Description: For the next installment of “Miscellaneous Adventures,” we’ve taken a dive into blank standardized forms once used at the Smithsonian, found in Record Unit 65, Smithsonian Institution Chief Clerk, Forms, Circulars, Announcements, 1846-1933, Box 14, Folder Miscellaneous Forms – Assorted. And these forms are certainly assorted! The contents range from memorandum forms to
Description: Read a brief history of the gelatin dry plate negative and learn about the work being done at the Smithsonian Institution Archives to preserve this glass plate negative photographic format.
Description: Every year at its annual conference, the Association of Moving Image Archivists (AMIA) hosts an event called Archival Screening Night (ASN). ASN is a chance for moving image archivists around the world to showcase films and videos from their collections, particularly items that have recently been preserved, restored, or remastered.This film depicts the Onward Brass Band
Description: Lonnie G. Bunch III was installed as the Fourteenth Secretary of the Smithsonian on November 1, 2019 in the historic Arts and Industries Building. To celebrate this new day in Smithsonian history, let’s take a look back at installations past!
Description: At the 1996 Festival of American Folklife, Smithsonian staff and volunteers conducted oral history interviews with colleagues about their memories of working for the Smithsonian. To celebrate the Smithsonian’s 175th anniversary, we’re sharing clips from three of those interviews.
Description: On Thursday, October 22nd, four of our archivists/conservators were available on the Smithsonian's Facebook page to answer questions about preserving your own archival collections. The four archivists at the Q&A have specialties in the preservation and organization of audio/visual material, photos, and digital records (email, digital video, etc.) This is our fifth year hosting
Description: Whether we love to hate them, or hate to love them, paper clips are a huge part of working in archives. In an attempt to showcase this little contraption, we did a call out to the twitterverse for other archivists to share their collection of paper clips. Needless to say, it was not a disappointment. Now go forth archivists! And remember Clippy will always be there to
Description: Several weeks ago a brown box full of photographs arrived at “The Smithsonian.” Now being that “The Smithsonian” is actually made up of many museums and research centers, this brown box was circulated through several offices before I finally got the call to see if it was something that I wanted. Usually the Smithsonian would rather not receive unsolicited donations. Though,