ANNUAL REPORT 2001 - National Museum of American History · 2002. 12. 16. · 2 National Museum of...

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14th & Constitution Avenue, NWWashington, DC 20560americanhistory.si.edu

Congressional Family Night

National Museum of American History, Behring Center

S E P T E M B E R 2 2 , 2 0 0 1

The Honorable Ivan SelinChairman of the BoardWashington, D.C.

Mr. George M. Ferris Jr.Vice Chairman of the BoardChairman, Ferris, Baker Watts, Inc.Washington, D.C.

Mr. Todd AxelrodPresident, Gallery of History, Inc.Las Vegas, Nevada

Mr. David E. BehringPresident, Blackhawk MuseumDanville, California

Dr. Alison BernsteinVice President of the Education, Media, Arts and CultureProgram, The Ford FoundationNew York, New York

Mr. H. P. (Pete) ClaussenChairman, Development CommitteeChairman, Gulf & Ohio RailwaysKnoxville, Tennessee

The Honorable Thad Cochran (R-Mississippi)United States Senate and Smithsonian Regent Jackson, Mississippi; Washington, D.C.

Mr. Lester L. Colbert Jr.Private InvestorNew York, New York

The Honorable Richard DarmanPartner, The Carlyle GroupWashington, D.C.

Ms. Anita DeFrantzPresident, Amateur Athletic FoundationLos Angeles, California

Mr. David M. FieldsVice President and General Counsel, The Irvine CompanyNewport Beach, California

Mr. Jerry FlorenceChairman, CEO, and President, e-MedNet, Inc.Santa Monica, California

Mr. George Clemon Freeman Jr.Chairman, Nominating CommitteeSenior Partner, Hunton & WilliamsRichmond, Virginia

Dr. F. Sheldon HackneyProfessor of History, University of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania

Mr. Robert F. Hemphill Jr.Secretary of the Board; Chairman, TechnologyCommitteeManaging Director, Toucan Capital CorporationBethesda, Maryland

Ms. Irene Y. HiranoExecutive Director and President,Japanese American National MuseumLos Angeles, California

Thomas W. Langfitt M.D.Senior Fellow, Management Department, The Wharton School, University of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania

Mrs. Dorothy LemelsonPresident and Director, The Lemelson FoundationIncline Village, Nevada

Mr. Donald G. LubinPartner, Sonnenschein Nath & RosenthalChicago, Illinois

Mrs. Elizabeth (Betty) S. MacMillanPresident, WEM FoundationWayzata, Minnesota

Mr. James R. MellorChairman Emeritus, General Dynamics Laguna Beach, California

Mr. Philip MerrillChairman, Capital Gazette CommunicationsWashington, D.C.

Mr. Elihu RoseChairman, Program CommitteePartner, Rose AssociatesNew York, New York

Seymour I. Schwartz M.D.Distinguished Alumni Professor of Surgery,University of RochesterRochester, New York

Mr. Marvin D. WilliamsVice President, Parsons CorporationDallas, Texas

Ms. Tae YooSan Jose, California

NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AMERICAN HISTORY BOARD

COVER: “Goddess of Liberty” weathervane, circa 1870

ANNUAL REPORT 2001

National Museum of American History

Behring Center

2 National Museum of American History, Behring Center

From the DirectorThe National Museum of American History, with its incomparable reminders of the

nation’s vibrant heritage, is particularly important to Americans in these times. We

need reminders of our strengths and our future promise as a nation, and this

Museum has much to teach us.

This year’s activities provided a glimpse of the programs we’ll be developing in the

future. We introduced The American Presidency and Within These Walls..., two exhibi-

tions whose memorable objects, engaging stories, and educational experiences

exemplify the exhibitions we plan to create. We launched HistoryWired, an innovative

experiment in crafting a self-directed museum experience exclusively for the Web.

And we reported on the Star-Spangled Banner Preservation Project’s preliminary

results, which illustrate the intriguing links between science and history.

At the end of the fiscal year I announced my resignation to become executive

director and chief executive officer of the National Underground Railroad Freedom

Center in Cincinnati, Ohio. My 20 years at the Smithsonian—the last nine as director

of the Museum—have been both professionally and personally rewarding. Museums

are collaborative enterprises, and so I credit our success to the generosity of our

many donors and sponsors, the wise and energetic leadership of our Board, and the

imagination and expertise of our staff.

This annual report highlights these collaborative accomplishments and offers a

closer look at the Museum that, for many Americans, is the Smithsonian experience.

From the Acting DirectorExciting changes are on the horizon for the National Museum of American History—

one of the Smithsonian’s best-loved museums and the home of some of its most

celebrated objects. The principal focus of this dramatic renewal is our service to the

public. How can we make our physical spaces more welcoming and easier to

navigate? What are the most effective ways to present our extensive collections? How

do we provide the best possible experiences for our visitors? How can we extend the

Museum beyond its walls?

In the collaborative spirit that Spencer Crew describes, we are inviting a range of

perspectives on these complex questions. I am pleased to work with the staff, the

Board, and the Blue Ribbon Commission during this interim period. Change is not

always easy for a large institution, but our intentions are clear: a revitalized Museum

that is an irresistible drawing card for the public, a Museum that inspires, educates,

entertains, and changes lives.

S P E N C E R C R E W

M A R C P A C H T E R

Annual Report 2001 3

From the ChairmanFor the Smithsonian Institution, the 2001 fiscal year was a difficult one. After

September 11, visits to Smithsonian museums decreased. The terrible events of that

day cut badly into tourist visits to Washington and resulted in loss of revenue in the

museum stores, restaurants, and theaters.

At the same time, the Smithsonian’s mission and strategy were the focus of a painful

but important public discussion. The National Museum of American History—specifi-

cally the difficulties surrounding the gift of the Catherine B. Reynolds Foundation—

was a high-profile part of this discussion. More generally, the Museum shared the chal-

lenges that faced the Institution as a whole, as well as several of its own.

In this context, the Museum began a large-scale transformation, including the

reconstruction of its building and a redirection of its portrayal of American history.

At the end of the fiscal year, Museum director Spencer Crew announced his depar-

ture to take on new opportunities.

