Smithsonian Institution Archives
  • Collections
  • Services
  • Smithsonian History
  • About
  • Education
  • Blog
  • Forums
  • Press
  • Audiences
  • Donate

The Bigger Picture: Visual Archives and the Smithsonian

Tammy L. Peters

Tammy L. Peters

What do you do?

I oversee the Archives Information Management and Reference Teams. We identify materials that should be kept in the Archives to document the Smithsonian's history, make sure that any researcher can find what they need in our holdings, and answer many diverse questions that range from the routine to the strange.

Favorite spot in DC to recommend to visitors

The Jefferson Memorial—when it's not cherry blossom season, it's less crowded and more peaceful than other monuments on the Mall, and a great place to chill and enjoy a beautiful day.

Collection Favorites

It's hard to identify one favorite item or collection in the Archives, but I have a soft spot for Record Unit 311, National Collection of Fine Arts, Office of the Director, Records, 1892-1960. This was one of the first collections I ever processed as an intern at the Archives, and it contains the earliest records of what is now the Smithsonian American Art Museum. The first Director was William Henry Holmes , a true renaissance man who was well regarded as both a scientist and watercolorist. He also had a great mustache.

Blog Posts

12/11/2012 Documenting a Geologist's Adventures
8/23/2012 Society of American Archivists Conference Recap
3/8/2012 Annual Call for Help Identifying Women Scientists
2/29/2012 Website Search Tips
1/10/2012 Keeping in Touch
9/27/2011 Highlighting Reference Services on the New Archives Website
7/13/2011 Crowdsource This (please): Scopes Trial Photos
3/3/2011 Faces in the Crowd
2/8/2011 The Time Has Come
12/16/2010 Season's Greetings
7/7/2010 Finding Elizabeth
6/29/2010 Check!
5/12/2010 Freaks and Geeks
4/7/2010 Zoom In, Zoom Out
2/3/2010 New Donation of Scopes Trial Photos to the Smithsonian Archives
3/30/2009 Who Are You?

Stay in touch!

Facebook Twitter Flickr YouTube SlideShare
Join our eNewsletter

About

Connecting you to America’s past with a behind-the-scenes exploration of the Smithsonian’s history, treasures, and the challenges that Archives face preserving collections. More details...

Smithsonian on Flickr Commons

Topics/Tags

  • See Here (611)
  • American History (542)
  • Science (431)
  • Archive (331)
  • Cities/Places (279)
  • Exhibitions (234)
  • Web/Tech (210)
  • Photo History (189)
  • Link Love (153)
  • Politics/Government (153)

Blog Roll

All Smithsonian blogs
American Historical Association Blog
American Institute of Conservation Blog
Archives Next
Archives of American Art
Around the Mall
Field Book Project
Hanging Together
Library of Congress Blogs
National Archives (US) Blogs
National Museum of American History, O say can you see?
Smithsonian Collections Blog
Smithsonian Libraries
Teaching American History

Categories

  • Collections in Focus (990)
  • What Gets Saved (337)
  • Behind the Scenes (212)
  • Smithsonian History (136)

Recent Posts

  • "If you feed them, they will come."
  • Women in Science Wednesday: Mary Alice McWhinnie
  • Twenty-Six and Blooming!
  • Sneak Peek 5/20/2013
  • See Here: 5/17/2013

Monthly Archive

  • May 2013 (24)
  • April 2013 (26)
  • March 2013 (26)
  • February 2013 (26)
  • January 2013 (28)
  • December 2012 (26)
  • November 2012 (28)
  • October 2012 (32)
  • September 2012 (26)
  • August 2012 (31)
  • July 2012 (26)
  • June 2012 (27)
  • May 2012 (27)
  • April 2012 (27)
  • March 2012 (28)
  • February 2012 (27)
  • January 2012 (26)
  • December 2011 (31)
  • November 2011 (28)
  • October 2011 (35)
  • September 2011 (31)
  • August 2011 (35)
  • July 2011 (41)
  • June 2011 (43)
  • May 2011 (33)
  • April 2011 (40)
  • March 2011 (43)
  • February 2011 (35)
  • January 2011 (36)
  • December 2010 (42)
  • November 2010 (40)
  • October 2010 (44)
  • September 2010 (37)
  • August 2010 (39)
  • July 2010 (38)
  • June 2010 (37)
  • May 2010 (42)
  • April 2010 (44)
  • March 2010 (47)
  • February 2010 (40)
  • January 2010 (39)
  • December 2009 (43)
  • November 2009 (34)
  • October 2009 (11)
  • September 2009 (11)
  • August 2009 (12)
  • July 2009 (14)
  • June 2009 (10)
  • May 2009 (12)
  • April 2009 (14)
  • March 2009 (10)
  • January 2009 (1)
Smithsonian Institution Archives
eNewsletter Facebook Twitter Flickr Historypin YouTube SlideShare Browsealoud
Smithsonian Institution
  • Privacy
  • Copyright
  • Contact