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Building a Smithsonian for the Future2002 Annual Report
For 156 years, the Smithsonian has remained true to its mission, “the increase and diffusion of knowledge.” Today, the Smithsonian is not only the world’s largest provider of museum experiences supported by authoritative scholarship in science, history, and the arts, but also an international leader in scientific research and exploration. The Smithsonian offers the world a picture of America, and America a picture of the world. Table of ContentsStatement by the Secretary
Statement by the SecretaryThe Smithsonian responded in new and creative ways to better serve the American people, to remind the nation of its roots and the strength of our democratic principles, and to lead the way in scientific discovery, insightful scholarship, and artistic expression. During a challenging year, the Smithsonian Institution responded in new and creative ways to better serve the American people, to remind the nation of its roots and the strength of our democratic principles, and to lead the way in scientific discovery, insightful scholarship, and artistic expression. There was much to commemorate: Congress designated the Smithsonian as the central national conservator for artifacts from the terrorist attacks of September 11, and we opened our exhibition September 11, 2001: Bearing Witness to History to observe that day. We were honored to display the Garrison Flag that flew over the Pentagon after September 11. At the Sackler Gallery, we displayed a sand mandala, or sacred painting designed to heal and protect, crafted by Tibetan Buddhist monks as a gift to our nation after September 11. There was much to celebrate: two exhibitions on Chicano art and life; the reopening of our Anacostia Museum and Center for African American History and Culture; the 30th anniversary of the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute; the 50th anniversary of the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service; the discovery of a masterpiece by Michelangelo at the Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum; the National Museum of the American Indian Inaugural Pow Wow on the National Mall; and the first Smithsonian Teachers’ Night to be held nationwide. There was much to enjoy: kite flying on the National Mall; performances by the Smithsonian Chamber Music Society and the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra; Art Night on the Mall; our lovable pandas at the National Zoo (more than 5 million visitors so far!); hands-on art, science, and history; and our annual Folklife Festival, this year presenting The Silk Road: Connecting Cultures, Creating Trust, which attracted more than 1.3 million visitors from all over the country and around the world—the largest festival ever. In a year of declining visits, a weak economy, and security concerns, we remained true to our 156-year-old mission, “the increase and diffusion of knowledge.” In the coming year, we’ll continue to offer all Americans, wherever they may live, an inspiring educational experience. We’re building new facilities and renovating old ones in Washington, D.C., expanding our national network of affiliate museums, and sending our objects—some of the nation’s greatest historic, scientific, and artistic treasures—out across America. The Smithsonian Across America Through our Smithsonian Institution Affiliations Program, we are lending some of our more than 143 million objects to museums large and small across the country. As of January 2003, our program boasted more than 122 affiliate museums in 34 states and the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and Panama. I have visited affiliates in New York, California, Texas, Ohio, Florida, Mississippi, Rhode Island, Montana, and many other states, and the response from visitors across America is very enthusiastic. They are thirsty for the authentic type of experience that only the Smithsonian can offer. We are reaching out through the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service, the largest traveling exhibition service in the world. Its exhibitions are shown not only in museums but also where people live, work, and play, including libraries, science centers, historical societies, community centers, botanical gardens, schools, and shopping malls. SITES reached more than 5 million people in 2002 with exhibitions as varied as Corridos sin Fronteras: A New World Ballad Tradition and In the Spirit of Martin: The Living Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. More than 300,000 people took part in The Smithsonian Associates’ kaleidoscope of lectures, seminars, courses, study tours, performances, and regional events in 2002. TSA coordinated 94 presentations at 17 affiliates, including the San Diego Museum of Natural History and the Museo de Arte Puerto Rico. Smithsonian scholars and resources went to local communities through Voices of Discovery and Scholars in the Schools. Through Scholars in the Schools, TSA coordinated 157 presentations in school districts around the country, reaching more than 22,000 audience members. Overall, Smithsonian education programs are serving millions of teachers and students of all ages. The New Smithsonian We’re in the midst of an extensive building campaign to add new museum buildings and renovate others. The goal is to transform the Smithsonian into a 21st-century institution serving new, diverse audiences with engaging, state-of-the-art exhibitions. For example, in fall 2003, we will open two new major exhibitions: our fabulous Hall of Mammals in the National Museum of Natural History and America on the Move, a hall of transportation in our National Museum of American History. On December 15, 2003, the National Air and Space Museum’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center will open at Washington Dulles International Airport in Virginia, in time to celebrate the centennial anniversary of the Wright brothers’ historic flight at Kitty Hawk. The colossal, approximately 1,000-foot-long main hall of this new museum will ultimately display more than 300 air and space artifacts. The National Museum of the American Indian is taking shape now on the last site available on the National Mall, a symbolic site right near the Capitol. It’s only fitting that this last site should go to our nation’s first inhabitants. This striking new museum will open in 2004. We’re renovating the magnificent Patent Office Building, the third-oldest federal building in Washington, D.C., home to the National Portrait Gallery and the Smithsonian American Art Museum. The building will reopen in 2006. We’re also working on plans, guided by a report from our Blue Ribbon Commission, to renovate completely the National Museum of American History, Behring Center. And at the National Zoo, we’ve started our $210 million, 10-year renovation program, which includes a new panda house. The more than 33 million visitors who came to our museum buildings, the Zoo, and our traveling exhibitions this year saw many exciting exhibitions. We’re optimistic that all these new attractions will lure more and more tourists back to Washington, D.C., and the National Mall. And the Smithsonian, as well as city, state, and federal governments, has taken many significant steps to improve security and ensure that all visitors are safe. Innovative Exhibitions and Programs Throughout the Institution, we premiered many new exhibitions on widely varying topics that reflected the American historical and cultural experience, from preserving the stories and artifacts in September 11: Bearing Witness to History at the National Museum of American History to the challenges of delivering the mail in remote Alaska in Hovercraft at the National Postal Museum. The exhibition George Catlin and His Indian Gallery at the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s Renwick Gallery is a testimony to one man’s passion about preserving the cultures of the Plains Indians. With nearly 400 artworks, the exhibition is the most comprehensive display of Catlin’s work in more than 100 years. The Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden honored Spanish sculptor Juan Muñoz (1953–2001) with his first full retrospective in the United States. The Adventures of Hamza, an exhibition about The Hamzanama, a collection of stories that recounts the adventures of Hamza, the uncle of the Prophet Muhammad, was on view at the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery. The National Museum of African Art opened Gifts and Blessings: The Textile Arts of Madagascar and also added a new welcoming pavilion. Smithsonian Institution Libraries opened An Odyssey in Print: Adventures in the Smithsonian Libraries at the National Museum of American History. The Anacostia Museum and Center for African American History and Culture presented Precious Memories: Collectors’ Passion when the museum reopened after renovation. The Arts and Industries Office of Exhibitions presented 14 exhibitions in 2002. These included History through Deaf Eyes, produced by Gallaudet University and cosponsored by the Smithsonian’s Accessibility Program, and Kaho’olawe: Rebirth of a Sacred Hawaiian Island, produced by the Bishop Museum and cosponsored by the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Program. Chicano Visions: American Painters on the Verge, produced by Clear Channel Entertainment/Exhibitions and featuring the work of 26 artists, also appeared in the Arts and Industries Building. The National Museum of Natural History opened an exciting new IMAX® film, Lewis and Clark: Great Journey West. Our National Portrait Gallery’s Portraits of the Presidents, a remarkable exhibition of 61 paintings, sculptures, and photographs depicting all the U.S. presidents, is now touring the country. And one of our nation’s most famous paintings, Gilbert Stuart’s Lansdowne portrait of George Washington, is traveling across the country for the first time. The National Portrait Gallery presented the first annual Paul Peck Presidential Awards to professor emeritus Richard Neustadt of Harvard University and to Brent Scowcroft, author and national security adviser to Presidents Gerald Ford and George H.W. Bush. Our exhibition The American Presidency: A Glorious Burden at the National Museum of American History had attracted more than 1.5 million visitors by the end of 2002. Two more exhibits were created when we acquired a famous gondola and a special kitchen. Steve Fossett, the adventurer who completed the first round-the-world solo flight in a balloon, donated his gondola to the National Air and Space Museum. Julia Child, the chef who inspired millions of cooks, donated her kitchen to the National Museum of American History. Now it truly can be said that the Smithsonian has everything—including the kitchen sink. World-Class Scientific Research Known worldwide for their benefit to the scholarly community and to the advancement of knowledge, Smithsonian scientific research activities garnered international attention when former staff member Riccardo Giacconi, one of the “founding fathers” of X-ray astronomy, became co-recipient of the 2002 Nobel Prize in Physics. He received this award in honor of his X-ray astronomy work, much of it done at the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory during the 1970s. The Chandra X-ray Observatory, which we administer for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, discovered part of an intergalactic web of hot gas and dark matter containing most of the material in the universe. The observations are a major advance in understanding how the universe evolved over the last 10 billion years. National Museum of Natural History scientists are studying two volcanoes. Recent field work on Kilauea volcano in Hawaii indicates that the volcano erupts more frequently and is, therefore, far more dangerous than previously thought. Scientists are also studying the Paricutin volcano in Mexico, using samples collected by a former National Museum of Natural History researcher during the eruptions from 1943 to 1952. The Smithsonian Environmental Research Center continued its work with the U.S. Coast Guard under the National Invasive Species Act of 1996. Scientists at SERC are working to prevent biological invasions from organisms, including bacteria and viruses, contained in the ballast water of foreign ships entering U.S. ports. The Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute was featured in National Geographic Channel programming focusing on Panama and covering migrating butterflies on Gatún Lake, ocelots on Barro Colorado Island, and genetic research at Gamboa and Naos. The programs reached an audience of 30 million U.S. viewers. The Institution is determined to revitalize science at the Smithsonian with the help of the recently released Report of the Smithsonian Institution Science Commission. The document is the result of a 15-month study in which the commission, chaired by Jeremy A. Sabloff of the University of Pennsylvania, looked at all science activities at the Smithsonian. The report will be an invaluable guide in the months ahead. And two studies, one by the National Academy of Sciences and the other by the National Academy of Public Administration, confirmed that science should remain an integral part of the Institution. The studies cited the research work of the Smithsonian as “unique” and “world class.” New Leadership We have a wealth of newly arrived talent to help us revitalize the Smithsonian. Dynamic new directors have been hired at several of the Smithsonian’s museums. Paul Thompson, finishing out his second year as Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum director, was previously director of the Design Museum in London. Ned Rifkin, the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden’s new head, was formerly director of the Menil Collection and Foundation in Houston and, before that, director of the High Museum of Art in Atlanta. The Freer Gallery of Art and the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery