Virginia Beets was instrumental in the early years of the National Museum of American History as an Administrative Officer, 1963–73, and Registrar, 1973–83. She initially joined the Smithsonian as a secretary in the Division of Insects at the National Museum of Natural History in 1949. #Groundbreaker

Spencer F. Baird and George Brown Goode used their diverse, and sometimes quirky, contacts from the U.S. Fish Commission to fill exhibit cabinets in the U.S. National Museum.

Alpaca and vicuña at National Zoological Park, circa 1910s.

Link Love: a weekly post with links to interesting videos and stories about archival issues, technology and culture, and Washington D.C. and American history.

One of the ways the Anacostia Community Museum has served its community is through celebrations and educational programming about Kwanzaa.

Dorothy T. Van Arsdale, Chief, Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service, 1964–70, managed logistics for traveling exhibitions around the world. A major part of her role was negotiating with host countries about shipping, transportation, conservation, and more.  #Groundbreaker

We’re uncovering names of some of the earliest women in science at the Smithsonian.

Infant gorilla "Tomoka" while fostered at home of Bernard F. Gallagher, supervisory keeper for great apes at National Zoological Park, and his wife, Louise E. Gallagher, 1962.

Link Love: a weekly post with links to interesting videos and stories about archival issues, technology and culture, and Washington D.C. and American history.

Get to know some Smithsonian staff, from their favorite holiday dishes to their dream celebrity dinner guests, through a former series in The Torch.