Description: Folklorist, visual artist, and curator, Dr. Diana Baird N’Diaye, Smithsonian’s Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage, is a honorary professor at the University of Glasgow, Scotland, and researches anthropology, folklore, fashion (dress), and visual art in Africa, the Caribbean, and the U.S. #Groundbreaker
Description: An early infographic explaining Earth in case of chance alien encounters, from 1972! [via Co.Design]A peek at the the 1st weather dataset collected by the Smithsonian in the late 19th century, and what it means about archival practices around data. [via Process History]How Chuck Berry's bright red Cadillac almost didn't make it to the Smithsonian's National Museum of African
Description: Patent models and baskets occupy shelves in storage space at Smithsonian's Museum Support Center in Suitland, Maryland, Image Number: 2000-11186-06.
Description: Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery has a new show on the history of silhouettes, a pre-photography method for capturing an individual's likeness. [via Artsy]"How To File Catalogs" and more Office 101. [via Smithsonian Libraries]What do archives look like before they come to clean boxes and folder arrangement? Yikes. [via Cambridge University Library Special
Description: [caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="346" caption="Cockpit of the Bowlus BA-100 Baby Albatross, National Air and Space Museum, Image Number: WEB11659-2010, Courtesy of the Air and Space Museum Blog."][/caption] We’re usually dealing with paper, photos, and whiteboards over here at SIA, but the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum gives a nice overview of the hard
Description: The research behind Michelle Obama's statement that the White House was built partly by slaves. [via Smithsonian Magazine]The Smithsonian's National Museum of American History is hiring a beer historian, but it does require you to do more than just drink beer. [via Washington City Paper][WARNING NSFW] 20 bawdy art history tweets for modern times! [via deMilked]19th century
Description: On New Years Day 2015, the 44,000 works of art in the Smithsonian’s Freer | Sackler collection will be available online. [via WAMU] Dumpster diving! The National Museum of American History added a copy of the E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial Atari 2600 game found in a landfill to their collection. [via O Say Can You See, National Museum of American History]The grand re-opening of