now have Julian Raby at the helm. He was a member of the Faculty of Oriental Studies at the University of Oxford, England, with a career in the research, study, and teaching of Asian art and culture. Allen Kane, who now heads the National Postal Museum, served more than 30 years in a variety of senior leadership positions with the U.S. Postal Service, most recently as senior vice president. Brent Glass, director of the National Museum of American History, arrived in December. He was executive director of the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission in Harrisburg, where he led the development of numerous museums and historical sites. In January, Sharon Patton, the John G.W. Cowles director of Oberlin College’s Allen Memorial Art Museum, was named director of the National Museum of African Art, and biologist Cristián Samper, deputy director and staff scientist at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama since 2001, was chosen to head the National Museum of Natural History. David Evans, formerly assistant administrator of oceanic and atmospheric research at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, joined the Institution as under secretary for science. The Smithsonian also welcomed Virginia Clark, previously vice president for development and alumni relations at the University of Pennsylvania, as its new director of external affairs, responsible for overall fund raising for the Institution. Evelyn Lieberman, a former under secretary for public diplomacy and public affairs at the U.S. Department of State and director of the Voice of America, has arrived as director of communications and public affairs, responsible for creating and implementing an internal and external communications plan for the Smithsonian. And Don Fehr, who was publishing director of the Perseus Press, the United Kingdom–based division of the Perseus Books Group, and executive editor of Basic Books in New York, was named director of Smithsonian Institution Press. Generous Gifts The Institution’s private-sector funding has quadrupled on a yearly basis since the 1990s, and over half a billion dollars has been raised in the last three years alone. We thank the thousands of individuals, foundations, and corporations who remembered the Smithsonian and chose to give to it this year and feel honored by the tribute they pay to an institution that they hold in the highest esteem. We’re now raising $150 million to $200 million annually, and remarkably, this year, despite a weak economy and a faltering stock market, the Smithsonian raised fully $165 million in private support, 93 percent of the 2001 total of $177 million. In that total were five magnificent gifts, which advance with giant strides three new exhibitions and museums. Two $10 million gifts—one from the Lockheed Martin Corporation and another from brothers James S. McDonnell III and John F. McDonnell and the JSM Charitable Trust—ensure timely completion of the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center. And $10 million from the Oneida Indian Nation of New York and $5.1 million from an anonymous donor help build the National Museum of the American Indian. General Motors Corporation supports America on the Move, an exhibition to open in 2003 at the National Museum of American History, Behring Center, with a gift of $10 million. Contributing Membership swelled to 73,000, the largest membership year ever, and planned gifts marked a 10 percent increase. Although 2002 was a year recognized as one of the toughest ever for museum organization fund raising, individuals, foundations, and corporations continued their generous support of the Smithsonian. These contributions play a vital role in securing our future, creating excellent programming, and providing new learning experiences for the public. Net Worth The net worth of the Institution stood at $1,595 million on September 30, 2002, the end of our fiscal year. This compares with $1,555 million one year before, an increase of 2.6 percent. While essentially flat, the $40 million increase in the Institution’s capital base shows that, when compared with 2001, increased support for building programs, along with successful efforts by management to balance trust fund sources and uses, were able to more than offset the negative impact of the declining stock market on our endowment. Smithsonian Outreach The Smithsonian is guardian to some of this country’s greatest historic, scientific, and artistic treasures—and we want to bring those treasures to more Americans. With your help, we will continue to educate and inspire the American people, wherever they may live, as only the Smithsonian can. We look forward to seeing you this year, in our hometown, in yours, or on the World Wide Web. Lawrence M. Small Report of the Board of RegentsFor the first time in its history, in 2002, the Board of Regents held four regularly scheduled meetings. The addition of a long-range planning session in June now affords the Regents an opportunity to gain greater insight on the programs of the Institution. The directors of the National Air and Space Museum, the National Zoological Park, Smithsonian National Programs, and Smithsonian Business Ventures participated in the inaugural session by offering the Board status reports and five-year plans, while also discussing any anticipated challenges. In addition to this procedural change, the Regents adopted a new set of ethics guidelines and asked the Board’s Nominating Committee to implement changes in the membership processes of the Regents’ committees. The Board also approved the use of new communications technologies to facilitate its meetings. At its January meeting, the Board accepted with gratitude the report of the Blue Ribbon Commission on the future of the National Museum of American History, Behring Center, asking the Secretary to report regularly on the progress of its revitalization. The Regents were also pleased with the progress of the Smithsonian Science Commission, which regularly submitted reports to the Regents, relaying, as well, the related reviews conducted by the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Public Administration. The Regents continued to address the four major construction projects at the Smithsonian: the building of the National Air and Space Museum’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center at Washington Dulles International Airport and the National Museum of the American Indian on the National Mall, as well as renovations at the Patent Office Building and the National Museum of American History. With the help of a survey completed by the Office of Policy and Analysis, the Regents revisited the question of whether the Smithsonian should institute voluntary or mandatory admission fees at each of its museums. Although it is feasible to impose fees, the Regents concluded that it is not advisable to do so at a time when visitation is down and other federally supported public attractions in Washington do not charge admission. The Board of Regents continues to be grateful to the Smithsonian National Board, the Smithsonian Council, and the many advisory boards that have served the Institution with distinction over the years. In this year alone, the Regents appointed or reappointed 84 members of 16 advisory boards, thereby ensuring enduring vitality of the boards. Board of Regents The Chief Justice of the United States, ex officio,
Chancellor Searching for New UnderstandingResearch ProgramsSince its founding, the Smithsonian Institution has pursued the quest for understanding through scientific endeavors that have made it one of the world’s foremost research institutions. Since the dawn of time, we have sought to understand our place in the cosmos. The quest for new understanding can take many forms—from scientific examination of our world and worlds beyond our own fragile planet to the collection of artifacts that can help us interpret human events. Since its founding, the Smithsonian Institution has pursued the quest for understanding through scientific endeavors that have made it one of the world’s foremost research institutions. Smithsonian research, which underpins the Institution’s collections, exhibitions, and education programs, is increasingly being disseminated to wider audiences through the Affiliations Program, traveling exhibitions, and the World Wide Web. This section describes the results of some Smithsonian research activities in fiscal year 2002 that have yielded new knowledge about coffee production, endangered giant pandas, and the spread of West Nile virus; contributed to planning for the Mars orbiter mission; and led to the discovery of dinosaur remains in Montana and unseen planets in the constellation Lyra. Planets in the Dust Using an innovative technique, astronomers at the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory reported that observations of features in the dust swirling around the nearby star Vega may be the signatures of an unseen planet. David Wilner, Matt Holman, Paul Ho, and Marc Kuchner formed the team that made this discovery. Vega, located 25 light-years away in the constellation Lyra, is the brightest star in the summer sky. Observations of Vega with the Infrared Astronomical Satellite in 1983 provided the first evidence for large dusty particles around another star, probably debris related to the formation of planets. In our solar system, dust particles created by asteroid collisions and the evaporation of comets spiral in toward the sun. The gravity of the planets affects the distribution of these dust particles. With their large surface area, these dust clouds are much easier to detect than the planets themselves. It is akin to seeing the wake of a boat from an airplane when the boat itself is too small to be visible. This discovery was made possible by using a telescope array that had high sensitivity in the shorter wavelengths of the electromagnetic spectrum approaching the submillimeter range. SAO’s new Submillimeter Array on Mauna Kea in Hawaii is scheduled for completion in 2003. This innovative telescope array, which will provide an even more detailed look at Vega and other star systems where new planets are forming, helps scientists better understand how our own solar system formed 4.5 billion years ago. Studying the Giant Panda Research based at the National Zoo is yielding new knowledge about giant pandas. One year after Tian Tian and Mei Xiang greeted the public in January 2001, the Zoo held a free, two-day public symposium, “Giant Pandas at the National Zoo: From the First Year into the Future.” At the symposium, scientists from the Zoo and other organizations at the forefront of wildlife conservation explored national and international policies that may affect the species; the Zoo’s contribution to understanding panda reproduction, nutrition, and behavior; and how the Zoo, through financial support and professional training programs, is helping wild panda populations. These initiatives are a collaborative effort of the Zoo, scientists in the giant panda’s native China, and other colleagues from around the world. Two research-based education programs, both funded by Fujifilm, were developed for launch in fall 2002. A distance-learning video program—a cooperative venture of the Zoo, Friends of the National Zoo, and the public schools of Fairfax County, Virginia—features Zoo research that illustrates the components of the scientific method. The program has the potential to reach 13 million students nationwide. Highlighting Zoo research, an online curriculum for schools and families focuses on temperate forest habitats in central China and the eastern United States. Fujifilm also supports the Zoo’s giant panda Web site, which provides up-to-the-minute research news at natzoo.si.edu. Better Coffee Harvests with Bees Coffee harvests improve dramatically when plants are grown under shade trees near tropical forests where natural insect pollinators are plentiful. Entomologist David Roubik of the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute reports that coffee plants pollinated by bees yield over 50 percent more beans than plants that are protected from insects. His findings, reported in the June 13, 2002, issue of Nature, could affect approaches to coffee production at a time when some coffee yields are declining. The coffee plant produces flowers capable of pollinating themselves, so insect pollinators were thought to be unnecessary. But Roubik found that yields increased when natural insect pollinators “helped” the plants pollinate by dusting the female parts with pollen from the male parts. He concluded that shade-grown coffee trees near natural forests will produce more beans than coffee grown on homogeneous plantations in regions where there are few pollinating insects. Roubik, the “bee man” featured in a National Geographic Explorer documentary, has studied aggressive Africanized bees since 1976 as they moved northward from Brazil, where they were accidentally introduced. His latest research shows an intriguing example of the influence of science on the marketplace. Montana Dinosaur Discoveries During summer 2002, a team of dinosaur experts from the National Museum of Natural History excavated recently discovered fossil dinosaur specimens in the Hell Creek Badlands of Montana. One specimen, the partial skeleton of a Tyrannosaurus rex, will provide important clues to the legendary dinosaur’s way of life. Now on long-term loan to the museum, the skeleton is nicknamed “N. rex” in honor of its discoverer, Nathan Myhrvold, former chief technology officer of Microsoft and sponsor of the digs. Armchair paleontologists tracking the field team’s daily progress in an online journal at www.nmnh.si.edu/paleo/summer2002_fieldjournal_calendar.html found that torrential rain, hail, high winds, and extreme temperature fluctuations challenged the annual summer expedition. By late August, the team had prepared plaster jackets for the specimens so that they could be safely airlifted by helicopter from the remote