But this difficult year was also a year of achievement for the Museum, as we

created a solid foundation for our transformation. The work of the Blue Ribbon

Commission gives us a number of high-level yet focused recommendations that will

greatly help to improve the Museum. Our fund-raising success—including a major

commitment of $40 million from the Lemelson Foundation—shows donors’ confi-

dence in the Museum’s potential.

Other significant accomplishments are described in this annual report:

• Successful new exhibitions, including The American Presidency, Paint by Number,

and Within These Walls…

• Evolving plans for future exhibitions such as America on the Move

• Research contributions by Museum staff, including a report on the Star-Spangled

Banner Preservation Project

• Educational programs for teachers and students—in Washington and in

cyberspace—that lived up to our reputation for excellence

• Three outstanding new websites that expand outreach possibilities—

HistoryWired, Within These Walls…, and The American Presidency

As director for nine years, Spencer R. Crew was instrumental in moving the

Museum forward. The Board joins me in expressing our deep appreciation to Dr.

Crew for his service and his leadership. During the search for a new director, we are

fortunate that Marc Pachter, director of the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery,

agreed to serve as acting director.

By the year’s end, we had launched a major transformation, and we had fashioned

a suitable base for this transformation in spite of a difficult environment. We realize

that a great challenge lies ahead, but we enter the new year with confidence and

high expectations.

I V A N S E L I N


Building momentum for changeMemory, identity, hope—these are essential needs, and more than

ever, the National Museum of American History can fulfill them. The

Museum is a trusted and meaningful place. As a keeper of memory

and identity and as a place that inspires hope in the future, the

Museum invites people to connect with the symbolic objects and

experiences that explain what it means to be American.

For the Museum, 2001 has been a time to gather momentum and

reaffirm fundamental principles. We began the year with a major

permanent exhibition—The American Presidency: A Glorious Burden—

that garnered media acclaim and public enthusiasm. Near the end of

the year, as we confronted unprecedented national tragedy, we

reaffirmed the Museum’s exceptional responsibility as a preserver of

meaning and a link to American identity.

This annual report for 2001 provides a closer look at the

collaborative effort that is behind the revitalization of the Museum.

From the dedicated support of the United States Congress and private

citizens, to the teamwork that resulted in the exhibition Within These

Walls..., to the technology partnership that gave us HistoryWired on

the Web, a dynamic enterprise is shaping a Museum in transformation.

Detail of the Star-SpangledBanner after conservatorsremoved the stitches thatattached its 1914 linenbacking. The flag’s true,vibrant colors are revealed.

WITHIN THESE WALLS. . ._

Look through this doorway

into a 240-year-old house,

where you’ll meet ordinary

people who spent their

everyday lives in these rooms.

Through their stories you’ll

learn more about the house

and its inhabitants’

connections to changes and

events in the nation’s history.

On the following pages,

take a closer look at the

development of Within These

Walls…, a Museum exhibition

that inspires visitors to see

history from a different

vantage point—a history that

begins at home.


he process of developing Within These Walls…

could be compared to assembling the pieces of a

puzzle. Museum curators combined traditional his-

torical research methods with scientific analysis to

uncover intriguing information about the house

and the nearly 100 people who called it home.

Saved from demolition in 1963, the 2½-story

timber-framed dwelling was carefully disman-

tled and moved from Ipswich, Massachusetts, to the Smithsonian,

where it first went on display in 1967. At the time, its frame was

exposed to explain 18th-century New England building

techniques. The house was removed from exhibition in 1982.

When curators began to plan a new exhibition around the

Museum’s largest object, they took a different approach. Instead of

interpreting the house as an architectural artifact, they decided to show

how it has changed over time through the stories of five families who

lived in it. The exhibition, which opened on May 15, 2001, invites visi-

tors to look into parts of three rooms and an entrance hall, each

furnished with objects that suggest the household activities carried out

in these spaces.

The project team for Within These Walls… included co-curators Lonn

Taylor, Shelley Nickles, and William Yeingst, exhibition designer Nigel

Briggs, and project director Susan Myers.

Architectural features suggested that the original house, builtfor Abraham Choate’s family in the 1760s, had two parts. The

rear section is an older dwelling built around1710 that was joined to the newer front section of thehouse to create more space. Experts on timber fram-ing and dendochronology—the science of datingtimbers by tree-ring growth—helped to date thehouse. Tool marks found on the front section indicatethat the timber was pre-cut in a framing yard andmarked with Roman numerals to guide workers whoassembled it. The framing of the older section wasmost likely hand-hewn. A dendochronologistcompared core samples of wood from the framingwith dated samples from trees in New England. Thistechnology established that the timber from the olderpart of the house was cut in the fall of 1709, while thenewer section was cut between 1767 and 1769.

The structure speaks

T

FROM ABOVE LEFT: 16 ElmStreet, Ipswich,Massachusetts, 1963, thecenterpiece of WithinThese Walls…; HouseDetective brochure; co-curator Lonn Taylor(right) with architecturalhistorian Myron Stachiw;carpenter’s marks on thehouse’s timber framingOPPOSITE: The front hall asit would have appearedduring the RevolutionaryWar


Analysis of paint samples from the house offered cluesabout its chronology, its original appearance, and its vari-

ous owners. A preservation paint specialist worked forseveral days to find and collect tiny paint chips from

throughout the house. Under a micro-scope, seven to nine layers of paint were

evident. Spectroscopic analysis provided a chemicalbreakdown showing that Abraham Choate used anexpensive bright green, or verdigris, paint on theentrance hall and staircase. This finding corroboratedpublic records and confirmed the family’s economicstatus.

Another paint specialist used the information aboutpaint colors to re-create the interiors for the exhibition.Mixing earth pigments with linseed oil, he developed aformula based on 18th- and 19th-century paint. Thesecolors—including the Choates’ bright green—wereapplied with re-created period tools for authenticity.

Layers of history

Two reproduction wallpapers displayed in the exhibition were made using verydifferent techniques. In the Choates’ paneled and wallpapered parlor, thehandmade block-printed paper is reproduced from a pattern chosen from thecollection of historic wallpapers at the Society for the Preservation of New

England Antiquities (SPNEA). This wallpaper, known to have beenused in Ipswich in the 1760s, contributes to the elegant surround-ings where the family received their guests. The Lynch family’shallway, an interactive section of the exhibition, called for wallpa-per that visitors could touch, and technology offered a viableoption. The exhibition designer scanned a photograph of an appro-priate pattern in the SPNEA collection and used image-editingsoftware to create missing and damaged parts of the pattern tomake a full repeat. The 18-by-24-inch segments were printed witha special inkjet process and hungwith traditional methods. Thiswallpaper is well suited for ahands-on area because it can bereplaced easily when worn.

