Description: On September 28, 1999, representatives of dozens of tribes from across the hemisphere gathered on the National Mall for the groundbreaking of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian. On the overcast morning, several hundred people packed under three tents during a ceremony that featured blessings from the four cardinal directions. After the ceremony, some
Description: Despite my long experience responding to many an incident affecting cultural heritage infrastructure and collections, since 2016, I have gained valuable experience living through the Atlantic hurricane season from the perspectives of both a professional immersed in the disaster lifecycle (preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation), and the individuals, businesses, and
Description: The Smithsonian Institution Archives manages the cold storage vault at the National Museum of American History where approximately 3 million negatives are stored.
Description: Although initially skeptical about the effectiveness of the hypsometer, Secretary Joseph Henry soon recognized the value of the instrument, which he discovered from his colleagues in the scientific field.
Description: A closer look at staff member Henry Horan (1838-1896), who held several positions at the Smithsonian, including janitor, watchman, and superintendent of buildings, during his long career at the Institution.
Description: [view:sia_slideshow==75408]Scientific research has been integral to the Smithsonian, from its founding to today. The Smithsonian's founder, Englishman James Smithson, saw in the U.S. (according to his biographer, Heather Ewing) "a place of the future" that could support "science and progress for humanity." He believed that scientists were "citizens of the world" and that the