Description: The multi-talented William Henry Holmes contributed to the Smithsonian as an artist, explorer, geologist, archeologist and museum director.
Description: The Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden has been located on the National Mall since 1974, but before that, Joseph and Olga Hirshhorn spent years considering which city or country the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden would call home.
Description: When I started working with museums in 2005, the concept of crowdsourcing was in its infancy. That year, James Surowiecki ‘s book, “The Wisdom of Crowds,” was published and there were tiny experiments in crowdsourcing occurring in the cultural heritage sector. There were hesitations and objections about the whole concept within the GLAM (gallery, library, archive, museum)
Description: For a period of time in the early 1990s, the Smithsonian Institution's Arts and Industries Building played host to an experimental exhibition gallery space.
Description: For the past month, I have been immersed in the complexity that is the world of digital archiving as an intern for the Smithsonian Institution Archives. As a digital preservation intern, I have discovered aspects about archiving that I would have never considered previously, such as the processes required to document accessions, recording information for accessibility and
Description: [edan-image:id=siris_arc_395259,size=200,center]Check out the nearly 700 newly-digitized images from the Smithsonian's National Zoo in 1973. [via Bigger Picture]Speaking of the zoo, cheetah cub overload! [via CBS]The Rocky Mountain National Park published over 210 recordings online including more than 60 bird species, natural soundscapes, and wildlife vocalizations including
Description: You can now download hi-res images of Vincent Van Gogh's paintings, sketches, and letters. [via Open Culture and Vincent Van Gogh Museum]Speaking of Van Gogh, the Art Institute of Chicago has recreated the bedroom in his famous painting and it is now for rent on Air BnB. [via Colossal]More enjoyable art browsing brought to you by technology! Hieronymus Bosch’s Garden of
Description: 2018 Women's History Month edition!Little-known Hungarian art deco designer, Ilonka Karasz, has a solo show at the Cooper Hewitt [via Antiques and the Arts Weekly]The New York Times is trying to right the gender imbalance in their obituary archive by adding obits for 15 historic women including activist Ida B. Wells, feminist poet Qiu Jin, and mathematician Ada Lovelace...with
Description: Bonanza! A gorgeous medieval illuminated manuscript from the University of Aberdeen is now online. [via Hyperallergic]Hello, funny face. A Japanese museum of rocks, with faces! [via Colossal]My childhood favorite wooden 'Little People' just entered the Toy Hall of Fame. [via NPR]Want to save your election day newspaper? Smithsonian's Museum Conservation Institute weighs in.