Wallpaper made to order

FROM ABOVE LEFT:Removing paint samplesfor analysis; painting inauthentic period colorswith an 18th-centuryround brush; co-curatorWilliam Yeingst; theChoate family’s parlor


Within These Walls... curators selected more than 100 objects that link thehouse and its occupants to American history. Objects were drawn from the

Museum’s collections, purchased, and lent by residents of Ipswich. Atea table in the Choates’ parlor was important to the social ritualsof well-to-do families in the 1760s. Near the Dodge family’sentrance hall, objects from the Revolutionary War period—includ-

ing a rare regimental coat—recall the struggles and sacrifices of thetime. The child’s cradle quilt exhibited near the Caldwells’ par-

lor was sold at an antislavery fair in 1836 to support theabolitionist cause. A toy horse and jaunting cart, in theLynch family’s section, was an Irish immigrant’s cherishedkeepsake in her new home. On the home front in theScotts’ kitchen, everyday objects were part of the wareffort—canning equipment, blackout shades, and a

Life within these walls

Reconstructing the storiesExceptional stories about ordinary lives emerged as cura-

tors gathered information about the house’s inhabitants.

Documents, photographs, maps, and other source material

yielded clues to the lives of five families chosen for the

exhibition: the Choates, prosperous American colonists;

the Dodges, Revolutionary War patriots; the Caldwells, anti-

slavery activists; the Lynches, an Irish immigrant worker

and her daughter; and the Scotts, a woman and her grand-

son on the home front during World War II.

• Abraham Dodge’s will—which leaves the services of

his African American servant, Chance, to his wife—shows

that even though Chance was free, he remained an

indentured servant.

• A newspaper notice from 1839 announces a meeting

of the Ipswich Female Antislavery Society at the

Caldwells’ home, providing an insight into women’s

roles as social reformers.

• Photographs and maps documented the

neighborhood’s transition to a textile manufacturing district by

the 1870s, explaining why the house was divided into

apartments for immigrants working in the mills.

• The curators were fortunate to locate the last surviving resident of

the house—Mary Scott’s grandson Richard Lynch. His recollections

provided valuable information about life in the house during the 1940s.

FROM BELOW: RichardLynch, resident from1941 to 1945, in theScott family kitchen;Lynch’s grandmotherMary Scott and pagesfrom her diary of life onthe home front; aRevolutionary War coat,1777–79; an English dollfrom the 1700s


Creating the exhibitionThe exhibition design team faced some chal-

lenges and opportunities:

• Respect for the house’s

integrity. Since the house is part

of the Museum’s collection,

noninvasive and reversible dis-

play methods were required.

For its 1967 display, the house

had been stripped to its

framework, so the plans to

re-create the exterior and

interior posed a challenge. As

a solution, designer Nigel Briggs

devised a revolutionary stud and

bracket system in order not to drill

into the frame.

• Creative solutions. An aluminum

framework was constructed to suggest

the missing portions of the house,

including a two-story lean-to with a

parlor below and a chamber above. The open

framework also gives visitors the feeling of

walking through the house.

• Visitor involvement. The exhibition design

incorporates interactive segments that engage

visitors in period life. There are touchable mod-

els and reproductions, audio programs that

evoke the atmosphere of the time,

interactive question-and-answer

“clues” about the house, and an

activity in the Lynch family sec-

tion where visitors can lift a

heavy pail of water and wring

out laundry.

Exhibition designer NigelBriggs (RIGHT) and thedesign team bring thehouse back to life as theyreconstruct the housewith its aluminumframework.

Engaging people in historyEducational opportunities—including public and school

programs, a publication, and an award-winning website—

complement Within These Walls.... Anticipating that the

exhibition would inspire visitors to find out more about their

own homes, Museum educators produced House Detective, a

free brochure about researching a house’s history. Programs

such as regular demonstrations of lace making and quilting

bring everyday activities to life. During the summer of 2001, a

World War II–style victory garden thrived outside the Museum,

and the Smithsonian Folklife Festival linked the exhibition to

the festival’s program on the

building arts. The Within These

Walls... website features a virtual

exhibition, a teacher’s guide to

using the site with students, and

a “Go Back in Time” activity

(americanhistory.si.edu/house).


Within These Walls… is sponsored by the National Association of Realtors in a15-year partnership with the Museum. Other support for the exhibition is pro-vided by Discover Card and the David Greenewalt Charitable Trust.

According to John McDonagh, theMuseum’s chief campaign and developmentofficer, “The strategic partnership betweenthe Museum and the National Association ofRealtors, sponsor of Within These Walls...,symbolizes shared goals for public education:The Museum teaches history through the livesof ordinary people, and NAR raises publicawareness about homeownership and its rolein the American Dream.”

Sponsors

ABOVE: Co-curator ShelleyNickles helps a youngvisitor do laundry the18th-century way at theopening celebration. LEFT: Visitors enjoy plantsfrom the victory gardenand try some handplaning.

BELOW, LEFT TO RIGHT:Spencer Crew, Museumdirector; RobertGoldberg, senior vp ofmarketing and businessdevelopment, NAR;Richard Mendenhall,NAR president (2001)


during fiscal 2001, and thousands more

browsed The American Presidency web-

site or participated in programs at the

Museum.

Opening festivities included a dinner

for exhibition sponsors and other friends

of the Museum.

Family members of

past presidents added

a personal touch by

reflecting on their

White House

experiences. Dwight D.

Eisenhower’s

granddaughter Susan

Eisenhower found the

exhibition appealing

because it “makes what seems awesome

to ordinary Americans both interesting

and accessible.”

A variety of programs made the nation’s

highest office even more accessible:

• The Presidency Family Festival in

February featured music, hands-on

activities, readings by children’s

authors, and the chance to meet past

presidents brought to life by

costumed interpreters.

