo’s transportation partner using their integrated air and ground network by providing a dedicated flight and ground transportation for the bears and their animal care team from China to the Zoo in Washington, D.C.

“We look forward to once again calling the FedEx Panda Express into service and using our logistical expertise to safely move Qing Bao and Bao Li to Washington, D.C.,” said Richard W. Smith, president and chief executive officer, Airline and International, FedEx. “It’s a privilege to take part in this next phase of the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute’s giant panda program and provide the safest and most comfortable transportation for these beloved animals.”

Per standard procedure, the pandas will be quarantined in the panda house for a minimum of 30 days upon arriving at NZCBI. Quarantine of new animals is a routine practice in zoos accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums to reduce risk of introducing parasites or disease to other animals. During this period, they will have access to enclosures inside the panda house. A team of keepers, nutritionists and veterinarians will care for them the entire time. Animal care staff will provide the pandas with a variety of enrichment items to keep them active and encourage them to explore their new environment. After quarantine ends, the bears will have a few more weeks to settle into their new habitat. The public debut date will be announced as soon as the animal care team feels the bears are ready to meet visitors.

New Agreement and Conservation Priorities

A cooperative research and breeding agreement signed by Smith and Wu Minglu, secretary general of the China Wildlife Conservation Association (CWCA), is effective through April 2034. NZCBI has filed a permit application to import a pair of giant pandas from China with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

The terms of the new agreement are similar to previous agreements. A male and female giant panda recommended for breeding will be sent from China to NZCBI. Both adults and any offspring remain under the ownership of China. Any cubs born at NZCBI will move to China by the age of 4. As part of the agreement, NZCBI and partners in China will conduct cooperative research projects in China and at the Zoo in Washington, D.C. In line with all zoos outside of China who care for and exhibit giant pandas, NZCBI will pay a $1 million annual fee to CWCA to support research and conservation efforts in China. Federal funding is not used to pay the annual fee.

This agreement commences a new chapter in NZCBI’s efforts to care for, breed and study these iconic animals. The Smithsonian and Chinese partners will work together to innovate new techniques and pursue research to contribute to the health and welfare of giant pandas in human care and expand work critical to the conservation of giant pandas in the wild. Collaborative research priorities and projects include:

Assessing giant pandas’ movements to identify the key forest corridors that make it possible for the bears to find food and mates.
Examining how the connectivity of reserves and protected areas support giant pandas and hundreds of animal species that share their habitat, including the red panda, golden pheasant and snub-nosed monkey. This information can help scientists improve management strategies, mitigate threats and increase biodiversity.
Creating bamboo restoration plots to expand the amount of habitat available for giant pandas.
Analyzing the impacts of climate change on giant panda habitat by measuring the growth of bamboo under experimentally increased temperatures. Results will inform management and improve resilience to climate change.
Offering comprehensive workshops and hands-on training courses for veterinary staff to share expertise and build skills in dental health, geriatric care and anesthetic techniques.
Expanding Chinese wildlife professionals’ and students’ ability to track and monitor wildlife and natural resources through training and mentoring.

Fundraising Campaign and Getting Ready for the New Pandas

Ahead of the new giant pandas’ arrival, NZCBI is seeking $25 million in public and corporate donations to be used over the next 10 years. These funds will enable one-time renovations to the Zoo’s indoor and outdoor panda exhibit, Giant Panda Cam upgrade and maintenance, insurance, permitting, administrative staff and associated operating costs as well as support vital conservation research that protects biodiversity in the bears’ native habitat. Federal funding covers essential animal care expenses such as food, medicine, animal care staff and facilities maintenance for all animals at NZCBI. NZCBI needs to raise 74% of the annual $2.8 million giant panda conservation program budget—including funds to cover the Smithsonian’s ongoing conservation research and the annual fee paid to the CWCA—from donations, annual membership support and in-park revenue.

Construction has been underway at the David M. Rubenstein Family Giant Panda Habitat since November 2023. Last renovated in 2006, the indoor and outdoor habitats are being updated to enhance the safety of the facilities and maximize space for the bears to roam. New, permanent furnishings will encourage the pandas to use their natural behaviors to explore, exercise, forage, play and rest. These enriching enhancements include new rock structures with shallow pools, bamboo stands for foraging, multi-level climbing structures and enrichment items to stimulate pandas’ physical and cognitive skills.

