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: [caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="413" caption="Exhibit of two giraffes and other animals from Africa. The exhibit is in the Hall of Mammals, National Museum of Natural History, 1959, by Unknown photographer, Photographic print, Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 95 Box 44A Folder 4, Negative Number: MNH-429."][/caption]
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: The Smithsonian Institution Archives has a lot of diaries. And they offer researchers a glimpse into the daily lives of scientists doing their work in the field and sometimes the joy and tragedy of family life.
Description: [edan-image:id=siris_sic_12311,size=250,right]Walking into the rotunda of the National Museum of Natural History one immediately comes face to face with the Fénykövi Elephant (also affectionately known as Henry). Taken at a glance, the African elephant is impressive and imposing, standing over guests to a tune of 13 feet and 2 inches when measured at the shoulder. The Fénykövi
Description: [caption id="attachment_6524" align="alignright" width="220" caption="Linsey Scott, Intern, and Michael Barnes, Photographer, from the Center of Scientific Imaging and Photography stand in front of the freshly remounted world-record Black Marlin that was caught in 1953 using 130 pound test line by Alfred C. Glascock, Jr."][/caption] I had the recent opportunity to sit down