site to a base camp. The expedition was a collaborative effort with the Museum of the Rockies, through Jack Horner, that museum’s curator of paleontology and recently appointed senior scholar in paleobiology at the National Museum of Natural History. One of the world’s leading centers for paleontological research, the museum’s Paleobiology Department has also received support from the Smithsonian Women’s Committee to restore a deteriorating Stegosaurus skeleton that has been on exhibition since 1917. Marine Biodiversity and Ecology Several research programs at the Smithsonian Marine Station at Fort Pierce, in Florida, focus on the biodiversity and ecosystem health of the Indian River Lagoon, which occupies more than 30 percent of Florida’s east coast and is one of the most biologically diverse estuarine systems in the continental United States. During 2002, a resident research biologist was hired to establish a monitoring program of the Indian River Lagoon with an emphasis on studying biological response to natural and human-induced environmental change. The Indian River Lagoon Species Inventory Web site (www.sms.si.edu/IRLSpec), a major educational and public outreach venture, was expanded to list more than 3,000 species, along with many photographs and scientific references. Other new features enhance the inventory’s educational and administrative value, including an interactive glossary, improved indexing and searching capabilities, and links to other relevant Web sites. Migratory Birds and West Nile Virus The alarming spread of West Nile virus since 1999 is a major concern for public health and wildlife officials. Scientists at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center are responding to the need for immediate information about the potentially fatal virus. With funding from the Centers for Disease Control, animal ecologist Peter P. Marra and his avian ecology laboratory at SERC have begun an important collaboration with the New York State Department of Health–Wadsworth Laboratory to monitor the transmission of West Nile virus through migratory songbirds. This avian ecology research explores how birds’ behavior and habitat interact to influence and regulate their population dynamics. West Nile virus is passed through the bite of infected mosquito species that feed on both birds and mammals. First thought to be limited to crows, the virus is now known to infect as many as 120 bird species, as well as people, horses, and free-living mammals, such as raccoons and Eastern chipmunks. The migratory patterns of songbirds make them excellent candidates for transmitting the virus. Many of the songbirds that breed in the northeastern United States during the spring and summer migrate to spend the winter in warmer regions, such as Mexico and the Caribbean, where there are year-round mosquito populations. Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Research Two scientists from the National Air and Space Museum’s Center for Earth and Planetary Studies have been selected for the international team that is planning the scientific investigations to be conducted on the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Mission in 2005. As a coinvestigator for the HiRISE (High-Resolution Imaging Science Experiment), John Grant is studying the evolution of the Martian landscape to determine the role of surface water, the safety of potential landing sites, and the presence of active dunes and other geological features. After the mission reaches Mars in 2006, museum visitors will be able to see near real-time images from HiRISE projected on flat screens in the Exploring the Planets gallery. Grant also serves on the science team for the 2003 Mars Exploration Rovers and chairs its Science Operations Working Group. Bruce Campbell is part of the U.S. team affiliated with the Italian Space Agency’s SHARAD (Shallow Subsurface Sounding Radar) project. He is working on design aspects of the instrument, which uses radio waves to penetrate the upper kilometer of the Martian crust. Data from SHARAD will provide detailed profiles of the subsurface, which are important to future missions that will drill beneath the surface seeking evidence of ancient life and climate. The 2005 mission is just one facet of Mars-related research and activities at CEPS, where scientists conduct original research and outreach on planetary science, terrestrial geophysics, and the remote sensing of environmental change. Bearing Witness to History The day after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, curators at the National Museum of American History confronted a most challenging collecting decision. How should the museum document these unprecedented events and their aftermath? What kinds of artifacts should be collected and how? How should the collection honor the victims and survivors, their families, and rescue workers? A public law signed by President Bush gave the Smithsonian the authority to collect September 11 artifacts. In intensive discussions over the following weeks, a staff committee shaped collecting guidelines. They decided to gather material from all three sites—the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and the Shanksville, Pennsylvania, crash site—and determined that it was important to document the rescue and recovery efforts, as well as the attacks. In addition to acquiring significant objects, such as building fragments and airplane parts, curators faced a more difficult and emotional challenge in deciding how to represent the victims who died and those who survived. The collection began to grow, as curators visited the sites, talked with survivors and rescue personnel, and researched media accounts. About 50 objects were on view in the museum’s exhibition September 11: Bearing Witness to History, which opened on the first anniversary of the attacks. A multilayered Web site, americanhistory.si.edu/september11, presents still more. The September 11 collection is a work in progress for the museum. As the full impact and meaning of the attacks unfold, these objects will document and preserve the complex and emotional stories of that tragic day in American history. New Preservation Challenges Security responses to the terrorist attacks and anthrax-contaminated mailings of 2001 have consequences for the preservation of our cultural heritage. Experts from the Smithsonian Center for Materials Research and Education consulted with the staff of the Hart Senate Office Building and the Environmental Protection Agency on the potential damage that the proposed anthrax decontamination process might cause to sensitive artistic and historic objects in that building and what measures could be taken to protect them. This question led to a new SCMRE research project that will evaluate the dangers that several proposed decontamination agents might pose to objects in museum collections. Because sensitive scientific specimens and archival records often are sent by mail, the sterilization of mail by electron beam irradiation also affects the museum community. SCMRE scientists measured the degradation of various irradiated materials, summarized on the laboratory’s Web site the possible effects of irradiation on collection materials, and answered many inquiries on the subject. In New York City, art objects in public and private collections that were contaminated with dust from the collapsed World Trade Center posed a health and safety concern for workers involved in their cleanup. SCMRE provided technical information on those dangers and the necessary protection measures. Bringing the Smithsonian Experience Closer to HomeNational ProgramsToday, the Institution is reaching out to people everywhere to give them the opportunity to see Smithsonian exhibitions, marvel at objects from Smithsonian collections, and learn firsthand from Smithsonian experts—all in their own hometowns. Not so long ago, to view the art and artifacts of America’s history and our search for yet unknown worlds, people had to travel to Smithsonian museums. Today, the Institution is reaching out to people everywhere to give them the opportunity to see Smithsonian exhibitions, marvel at objects from Smithsonian collections, and learn firsthand from Smithsonian experts—all in their own hometowns. Communities from Alaska to New Jersey can now experience the Smithsonian in schools and museums, in libraries and community centers, and in other places where people live, work, and learn. At home and in classrooms around the world, Smithsonian Web sites offer a gateway to a world of wonder. To see examples of national programs, traveling exhibitions, study tours, and online experiences revealing the breadth of the Smithsonian presence in the lives of Americans, please read on. In the Spirit of Martin The life and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. have inspired an impressive creative response from visual artists. For the exhibition In the Spirit of Martin: The Living Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service brought together 120 artworks by more than 100 artists that illustrate King’s powerful, enduring influence on American life. The exhibition was created and developed by Gary Chassman, executive director of the independent fine arts publishing company Verve Editions. While doing research for a book, Chassman realized that an exhibition would provide a more meaningful firsthand encounter with the works of art. A curatorial team and an advisory group of scholars identified paintings, prints, sculptures, photographs, and mixed-media installations for the exhibition, some created during King’s lifetime and others after his assassination in 1968. Prominent artists, such as Jacob Lawrence, Robert Rauschenberg, and Sam Gilliam, are represented alongside lesser-known artists who also found inspiration in King’s example. During its six-year tour, the exhibition travels to Detroit, Miami, Minneapolis, Brooklyn, Memphis, and Montgomery. In the Spirit of Martin was organized in cooperation with the Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change and made possible by Pepsico, Inc. Affiliations Cultural Alliance Initiative A shared interest in America’s multicultural heritage brought AARP and Smithsonian Affiliations together in 2002 to plan a national affiliates’ network to share strategies for programs and exhibitions that celebrate America’s cultural richness. The initiative builds on the great potential of Smithsonian affiliates to benefit their communities with programming that nurtures and preserves multicultural heritage. The first step in the Cultural Alliance Initiative involves several national conferences where affiliated museums and educational institutions can explore issues and needs in their communities and identify common interests that may lead to partnerships. Participants in each conference will exchange ideas and explore possible collaborations. The first gathering, open to all affiliates, was held in January 2003 in San Antonio, Texas. Thirty new affiliates joined the Smithsonian Institution Affiliations Program this fiscal year. The total number of affiliates by January 2003 was up to 122 in 34 states and the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and Panama. New states represented include Arkansas, Colorado, Massachusetts, Nebraska, and South Carolina. Twenty-six traveling exhibitions from the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service and Smithsonian museums traveled to affiliate venues, and affiliates borrowed nearly 400 additional artifacts for exhibition purposes. There were more than 100 events and public programs with affiliates, several involving congressional attendees. George Washington in the Classroom Thanks to the National Portrait Gallery’s exhibition George Washington: A National Treasure, one of the most important figures in America’s history can now be appreciated by people everywhere. The exhibition, which presents Gilbert Stuart’s famed Lansdowne portrait to the nation in a seven-city tour, includes an extensive educational outreach program that takes George Washington into America’s classrooms. A George Washington re-enactor; tours and workshops; a nationwide initiative to declare a George Washington Day in every state; and an innovative ensemble of teaching materials anchor this program, which focuses on Washington’s life and career. Teachers’ resources include grade-specific curriculums, print and online versions of a 30-page teacher resource guide, free reproductions of the portrait, and the exhibition’s Web site, George Washington: A National Treasure (www.georgewashington.si.edu). The Patriot Papers, a newspaper created for elementary, middle, and high school students, helps carry the educational message. Accompanied by a teachers’ edition, The Patriot Papers puts George Washington in context by covering 18th-century news, gossip, fashion, politics, and people. A recent issue featured articles about slavery during Washington’s time and challenged Americans to “Pledge It Forward,” a grassroots endeavor asking citizens to pledge service to their own communities in honor of those who have helped strengthen America. George Washington: A National Treasure and its educational component are made possible through the generosity of the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation. Teachers’ Night Nationwide The Smithsonian Center for Education and Museum Studies brought its popular Smithsonian Teachers’ Night to a national audience for the first time in May 2002. On the same evening as the 10th annual Teachers’ Night in Washington, D.C., events were held in Boston, Detroit, Houston, and San Francisco. More than 2,000 educators participated, representing 23 states and the District of Columbia. The event was a model of collaboration, with exhibits hosted by 28 Smithsonian museums, research centers, and outreach offices, along with national organizations, including the U.S. Department of Education, the National Writing Project, and the College Board’s Advanced Placement Program. The 2002 Teachers’ Night set the stage