Since the first pair arrived at the Zoo in 1972, pandas have been one of the biggest attractions at the Zoo, which now draws an estimated 1.9 million visitors annually. Generations of visitors have stopped by the Zoo and millions more have watched NZCBI’s Giant Panda Cam, which has garnered more than 100 million page views since its launch in 2000. It went offline Nov. 8, 2023, when giant pandas Tian Tian, Mei Xiang and Xiao Qi Ji departed for China. NZCBI will relaunch the Giant Panda Cam when its new pair of pandas make their public debut, ensuring virtual visitors can join in the celebration and welcome the animal ambassadors to Washington, D.C. Fans from around the world have learned about conservation research and had glimpses into their lives—from their births and first steps to munching bamboo and playtime in the snow.

To follow the latest news about NZCBI’s panda program, visit the Zoo’s website, subscribe to its e-newsletter, and follow on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and X.

About the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute

The Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute (NZCBI) leads the Smithsonian’s global effort to save species, better understand ecosystems and train future generations of conservationists. Its two campuses are home to some of the world’s most critically endangered species. Always free of charge, the Zoo’s 163-acre park in the heart of Washington, D.C., features 2,200 animals representing 400 species and is a popular destination for children and families. At the Conservation Biology Institute’s 3,200-acre campus in Virginia, breeding and veterinary research on 264 animals representing 20 species provide critical data for the management of animals in human care and valuable insights for conservation of wild populations. NZCBI’s more than 300 staff and scientists work in Washington, D.C., Virginia and with partners at field sites across the United States and in more than 30 countries to save wildlife, collaborate with communities and conserve native habitats. NZCBI is a long-standing accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.

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Watch: Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie G. Bunch III and NZCBI Director Brandie Smith are joined by First Lady Dr. Jill Biden to announce the return of giant pandas.

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Smithsonian Folklife Festival Program To Highlight the Living Traditions of Indigenous Peoples of the Western Hemisphere

AnciraS — Tue, 28 May 2024 18:06:00 +0000

This year’s Smithsonian Folklife Festival will celebrate the National Museum of the American Indian and the people whose voices the museum amplifies. The program “Indigenous Voices of the Americas: Celebrating the National Museum of the American Indian” will highlight living traditions of Indigenous peoples and honor contemporary and traditional creative expressions, celebrations and community connections. This festival also marks several anniversaries for the museum, including the 20th anniversary of the museum on the National Mall and the 30th anniversary of the museum’s location in New York City.

The festival will take place Wednesday, June 26, to Monday, July 1, on the National Mall between Third and Seventh streets. All events are free, and the festival will be open daily from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. On select evenings, live music on the festival’s Four Directions Stage will run until 7 p.m. The festival is co-presented by the Smithsonian’s Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage, the National Museum of the American Indian and the National Park Service.

Over six days packed with programming, the festival will feature more than 250 participants from 60 Indigenous communities from across the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Guatemala, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Argentina and Brazil.

The program is organized around four themes: relevance, resistance, representation and reclamation. Indigenous artists and makers, professional chefs and home cooks, musicians, dancers, athletes and storytellers will demonstrate multigenerational traditions, as well as new, innovative approaches to cultural expression.

Highlights of the sports program will include skateboarders performing along Jefferson Drive and offering lessons to any young visitors with their own helmets and protective gear, skateboarders including Di’orr Greenwood who turns skateboard decks into works of art, lacrosse players from Onondaga Nation who will teach visitors about the sport and explain its origins, and Arctic games demonstrated by Yup’ik and Inuit athletes.

There will be plenty of traditional crafts—demonstrated every day by 46 craftspeople—including basket making, silk weaving, featherwork, ceramics and wood carving. Visitors can watch artworks grow as artists create murals and large-scale Guatemalan kites.

For young visitors and their families, storytelling will be presented throughout the day, along with hands-on creative activities to engage children and adults. On stage, 20 performing artists and groups will showcase the exciting range of traditional to contemporary Indigenous music and dance. Concerts begin at 4 p.m. (indoors) and 6 p.m. (outdoors) on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

After 20 years of representing the Western cardinal point of the National Museum of the American Indian, the volcanic rock named Kānepō will return to its home on the island of Hawai’i. A commemoration of its time at the museum will happen July 1 at an 11 a.m. ceremony. To honor Kānepō’s time representing the western reaches of the hemisphere, a delegation of Native Hawaiian culture bearers will be present.

