Description: So you want to be a conservator? In this continuation of our series on career advice, one of our conservators shares some advice for those looking to explore the professional field of cultural heritage conservation.
Description: In the process of scanning glass plate negatives, how do we determine what each image is when it comes with so little information attached?
Description: Vicarious research is one of the great joys of the reference desk at the Smithsonian Institution Archives. From our front-row (well, only-row) seat outside the reading room, we catch tantalizing glimpses of our patrons’ manifold research topics.The reference team fields around 6,000 queries per year. Ask us what people have been researching recently, and you’ll get into some
Description: 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.
Description: [caption id="attachment_2064" align="aligncenter" width="360" caption="Photographs of Paul and Julia from page 262 of My Life in France, by Thérèse-Marie Blazek of feastingonpixels.blogspot.com."][/caption] If you haven’t seen Nora Ephron’s latest film Julie & Julia yet, there are several scenes, which indicate that aside from his work for the U.S. government, Julia Child’s
Description: The Arts and Industries Buildings reopens this weekend with FUTURES, the first building-wide exploration of the future on the National Mall. Though we've written plenty about the building's past on our blog, today, we're diving into its more recent history in the 21st century.
Description: I cannot, I feel, have any regrets about my accomplishments. What comes from art will just come. I don’t feel any need to strive. - John N. Robinson One of my favorite parts of working in an archive is the opportunity to immerse myself in other people’s worlds, to learn more about their stories and experiences. One such person I encountered recently was John N. Robinson, a
Description: In the 1950s US National Museum staff revitalized exhibits across the Smithsonian, completely transforming the Arts & Industries Building.