for an even more ambitious program in 2003, with more cities added to the schedule and a central theme: flight, marking the centennial of the Wright brothers’ historic flight. As part of an expanded national strategy, SCEMS now provides a complimentary subscription to its teaching guide, Smithsonian in Your Classroom, to every elementary- and middle-school library in the United States. The guide is expected to reach a secondary audience of 12 million students in 2003. SCEMS also distributed 30,000 free copies of Educator’s Guide to Smithsonian Publications and Educator’s Guide to Smithsonian Websites, two new publications that help teachers engage students, address curriculum needs, and meet learning standards. A New Web Site for the Postal Museum The National Postal Museum has created a new Web site where visitors can learn about postal history, stamp collecting, objects in the museum’s collection, and more. The site, due to go live in early 2003 at www.postalmuseum.si.edu, was redesigned with a number of audiences in mind, especially schools, stamp collectors, and postal workers, as well as the general public. Site visitors will find several engaging interactive features, including an activity that encourages letter writing, an “Object of the Month,” a “This Day in Postal History” calendar, and a section on stamp collecting. Users can also seek advice about the conservation and preservation of documents, such as stamps and letters. Teachers will be able to download a series of curriculum guides that provide illustrated worksheets, stimulating lesson plans, and interdisciplinary activities that relate Postal Museum themes to the classroom curriculum. In 2003, the museum will introduce an interactive educational exhibit on Airmail in America, as well as a dynamic search function that will allow online visitors to view objects from the collection that are not on display in the museum. Smithsonian Study Tours Thousands of travelers took educational journeys across America and around the world this year with Smithsonian Study Tours, a program of The Smithsonian Associates. The impressive selection of adventures included summer family tours to Provence and Costa Rica, an exploration of historic and contemporary garden design and techniques in England, and a culinary tour of Charleston, South Carolina. Travelers could choose to hike, cruise, travel by train, or circle the globe by private jet. Tour topics ranged from arts and architecture to astronomy and American history. Delivering the highest quality in educational travel, Smithsonian Study Tours combine sightseeing, entertainment, accommodations, and meals with the expertise of Smithsonian Study Leaders, who include art historians, archaeologists, culinary consultants, and others. In 2002, the program introduced two new travel packages: Smithsonian Museum Lover’s Vacations, independent tours that feature visits to the world’s great museums, and value-priced escorted tours called Smithsonian Travel Adventures. Smithsonian Study Tours officially changed its name to Smithsonian Journeys in early 2003. Scholars in the Schools When Smithsonian curators and scientists visit students in their classrooms, they bring nuggets of knowledge and leave an infusion of wonder and enthusiasm. This Smithsonian Associates initiative received a major gift from the Ford Motor Company Fund in fall 2001 to take these learning encounters to schools in 15 cities over three years. During a classroom presentation in Norfolk, Virginia, about inventions, Smithsonian curator David Shayt passed around a handful of Silly Putty. Although thoroughly familiar with its quirky properties, the students did not know who invented it and why. “They were entranced,” says the National Museum of American History historian. “That’s the reaction I’m going for. It’s a great treat to get students thinking about history through artifacts.” Shayt was joined by Martin Collins, who discussed the Cold War space race, and George Paul Horse Capture, who talked about American Indians and Manifest Destiny. Smithsonian specialists, in 2002, also brought innovative perspectives on American social and cultural history to Edison Township, New Jersey, and covered African American art, mummies, and Mexican American culture in San Antonio. Specialists visited Las Vegas to explore the solar system, Antarctica, and Native American evolution and traveled to Tacoma, Washington, for presentations on robotic space technology, clothing and culture, and fisheries and food webs. Programs in Anchorage, Alaska; Kansas City, Kansas and Missouri; and Tucson, Arizona, completed the schedule. Interpreting Our Nation’s Diverse OriginsExhibitions and ProgramsFor more than a century and a half, Smithsonian Institution exhibitions of America’s past and present have been a source of understanding about a common set of beliefs defining what it means to be an American. At no time has the phrase “e pluribus unum” been more validated than in the days following September 11, 2001, when Americans of all backgrounds and persuasions came together in a show of national unity seldom seen since the outbreak of the Second World War. Occasions like these cannot help but raise important questions, including how national unity can exist amid such abundant diversity. For more than a century and a half, Smithsonian Institution exhibitions of America’s past and present have been a source of understanding about a common set of beliefs defining what it means to be an American while also revealing the tie that binds Americans to the world outside our borders: the recognition that much of our nation’s past, present, and future has and will continue to have its origins in other lands and in other cultures. This section showcases exhibitions and programs that express the vitality and variety of artifacts forming the mosaic of America—from the ancient trade routes of Asia to the more modern invention of the telephone and the even more contemporary sculpture of Juan Muñoz. Silk Road Comes to the National Mall More than 1.3 million people explored the many cultures of the fabled Silk Road at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival in 2002. The festival theme, The Silk Road: Connecting Cultures, Creating Trust, highlighted the historic and contemporary exchange of ideas, art, music, science, and commerce that characterized the Silk Road trade route from Japan to Italy through China, Uzbekistan, and Turkey and continue as living traditions today. Evoking the look and feel of Silk Road architecture, magnificent pavilions, inspired by India’s Rajeev Sethi, stretched out along the National Mall. Visitors saw masters of Turkish porcelain ceramics, an industry based on a 500-year-old tradition that originated in China. They applauded demonstrations of Asian martial arts as they followed the trail of martial arts from India to China to the United States. They watched Syrian and Uzbek weavers, met Kazakh nomads, stepped inside an elaborately painted Pakistani truck, and enjoyed a free concert with Yo-Yo Ma and his Silk Road Ensemble. A New York Times reporter called the festival a “global gathering on the Mall,” a reminder in times of international tensions that “no culture, East or West, is isolated from the others.” Produced by the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage in partnership with the Silk Road Project, Inc., the annual festival was the largest in the festival’s 36-year history, fulfilling the event’s reputation as a lively and fascinating cultural crossroads. American Indian Museum Pow Wow Twenty-thousand people got a taste of Native America at a festive two-day pow wow, hosted by the National Museum of the American Indian on the National Mall in September 2002. A pow wow is a large, traditional Plains-style social gathering of Native Americans who follow dances that were started centuries ago by their ancestors and that evolved to include contemporary aspects. With the U.S. Capitol as a backdrop, more than 400 performers and 15 drum groups representing 250 tribes competed in traditional categories. From the colorful Grand Entry of Native military color guards, dignitaries, and dancers to the traditional Native foods and crafts, the pow wow supported the museum’s mission of presenting the continuity of Native culture. During the pow wow, the museum honored LaDonna Harris (Comanche) for her lifelong work on behalf of indigenous peoples in a “giveaway,” a traditional expression of gratitude. Museum director W. Richard West, a member of the Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes of Oklahoma, was recognized by his tribe for his recent election as a Peace Chief. Listeners worldwide followed the festivities on the Internet. American Indian Radio On Satellite broadcast to 10 Native community radio stations and on the World Wide Web to listeners in Australia, Belgium, China, England, Germany, Italy, and Spain. The vibrant expression of Native song and dance was one of several free public events the museum will host leading to its opening in fall 2004. Preserving Family History Everyday possessions are the building blocks of history that reveal meaningful stories about cultural heritage. The Anacostia Museum and Center for African American History and Culture launched the exhibition Precious Memories: Collectors’ Passion in February 2002 to spotlight the collections of seven Washington-area residents whose cherished family artifacts document African American history and traditions. The exhibition celebrated the completion of an award-winning $8.3 million renovation of the museum’s exhibition space, library, storage areas, and offices. A new workshop and seminar series that teaches basic techniques of preservation, research, documentation, and oral history interviewing reinforces the museum’s message that family collections are the essence of community history. The first workshop, Collections Discovery Day, attracted more than 700 people, who brought furniture, clothing, photographs, and paintings for evaluation by a team of professional appraisers, veterans of the PBS series Antiques Roadshow. As part of this public education and outreach effort, the museum also developed publications on documenting family history. Chicano Visions Thirty years of Chicano art and expression came to life in a pair of traveling exhibitions presented by the Arts and Industries Office of Exhibitions. Collectively titled Chicano, the exhibitions furthered the Smithsonian’s commitment to reaching new and diverse audiences. Chicano Visions: American Painters on the Verge was a groundbreaking look at the rich artistic heritage of Chicano and Chicana visual artists. Curated by Rene Yáñez, this exhibition featured more than 70 works by more than 20 artists. The works incorporated Mexican historical, popular, and religious iconography mixed with modern images of urban life reflecting the changing role of Mexican Americans in American society over the past three decades. Most were drawn from the collections of actor Cheech Marin, while some were on loan from other collectors and institutions. The second exhibition, Chicano Now: American Expressions, was a multimedia presentation of video and artistic installations, original murals, and hands-on interactive displays about cultural contributions of the Mexican American community. Juan Muñoz An exhibition at the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden honored Juan Muñoz, Spain’s best-known contemporary sculptor and a leader in the recent revival of figurative sculpture. Nearly 60 sculptures, multifigure installations, drawings, and paintings were on view in this first full retrospective of Muñoz’s work in the United States. The artist, who was the subject of a Directions exhibition in 1997, died unexpectedly at age 48, a few months before the exhibition opened in October 2001. Muñoz’s work engages the viewer physically and emotionally, creating a heightened awareness of architecture and environment. His presentations resemble stage sets, with single or multiple figures that are slightly smaller than life size. Hirshhorn visitors encounter Muñoz’s bronze figure ensemble Last Conversation Piece at the plaza entrance. During an official state visit to Washington in November, Spanish Prime Minister Tomas Aznar toured the Muñoz exhibition with Hirshhorn curator of contemporary art Olga Viso. At the same time as the popular Hirshhorn show, Muñoz’s work was featured in a large installation at the Tate Modern in London. Juan Muñoz was organized by the Hirshhorn in association with the Art Institute of Chicago. The exhibition traveled to the Art Institute; the Contemporary Arts Museum, Houston; and the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles. Understanding Islam through Art Immediately following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the Freer Gallery of Art implemented a plan to give people an opportunity to participate in discussions about Islam. In a series of lunchtime gallery talks for Smithsonian staff, which were later opened to the public, associate curator of Islamic art Massumeh Farhad examined how the sacred and the secular, the abstract and the figurative, and the religious and the political have found expression in the arts of Islam. Focusing on four masterworks in the Freer’s Islamic galleries, Farhad discussed uniquely Islamic elements that reveal the complexity and richness of Islamic culture. Interest in the Islamic galleries remains strong, with visitors expressing renewed curiosity about the culture and history of the Islamic world. In response, the museum has hosted a number of press tours through the galleries and continues to field requests from national and international publications for images representing Islamic art in the Freer collection. Linking African and African American Communities An exhibition at the National Museum of African Art opened new doors to the links between African and African American communities. Spectacular Display: The Art of Nkanu Initiation Rituals, which opened December 2001, was the first exhibition devoted exclusively to decorated wall panels, sculptures, and masks created during men’s initiation rites of the Nkanu peoples of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Angola. Included in the exhibition were a group of Nkanu wall panels recently acquired by the museum; a series of wall panels, sculpture, and masks lent by the Musée Royal de l’Afrique Centrale (Belgium); and some objects from the Völkerkundliche Sammlung der Universität Göttingen, Germany. The concluding section of the exhibition explored initiation activities in Washington, D.C.