• John Hope Franklin, noted scholar of

African American history, reflected on

a half-century of presidential initia-

tives on race in an evening

conversation with

Museum

The American Presidency:

A Glorious Burden, a perma-

nent exhibition that opened

in November 2000,

celebrates the continuity

and the challenges of this

unique American institu-

tion. Nine hundred objects

chosen from the Museum’s

political history collection—the largest

of its kind—tell the complex story of the

nation’s highest office.

The most extensive exhibition ever

organized by the Smithsonian has

attracted wide attention—especially

during the uncertain period after the

2000 presidential election when the

media turned to the Museum as a

resource. More than 675,000

people visited the

exhibition

Warren G. Harding called the presidency

“a hell of a job,” and James K. Polk considered

himself “the hardest-working man in this

country.” Thomas Jefferson—just the third

person to hold the office—considered it

a “splendid misery.”

THE AMERICAN PRES IDENCY:

FROM ABOVE: Portrait ofMartha Washington, 1795, byJohn Trumbull; pennant fromLyndon B. Johnson’sinaugurationOPPOSITE: George Washing-ton’s general officer uniform

A Glorious Burden


historian James Horton.

• The concert series Music of the White

House highlighted music and musi-

cians from the past 150 years—

chamber, jazz, folk, gospel, and more.

Performances sometimes featured the

1903 White House Golden Grand

Steinway, the instrument played in

the East Room until it was given to the

Smithsonian in 1938.

• The popular OurStory: History

through Children’s Literature series

focused on presidential themes

throughout the year. In one program,

Karen Winnick read and signed

her book Mr. Lincoln’s

Whiskers, “President Lincoln”

gave families a tour, and children

wrote letters to President Bush

and made their own Lincoln hats

and beards.

Other resources developed

for The American Presidency

included a teachers’

workshop, a family activity

guide, online and print edu-

cational materials produced

by the Museum in partner-

ship with The History Channel, and an

award-winning book, The American

Presidency: A Glorious Burden, by Lonnie

G. Bunch III, Spencer R. Crew, Mark G.

Hirsch, and Harry Rubenstein.

People across the nation will be able

to enjoy The American Presidency in

their hometowns as two touring versions

are circulated by the Smithsonian

Institution Traveling Exhibition Service.

The exhibition opens at the Chicago

Historical Society in February 2002, and

travels to at least four other venues.

The American Presidency is made

possible by the generous support of

individual donors and corporate part-

ners, including: Kenneth E.

Behring; The History

Channel; Chevy Chase

Bank; Cisco Systems,

Inc.; Elizabeth and

Whitney MacMillan; and

Heidi and Max Berry.

Additional sponsors

include: Automatic

Data Processing, Inc.;

KPMG LLP; Sears,

Roebuck and Co.;

and T. Rowe

Price Associ-

ates, Inc.

D A V I D B E H R I N G

Board member

“The AmericanPresidency has every-

thing a museumexhibition should have:

superb artifacts,fascinating stories,

engaging interactivedisplays. And visitorsfind out that history—

even the history of the world’s most

powerful office—has ahuman side.”

FROM ABOVE: Tricia Nixon Coxand son Christopher Cox withanother guest at the openingdinner for The AmericanPresidency; a young visitortrying on a presidential tophat


A C L O S E R L O O K

Exhibition researchoftenyields intriguing discoveries as

curators combine objects to conveyideas and relate a narrative. The

American Presidency: A GloriousBurden capitalized on the Museum’s

vast collection, which is especiallystrong in political history.

From a preliminary list of severalthousand objects, curators Lonnie G.Bunch III, Spencer R. Crew, Mark G.

Hirsch, and Harry Rubensteinculled about 900 for the

exhibition. In theirsearch throughstorage areas forpresidentialartifacts, Museumstaff made a num-ber of memorablefinds, includingWarren G.

Harding’s elegantturquoise silk

pajamas; TheodoreRoosevelt’s foldingcamp table, unexpect-edly containing somelabeled and preservedbirds from his Africantravels; and an ivory-handled letter seal thatJames K. Polk used

when signing documents and answering correspondence.

The selection processrequired careful compro-mises. “It’s a challenge tochoose the right objectthat tells the story in a freshand exciting way, yet have objects that

are intrinsically interesting to people,”Bunch explained.

Mining the collection

T H E A M E R I C A N P R E S I D E N C Y

FROM TOP LEFT: Detail, GeorgeWashington’s cane; microphoneused during Franklin D.Roosevelt’s fireside-chat radiobroadcasts; an exhibit casefeaturing Dwight D.Eisenhower’s golf bag; WarrenG. Harding’s silk pajamas


E X H I B I T I O N S A N D P U B L I C

Paint by Number

Paint by Number: Accounting for Taste in

the 1950s, on view from April 2001

through January 2002, revisited

an American phenomenon:

the popular kits that turned

ordinary people into leisure-

time painters. Hobbyists were

content to color inside the

lines, filling numbered

spaces on a canvas with pre-

mixed paint colors. But

cultural critics were

appalled at this uniquely

American trend, which

they considered a sign of mindless

conformity.

Exhibition curator Larry Bird

arranged loans of completed creations

from collectors across the country. The

overwhelming success of paint by num-

ber, he says, “shows that people who

have never picked up a paintbrush could

get accustomed to making art.”

To generate public interest in the exhi-

bition, Dan Robbins, one of the inventors

of the paint-by-number concept, created

line art and a 35-color palette for an 18-

by-25-foot banner outside the Museum.

Over a three-week period, aspiring

artists—including Robbins, Museum

director Spencer Crew, and Secretary

Lawrence M. Small—were lifted in a

cherry picker to help create a multihued

lighthouse scene.

Visitors can post memories of paint

by number online in the virtual exhibi-

tion, americanhistory.si.edu/paint. One


Adonation to theMuseum’s ArchivesCenter sparked curator Larry

Bird’s interest in the paint-by-numberphenomenon. Max S. Klein’s PalmerPaint Company introduced paint-by-

number kits in 1951. When he died in1993, his daughter gave the ArchivesCenter scrapbooks, trade materials, andphotographs, and Bird saw the potentialfor an exhibition. His search for exam-ples took him to Toronto, Chicago, NewYork, Miami, and Boston—and then to

the Dwight D. Eisenhower Library inAbilene, Kansas. “It turns out thatEisenhower’s appointment secretarywanted to establish a White Housegallery,” Bird says, “so he distributedabout 20 paint-by-number kits to cabinetsecretaries and Oval Office visitors, whodid them, assuming it was thepresident’s wish.” Among the treasuresBird uncovered for the exhibition werecreations by amateur painters J. EdgarHoover, Nelson Rockefeller, and EthelMerman.

