The Smithsonian Has 6,724 Staff Members with a Mission to Increase and Diffuse Knowledge. Hear How They Work ‘For the Common Good’

With astrophysicists and wildlife ecologists, art conservators and security officers, this discussion series invites visitors to go behind the scenes with experts across the institution.

Have you ever wondered who tends to the Smithsonian’s gardens or keeps the museums secure? Or what it takes to restore the Smithsonian Castle?  

In the Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage’s conversation series For the Common Good: Smithsonian Voices on Our Shared Future 250, Smithsonian staff explore how their work in museums, research and education centers, and a zoological park illuminates the ideals of a nation. While the United States marks the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, we reflect on American creativity and innovation while also reaffirming aspirations for the future.

“As the Smithsonian celebrates this moment, this history, this nation, [our staff is] a microcosm of a country forged by the hopes and dreams of people from around the world, with a multitude of talents and insights,” says Lonnie G. Bunch III, the Secretary of the Smithsonian.

With astrophysicists and wildlife ecologists, art conservators and security officers, these discussions invite visitors to go behind the scenes with experts across the institution. These aren’t lectures or PowerPoint presentations but authentic conversations between colleagues and audiences, getting at the core of what inspires and excites them about their work.

We invite you to join us as we explore the many ways the Smithsonian works for the common good. Sessions take place in the historic Arts and Industries Building and online, Tuesdays through Saturdays, June 16 to July 11, typically at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. ET—see the schedule of all local events hosted by the Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage and a schedule of upcoming livestreams. All sessions are open to the public and streaming on YouTube, where they will remain available to watch.

Highlights of Archived Conversations

Reflections on the 1976 Bicentennial and the Nation's 250th Anniversary in 2026

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Reflections on the 1976 Bicentennial and the Nation’s 250th Anniversary in 2026

The 1976 Bicentennial Folklife Festival presented cultural traditions for a record-breaking twelve straight weeks on the National Mall. Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie Bunch and Distinguished Scholar and Ambassador at Large Richard Kurin share how the legacy of the Bicentennial influenced their work.

Bison: The National Mammal at the National Museum

Celebrate the bison’s footprint across the Smithsonian as panelists from the National Museum of Natural History, the National Museum of the American Indian, and the Smithsonian National Zoo’s Biological Conservation Ecology Institute speak about this magnificent animal.

InSight: Photos and Stories from the National Museum of the American Indian Archives

The InSight photo exhibition gives an intimate view of Indigenous lives across the Western Hemisphere, showing everyday moments of joy and quite reflection. The archivists who curated it discuss their work stewarding the National Museum of the American Indian’s archival collections and working in collaboration with Native communities.

Smithsonian Goes to the Moon

Curators from the National Air and Space Museum and National Museum of Natural History highlight some iconic as well as lesser-known objects, from lunar meteorites and the Apollo 11 command module Columbia to a space-themed charm bracelet.

Conversations Still to Come

Making the Smithsonian Accessible for All Visitors
Thursday, July 2, 11 a.m.–12 p.m. ET

For more than thirty years, the Smithsonian’s Office of Visitor Accessibility has served as an institutional and international resource for people with disabilities and museum professionals. Program specialists across to institution discuss innovative experiences like programs for neurodivergent adults, specialized tours for people who are colorblind, and ASL tours led by Deaf docents.

Meet the Beetles
Thursday, July 9, 11 a.m.–12 p.m. ET

The National Museum of Natural History houses one of the world’s largest insect collections, with over 35 million specimens. Of this remarkable number, roughly 7 million are beetles! Panelists highlight this incredible diversity and explore the scope of their combined eighty years of work managing, using, and researching these extraordinary insects.

Revitalizing the Hirshhorn’s Sculpture Garden
Friday, July 10, 11 a.m.–12 p.m. ET

This fall, the Hirshhorn Sculpture Garden will reopen to the public after the largest revitalization project in the museum’s fifty-year history. Panelists will offer unique perspectives on the history of the Hirshhorn’s collection, conservation, and outdoor public art in conversation with the environment.

Calling All Jazz Cats! Jazz at the Smithsonian
Friday, July 10, 12–1 p.m. ET

Smithsonian Jazz at the National Museum of American History explores and celebrates the American experience through the transformative power of jazz. The Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra artistic director and curators join in a conversation about the place of jazz in American culture and history.

Elisa Hough | Read More

Elisa Hough is the editor and web content manager at the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage.