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.
Since April is both Earth Month and Citizen Science Month, we’re highlighting two clips that make us optimistic for the future.
Our first video, called “Nature Through a Viewfinder,” features the work of Kjell Sandved, an avid nature photographer. Sandved talked about how he came to work for the Smithsonian, pretty much by accident. Narrator Ann Carroll explained how the photographer’s work has helped scientists study animal behaviors. Audiences then caught a glimpse of some rarely-captured events, such as the movement of a scallop.
In our second video, “What Lives in Your Lawn,” a family conducted an experiment provided by the Smithsonian Family Learning Project. They used a vacuum cleaner on their grass to find out what type of bugs live in their lawn.
Tune in on the last Tuesday of each month to explore more video features from Here at the Smithsonian. Interested in more? Head to our YouTube playlist of recently-uploaded clips from the series.
Related Collections
- Office of Telecommunications Productions, 1982-1989, Accession 00-132, Smithsonian Institution Archive
Related Resources
- Here at the Smithsonian, YouTube playlist
- “Sandved and his Snapshots” by Samantha DesRochers, The Bigger Picture, Smithsonian Institution Archives
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