The paint-by-number craze

OPPOSITE: Photographs ofNobel laureates by PeterBadge on view in NobelVoices


P R O G R A M S

self-described “amateur artist” speaks

for many others: “Paint-by-number

introduced me to the smell and feel of

‘real’ oil paint that still thrills me today.

Thank you. I wish I still had some of my

old paint-by-numbers to hang on the

wall now.”

Nobel Voices

Nobel Voices—Celebrating 100 Years of

the Nobel Prize saluted the innovative

spirit and vision honored each year by

the Nobel Prizes. A collaboration of the

Lemelson Center for the Study of Inven-

tion and Innovation, the Deutsches

Museum Bonn, and the National Portrait

Gallery, it was on view from late April to

early November in 2001. Nobel Voices

launched Spirit of Innovation, a series of

exhibitions, public programs, and edu-

cational activities sponsored by the

Lemelson Center from April 2001

through December 2002 and made pos-

sible by the Lemelson Foundation.

The exhibition included fascinating

objects associated with the prize, but the

Nobel laureates themselves—speaking

through short video interviews and wall

text—were the center of attention. Co-

curator Arthur Molella, director of the

Lemelson Center, wanted these remark-

able individuals to share their inspiring

stories as a way of motivating others.

“Sure, our lives have been changed by

discoveries like DNA, the bomb,” he told

a reporter. “But the people are the real

artifacts.”

Spirit of Innovation programs

began during Nobel Week, April 21–27,

2001. The Lemelson Center held an invi-

tation-only forum at which Nobel

laureates contemplated the future of

innovation. Public programs included a

hands-on workshop for local high

school students with Douglas Osheroff,

physics laureate in 1996, and a poetry

workshop for middle-school students

with Roald Hoffmann, winner of the

chemistry prize in 1981. The Smith-

sonian Associates sponsored an evening

with Elie Wiesel, winner of the Nobel

Peace Prize in 1986.

The website, nofestibel.com, features

portraits and a virtual exhibition with

excerpts from video interviews of Nobel

laureates.

Engaging people in the nation’s history

D A V I D F I E L D S

Board member

“Chartered by Congressto tell the American

story, the Museum bearsa tremendous

responsibility and enjoysan unprecedented

opportunity to capturethe many dimensions of

America’s past.”


Freeze Frame

Eadweard Muybridge’s famous animal-

and human-locomotion photographs,

made between 1884 and 1887, brought

the photographer international fame

and have long been considered a signifi-

cant scientific resource for studying the

body in motion. But a recent Museum

exhibition, Freeze Frame: Eadweard

Muybridge’s Photography of Motion,

offered a more complex interpretation.

Research on the Museum’s collection of

more than 800 working proofs—which

recently have undergone conservation

treatment to make them accessible to

scholars and the public—reveals

that Muybridge freely manipu-

lated his negatives to make

the final prints.

Freeze Frame was

on view from

October 2000

through mid-

March 2001. To

visit the interactive

virtual exhibition,

go to american

history.si.edu/

muybridge.

Family Celebration

of American Stories

On a summer

Saturday afternoon, the

Museum invited fami-

lies to join in a Family Celebration of

American Stories. Throughout the build-

ing, objects and exhibitions came to life

with the help of authors, illustrators, sto-

rytellers, and musicians who shared tales

of the American experience through the

eyes of different communities.

Families discovered life on the great

American prairie, heard stories of escape

on the Underground Railroad, and

learned about World War II Japanese

American internment camps. They

shared their own family stories and also

tried quilting, weaving, origami, and salsa

dance lessons. Each family took home a

special family guide and reading list.

Tribute to Latino Style

Costumes worn by Latina

entertainers Celia Cruz, Selena,

and Rosita Fernández were

featured in Moda y

Música: Stage, Fashion,

and Style, a tribute to

Latino contributions

to music, enter-

tainment, and

fashion. An evening

gown created by Hispanic

American designer Luis

Estévez was also on view.

The Hispanic

Heritage Month presenta-

tion highlighted the

Museum’s Latino enter-

N O E L B . B E R M A N

Trustee, Music Performance

Trust Funds

“Our support for the livemusic programs

performed by theSmithsonian Jazz

Masterworks Orchestramakes it possible forgreater numbers of

citizens to appreciateand benefit from

exposure to this musicalart form that the

Congress has declaredto be our national

treasure.”

FROM ABOVE: Images fromEadweard Muybridge’sAnimal Locomotion, “Walkingand turning around rapidlywith a satchel in one hand, acane in the other”; CeliaCruz, the “Queen of Salsa,”wearing the gown shedonated to the collectionOPPOSITE: The SmithsonianJazz Masterworks Orchestrain performance with vocalistMiles Griffith


tainment and costume collections.

Cruz’s orange gown with white trim—a

gift from the “Queen of Salsa” in 1997—is

an adaptation of a traditional Cuban

rumba dress. All four costumes

represented ways Latinos have trans-

formed traditions from their native

countries into American style.

Star-Spangled Banner Snippings

In a common practice of the 1800s, the

owners of the Star-Spangled Banner gave

away small pieces of the flag, sharing it

with people who felt as they did about

the treasured icon. A number of these

fragments were displayed in Snippings

from the Star-Spangled Banner, on view

from mid-June to late September of

2001. The Museum recently acquired

two “snippings,” originally given to the

New England Historic Genealogical

Society in the 1870s by the flag’s owner,

Georgiana Armistead Appleton.

Music at the Museum

Civil War–era tunes, spirituals, folk

songs, jazz—music is an indelible part

of American history.

Throughout the

year, the

T O D D A X E L R O D

Board member

“Americans love andappreciate our historical

icons. The NationalMuseum of American

History brings thenation’s musical heritageto life, reminding us that

music is one of thosecherished treasures.”

E X H I B I T I O N S A N D P U B L I C P R O G R A M S

Museum used music to help tell the

nation’s stories. Some highlights:

• The 11th season of the Smithsonian

Jazz Masterworks Orchestra, the

Museum’s jazz orchestra-in-

residence, opened with concerts

dedicated to the legacy of jazz great

Louis Armstrong.