Food Demonstrations

The foodways stage on the National Mall will have 45-minute food demonstrations throughout the day featuring Mesoamerican plant-based dishes, Oaxacan cooking from Mexico and traditional Argentinian cuisine. Bricia Lopez, a Los Angeles-based restaurateur and author, will show visitors how to make Oaxacan mole verde. Claudia Serrato, chef and Indigenous culinary anthropologist, will demonstrate plant-based recipes such as raw cacao avocado pudding. Additional Indigenous chefs will demonstrate dishes such as succotash, Three Sisters Soup, mazamorra (Colombian corn porridge) and more. In addition, Sean Sherman, Oglala Lakota Sioux chef and author of The Sioux Chef’s Indigenous Kitchen, will host a presentation inside the museum.

There will be two food concessions outside for visitors to purchase a native food selection featuring Latin American and Caribbean flavors. Inside the museum, the Mitsitam Native Foods Cafe offers a range of Indigenous-inspired food, including frybread, bison burgers, Southwest lamb stew and dishes demonstrated at the festival.

Accessibility

The festival strives to maintain an accessible and inclusive environment for all visitors. Accessible seating and assistive listening are available at all festival stages. American Sign Language interpretation, real-time captioning and audio description services will be offered for many events. Additional accessibility supports such as wheelchair loans, Braille and large-print materials and a festival sensory guide can be found at the accessibility tent onsite or by visiting Accessibility Services on the festival’s website. On Sunday, June 30, the festival will host “Morning on the Mall,” a sensory-friendly program for children, teenagers and young adults who are neurodivergent and their families. For more information and to register for the event, email access@si.edu.

Support

“Indigenous Voices of the Americas” is made possible by support from Bank of America, Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies and Ford Philanthropy. The program also received federal support from the Smithsonian American Women’s History Initiative Pool and the Asian Pacific American Initiatives Pool, administered by the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center. Promotional support for the festival is provided by Dulles International and Reagan National Airports, Outfront Media and WMATA: Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority.

About the National Museum of the American Indian

In partnership with Native peoples and their allies, the National Museum of the American Indian fosters a richer shared human experience through a more informed understanding of Native peoples. The museum strives toward equity and social justice for the Native peoples of the Western Hemisphere through education, inspiration and empowerment. Through two locations, it features exhibitions and programs in New York City and on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. For additional information, including hours and directions, visit AmericanIndian.si.edu. Follow the museum via social media on Facebook, X, Instagram, YouTube, Pinterest and LinkedIn.

In addition to the 20th anniversary of the museum on the National Mall (2004) and the 30th anniversary of the museum in New York City (1994), the festival also celebrates the opening of the Cultural Resources Center in Suitland, Maryland (1999) and the signing of the National Museum of the American Indian Act, the legislation that created the museum (1989).

About the Smithsonian Folklife Festival

Inaugurated in 1967, the Smithsonian Folklife Festival honors living cultural traditions and celebrates those who practice and sustain them. Produced annually by the Smithsonian’s Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage and presented in association with the National Park Service, the festival has featured participants from all 50 states, every U.S. territory and more than 100 countries. Follow the festival on Facebook, X, Instagram and YouTube.

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SI-114-2024

Media Only

Linda St. Thomas

202-841-2517

stthomasl@si.edu

Becky Haberacker

202-633-5183

haberackerb@si.edu

Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage

National Museum of the American Indian

Public Programs

Smithsonian Marks National Pride Month With Exhibits and Public Programs

AnciraS — Fri, 24 May 2024 13:12:00 +0000

The Smithsonian invites the public to celebrate National Pride Month in June through activities, in-person programming and extensive digital resources and online collections from its museums in Washington, D.C. All programs are free unless otherwise indicated.