-area African American communities. To complement Spectacular Display, the museum’s education department organized public discussions stimulated by the exhibition process and content, including “Museums and Community Involvement in Exhibition Planning” and “Rearward Glances: Where We Came From Informs Who We Are.” Outreach efforts supported youth initiation programs in two African American churches and an Afrocentric cultural-religious organization. George Catlin and His Indian Gallery The Smithsonian American Art Museum celebrated a crown jewel in its collection with an exhibition of more than 440 works by George Catlin, the first artist to paint the Plains Indians and their way of life. George Catlin and His Indian Gallery, the most comprehensive exhibition of the artist’s work in more than a century, presented the museum’s nearly complete surviving set of the first Indian Gallery, painted in the 1830s. The exhibition portrayed the encounter of two cultures in North America by incorporating Native American viewpoints into the interpretive elements. A range of activities and programs enhanced visitors’ experience, including an in-depth audio tour, a “surround video” gallery, and an illustrated book on Catlin. An ambitious schedule of public programs included lectures, gallery talks, concerts, performances, craft demonstrations, and a symposium featuring new scholarship on Catlin. Colleagues at the National Museum of the American Indian collaborated in the development of the exhibition. Other Smithsonian organizations, including the National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution Libraries, the National Portrait Gallery, and the Archives of American Art, provided expertise and lent their collections as well. The National Endowment for the Arts awarded the museum a partnership grant to support the television program and the educational Web site featuring Campfire Stories with George Catlin. More than 1,600 people attended an open house to celebrate the exhibition’s opening, and attendance at the Renwick Gallery was more than 90,000, an increase of 60 percent over 2001, during the four months the exhibition was on view. Art and History through Deaf Eyes Nearly 10,000 participants from 121 countries came to Washington in July 2002 to create opportunities to involve the deaf and hard-of-hearing communities and introduce Smithsonian visitors to accomplished deaf artists. Working with Gallaudet University, the Smithsonian Accessibility Program hosted programs during Deaf Way II, a weeklong international conference and arts festival. Programs included History through Deaf Eyes, a national touring exhibition developed by Gallaudet, which incorporated objects from the National Museum of American History while on view at the Arts and Industries Building during the summer. Deaf Arts Live, a public program series conceived by volunteer performers who are deaf, accompanied the exhibition. Discovery Theater, a program of The Smithsonian Associates located in the Arts and Industries Building, presented a four-day international theater festival for children with performers from the Czech Republic, Norway, Russia, and the United States. The Smithsonian Folklife Festival showcased performing artists from China, Hong Kong, India, and Japan, while the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery held an exhibition of Kutani-style porcelain by artist Eiichi Mitsui. Invention at Play Invention at Play, a lively interactive exhibition exploring the connection between play and the inventor’s creative impulse, opened this year at the National Museum of American History, Behring Center. The exhibition offered hands-on and whole-body interactive experiences—including a sailboard simulator, a Kevlar testing station, digital playthings, and an invention playhouse—to put museum visitors in touch with their own inventive abilities. Through stories and artifacts, the exhibition introduced inventors who have used playful and creative techniques: Stephanie Kwolek, the chemist who invented Kevlar (the substance used in bullet-resistant vests); Newman Darby, inventor of the sailboard; and Alexander Graham Bell, inventor of the telephone. Educational programs complementing Invention at Play included the day-long hands-on Mindfest, celebrating invention and exploration; the adults-only Free Play Fridays, designed to “take your inner child on a play date”; and a toy invention festival. Developed by the Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation in partnership with the Science Museum of Minnesota and the National Science Foundation, the exhibition begins a national tour in spring 2003. The Lemelson Foundation provided major support for Invention at Play, and additional support came from the National Science Foundation. The Association of Science-Technology Centers is managing the national tour. Selected ExhibitionsOctober 1, 2001—September 30, 2002 Anacostia Museum and Center for African American History
and Culture Precious Memories: Collectors’ Passion, February
11–September 30, 2002 Archives of American Art New York Regional Center Wayne Thiebaud: Memories and Delights, October
24, 2001–January 4, 2002 American Traditions: A Taste of Folk Art, January
10–March 29, 2002 Marcel Breuer: A Centennial Celebration, April
5–June 29, 2002 Fiber Art: Following the Thread, July 5, 2002–October
4, 2004 Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Word Play: Contemporary Art by Xu Bing, October
21, 2001–May 12, 2002 Visual Poetry: Paintings and Drawings from Iran,
December 16, 2001–May 5, 2002 Sacred Sites: Silk Road Photographs by Kenro Izu,
June 9, 2002–January 5, 2003 The Adventures of Hamza, June 26–September 29,
2002 Masterful Illusions: Japanese Prints from the Anne
van Biema Collection, September 15, 2002–January 19, 2003 Arts and Industries Building Cherokee Nation: A Portrait of a People, October
26, 2001–April 9, 2002 The Smithson Land Express, November 15, 2001–April
21, 2002 Silent Screens: The Decline and Transformation of
the American Movie Theater, November 21, 2001–January 31, 2002 The Main Event: The Ali/Foreman Extravaganza through
the Lens of Howard L. Bingham, January 19–March 27, 2002 Margaret Mead, A Portrait: Photographs by Ken Heyman,
A Centennial Tribute, February 5–28, 2002 Corridos sin Fronteras: A New World Ballad Tradition,
February 14–April 17, 2002 Heart and Hands: Musical Instrument Makers of America,
March 4–April 24, 2002 Chicano Visions: American Painters on the Verge,
May 2–September 3, 2002 New York 9/11 by Magnum Photographers, May 3–June
30, 2002 History through Deaf Eyes, May 9–September 22,
2002 Kaho’olawe: Rebirth of a Sacred Hawaiian Island,
June 2–September 2, 2002 Time Magazine: Person of the Year at 75, July
3–September 5, 2002 American Lifestyle Display, July 17–September
25, 2002 Chicano Now: American Expressions, September
27, 2002–January 5, 2003 Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum Russel Wright: Creating American Lifestyle, November
20, 2001–September 15, 2002 Skin: Surface, Substance, and Design, May 7–September
15, 2002 Freer Gallery of Art The Potter’s Brush: The Kenzan Style in Japanese
Ceramics, December 9, 2001–October 27, 2002 Year of the Horse: Chinese Horse Paintings, February
10–September 2, 2002 Chinese Buddhist Sculpture in a New Light, April
14, 2002–July 13, 2003 Whistler’s Nudes, April 21, 2002–January 5, 2003 Palaces and Pavilions: Grand Architecture in Chinese
Painting, September 29, 2002–March 30, 2003 Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden Juan Muñoz, October 18, 2001–January 13,
2002 (in association with the Art Institute of Chicago) Directions—Marina Abramovic, November 15, 2001–February
18, 2002 Metropolis in the Machine Age, February 28–September
2, 2002 Directions—Ernesto Neto, March 21–June 23, 2002 Directions—Ron Mueck, July 18–October 27, 2002 National Air and Space Museum Aerobatic Champions, October 4, 2001–Spring 2003 National Museum of African Art Making the Grade: African Arts of Initiation,
November 11, 2001–October 27, 2002 Spectacular Display: The Art of Nkanu Initiation
Rituals, December 16, 2001–March 3, 2002 Gifts and Blessings: The Textile Arts of Madagascar,
April 14–September 2, 2002 A Personal Journey: Central African Art from the
Collection of Lawrence Gussman, June 9–October 6, 2002 National Museum of American History, Behring Center What’s Cooking? Julia Child’s Kitchen at the Smithsonian,
February 4–August 4, 2002 July 1942: United We Stand, March 22–October
27, 2002 Invention at Play, July 19–December 29, 2002 Bon Appetit! Julia Child’s Kitchen at the Smithsonian,
August 19, 2002–February 2004 September 11: Bearing Witness to History, September
11, 2002–April 13, 2003 National Museum of the American Indian, George Gustav
Heye Center Across Borders: Beadwork in Iroquois Life, December
9, 2001–May 19, 2002 Booming Out: Mohawk Ironworkers Build New York,
April 25–October 24, 2002 Great Masters of Mexican Folk Art from the Collection
of Fomento Cultural Banamex, July 21, 2002–March 15, 2003 (organized
and presented by Fomento Cultural Banamex, A.C. of Mexico City) National Museum of Natural History Masters of the Ocean Realm, October 5, 2001–January
2, 2002 A Place Called Home: Bird Photographs by Keith Logan,
November 1, 2001–October 14, 2002 From Monastery to Marketplace: Tradition Inspires
Modern Ethiopian Painting, February 8–October 27, 2002 Peter Rabbit’s Garden, February 9–May 27, 2002 Dinotopia, April 24–September 2, 2002 Modern Mongolia: Reclaiming Genghis Khan, July
3–December 8, 2002 Global Links: El Niño’s Powerful Reach,
July 19, 2002-April 1, 2003 National Portrait Gallery Seven exhibitions from the National Portrait Gallery’s
collection were on view at eight museums during fiscal year 2002 while
the museum is closed for renovation. Portraits of the Presidents from the National Portrait
Gallery A Brush with History: Paintings from the National
Portrait Gallery George Washington: A National Treasure Portraits of American Railroading from the National
Portrait Gallery Eye Contact: Modern American Portrait Drawings from
the National Portrait Gallery Portrait of the Art World: A Century of ARTnews Photographs American Women: A Selection from the National Portrait
Gallery National Postal Museum Langston Hughes, February 1–August 2, 2002 Hovercraft, June 14, 2002–November 15, 2003 Artistic License: The Duck Stamp Story, July
1, 2002–June 1, 2004 Town and Country, August 9, 2002–February 4,
2003 Philatelic Firsts from the National Postal Museum
Collection, August 23–October 28, 2002 Smithsonian American Art Museum Treasures to Go, eight thematic exhibitions from the
museum’s collection, were on view in 25 museums during fiscal year 2002
while the museum is closed for renovation. Young America Lure of the West American Impressionism The Gilded Age Scenes of American Life Modernism and Abstraction Contemporary Folk Art Arte Latino George Catlin and His Indian Gallery, September
13, 2002–January 19, 2003 (on view in the Renwick Gallery) Smithsonian American Art Museum, Renwick Gallery Wood Turning since 1930, March 15– July 14, 2002 The Renwick Invitational: Four Discoveries in Craft,
June 14–October 14, 2002 Smithsonian Institution Libraries An Odyssey in Print: Adventures in the Smithsonian
Libraries, May 16, 2002–January 1, 2004 Wonder Bound: Rare Books on Early Museums, May
24–November 15, 2002 Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service Voyage: A Journey through Our Solar System, opened
October 17, 2001 In the Spirit of Martin: The Living Legacy of Dr.
Martin Luther King Jr., opened January 12, 2002 The Graceful Envelope, opened January 26, 2002 Hannelore Baron: Works from 1969 to 1987, opened
February 9, 2002 Corridos sin Fronteras: A New World Ballad Tradition,
opened February 14, 2002 The American Presidency: A Glorious Burden, opened
February 16, 2002 The Artistry of African Currency, opened April
6, 2002 Feast Your Eyes: The Unexpected Beauty of Vegetable
Gardens, opened September 21, 2002 Some exhibitions have online components that are accessible through the Smithsonian’s Web site, www.smithsonian.org. Selected AcquisitionsOctober 1, 2001—September 30, 2002 Anacostia Museum and Center for African American History
and Culture Custom-made baby grand piano belonging to celebrated
African American opera singer Madame Lillian Evanti and 700 archival
items documenting her life and career Guitar from the 1960s, used in performances by Chuck
Brown, the leading innovator of Go-Go, a popular form of dance music
born in the African American community of Washington, D.C. Paintings by Robert Reid, an abstract artist who flourished
in the 1960s and 1970s Archives of American Art Addition to the Howard W. and Jean Lipman papers, ca.
1932–80. Gift of Howard and Jean Lipman Papers of Arnold Rönnebeck and Louise Emerson Rönnebeck,
artists, 1901–2000. Gift of Ursula Moore Works and Arnold Rönnebeck Additions to the Carlen Galleries records, 1906–86.
Gift of Nancy Carlen Papers of Chenoweth Hall, artist, writer, musician,
and teacher, 1908–99. Gift of Miriam Colwell Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Krishna and Balrama, India, 16th century, brass.
Gift of the Nathan Rudin–Ida Ladd Family Foundation in memory of Ester
R. Portnow Raghubir Singh, Morning on the Darbhanga Ghat, Benares,
Uttar Pradesh, 1987, chronogenic print. Gift of the artist Toshihide Migita, Yamanaka Commands a Gun at the
Battle of Port Arthur, Meiji era (1868–1912), ink and color on paper.
