Curatorial Records, 1886-2020

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Summary

Consists of records documenting curatorial and professional activities in the fields of technology, environmental history, electricity, modern physics, and mathematics. The curatorial staff of electricity and modern physics were in the Division of Electricity, the Division of Electricity and Nuclear Energy, the Division of Electricity and Modern Physics, and the Division of Information Technology and Society prior to 2009 when, that year, they disbanded and modern physics became part of the Division of Medicine and Science, formerly known as the Division of the History of Technology, and electricity was transferred to the Division of Work and Industry. The Division of Medicine and Science also includes mathematics staff and collections that had been part of other Divisions before 2009. Records predating 1938 were created by the Section of Steam Transportation and the Division of Engineering within the United States National Museum. Staff members whose activities are documented in these records include Carl Weaver Mitman, Frank A. Taylor, Paul Edward Garber, Paul Forman, Bernard S. Finn, Elliot N. Sivowitch, Arthur P. Molella, W. James King, Robert P. Multhauf, Nance L. Briscoe, Jeffrey K. Stine, Judy M. Chelnick, and Peggy Aldrich Kidwell. Materials include correspondence, memoranda, and notes; lecture papers; articles and book reviews; proposals; photographs; information in regard to grants, forums, committees, conferences, symposiums, workshops, and public programs; a WMAL radio broadcast recording that features broadcaster Ted Church touring science and technology collections at the United States National Museum and interviewing curators Mitman, Taylor, and Garber; collections management and loan information; electronic mail; meeting agendas and minutes; exhibition floor plans; proposals; reports; agreements; audiocassettes, newspaper clippings; pamphlets; brochures; and awards. Some materials are in electronic format.

Subject

  • Mitman, Carl Weaver 1889-
  • Garber, Paul Edward 1899-1992
  • Church, Ted
  • Taylor, Frank A (Frank Augustus) 1903-2007
  • Forman, Paul
  • Finn, Bernard S. 1932-
  • Sivowitch, Elliot N
  • Molella, Arthur P. 1944-
  • King, W. James (William James) 1915-
  • Multhauf, Robert P
  • Briscoe, Nance L
  • Stine, Jeffrey K
  • Chelnick, Judy M
  • Kidwell, Peggy Aldrich
  • United States National Museum Division of Engineering
  • United States National Museum Section of Transportation and Civil Engineering
  • WMAL (Radio station : Washington, D.C.)
  • National Museum of History and Technology (U.S.) Division of Electricity and Nuclear Energy
  • National Museum of American History (U.S.) Division of Electricity and Modern Physics
  • Museum of History and Technology (U.S.) Division of Electricity
  • National Museum of American History (U.S.) Division of Information Technology and Society
  • National Museum of American History (U.S.) Division of the History of Technology

Category

Series Level Description

Notes

  • To view records that comprise this series, see the detailed list of accessions and/or record units below.
  • For a history of the creating unit, refer to "Forms part of" above.

Organization

Alphabetic, chronologic, and unarranged

Repository Loc.

Smithsonian Institution Archives, Capital Gallery, Suite 3000, MRC 507; 600 Maryland Avenue, SW; Washington, DC 20024-2520

Date

  • 1886
  • 1886-2020

Topic

  • Congresses and conventions
  • Aeronautics
  • Committees
  • Mathematics
  • Museums
  • Workshops
  • History
  • Physics
  • Professional associations
  • Engineering
  • Electricity
  • Technology
  • Museum loans
  • Research grants
  • Physics--History
  • Electricity--History
  • Mathematics--History
  • Technology--History
  • Museums--Collection management
  • Museum curators
  • Speeches, addresses, etc
  • Museum publications

Form/Genre

  • Manuscripts
  • Audiotapes
  • Phonograph records
  • Clippings
  • Black-and-white photographs
  • Color photographs
  • Brochures
  • Books
  • Black-and-white transparencies
  • Electronic mail
  • Electronic records
  • Pamphlets
  • Digital images
  • Compact discs
  • Floor plans

Local number

SIA RS00401

Physical description

  • 4 cu. ft. processed holdings
  • 30.25 cu. ft. unprocessed holdings

Full Record

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