Pride Family Day
Smithsonian American Art Museum, Kogod Courtyard
Saturday, June 1; 11:30 a.m.–3 p.m.
Visitors can celebrate Pride with their chosen family and friends at the museum. They can start the day with a performance by DC’s Different Drummers, followed by GenOUT, the youth chorus of the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, D.C. Participants can then move their bodies to the Brazilian beats of Batalá Washington and make rainbow-themed crafts; face painting will be available for visitors ages 12 and under. The Courtyard Café will offer special treats, and visitors can explore the galleries with a scavenger hunt to learn more about the contributions of the LGBTQ+ community to American art. Tickets are free; registration is encouraged.

Online, the museum celebrates Pride through “SAAM Stories” about LGBTQ+ artists whose work is included in the collection and its digital comics series, “Drawn to Art.”

Artist Talk: Jeffrey Gibson
Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Ring Auditorium
Tuesday, June 4; 7–8 p.m.
Jeffrey Gibson is making history at the 2024 Venice Biennale: His installation, “the space in which to place me” is the first solo presentation by Native American artist for the U.S. Pavilion. Gibson’s interdisciplinary practice forges a hybrid visual language characterized by a bold use of color, pattern and text that combines Indigenous, Queer and American histories with references to popular subcultures, literature and global aesthetic and artistic traditions. A member of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians and of Cherokee descent, Gibson deploys these myriad influences as a form of resistance.

Gibson will join Hirshhorn assistant curator Betsy Johnson in conversation to discuss defining elements of his practice and the inspiration behind his work, as well as what it means to represent the United States on a global stage.

This event is presented in partnership with the Meridian Center for Cultural Diplomacy on the occasion of the Meridian Cultural Diplomacy Awards and the Culturefix Initiative, the center’s dynamic cultural diplomacy platform. The Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden and the National Museum of the American Indian will co-present the conversation in the Hirshhorn’s Ring Auditorium. Free tickets for this in-person event are strongly encouraged.

Trivia Night: Pride
National Portrait Gallery, Kogod Courtyard
Tuesday, June 25; 5 p.m.–6:45 p.m.
Participants can celebrate Pride Month at the National Portrait Gallery with a happy hour trivia night. Contestants will test their knowledge of historic LGBTQ+ figures, events and artwork inspired by the Portrait Gallery’s collection. The free collections-themed trivia game can be played individually or in teams of up to six people. Prizes will be awarded at the end of the evening. The museum’s Courtyard Café will be open during the event, and snacks and beverages will be available for purchase. Tickets are free; registration is encouraged.

James Baldwin Exhibition
National Portrait Gallery
Mid-July through mid-April 2025
The National Portrait Gallery opens “This Morning, This Evening, So Soon: James Baldwin and the Voices of Queer Resistance” in July, celebrating the 100th anniversary of the writer, essayist, playwright and activist. Through portraiture and biography, the exhibition will explore Baldwin’s legacy alongside his contemporaries in art, music, film, literature and activism.

“Baldwin was bolstered by a community of like-minded creatives, including Lorraine Hansberry, Nina Simone and Bayard Rustin, and his influence remains steadfast in the next generation of activists and artists,” said curator Rhea Combs. Born in Harlem, New York, Baldwin (1924–1987) considered himself “a witness” and used his writings and his work to talk about America and its history. Attempting to ensure the United States “kept the faith,” Baldwin was often recognized for speaking out against injustice.

Entertainment Nation
National Museum of American History
Ongoing
This exhibition features artifacts and film clips, including:

Ellen DeGeneres’ suit worn when she received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2016.
Billie Holiday’s recording of “Strange Fruit.”
Billie Jean King’s tennis outfit from the 1973 nationally televised match with Bobby Riggs, known as the Battle of the Sexes. King won, and the game is considered a milestone in the history of women’s tennis.
Charlotte Cushman’s (1816–1876) costume of Cardinal Wolsey. Cushman was an American stage actress with a voice noted for its full contralto register that enabled her to play both men and women on stage. She blended traditional gender roles on stage and in real life.
Walter Mercado, a flamboyant Puerto Rican star on Univision and Telemundo who read horoscopes while dressed in sequined capes and closed his shows with the words “mucho mucho amor!”

The National Museum of American History’s website also offers online exhibits, collection highlights and videos.

Smithsonian Magazine

Smithsonian.com’s Pride Hub highlights a collection of articles related to LGBTQ+ history and culture, featuring stories from the Smithsonian’s collections, exhibitions and programming, as well as outside articles.