Gift of Gregory and Patricia Kruglak C.C. Wang, Untitled, late 20th century, ink and silver
leaf on paper. Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth King C.C. Wang, Untitled (rock), late 20th century, ink and
silver leaf on paper. Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth King Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage Haider Ali and Jamil Uddin, decorated 1976 Bedford truck
from Pakistan. Purchased with
funds provided by the Silk Road Project, Inc. Turkmen carpet made by Turkmen refugees in Pakistan
and Afghanistan Tatebayashi Hirohisa, Japanese porcelain vase. Gift
of the artist Kazakh yurt made by Baltabai Ibraev, Almas Almatov,
and their wives in Kzylorda, Kazakhstan. Purchased with funds provided
by the Silk Road Project, Inc. Astronomy canopies in three sections, designed by Rajeev
Sethi and painted by artists from Bhilwara, Rajasthan, under the guidance
of Badri Prasad and his son, Gyan Prakash Soni. Purchased with funds
provided by Arthur Pacheco Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum Concept Design for Air Jordan XIII Sneaker, 1996,
designed by Tinker Hatfield and manufactured by Nike, black and color
marking pens, turquoise and blue crayon on tracing paper. Gift of Nike Cashmere tapestry shawl, Kashmir, second half of 19th
century. Bequest of Harmon H. Goldstone Freer Gallery of Art Farman of the Emperor Akbar, Mughal period (1526–1846),
India, opaque watercolor, ink, and gold on paper. Museum purchase, Friends
of the Freer and Sackler Galleries in honor of Milo C. Beach Model of a granary, Southern Song dynasty (1127–1279),
China, 13th century, porcelain with quingbai glaze. Museum purchase,
The Hassan Family Foundation and Lois S. Raphling in memory of Dr. David
L. Raphling Scabbard fitting, China, 5th–6th century B.C.E., cast
bronze. Museum purchase Tile, Turkey, ca. 1575, stonepaste decorated with polychrome
under a clear glaze. Museum purchase Jar, Korea, 5th–6th century, stoneware. Gift of Richard
L. Mellott Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden Joseph Kosuth, Four Colors Four Words, 1966,
neon and transformer. Joseph H. Hirshhorn Purchase Fund William Kentridge, The Medicine Chest, 2001, wood, glass, metal, and DVD. Gift of Robert Lehrman in honor of James T. Demetrion Ann Hamilton, at hand, 2001, six paper-dropping mechanisms, three air compressors, 16 speakers, sound recording, programmed sound equipment, motion sensors, and paper. Joseph H. Hirshhorn Purchase Fund Wolfgang Laib, Rice House, 1990, sealing wax,
wood, and rice. Gift of Anthony T. Podesta in memory of Lisa Raines William Christenberry, Dream Building in Landscape,
2001, plywood, basswood, dowels, red soil, and gesso. Joseph H. Hirshhorn
Purchase Fund National Air and Space Museum Sidewinder missile, one of the world’s most successful
missiles. Transfer from the United States Air Force Museum Galactic Radiation and Background Satellite (GRAB-1),
the world’s first “intelligence satellite,” launched in 1960. Transfer
from the Naval Research Laboratory Clementine engineering model (Deep Space Program Science
Experiment), built by the Naval Research Laboratory in Washington, D.C.,
to test lightweight instruments and components for the next generation
of spacecraft. Transfer from the Naval Research Laboratory Balloon gondola in which Steve Fossett made the first
nonstop solo balloon flight around the globe. Gift of Steve Fossett
National Museum of African Art Asante peoples (Ghana), seated female figure and child,
late 19th to mid-20th century, wood. Gift of Mr. and Mrs. J. Alderman Sue Williamson, Installation: The Last Supper Revisited,
1993, mixed media. Purchased with funds provided by the W.K. Kellogg
Foundation, Battle Creek, Michigan Quattara, Ka Cabala Voodoo, 1995, acrylic and
mixed media on wood. Gift of Corice and Armand Arman Bamgboye (Nigeria), Iyaibeji (Mother of Twins), Epa
helmet mask, early to mid-20th century, wood and pigment. Museum
purchase Baule peoples (Côte d’Ivoire), female figure,
late 19th–early 20th century, wood and gold foil. Museum purchase National Museum of American History, Behring Center Sword and scabbard of Confederate General John Hunt
Morgan found in a house where the general had been hiding on December
26, 1862, by Corporal George Schaffner of the 78th Pennsylvania Volunteers.
Gift of Mark O. Johnson Straw-bending mandril prototype for manufacturing flexible
drinking straws invented by Joseph B. Friedman in the 1940s. Gift of
Robert A. Friedman, Pamela B. Leeds, Linda A. Reiss, and Judith B. Rosen Sound recordings, turntable pads, a microphone, and
a studio wall clock used at radio station WANN, which broadcast from
Annapolis, Maryland, serving the African American community, 1948–95.
Gift of Morris H. Blum Two “Gypsy Robes,” dressing gowns decorated with costume
elements of various Broadway plays of the 1992 and 1995 seasons. Gift
of Actor’s Equity Association (through Terry Marone) Yellow cotton tank sweater and matching cardigan, narrow
black knit skirt, and black leather sandals worn by Maria C. Benavente
to work at the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. Gift of Maria
C. Benavente National Museum of the American Indian Inuit stone sculptures, prints and drawings, graphic
catalogs, and reference books. Gift of Bert Witt Acoma pots made by members of the Lewis family, kachinas,
textiles, basket, and Lewis family photographs. Gift of John Scurlock Cherokee baskets and paintings. Gift of Margaret DeLawter National Museum of Natural History Fifty-five faceted tourmalines from a new find near
Ogbomosho, Nigeria. National Gem and Mineral Collection. Gift of Arthur
Groom & Company Tanzanite and diamond pin created by Harry Winston,
Inc. National Gem and Mineral Collection. Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Donald
E. Peterson Thirty-seven house mice and gerbils collected in Afghanistan,
Pakistan, and Qatar during Operation Enduring Freedom as part of an
investigation of possible disease vectors. Department of Systematic
Biology, Vertebrate Zoology Section. Acquired from the United States
Armed Forces One hundred forty-nine of 1,300 vascular plant species,
more than 20 new to science, from Guaramacal National Park, Venezuela,
contributing extensive botanical knowledge of the Andes. Department
of Systematic Biology, Botany Section.
Acquired through field collection of botany curator Dr. Laurence
Dorr and Venezuelan collaborators Dolores Newton collection of 499 artifacts from the
Krikati people of Brazil. Department of Anthropology. Gift of Dr. Dolores
Newton National Portrait Gallery Thomas Hicks, Red Jacket (Sagoyewatha), 1868,
copy after the original painting of 1828 by Robert W. Weir, oil on canvas.
Gallery purchase Dean Cornwell, Chester Nimitz, 1944, oil on board.
Gift of the family of Chester W. Nimitz Jr. William Bache, Bache scrapbook of 1846 silhouettes,
ca. 1805–10, cut paper silhouettes. Partial gift of Sara Bache Bloise
in memory of Dr. William Bache Marius de Zayas, Agnes Meyer, Edward Steichen and
Auguste Rodin, The Picnic, Alfred Stieglitz (four drawings), ca.
1909–12, charcoals and watercolor. Bequest of Katharine Meyer Graham Andy Warhol, Pete Rose, 1985, color serigraph.
Gallery purchase Edward Steichen, Agnes Ernst Meyer, 1908, platinum
print. Bequest of Katharine Meyer Graham Man Ray, Arnold Schoenberg, 1927, gelatin silver
print. Gallery purchase National Postal Museum Twenty-six objects collected from the Church Street
Post Office Building, located on the corner of Church and Vesey Streets
directly across from the World Trade Center, including a sorting unit
that belonged to Emma Thornton, the carrier whose route included floors
77–110 of One World Trade Center, and a damaged mailbox from the street
in front of the post office. Transfer from the U.S. Postal Service Cutler mail collection box, recovered from the wreckage
of the World Trade Center Marriott. Gift of Host Marriott Corporation Virginia City Pony Express cover, used for mail service
operated by Wells, Fargo & Co., 1862. Gift of Diane Fisk Arney Airmail map of Alaska ordered by Postmaster General
Harry S. New to show the post offices in operation in Alaskan Territory
and the route distances, 1928. Transfer from the U.S. Postal Service Twenty-four badges representing state and national postal
union conventions, 1930s and 1940s. Gift of Marian Green Smithsonian American Art Museum Oscar Bluemner, Evening Tones, 1911–17, oil.
Gift of James F. Dicke II and museum purchase made possible by the American
Art Forum, the Julia D. Strong Endowment, and the Luisita L. and Franz
H. Denghausen Endowment Deborah Butterfield, Monekana, 2001, bronze. Gift of the American Art Forum and
museum purchase Nam June Paik, Electronic Super-highway: Continental
U.S., Alaska, Hawaii, 1995, 49-channel and closed circuit video
installation with neon, steel, and electronic components. Gift of the
artist Martin Puryear, Bower, 1980, spruce and pine.
Museum purchase made possible through the Luisita L. and Franz H. Denghausen
Endowment, Alexander Calder, Frank Wilbert Stokes, and the Ford Motor
Company H.C. Westermann, Westermann’s Table, 1966, plywood,
masonite, books, and mixed media. Museum purchase made possible through
the Luisita L. and Franz H. Denghausen Endowment Smithsonian Institution Libraries Issues of the scholarly journal Acta eruditorum,
Leipzig, J. Grossium & J.F. Gletitschium, 1682–1731. Dibner Library
of the History of Science and Technology. Purchase, Smithsonian Libraries
Special Collections Endowment Michaelis Bernhardi Valentini, Museum museorum…1704–14,
one of the most valuable primary sources for the study of Renaissance
cabinets of curiosities and the early history of scientific collections.
