Roundup: Cool Down, Speak Up and Faraway Places

Cool down: If you think it’s been hot for us humans during the current heat wave, imagine what it must be like for our friends at the National Zoo. Collections Search Center offers a few old photos of some of the Zoo’s most beloved animals cooling off. My favorite picture shows two baby orangutans, Bonnie and Azy, playing in a tub. Who wouldn't want to be in a tub of cool water right now, no less with two adorable animals?

Get out your iPods: “Up Where We Belong : Native Musicians in Popular Culture,” which opened at the National Museum of the American Indian just last week, features the stories and artifacts of famous American Indian musicians throughout history. But when Tim Johnson, the museum's associate director, and Chris Turner, the curator of the exhibit, did a radio program last week, many callers mentioned artists they hadn’t heard from before.  They’ve put a call out on Facebook looking for Native artists that aren’t included in the exhibit. Start digging through your music collection—who knows when you'll get another chance to tell a museum what else they should include in an exhibit.

For those of us who can't get out of the office: It’s vacation season, and whether you’re going across the globe or just across the country, odds are there’s someone at home who is expecting a postcard or two to help them live vicariously through your journey. But if you’ve already returned home and forgot a few keepsakes for friends, don’t worry. Bigger Picture directs us to this slideshow of Smithsonian Collection postcards from around the globe. If you've just returned from vacation direct the loved ones you forgot about to the slideshow, or if you’re in the midst of a “staycation,” sit back and enjoy the ride. (Though a note to my brother: Don't think this replaces the postcard I'm expecting from Spain.)

Erica R. Hendry | | READ MORE

Erica R. Hendry is the innovations reporter/producer for Smithsonian.com