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SI-185-2024

Media Only

Linda St. Thomas

202-841-2517

stthomasl@si.edu

Sophia Ancira

202-718-3290

anciras@si.edu

Public Programs

National Museum of African American History and Culture Honors Juneteenth With Special Community Day June 15

AnciraS — Thu, 23 May 2024 20:39:14 +0000

The Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) celebrates the Juneteenth holiday early with a special Community Day and “A Seat at the Table” evening program Saturday, June 15. The public is invited to join the museum’s Juneteenth celebration—during the entire month of June—and embrace the rich history of Freedom Day each week.

“Juneteenth is a time to celebrate freedom—both its promise and the enduring legacy of those who valiantly sought to realize it,” said Kevin Young, NMAAHC’s director. “As we look to this form of living history, this now-federal holiday reminds us of the joy and struggle of the past as well as the possibilities of the future.”

The public is invited to learn more about the history and legacy of Juneteenth, download a free digital toolkit and check out the museum’s Juneteenth reading list and other resources.

Juneteenth Programming Schedule

Juneteenth Community Day Celebration

Saturday, June 15; 11 a.m.–4:30 p.m.

Visitors can join the museum for its Juneteenth Community Day, themed “Freedom, Movement, and Migration,” Saturday, June 15. This special day is designed to engage people of all ages in a meaningful celebration of freedom and cultural evolution, commemorating Juneteenth’s significance in the journey toward equality and recognition in American history. The museum will celebrate Juneteenth early with a day filled with educational, cultural and dynamic programs that enrich understanding and honor the legacy of freedom, movement and migration. Juneteenth Community Day promises an unforgettable experience, blending history, culture and celebration.

Full schedule for Saturday, June 15:

Juneteenth Storytime
11 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.
Visitors can delight their little ones with engaging story sessions and introduce them to diverse perspectives, fostering a love for reading. The museum will feature Tami Charles reading her latest book, We Are Here.

Crafts of Juneteenth
12 p.m.–2 p.m.
Participants can design their own Juneteenth flag and create art based on the life and works of artist, veteran and fish pepper seed enthusiast, Horace Pippin. All ages are welcome.

Presenting the Buffalo Soldiers
11 a.m.–1 p.m.; 2 p.m.–4 p.m.
Visitors can learn about the 19th- and 20th-century all-Black regiments’ pivotal role in supporting the nation’s westward expansion, presented by representatives from the U.S. Forest Service and the Buffalo Soldiers, Greater Washington DC Chapter, 9th and 10th Cavalry Association.

Juneteenth Chef’s Table and Book Signing
12 p.m.–2 p.m.
A special plant-based menu will be curated by renowned vegan chef and food activist Bryant Terry at the museum’s Sweet Home Café. Books by Terry, such as Afro-Vegan, Vegetable Kingdom and Black Food, will be signed by him and available for purchase.

Mixology of Juneteenth
12 p.m.–2 p.m.
Participants can join the Sweet Home Café for an exciting mocktail workshop. Denise Jones, the café’s general manager, will demonstrate how to make traditional Juneteenth mocktails, including hibiscus “Red Drink,” mint lemonade and other delicious drinks using fresh ingredients from NMAAHC’s Pippin Garden.

Juneteenth Soundstage
3 p.m.
Visitors can experience soul-stirring live jazz performances by Alphonso Horne and the Gotham. Kings in Heritage Hall. They can dive into the evolution of jazz, celebrating its diverse regional styles and role as a symbol of movement, migration and resilience.

A Seat at the Table: A Juneteenth Conversation with Bryant Terry and Kevin Young
Saturday, June 15; 6:45 p.m.
Heritage Hall
$40. Registration is required.
The museum will present a special edition of a signature program that brings together two remarkable voices in a dynamic dialogue about food, culture and social justice. Bryant Terry, the James Beard Award-winning chef, food activist and author of the acclaimed Black Food, will sit down with NMAAHC’s director Kevin Young to explore the rich tapestry of African American cuisine and its evolution through the lens of migration, identity and resilience. Terry will also discuss his groundbreaking approach to veganism, challenging stereotypes of African American cuisine and promoting healthy eating as a form of social justice activism.