Gift of the Spencer Baird Society Giuseppe Piazzi, Della scoperta del nuovo pianeta
Cerere Ferdinandea…, Palermo, Nella Stamperia reale, 1802. The first
edition of the second of Piazzi’s two publications (and the most important
for research purposes) relating to the discovery of the minor planet
Ceres and the work in which Piazzi names the planet. Purchase, Smithsonian
Libraries Special Collections Endowment Johann Elert Bode, Von dem neu entdeckten Planeten,
Berlin and Leipzig, 1784, the earliest detailed account of the planet
Uranus. Purchase, Smithsonian Libraries Special Collections Endowment Vincenzio Viviani, De Maximus, et minimus geometrica…, Florence, 1659, first edition of a noted book that established the reputation of Viviani, a disciple and biographer of Galileo. Purchase, Smithsonian Libraries Special Collections Endowment Smithsonian Business Ventures ReportSmithsonian Business Ventures’ final net gain was $16.6 million in fiscal year 2002 on total revenues of $139 million. Although all Smithsonian businesses were profitable, net gain declined by $9.7 million from the prior year, primarily because of reduced museum visitation, the continuing recession in the magazine advertising industry, and the one-time costs of outsourcing catalogue distribution. Declines in domestic and international travel and tourism following the events of September 11, 2001, had a dramatic impact on Business Ventures. Sales at museum stores, theaters, and restaurants rely on the number of visitors to the museums, and travel industry clients are Smithsonian magazine’s single largest category of advertising revenue. Despite these external factors, several business units performed better than in the previous fiscal year, principally the Smithsonian Catalogue, consumer product licensing, and IMAX® theaters. Immediately following September 11, 2001, Smithsonian Business Ventures cut operating expenses and reduced the work force in anticipation of decreased revenues. Management also took aggressive steps to improve revenue, including direct marketing to Washington-area residents to encourage repeat business. Major efficiency initiatives also were completed in fiscal year 2002. The most significant of these was outsourcing of the catalogue’s fulfillment operations, a move that will generate significant long-term savings. Improvements and new concessions in museum retail operations are successfully generating incremental revenue and improving the visitor’s experience. At the National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Business Ventures installed a full dome projection system and created a new show, Infinity Express, for the Planetarium. Since the reopening, attendance is up over 50 percent weekly. A new concession of state-of-the-art, dual-axis flight simulators offers museum visitors the experience of simulated flight and piloting aircraft, generating a significant new revenue stream. Following a multimillion dollar renovation, the Wright Place food court at the Air and Space Museum opened for the summer season with a flagship trio of menu offerings from McDonald’s, Donatos Pizzeria, and Boston Market. In fiscal year 2002, Smithsonian magazine maintained 2 million paid circulation and readership levels of 8 million monthly. The publishing staff sold 514 pages of advertising, a 19 percent decline from fiscal year 2001, in the face of the magazine advertising industry’s worst recession since World War II. The magazine also installed a new editor-in-chief, the third in its 32-year history. In spite of marketplace turmoil, Smithsonian magazine achieved continued high rates of subscriber renewals and reader satisfaction. The magazine published the first free visitor guide, My Smithsonian, with an initial circulation of 3.5 million copies, in the spring of 2002. This comprehensive guide is designed to enhance outreach to visitors and help them find what they are looking for in the Smithsonian’s museums. To market Smithsonian museum visits and packages to school, tour, and convention groups in fiscal year 2002, SBV established a group sales division, which set up programs with Washington hotel operators and developed packages in partnership with groups such as AAA and AARP. Smithsonian Business Ventures also made additional investments to upgrade stores and restaurants around the National Mall, including the National Museum of Natural History where the Gem and Mineral Store was renovated and the Fossil Café opened. Business Ventures also launched a new quick-service café in the Arts and Industries Building and opened a new Smithsonian Museum Store at Washington Dulles International Airport. Smithsonian Business Ventures entered fiscal year 2003 positioned to provide a substantially increased contribution in unrestricted funds for the Institution, depending on the degree to which museum visits increase and the general economy recovers. Financial ReportFiscal year 2002 was a year unlike any other in recent memory due to the dramatic drop in museum visits following the tragic events of September 11 and the continued decline in the stock market. Nevertheless, fiscal year 2002 was actually a financially better year than fiscal year 2001. The net assets of the Institution increased by 2.6 percent or $40 million despite the decline in the market that lowered the value of the Institution’s endowment and decreased net income generated from Smithsonian Business Ventures. While the Institution’s net worth is at a record high, it has stayed essentially flat over the last three years, with the negative impact of the stock market on the endowment’s value having been offset by strong support of the Institution’s facilities capital program and robust private-sector fund raising. The Smithsonian’s financial condition remains sound. The Smithsonian receives funding from federal government appropriations and from private sources, including gifts and grants from individuals, foundations, and corporations; grants and contracts from governmental entities; earnings from investments; revenue from membership programs and from sales activities, such as Smithsonian magazine, museum stores and restaurants, a mail order catalogue, large- screen theaters, and licensed products. Federal appropriations support core functions: caring for and conserving our national collections; sustaining basic research in history, science, and the arts; and educating the public through exhibitions and other programs. Federal funds also pay most costs associated with operating, maintaining, and protecting the large Smithsonian museum and research complex, as well as administrative and support services. Private funds, known as trust funds, allow the Institution to undertake new ventures and significantly enrich existing programs in ways that would not otherwise be possible. These funds provide a critical margin of excellence for carrying out innovative research, expanding and strengthening our national collections, developing and building new facilities, opening state-of-the-art exhibitions, and reaching out to America’s many different communities. An annual audit was conducted by KPMG LLP. For a complete set of audited financial statements, contact the Office of the Comptroller at (202) 275-0322. Gifts to the SmithsonianDonor ReportThe remarkable resilience of the American character was no more evident this year than in the outpouring of support from people determined that the threats facing our nation would not dampen the impulse to give. Contributions to the Smithsonian Institution from individuals, foundations, and corporations in 2002 totaled $165 million. These gifts, along with federal support in the amount of $497.2 million, made it possible for the Institution to continue work on construction and renovation of several museum facilities, while also building collections, enhancing exhibition quality, and furthering research. Exemplifying the American spirit of generosity were four donors who made gifts of $10 million each in 2002. This section highlights these major gifts and other important contributions that will benefit the Institution and its millions of visitors—more than 33 million in 2002—for generations to come. Building a Better Future More than ever, the Smithsonian Institution plays a vital role in our national life as a place where Americans can come together to explore our history and achievements. In 2002, the Smithsonian continued its important work to provide a showcase for the icons and stories that we all share and to build new facilities that will be the benchmark by which museums are defined in the 21st century. These museums will help us to reflect on our past as we look to the future. Donors of all interests and capacity continued to help make the Smithsonian experience available to all Americans. We are particularly grateful to the individuals, foundations, and corporations that generously gave $165 million to the Institution in 2002. Such private support is essential to our ability to reach people where they live, create exciting exhibitions, and conduct research of global import. Private support also provided us with the essential resources to make strong progress on the finest new museums in the world and to begin planning for renovation of the beloved buildings that line the National Mall. Nearly $35.4 million in private contributions this year, including $10 million each from Lockheed Martin and brothers James S. McDonnell III and John F. McDonnell and the JSM Charitable Trust (see page 61), brought us nearer the total that will be needed to open the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center at Washington Dulles International Airport in Virginia in December 2003. The total estimated cost is $311 million, with $92 million yet to be raised at the end of 2002. Almost three football fields long and 10 stories high, this companion facility to the National Air and Space Museum was more than halfway to completion by the end of the year, with aviation hangar trusses in place, roofing complete, and hangar doors framed. By that time, 72 aeronautical and 13 space artifacts were prepared for the move. Progress with construction this year continued through the ongoing generosity of Steven F. Udvar-Hazy, whose leadership and support are helping the museum to open a new chapter in the Smithsonian’s unique presentation of America’s discoveries and achievements in aviation and space exploration. On the National Mall, the National Museum of the American Indian was more than a quarter completed by the end of the year, with plans well under way for programs and exhibitions, films, and multimedia presentations that will be offered once the museum is open. Visitors can already see how impressive the structure will be when it is finished in 2004. With the help and active participation of Native communities, including $10 million from the Oneida Indian Nation of New York (see page 62), the museum this year raised nearly $26 million toward the stunning new facility that will tell the stories of the first peoples of the Western Hemisphere: their history, contributions, and lives today. As of January 2003, we are within $19.8 million of the amount that will be needed to complete the building’s construction and provide for its exhibitions, programs, and opening events. The Smithsonian American Art Museum and National Portrait Gallery collections continued to tour around the country this year, while renovation went forth on the historic 1836 Patent Office Building that they call home. In several years, the art museums will return to a beautifully restored facility that will be the crown jewel of a revitalized downtown Washington, D.C., cultural corridor. The two museums raised more than $6.5 million this year toward the renovation, as well as for education and outreach projects. With this amount, along with $15 million in 2002 federal funds, the Smithsonian has begun massive projects to clean the building’s exterior, develop designs for an enclosed courtyard, and complete selective demolition on the interior. All of these steps pave the way for the next phase in this distinguished building’s renewal. Now in the early stages of renovation and renewal, the National Museum of American History, Behring Center draws between 4 million and 6 million people annually to explore America’s technological, scientific, cultural, and political history. Part of the process addresses issues identified by the Blue Ribbon Commission on the National Museum of American History in March 2002. In presenting its assessment of the museum’s strengths, problems, and constraints, the commission identified a number of challenges facing the museum, including how best to interpret history; how to take advantage of new technologies, such as digitization, to enhance access to collections; and several architectural, managerial, and funding concerns. The $10 million gift from General Motors Corporation (see page 62) for the museum’s transportation hall was a major step toward helping the museum fulfill its role as America’s only national museum of American history. The generosity of the Kenneth E. Behring family continues to support the new vision for the National Museum of American History, as well as providing the core support for the Behring Family Hall of Mammals that will open in the National Museum of Natural History in fall 2003. Throughout the Institution, Smithsonian museums and research units continued to raise funds for special projects that can help the Smithsonian better serve its wide constituency while maintaining the high standards of quality for which the Institution is known worldwide. More than $125.25 million of the Institution’s total fund raising this year came out of the museums and research units. The National Air and Space Museum and the National Museum of the American Indian, in particular, achieved their high goals toward construction of new facilities by engaging donors at all levels. By raising $5.7 million, the Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum in New York City more than doubled its fund raising over last year. This pan-institutional fund raising connected the Institution to donors who helped us, among other things, open a renovated pavilion in the National Museum of African Art; mount the Folklife Festival, The Silk Road; move forward with a new research laboratory at our Tropical Research Institute; and open the exhibition September 11: Bearing Witness to History at the American History Museum. A Special Appeal After the events of September 11, 2001, the Smithsonian was faced with a pressing challenge. Visits to the museums were down by 26 percent in fiscal year 2002, and much-needed business volume from tourism had decreased dramatically, leaving the Institution with a revenue shortfall that diminished its ability to serve the American people. Secretary Small asked Smithsonian members, supporters, and friends from throughout the country for emergency funds to help maintain Smithsonian programs and services at a time when they were needed to inspire visitors and provide them with perspective on national events. Americans from all across the country came forward with great generosity, and the appeal brought in more than $1 million. Typical of those responding to this appeal was a donor from Santa Rosa, California. Although under financial constraints due to her husband’s entry into a long-term care facility, she sent $20 along with a personal letter to the Secretary. “Your time of exceptional need seems to coincide with ours, and I hope that you and we will weather this difficult financial period,” she said. “I continue to