• Quincy Jones—bandleader, producer,

and composer—launched Jazz

Appreciation Month, an annual cele-

bration that will begin in April 2002.

• Continuing recitals, performance

tours, and master classes comple-

mented the exhibition Piano 300:

Celebrating Three Centuries of People

and Pianos.

• Performances featured period instru-

ments from the Museum’s collection,

including the White House Golden

Grand and a quartet of Stradivarius

instruments from the Herbert R.

Axelrod Collection.

• The 10th-anniversary Duke Ellington

Youth Festival, a collaboration of the

Museum, the District of Columbia

Public Schools, and the Library of

Congress, showcased the creative


N AT I O N A L O U T R E A C H A N D

HistoryWired

A popular new website invites virtual

visitors to wander through the

Museum’s storage areas for a glimpse of

objects they can’t see on public display.

Launched on August 15, 2001,

HistoryWired: A Few of Our Favorite

Things attracted more than 180,000

visitors in its first two months—nearly

40,000 of them in the first two days.

HistoryWired was developed in col-

laboration with SmartMoney.com using

mapping technology adapted from

investment and

personal finance

sites.

Visitors to

HistoryWired, at

historywired.

si.edu, explore a

grid representing 450 featured objects,

organized by category and searchable by

time frame and various topics. Clicking

on a square brings out more details

about an object from the Museum’s

curatorial records, along with informa-

tion culled from other Smithsonian

resources.

“One of the best things about the pro-

gram is that everyone seems to find

something that appeals to him or her

personally,” says the Museum’s Web

director, Judy Gradwohl. “Serendipity is

such an important part of a museum

visit, and with HistoryWired we can pro-

vide that same opportunity on the Web.”

Visitor feedback is constantly reshaping

the site. The size of an object’s square on

the grid indicates visitor ratings of the

objects they explore. Political figures and

popular culture generate the most

interest, and Kermit the Frog is at

the top of many visitors’ lists.

The HistoryWired websitetakes visitors on a journey ofdiscovery through theMuseum’s collection. Thissearch reveals more detailsabout the Kermit the Frogpuppet.

historywired.si.edu

Kermit the Frog—brought out of stor-

age for the evening—delighted children

and adults alike. As they made their way

through the Museum, visitors could “Ask

an Expert” about immigration, electric-

ity, the Star-Spangled Banner, jazz, and a

multitude of other topics. Hands-on

activities, demonstrations, and perform-

ances included making a replica of

Abraham Lincoln’s hat in The

American Presidency exhibition,

experimenting with the

paint-by-number tech-

nique, and listening to

the Smith-

sonian Jazz

Masterworks

Orchestra.


E D U C AT I O N


The Smithsonian’s sixth annual

Congressional Family Night, held this

year at the National Museum of

American History, linked the Museum to

its largest group of supporters—mem-

bers of Congress. “A Passport to History”

provided an evening of

family-oriented behind-the-

scenes activities. More than

700 participants of all

ages enjoyed a first-

hand look at the

Museum, a

chance to meet

Museum experts,

and a sneak pre-

view of coming

attractions.

Learning and discovery for all ages

ROBERT F. HEMPHILL JR.

Board member

“The electronic age is nolonger the future—it’s

the present. TheNational Museum of

American History has apowerful potential toconnect people with

history in ways that oncedefied the imagination.

As we transform theMuseum, technology can

revolutionize ourcapacity to engage,

inspire, and delight.”

Working with technol-ogy designers atSmartMoney.com, Museum staffmade a leap forward in replicating

the Museum experience on the Webwith HistoryWired. SmartMoney.com

was intrigued by the idea of findinginnovative uses for the specialized map-ping technology it has developed forfinancial sites. The Museum—with itscollection of 3 million objects, most ofthem not on public view—was an ideal

candidate for the experiment.SmartMoney.com’s technology design-

ers listened to the Museum’s needs andthen adapted the mapping interface atno cost as an in-kind donation. The tech-nology is “a great tool to explore anddiscover rich sources of information,”says Marc Frons, SmartMoney.com’s edi-tor and chief technology officer. “We arehonored to be able to contribute to theSmithsonian’s efforts to present its vastcollection in new and interesting ways.”

A winning technology partnership


Rep. Ike Skelton (D-Missouri)enjoying CongressionalFamily Night


Taking The American Presidency

into the Classroom

The 60 teachers from the Washington,

D.C., area who attended the Museum’s

workshop on The American Presidency

returned to their classrooms inspired,

excited, and equipped with practical

ideas for lessons and activities. Using a

teacher’s manual for grades 4–12 devel-

oped by the Museum in

collaboration with The

History Channel, they

planned effective strate-

gies for connecting their

curriculums to this major

new permanent exhibi-

tion.

The half-day workshop

began with a guided exhibition tour and

a session with Museum director and

exhibition co-curator Spencer Crew.

Then the participants

began concrete planning and

brainstorming. In small groups, they

shared ideas for using the lesson plans

and the pre- and post-visit activities for

the docent-guided school tour of the

exhibition. Each participant received a

teacher’s manual along with a free bus

trip to the Museum for his or her class.

In the classroom and in the

Museum, the workshop made a

difference. “The

materials...were amazing!” one

teacher said. “The students

really enjoyed the activi-

ties and the variety in

approaches

used to present the

information.” Another teacher said the

classroom preparation gave students “a

framework for the pieces of the exhibit.”

The American Presidency workshop,

held in December 2000, was one of 15

I R E N E Y . H I R A N O

Board member

“Reaching people wherethey live is an excellentway to link the nation’shistory museum with

more Americans.Affiliations, partnerships,

traveling exhibitions,educational programs

and resources—there aremany creative

possibilities for givingthis Museum a purpose

and a presencethroughout the nation.”


Practical curriculumresources for teachersadd value to the Museum’sprograms and exhibitions. For The

American Presidency, a team ofeducators and historians from the

Museum and The History Channelcombined their expertise to develop a

teacher’s manual for grades 4–12.Lesson plans and activities offer creative

strategies for linking the exhibition tothe study of American history. TheHistory Channel published the manualand distributed 17,000 copiesnationwide. It is also available online atamericanhistory.si.edu/presidency and atthehistorychannel.com/classroom. Thiswas the Museum’s second educationalpartnership with The History Channel.