During this event, attendees can indulge in a special plant-based meal curated by Terry, designed to celebrate the vibrancy and diversity of African American cuisine and Juneteenth. They can also participate in a small discussion at their tables about healthier ways of eating, explore ancestral forms of cooking and learn how to share these time-honored meals and practices with their families and communities.

The Sweet Home Café

The Sweet Home Café will feature a special menu collaboration with Executive Chef Ramin Coles and vegan chef, activist and author Bryant Terry. The menu will be available beginning Saturday, June 15, and offered through the weekend. More details are available on the Sweet Home Café’s webpage. Entry to the museum includes access to the café.

New Exhibition To Open in December

The museum will open “In Slavery’s Wake: Making Black Freedom in the World” in the Bank of America Special Exhibitions Gallery Dec. 13. This international exhibition explores, interrogates and reframes the history and legacies of slavery, colonialism and freedom on a global scale using historic artifacts and contemporary artworks from collections around the world. More information is available on the museum’s website at nmaahc.si.edu/explore/exhibitions/in-slaverys-wake.

About the Museum

Since opening Sept. 24, 2016, the National Museum of African American History and Culture has welcomed 10 million in-person visitors and millions more through its digital presence. Occupying a prominent location next to the Washington Monument on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., the nearly 400,000-square-foot museum is the nation’s largest and most comprehensive cultural destination devoted exclusively to exploring, documenting and showcasing the African American story and its impact on American and world history. The museum has also launched and is continually expanding its reach with the Searchable Museum portal and other efforts to bring African American history into the world’s hands and homes. For more information about the museum, visit nmaahc.si.edu, follow @NMAAHC on X, Facebook and Instagram or call Smithsonian information at (202) 633-1000.

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SI-186-2024

Media Only

Melissa Wood

202-297-6161

Woodm2@si.edu

Cynetra McMillian
202-549-9860
mcmillianc@si.edu

National Museum of African American History and Culture

Public Programs

National Museum of African Art Displays Nine Benin Bronzes on Loan From the Government of Nigeria

AnciraS — Thu, 23 May 2024 17:37:00 +0000

The Smithsonian’s National Museum of African Art will display nine works from the royal court of Benin in a special exhibition opening Monday, June 3. These artworks were some of the 29 pieces that were legally transferred to their country of origin, Nigeria, in fall 2022.

The so-called “bronzes,” which were in the museum’s collection for many years, were stolen from Nigeria during the 1897 British raid on Benin City. Benin bronzes has become the catch-all term for works that are actually made of cast-copper alloy and ivory.

The Smithsonian’s Shared Stewardship and Ethical Returns Policy calls for the legal transfer of ownership of any artifacts that were acquired by stealing, looting or other questionable means. The transfer of ownership was formalized in a ceremony at the National Museum of African Art two years ago, and the artifacts were shipped to Nigeria a few months later.

The original collection of the National Museum of African Art included 39 artworks from Nigeria attributed as being in the style of works associated with the court of the Benin Kingdom; 29 were determined to have been stolen during the 1897 raid. The majority of these artworks are dated, based on their style, from the late 15th or early 16th century through the late 19th century. The Benin bronzes had entered the museum’s collection through purchase, transfer, donation and bequest over the years.

A legal agreement transferred ownership from the Smithsonian to representatives of Nigeria’s National Commission for Museums and Monuments; it was signed in October 2022. Also at that time, a museum loan agreement was finalized that allowed these nine art works by Edo artists from Benin City to remain in the National Museum of African Art. Although the works are in the museum in Washington, D.C., Smithsonian staff consulted with Nigerian museum professionals on the text in the exhibition.

The credit line for each artifact states that it originated from the “collection of the Oba of Benin, British raid of Benin 1897” and includes object details and descriptions that come from the community of origin.

The eight works in the exhibition include a very rare late-15th-century copper alloy trophy head, likely of a defeated enemy—one of the earliest known examples of this genre of figurate cast sculpture from the kingdom—as well as a major architectural plaque depicting a group of warriors, and possibly an oba (ruler or king) himself. Also included are a range of larger-scale copper alloy figural sculptures and smaller, personal items, as well as two large incised ivory tusks that were originally part of ancestral altars in the palace. An additional, ninth figure—depicting a female attendant to a queen mother—remains on view in the museum’s primary collection galleries (Visionary: Viewpoints on Africa’s Arts) but is also depicted in the new exhibition.