feel that it is important to keep the Smithsonian as viable as possible.” Leadership Gifts In a year of deep challenges for the nation and the Institution, the leadership of donors who can provide the cornerstone of funding to our major projects is essential. The following donors led the way this year, with generous gifts of $10 million each that will benefit the American people for generations to come. Lockheed Martin Corporation Construction at Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center One of the most exciting new Smithsonian projects of the 21st century took another step closer to reality this year when Lockheed Martin Corporation donated $10 million to support construction of the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center. “Throughout the years, Lockheed Martin has been a steadfast supporter of the Smithsonian Institution, particularly the National Air and Space Museum,” said Lockheed Martin Chairman and CEO Vance D. Coffman. “The new Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center will be a unique venue that truly celebrates the aerospace industry as a whole, and it is our hope that it will stimulate a renewed vision, spirit, and enthusiasm for the miracle of flight and inspire future generations to learn about the wonders of math, science, engineering, and technology.” As part of the Smithsonian’s ongoing mission to connect more Americans with the stories of American history, discovery, and achievement, the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center will display for the first time hundreds of artifacts, including the Lockheed Martin SR-71 Blackbird—the world’s fastest plane. Lockheed Martin’s generosity in helping the Smithsonian complete the center opens a new chapter in the Institution’s ability to share the milestones of aviation and space exploration and the stories of the people who made them happen. JSM Charitable Trust/James S.McDonnell III, John F. McDonnell Space Hangar at Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center When the space hangar at the Air and Space Museum’s companion facility opens in 2003, it will bear the name of an aerospace legend: James S. McDonnell, founder of the company that built America’s first manned spacecraft and a true aviation pioneer. The naming of the space history exhibition hall at the Udvar-Hazy Center recognizes a $10 million gift from the JSM Charitable Trust, in conjunction with McDonnell’s sons, James S. McDonnell III and John F. McDonnell. The gift will be used to complete the hangar, which will house the space shuttle Enterprise, 135 other large space history artifacts, and hundreds of smaller pieces. From innovations that transformed military flight to the Project Mercury and Project Gemini spacecraft, Skylab and the DC-10, McDonnell’s innovations shaped the aerospace industry. The Smithsonian is pleased to be able to honor McDonnell’s name in a hall commemorating many of the aviation achievements in which he played an integral part. General Motors Corporation Renovated Transportation Hall at Museum of American History The National Museum of American History, Behring Center will transform its transportation hall, thanks to the momentum from General Motors’ generous $10 million sponsorship gift. GM’s generosity will enable the museum to begin a dynamic new phase in the life of the popular transportation hall and to explore the vast American story of how transportation technology has shaped this nation. “General Motors is proud to partner with the National Museum of American History to tell this great American story,” said Deborah Dingell, vice-chairman of the General Motors Foundation. “The men and women who work at GM, our retirees, our shareholders, and our customers have a significant stake in, and we understand, the national importance of transportation.” The GM gift will bring America on the Move to the nation in a newly renovated Hall of Transportation that covers 26,000 square feet. This exciting new exhibition premieres at the museum in November 2003 with the stories of 16 distinct communities, beginning in 1876 and continuing through 2000. Visitors will experience the myriad ways that modern systems—rail, air, sea, and road—help shape where people live, how they work, and what they buy. The museum’s extraordinary transportation collections, including many of its famous trains and automobiles, will be highlighted throughout America on the Move. Oneida Indian Nation (New York) Construction of National Museum of the American Indian One of the Smithsonian’s centerpiece projects for the 21st century is construction of the National Museum of the American Indian on the National Mall. This year, an extraordinary $10 million gift from the Oneida Indian Nation (New York) helped secure the future of this important national project. In a formal signing ceremony in April, the museum’s director, W. Richard West, said, “The sheer magnitude of the Oneida Nation’s generosity covers great distances in completing the noble journey that began a decade ago. This gift is truly a continuation of the Oneida Nation’s long legacy of generosity.” The Oneida Indian Nation (New York) has lived on its ancestral land for 10,000 years. The Nation was a key American ally in the Revolutionary War. Today, its thriving Turning Stone Casino Resort and 15 other diverse enterprises are helping to spur an economic rebound in Oneida County and the Mohawk Valley. The Oneida Nation’s philanthropy has also benefited many local causes. Ray Halbritter, Oneida Nation representative, said, “The Oneida Nation is very pleased to share its success to help complete the construction of the museum where the contemporary and historical stories of the Native peoples of the Western Hemisphere will be told through the Native voice.” In 2002, visitors to the Mall witnessed the spectacular museum structure taking shape, and people from around the world continued to visit the construction site on the World Wide Web at www.nmaicam.si.edu. Gifts of $1 Million or More The Smithsonian Institution is most appreciative of the innovative and wide-ranging support provided by the following generous donors, whose new gifts of $1 million or more have advanced Smithsonian initiatives in all fields. The National Museum of American History’s America on the Move exhibition was the beneficiary of generous support from
Members and Volunteer Groups: A Vital Part of the Smithsonian Family The Institution’s many loyal members are dedicated friends whose annual support is crucial to the Smithsonian’s mission. This year, the Contributing Membership program welcomed 22,305 new members and donors, making its member and donor total the highest ever, at 110,000. The Contributing Membership raised $11.9 million in unrestricted funds in 2002 and, since its inception more than 38 years ago, has contributed $147 million. In recognition of the loyalty of Contributing Members, the program this year instituted a new giving circle, the Sustaining Fellows, which recognizes cumulative gifts at a variety of levels from members over the lifetime of their giving. Many loyal Contributing Members have supported the Smithsonian through Contributing Membership for more than three decades, and their dues and special gifts are essential to the Institution’s core exhibition, outreach, and education work. “I am always glad to contribute to the Smithsonian. One of my happy early memories is attending exhibits in the Smithsonian with my mother,” said a Sustaining Fellow member in Maryland since 1984. “I’ll continue my support of the museum as I’m able, as I sincerely believe that it is a treasure,” said a California member since 1982. “While my contributions are small, I have always liked to believe that they played their part in the many, worthy endeavors that the Smithsonian has been involved with over the years,” wrote a Louisiana Sustaining Fellow who has been a member since 1984. The Smithsonian is fortunate to benefit from the philanthropy of many members such as these, whose gifts of all sizes have a direct and positive impact on our ability to serve all Americans no matter where they live. The James Smithson Society, the premier circle of membership support, continued a 26-year tradition of philanthropy in 2002 and gave nearly $925,000 in dues and special gifts. In May 2002, the society honored Guenther and Siewchin Yong Sommer with the James Smithson Society Founder Medal. With 70 members, the Smithsonian Corporate Membership Program raised $1.16 million in unrestricted funds. General Motors earned the Corporate Leadership Award for its extraordinary $10 million gift toward the renovation of the National Museum of American History’s transportation hall and the new America on the Move exhibition. Created in 1996, the Smithsonian Legacy Society honors individuals and couples who have followed in the footsteps of the Institution’s founder, James Smithson, and included the Smithsonian in their estate plans or established life income gifts. Legacy Society honorees’ combined gifts to date total more than $65 million. The charitable gift annuity continues to be a popular legacy gift, and this year, 51 new annuities were established for a total of 159 to date and a total of $9.2 million. Other volunteer groups also helped the Smithsonian carry out its mission through financial support and efforts on its behalf. The Smithsonian National Board, the Institution’s dedicated volunteer advisory group, raised nearly $2 million in 2002. In addition, several past and present members of the National Board made generous gifts to the Smithsonian this year. The Smithsonian Women’s Committee again made a lasting impact by seeding projects throughout the Institution. Proceeds of $418,000 from the committee’s annual Smithsonian Craft Show were distributed through the committee’s grants program to 22 projects. The Smithsonian Institution is fortunate to count many Americans and friends across the globe among its family members who include us in their estate planning, serve on advisory boards and commissions, and provide generous philanthropy at all levels. The list that follows recognizes the groups already identified, as well as all donors at the level of $2,000 and above from October 1, 2001, through September 30, 2002. Although the donor lists are checked carefully each year, readers who find an error in this list are invited to call (202) 633-0248. Ways to Give to the SmithsonianIndividuals and organizations support the Smithsonian in ways as broad and varied as the work of the Institution itself. Each year, private funds from individuals, corporations, foundations, and other organizations help cover the costs of bringing the Institution’s wide-ranging programs and services to the American people and the world. This private support, which continues the long history of philanthropy that began with the founding gift of English scientist James Smithson, has never been of greater importance and is deeply appreciated. To match their interests with the Smithsonian’s needs, donors may take advantage of the following gift opportunities. Gifts for Many Purposes Individual giving strengthens the Institution’s ability to serve the next generation of Americans. Personal gifts to the Smithsonian may be structured in many ways, from cash, stock, or other personal assets to legacy gifts that can provide the donor with tax benefits and income for life (see below). Endowed gifts support the Institution in perpetuity and provide long-term recognition. Memorial and commemorative gifts recognize friends or family members in the nation’s museum. Gifts may be made to the Institution at large or directed to a specific museum, research center, or program. Annual Memberships Individuals may support the Institution through a Contributing Membership. Member and donor gifts and dues are unrestricted funds that sustain the Institution’s national outreach, scientific research, public programs, and the preservation of art and artifacts. Members receive special benefits at levels from $75 to $10,000. The Institution’s premier circle of support, the James Smithson Society, provides members with special institutional privileges at the $2,000; $3,500; $5,000; and $10,000 membership levels. James Smithson Society Endowed Life Members give one-time endowment gifts of $40,000 and receive the privileges of the James Smithson Society for life. For more information, call (202) 357-1699 or (800) 931-3226; e-mail membership@od.si.edu; or visit www.smithsonianmembership.com. Legacy Gifts Many individuals choose to include the Smithsonian in their estate plans through bequests, living trusts, or gifts of retirement plan assets. Upon notifying the Institution of their intentions, they become members of the Smithsonian Legacy Society. In addition, Life Income Gifts such as charitable gift annuities, charitable remainder trusts, and pooled income gifts allow donors to give now and receive income and recognition during their lifetime. For more information, call (888) 419-7584, or visit www.si.edu/plangiv. Corporate Associations The Smithsonian welcomes relationships with corporations for the purpose of advancing programmatic, outreach, and financial goals. In addition, corporations can join the Smithsonian Corporate Membership Program and choose from five levels of membership $100,000—Corporate Partner $50,000—Corporate Leader $25,000—Corporate Patron $10,000—Corporate Benefactor $5,000—Corporate Friend For more information To learn more about how you can support the Institution’s dynamic mission “for the increase and diffusion of knowledge,” please contact Virginia B. Clark Director of External Affairs 1000 Jefferson Drive S.W., 4th Floor MRC 027, P.O. Box 37012 Washington, D.C. 20013-7012 Phone: (202) 357-4300 Fax: (202) 786-2516 E-mail: giving@si.edu Web: www.si.edu/giving Smithsonian AdministrationThe Smithsonian Institution is the world’s largest museum and research complex, with 16 museums, the National Zoo, and a number of research facilities around the world. It was created by an act of Congress in 1846 in accordance with the terms of the will of James Smithson of England, who in 1826 bequeathed his property to the United States of America “to found at Washington, under the name of the Smithsonian Institution, an establishment for the increase and diffusion of knowledge among men.” After receiving the property and accepting the trust, Congress vested responsibility for administering the trust in the Smithsonian Board of Regents.
To contact staff members listed above, call (202) 357-2700 for addresses and telephone numbers. Museums
Research Facilities and Resources
Education and Outreach
The Smithsonian’s 2002 annual report, Building a Smithsonian for the Future, is available online at www.smithsonian.org. Project
Director: Kathryn Lindeman Project
Assistant: Colleen Hershberger Editors:
Ellen Hirzy, Caroline Taylor, Grey Hautaluoma, John Yahner Design:
Janice Wheeler Digital
Imaging Editor: Dane Penland Photographers: Thomas Arledge, Florence Arquin, Mark Avino, Jane Beck, William Billeck, Duane Blue Spruce, Michael Branscom, Constance Brown, Anita Calero, Jessie Cohen, Julie Cox, Steven M. Cummings, Karolyn Darrow, James DiLoreto, Peter Ditchfield, Harold Dorwin, Michael Fischer, Matt Flynn, Katherine Fogden, Jon Goell, Marcos A. Guerra, Carl Hansen, Anne Keiser, Kenneth Larsen, Glenn Levy, Eric Long, Bruce Miller, Henry Milne, Laurie Minor Penland, Carolyn Russo, Chris Smith, Lee Stalsworth, Carsten Stehr, Basil Stergios, Richard Strauss, Hugh Talman, Jeff Tinsley, Gene Young Smithsonian Institution Press • Washington, D.C. • 2003 |