Creating teaching resourcesFROM ABOVE RIGHT: AbrahamLincoln’s top hat; detail ofDaniel Chester French’sLincoln Memorial statue


teacher workshops developed and pre-

sented by the Museum’s education office

this year. Altogether, more than 500

teachers participated.

A Nobel Laureate’s Innovative Life

Science fascinated William Phillips from

an early age. He peered at household

“specimens” under a toy microscope,

created mechanical devices with his

Erector set, and won honorable mention

in a junior high school science fair for

his project on measuring radiation. His

innate curiosity led him to pursue a

career in physics—and in 1997, he

shared the Nobel Prize in physics with

two colleagues for their development of

techniques to “supercool” and trap

atoms with laser light.

Phillips was an inspiring role model

for seventh-graders from three

Maryland and Virginia schools who

attended a Lemelson Center “Innovative

Lives” program during Nobel Week at

the Museum in April 2001. He captivated

them with demonstrations of “super

cool” science using liquid nitrogen and

showed them how he uses a Levitron to

study magnetism. As he answered ques-

tions about his career and his research,

his enthusiasm was contagious.

Teachers reported that the students

returned to their classrooms energized

about science and eager to follow the

N AT I O N A L O U T R E A C H A N D E D U C AT I O N

GEORGE M. FERRIS JR.

Board vice chairman

“The Museum’scollections are the

starting point for anincomparable journey ofthe mind. ‘Real things’

leave indelible marks onour memory, and the

stories they contain helpus understand and

appreciate both pastand present.”

Nobel laureate WilliamPhillips and seventh-gradersin a Lemelson Center“Innovative Lives” program

progress of Phillips’s current research,

which includes atomic-clock experi-

ments aboard the International Space

Station in 2005.

“Innovative Lives” introduces middle-

school students to inventors and

scientists, who talk about their research

and share personal stories. The pro-

grams provide a rare opportunity for

conversations with noted scientists

while supporting the Lemelson Center’s

mission to encourage inventive creativ-

ity in young people.

A “Field Trip” for 3.9 Million

Middle Schoolers

What can historians tell us about the

Star-Spangled Banner? Why is the flag so

fragile today? And how are Museum

conservators planning to preserve this

national treasure for posterity?

An electronic field trip—one of five

held during 2000—gave middle-school

students a chance to explore these ques-

tions on a “visit” to the Museum with

their science and social studies classes.

Some 3.9 million students in 39 states

learned about the history and science of

the flag from Museum experts involved

in the Star-Spangled Banner Preserva-

tion Project. The program aired live on

the Fairfax Network in March 2001.

Suzanne Thomassen-Krauss, chief

conservator for the project, showed stu-

dents some of the things conservators

looked for when conducting their

detailed examination of the flag. In their

classrooms, students could follow along

with their own flags. Museum historian

Lonn Taylor provided the history of the

D O R O T H Y L E M E L S O N

Board member and

Lemelson Center co-founder

“Young people needinspiration and

encouragement tofollow their dreams. TheMuseum is a marvelousresource for teachingand learning. What

better place is there tointroduce them to the

innovation and creativitythat are so central to the

American story?”

Conservator removingstitches that held the Star-Spangled Banner to its 1914linen backing, a delicate jobthat required special tools(BELOW).



famous flag and shared anecdotes about

the detective work he did in researching

the story of the Star-Spangled Banner.

Francis Scott Key, played by a costumed

interpreter, talked about how he was

inspired to write the poem that became

the national anthem. Both Thomassen-

Krauss and Key fielded students’

questions submitted by e-mail and

telephone.

Two weeks before the broadcast, an

estimated 130,000 teachers reviewed

field-trip lessons in a 30-minute orienta-

tion session with Museum staff. A

videotape of the electronic field trip is

available to teachers through the web-

site, americanhistory.si.edu/ssb.

Young Scientist Challenge

Middle-school scientists from across the

country, finalists in the Discovery Young

Scientist Challenge, took on the “Star-

Spangled Banner Challenge” during

competition week at the Museum in

October 2000. Working in teams with

Museum staff as resources, they

analyzed samples of cloth bunting at the

Hands On Science Center and then

reported their observations about the

samples’ history and condition.

Communication, leadership, and prob-

lem-solving skills were all put to the test.

This national competition, sponsored

by Discovery Communications and

administered by Science Service, Inc.,

culminates in three days of team chal-

lenges and individual oral presentations

at the Smithsonian. Finalists were

treated to a behind-the-scenes tour of

the Star-Spangled Banner conservation

lab, where they talked with Museum

experts about the science of textile

preservation.

Forty finalists from 23 states came to

Washington to compete for more than

$30,000 in scholarships and other prizes.

The Smithsonian Young Innovator

award—a discretionary prize presented

by the Museum—went to eighth-grader

Neal Amin of Lansdale, Pennsylvania.

Neal attended an invitation-only forum

on innovation at the Lemelson Center

and had lunch with Phillip Sharp, 1993

N AT I O N A L O U T R E A C H A N D E D U C AT I O N

Young scientists take the“Star-Spangled BannerChallenge.”

C A R L O P A R R A V A N O

Executive director of the

Merck Institute for Science

Education

“A visit to the Hands OnScience Center is a greatway to stimulate a youngperson’s natural curiosityabout science. Merck ispleased to support the

center’s innovativeinteractive programs,

which contribute to thesolid science educationthat is so essential for a

productive life.”


COLLECTIONS AND RESEARCH

State of the Flag

Two-and-one-half years after intensive

examination and conservation of the

Star-Spangled Banner began, Museum

conservators concluded that the aging

flag is too fragile to be hung vertically for

public display. A 20-page State of the

Flag Report issued on Flag Day, June 14,

2001, explains conservators’ findings

about the flag’s condition, illustrates the

conservation treatment, and

describes the history

of the flag.

The decision about

where and how to

exhibit the flag—prob-

ably at no more than a

30-degree angle—will

be made as part of over-

all renovation plans for

the Museum, which

include a new permanent exhibition, For

Which It Stands. Visitors can still observe

ongoing conservation treatment through

windows in a specially designed labora-

tory in the Museum.

