Description: [caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="314" caption="The Amb. Richard B. Parker Photographs contains 200 black and white prints, 481 black and white negatives, and two black and white contact sheets of Islamic monuments in Algeria, Cairo, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Morocco, and Spain, 1965-1979, by Richard Bordeaux Parker, Unknown medium, Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M.
Description: How photos from the Smithsonian’s Archives of American Gardens help preserve the memory of gardens (such as the Middlegate Japanese Gardens pictured above) that are now gone. The Museum of the Future has a great roundup of videos and blogs about museums, technology, and media. An update on earthquake damage at the Smithsonian, and hear Smithsonian Secretary (and earthquake
Description: [caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="405" caption="U.S. Troops Surrounded by Holiday Mail During WWII, by unidentified photographer, c. 1944, National Postal Museum"][/caption] It’s no wonder that this photo of soldiers sorting holiday mail is such a favorite on the Commons. It clearly tugs on the heart strings of those who know (or try to imagine) what it would be like
Description: [caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="269" caption="First Lady of the Land, First Lady of the Air, by John Roosevelt, c. 1936, National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center, Archives Center"][/caption] One of the things I love about working at the Smithsonian is spending my days typing keywords into our search engines and seeing what kind of images will
Description: Note: This blog post borrows heavily from the article, “Shooting Fireworks: Capture the Spectacle,” from former Smithsonian employee, Jim Wallace (originally published on the Smithsonian staff photographer’s website in 1995), with valuable additions from Ken Rahaim. The 4th of July is coming up next week, promising picnics, gatherings, and of course, fireworks. You may have