Wonderful Women Wednesday: Suzanne Thomassen-Kraus

Each week, the Archives features a woman who has been a groundbreaker at the Smithsonian, past or present, in a series titled Wonderful Women Wednesday.

Suzanne Thomassen-Krauss was a textile conservator at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History from 1988 to 2015. She led a 15-year conservation project to preserve the Star-Spangled Banner, and worked on many other well-known artifacts, such as Thomas George Washington’s campaign tent, the Ruby Slippers, Kermit the Frog, and items that belonged to first ladies and presidents. 

Thomassen-Krauss earned a master of science degree in conservation with certification in textiles from the University of Delaware. While in graduate school, Thomassen-Krauss participated in her practicum and an internship with the Henry Francis duPont Winterthur Museum. During this time, she worked two days a week at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History. 

Two women in white lab coats and hair covers lean over a large flag with red and white stripes.

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