“Sixty years ago the U.S. Civil Rights Movement inspired the founding of the National Museum of African Art by diplomat and collector Warren Robbins who believed that an understanding of the African continent and its cultural heritage would benefit all Americans,” said John K.. Lapiana, interim director of the museum. “Now, six decades later, it is entirely fitting that we are presenting this exhibition in collaboration with our museum colleagues in Nigeria as the first exhibition of our anniversary year.”

About the Benin Bronzes

The Kingdom of Benin, home of the Edo peoples, is located in the southwest tropical forest and mangroves region of present-day Nigeria. The Kingdom of Benin is renowned for the exceptional quality and diversity of its royal arts fashioned in copper alloy, ivory, terracotta, wood, iron and coral beads. In 1897 during a British raid on Benin, the royal palace was burned and looted, and the oba was exiled. The British confiscated all royal treasures, giving some to individual officers and taking most to auction in London. The estimated 3,000 objects eventually made their way into museums and private collections around the world.

About the National Museum of African Art

The Smithsonian’s National Museum of African Art is the only museum in the world dedicated solely to the collection, conservation, study and exhibition of Africa’s arts across time and media. The museum’s collection of over 13,000 artworks spans more than 1,000 years of African history and includes a variety of media from across the continent. For more information, call 202-633-4600 or visit the museum’s website. For general Smithsonian information, the public can call 202-633-1000. Follow the museum on X, YouTube, Instagram and Facebook.

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SI-140-2024

Media Only

Linda St. Thomas

202-841-2517

stthomasl@si.edu

National Museum of African Art

Exhibitions

Anacostia Community Museum Announces Lineup for Its Juneteenth Celebration

AnciraS — Wed, 22 May 2024 15:50:20 +0000

The Smithsonian’s Anacostia Community Museum is bringing back its iconic Juneteenth festival with a daylong celebration from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday, June 19. Visitors will experience a full day of live music performances, an Urban Gardening Workshop with Derek Thomas and more.

“The Smithsonian’s Anacostia Community Museum has been celebrating Juneteenth since 1989 with live music, and we’re thrilled to have some of the region’s top local talent celebrating with us this year,” said Melanie Adams, the museum’s Roger Ferguson and Annette Nazareth director. “We encourage the community to bring their blankets and join us all day as we gather family, friends and neighbors to honor the present and reflect on our shared tradition and history.”

The Juneteenth Main Stage will be hosted by BeMo Brown and feature sounds throughout the day by Ebb King. It will also feature music by some of Washington, D.C.’s top local artists, including Noochie, DJ Cuzzin B, Alex Vaughn, Too Much Talent Band and DuPont Brass.

In addition to the music and activities planned for the day, visitors can visit the museum’s newest exhibition, “A Bold and Beautiful Vision: A Century of Black Arts Education in Washington, DC, 1900–2000.” The exhibition traces the story of the teachers and students who made Washington a truly unparalleled center for Black arts education.

Juneteenth is the celebration of the emancipation of Texas slaves who were formally notified of their freedom June 19, 1865. Although Congress abolished slavery in the District of Columbia in April 1862 and the territories in June 1862, it took over two years for the news to reach Texas. The celebration of freedom demonstrates the richness of African American culture and a strong spirit of community. Since 1865, Juneteenth has been celebrated in communities throughout the country with a variety of activities, including picnics, parades, music, speeches, dancing and baseball. The tradition was brought to the Washington area by Texans and formalized into a celebration at the Anacostia Community Museum in 1989.

The Juneteenth Freedom Celebration is free and open to the public. Registration is recommended.

About the Museum

Founded in 1967, the Smithsonian’s Anacostia Community Museum shares the untold and often overlooked stories of communities furthest from justice in the greater Washington, D.C., region. In celebrating stories of resiliency, joy and strength, the museum inspires those who visit to translate their ideas into action. For more information about the museum, visit anacostia.si.edu or follow the museum on X, LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram.

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SI-187-2024

Media Only

Katelynd Anderson

202-417-5045

andersonk2@si.edu

Sophia Ancira

202-718-3290

anciras@si.edu

Anacostia Community Museum

Public Programs