National Museum of Natural History
The Polls Are Open. Vote for Your Favorite Hope Diamond Setting
The Hope Diamond, the crown jewel of the National Museum of Natural History’s internationally recognized gems collection, is soon to be viewed in a new setting. But which setting will be chosen? In an unusual move, museum officials say the selection will be decided by the public, in a first-ever, p...
August 25, 2009 |
By Abby Callard
Going to Lunch in Style with Historic Lunchboxes
It's back to school time, which means that kids everywhere are prepping for another year in the classroom. Of course, this requires purchasing those pieces of classroom haute couture, such as book bag, notebooks, new clothes and perhaps a pair of stylish-but-sensible sneakers. But let's not forget ...
August 24, 2009 |
By Jesse Rhodes
Smithsonian Events for the Week of August 24-28: Transformers, Forensics, the Ipswich House and More!
Monday, August 24: Summertime, and the living is easy—there may not be any special events going on today, but there are plenty of regularly-scheduled goings-on around the Smithsonian that are sure to entertain. From animal feedings to museum tours, there’s lots of free fun to be had!Tuesday, August...
August 24, 2009 |
By Jesse Rhodes
A New Chapter in the Hope Diamond’s History
The National Museum of Natural History’s most famous gem gets a modern update
August 18, 2009 |
By Abby Callard
Smithsonian Weekend Events: LEGOs, Forensics, and Marcel Duchamp
Saturday, August 1: Facing History: Be the ArtistCome take a quick tour of the exhibit Inventing Marcel Duchamp, paying close attention to one of the artist's self-portraits. Afterwards, head back to the studio for an art class and draw on Duchamp's ideas to create your own work of art. Free, but r...
August 01, 2009 |
By Jesse Rhodes
Smithsonian Events for the Week of July 27-31: Animals, Magic and Fun with Forensics!
Monday, July 27: Nothing special going on today, kids. You can check out the roster of regularly-scheduled programming at the Smithsonian here.Tuesday, July 28: Artful Animals and Storied StampsCome by the National Postal Museum where you can explore Africa and learn about the art of stamp design. ...
July 27, 2009 |
By Jesse Rhodes
Smithsonian Botanist Writes Memoir About Myanmar Travels
For over thirty years, it has been part of botanist John Kress's job to comb tropical forests for rarely seen plant species. With the National Museum of Natural History as his home base, he's explored the Amazon, the Andes, Madagascar, the South Pacific, tropical Indonesia, Malaysia, New Guinea and...
July 20, 2009 |
By Megan Gambino
Smithsonian Events for the Week of July 20-24: Apollo 11, Shadow Puppets, Ipswich House
Monday, July 20: Book SigningsThe Apollo 11 moon landing was a landmark event and has inspired authors and artists alike. Come on by the Air and Space Museum where several authors will be available to sign their books about the moon landing and tour the museum's recently-opened exhibit, Alan Bean: ...
July 20, 2009 |
By Jesse Rhodes
Illegal Giant Beetles Come to the Smithsonian
Postal workers, like emergency room nurses, have one of those jobs where they see everything.Americans are adamant about their right to send weird things through the mail: Wrapped bricks, coconuts, bags of sand and dead fish cross state lines every day.But even employees at the Mohnton post office ...
June 29, 2009 |
By Joseph Caputo
Smithsonian Events Week of June 22-26: The Books and the Bees and a Frank Capra movie
Monday, June 22: Plight of the BumblebeesIt's National Pollinator Week and the Natural History Museum is kicking it off with a lecture on declining bumblebee populations. This is no small matter when you consider how bees are the lynchpin to the agricultural industry and help ensure the future prop...
June 22, 2009 |
By Jesse Rhodes
Scott Solomon is "The Ant Hunter"
When troops of "crazy rasberry ants" invaded Texas last year, surprised homeowners found the bugs wedged inside personal computers and shorting out electrical devices. Even NASA grew concerned when the ants marched into the Johnson Space Center. As the species' seeming attraction to electronics b...
June 08, 2009 |
By Joseph Caputo
Picnic Ready? Invite these 3-D Ants Along
Ants kind of creep me out. But a new exhibit at the National Museum of Natural History, "Farmers, Warriors, Builders: The Hidden Life of Ants," puts the little buggers under the magnifying glass and makes them seem suitable company for my next picnic.Smithsonian entomologist Matt Kweskin thought i...
June 03, 2009 |
By Beth Py-Lieberman
Portrait of E. O. Wilson is Unveiled at Natural History
Last Friday at the National Museum of Natural History, a crowd of scientists and other credentialed folk gathered for a preview of the new exhibition, "Farmers, Warriors, Builders: The Hidden Life of Ants" The guest of honor was the eminent scholar and a towering figure in the world of science, bio...
June 02, 2009 |
By Beth Py-Lieberman
Smithsonian Events Week of 5/26-29: Dirt, Sweaters, Fine China and Amelia Earhart
Tuesday, May 26: Dig It! ActivitiesExperience the Natural History Museum's Dig It! exhibition a la carte! As you tour the show, keep an eye out for volunteers who will be stationed by interactive carts. They will be available to answer your questions as well as engage you in special, educational ac...
May 26, 2009 |
By Jesse Rhodes
Weekend Events: Forensics, Muppets and Seamen
Saturday, May 23: One World, One Sky: Big Bird's Adventure: Planetarium ShowThis story time and planetarium show double-header is epecially geared to the Smithsonian's youngest visitors. In "One World, One Sky", Big Bird and Elmo and Hu Hu Zhu (a character from the short-lived Chinese incarnation o...
May 22, 2009 |
By Jesse Rhodes
Why Are Museum Specimens Bugged?
The dead watch from glass bottles as John Ososky strips the flesh off yet another bird. A shorebird, he thinks, though he's a museum specialist, not an ornithologist.Ososky sits at a sink in the Smithsonian's osteology laboratory in Suitland, Maryland, where animals are reduced to their skeletal f...
May 21, 2009 |
By Joseph Caputo
Smithsonian Events Week of 5/18-22: Art, Gardens and Butterflies
Monday, May 18: Docent's Choice TourTake a little risk at the art gallery today and let the docent lead you wherever they will! Will it be America's President's exhibition? Will it be one of the special shows on display? You won't know until you come over here and enjoy the unexpected pleasures of ...
May 18, 2009 |
By Jesse Rhodes
Weekend Events: Dancing, Alpacas and Mermaids
Friday, May 15: Asian Pacific American Heritage Music and Dance PerformanceCome enjoy the School of Indian Odissi Dance Troupe and the Mongolian Dance perform traditional Asian Pacific music and dance. Free. Natural History Museum. 6:30 PMSaturday, May 16: Mermaids, Serpents and Sea CreaturesI'm su...
May 15, 2009 |
By Jesse Rhodes
Smithsonian Events Week of 5/11-15: Portraits, Presents, Star Trek and Sailing
Monday, May 11: Gallery Talk: June Wayne's Self PortraitIn tonight's gallery talk, National Gallery paper conservator Rosemary Fallon and Smithsonian American Art Museum curatorial associate Ann Prentice Wagner discuss June Wayne's technique in this self-portrait. While in the museum, be sure to ch...
May 11, 2009 |
By Jesse Rhodes
Field Trip to Plummers Island
Last Friday, I went on a field trip with botanists John Kress, Dave Erickson and Ida Lopez from the National Museum of Natural History to Plummers Island. Despite being unknown to most outside the circle of Washington area biologists, and maybe the fishermen that frequent its banks on the weekends,...
May 06, 2009 |
By Megan Gambino
