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Smithsonian Libraries and Archives

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Holiday Cooking With Hannah Glasse

Care for some pigeons au poir? Or maybe pickled walnuts? Explore 18th century English cuisine with a popular book of the time: "The Art of Cookery Made Plain & Easy" (1770) by Hannah Glasse. This Smithsonian Libraries and Archives' copy was owned by Smithsonian founder James Smithson.

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Holiday Decorating Inspiration From a 100-Year-Old Catalog

Tissue paper can be used for more than just gift wrapping. Flip through this Dennison Mfg. Co. trade catalog from over a century ago to learn the possibilities of making paper flowers and even landscape scenes out of crepe and tissue paper.

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Tichkematse, a Great Favorite at the Smithsonian

A forerunner of today’s efforts to decolonize and Indigenize American museums, Tichkematse was one of the first Native American employees at the Smithsonian Institution. His work with natural history and anthropological collections continues to inspire Native and non-Native museum professionals nearly 150 years later.

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A Coffee Break With James Smithson

Ahead of a lecture on James Smithson's science on December 1st, author Steven Turner shares his experience testing the Smithsonian founder's own coffee-making method.

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Kitchen Essentials From Centuries Past

Take a trip back to the 19th Century for a glimpse into kitchens. Burdett, Paris & Co. manufactured stoves such as "Our Old Home" and other household items like the Dial iron heater in this 1868 trade catalog.

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Georgia O'Keeffe's Room That Could Have Been

Artist Georgia O’Keeffe had a friendly relationship with Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden founding donor Joseph Hirshhorn. Recently digitized letters reveal how the two almost negotiated a deal to create a room at the museum dedicated to her work.

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What Was James Smithson Doing in the Kitchen & Classroom?

On December 1st, join Smithsonian Libraries and Archives for a free virtual event exploring lesser-known stories of the work of our founder James Smithson, with Steven Turner, author of The Science of James Smithson.

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Some Archival Career Advice

We receive dozens of inquiries every year from students and recent graduates about the archives. In honor of American Archives Month, archivist Jennifer Wright answers a few of the most commonly-asked questions.

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Tracing Anthropologist Zelia Nuttall Through Smithsonian Collections

A remarkable Mexican American scholar, Zelia Nuttall she helped change the conversation around pre-Columbian cultures. Researchers can trace her work through publications held in the collections of Smithsonian Libraries and Archives and repositories around the Institution.

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The Tools of a Real-Life Willy Wonka

In the early 20th century, manufacturer and candy maker Samuel Carey produced machinery, like cocoa roasters and chocolate paste mixers, for confectioners in the United States. This trade catalog from around 1915 gives us a look at the tools of the trade.

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