Before the age of YouTube and Instagram, public audiences learned about the happenings at the Smithsonian in newspapers, on the radio, and via public television programming. Between 1982 and 1989, TV viewers could catch up with the Smithsonian’s latest exhibitions and research activities through short video features in a series called Here At The Smithsonian.
One year ago we began highlighting episodes of Here At The Smithsonian each month as we worked to put episodes of the program up on our YouTube channel. As we close out this blog series, and in honor of the opening of the FUTURES exhibit at the Arts and Industries Building, let’s take a look at two past traveling exhibitions.
The first video, called Past Visions of the Future, features the exhibit “Yesterday’s Tomorrows” that premiered at the National Museum of American History. The exhibition explored America’s obsession with the future by examining past concepts of future life, such as flying cars and portable housing.
Our second video, “Hollywood: Legend and Reality,” highlights the exhibit by the same name at the National Musuem of American History. The exhibition juxtaposes the stars of Hollywood with the unsung heroes behind the scenes who make the movies come to life, such as the costume designers and set makers.
Interested in more? Keep checking our YouTube playlist of recently-uploaded clips from the series.
Related Collections
- Office of Telecommunications Productions, 1982-1989, Accession 00-132, Smithsonian Institution Archives
Related Resources
- Here at the Smithsonian, YouTube playlist
Produced by the Smithsonian Institution Archives. For copyright questions, please see the Terms of Use.
Leave a Comment