The Star-Spangled Banner Preserva-

tion Project is made possible by major

support from Polo Ralph Lauren.

Generous support is also provided by the

Pew Charitable Trusts, the United States

Congress, and the John S. and James L.

Knight Foundation, with special thanks

to former first lady Hillary Rodham

Clinton, the White House Millennium

Council, and Save America’s Treasures

at the National Trust for Historic

Preservation for their leadership.

Legacies: Collecting America’s History

at the Smithsonian

What makes an object worth treasuring?

As a nation, what do we save, and what

do our choices tell us about changing

visions of American identity? In Legacies:

Collecting America’s

History at the

Smithsonian, cura-

tors Steven Lubar

and Kathleen M.

Kendrick explore

these questions

through the stories

of more than 250

objects from the Museum’s

collection.

Legacies describes both renowned

objects and intriguing curiosities, all

chronicling the nation’s evolving iden-

tity, including a compass used on the

Lewis and Clark expedition, the John

Bull locomotive, a piece of Plymouth

Rock, and depression-era emergency

money.

The artifacts the Museum has

collected, Lubar and Kendrick write,

“reveal not just evidence about one per-

son’s life but also larger truths about

American history and identity.” The

Museum’s 1913 Model T Ford illustrates

Preserving and studying the Museum’s memorable artifacts

E L I H U R O S E

Board member

“The Museum’sincomparable collections

evoke wonder,inspiration, memory, andcuriosity. We use theseobjects and the stories

they hold to createcompelling exhibitions

and programs about theAmerican experience.”

these multiple layers of

significance. Beloved by

its original owner, Harvey

Carlton Locke, who

donated it to the Museum

in 1935, this historic auto-

mobile has been displayed

and interpreted in a variety

of ways—as a technological milestone,

an icon of American history, and a cul-

tural artifact.

A virtual exhibition based on Legacies:

Collecting America’s History at the

Smithsonian can be found on the web-

site, americanhistory.si.edu.

Publications by

Museum staff

From a teacher’s guide

on jazz to exhibition

catalogues to articles in

scholarly journals,

Museum scholars

shared their research with the

public and their peers. Active research

on topics related to the collection and to

American history in general provides an

intellectual framework for the Museum.

A complete list of staff publications is

available online at americanhistory.si.

edu/csr/pubs.htm.


When an exhibition isas popular as FirstLadies: Political Role and PublicImage, the wear and tear from visi-

tor traffic eventually begins to show.The 10-year-old exhibition—with the

first ladies’ gown collection as its cen-terpiece—looks its best again following

a recent facelift.The entire 8,000-square-foot display

received a fresh coat of paint, and carpet-ing was replaced in some areas. Museumstaff reviewed the text size on objectlabels to be sure it met the Americanswith Disabilities Act standards. In somecases, label text is being enlarged so thatit is more readable.

Although there were nocontent changes to First Ladies,there were two revisions soonafter George W. Bush’s inaugu-ration in January 2001. An areawas created to exhibit materialabout Laura Bush, and the newpresident and first lady wereadded to the exhibition time line.Continuing in the tradition ofother first ladies, Mrs. Bushdonated her inaugural gown tothe Museum. The red Chantillylace and silk satin gown (right)with crystal beading andmatching coat, shoes, andbag are on display in The

A refurbished First Ladies


A L I S O N B E R N S T E I N

Board member

“This one and onlynational history museumserves a vital purpose by

helping all citizens toengage with the drama

and endlessly fascinatingstory of how our nationhas struggled to live up

to our democraticideals.”


S E L E C T E D A C Q U I S I T I O N S

Leonard Nadel Collection

Magazine photographer Leonard Nadel

photographed Mexican farmworkers, or

braceros, in central Mexico and

California in the summer of 1956. An

outstanding collection of his prints and

negatives—the only known group of

bracero images—was an important

addition to the Museum’s Latino hold-

ings during fiscal 2001.

From 1942 to 1964, the bracero pro-

gram brought more than 4.5 million

Mexican nationals to the United States.

Mexican peasants, desperate for cash

work, were willing to take jobs at wages

that Americans scorned. Their presence

had a significant effect on the business

of farming and the culture of the nation.

Nadel’s photographs show the recruit-

ment of farm laborers, their processing

at U.S. “reception” centers, and their

working and living conditions in

California. The collection was purchased

by the Museum.

White House Press Passes

The president of the United States is the

object of intense scrutiny by the press,

which plays a central role in keeping a

watchful eye on presidential power. For

the exhibition The American Presidency:

A Glorious Burden, veteran reporter

Helen Thomas donated several White

House press passes to the Museum’s

political history collection.

Thomas has covered every chief

executive since John F. Kennedy, and for

many years she asked the opening

question when presidents met the press.

“When you think of presidential press

conferences, you think of Helen

Thomas,” says Harry Rubenstein,

curator of political history and one of the

exhibition’s curators. He phoned her

during his search for artifacts that

symbolize the press’s role, and she

responded by sending the passes over to

the Museum. They are on view in the

Limits of Power section of the exhibition.

Building the collection

These acquisitions are examples of the

30,663 objects that the Museum collected

in fiscal year 2001.

Leonard Nadel’s photographof a bracero worker in astrawberry field nearWatsonville, California

THOMAS W. LANGFITT

Board member

“The Museum brings tolife for the nation’s

children and youth thestory of our great nation

in all its glories anddespairs. It translatesthe abstraction of the

history text intosomething visible andpalpable that remains

with many of themforever.”


Historic Route 66, which stretchedfrom Chicago to Los Angeles,

has a mystique like no other high-way. It became a symbol of the

search for a better life after migrantfamilies followed it from the Dust

Bowl to California during the GreatDepression.

Forty-eight feet of original 1932 con-crete pavement from Route 66 is nowpart of the Museum’s collection, a giftfrom the State of Oklahoma Departmentof Transportation. In November 2003, itwill be part of America on the Move, a26,000-square-foot permanent exhibitionthat includes interpretation of the lives ofmigrating families, truck drivers, and oth-ers who drove on the famous road, aswell as the changing social and economic

patterns brought about by the con-struction of long-distancehighways.

Acquiring the historic pave-ment required some complexlogistics. Museum intern KevinSchlesier located the pavementwith the help of local historianswho had researched Route 66 inOklahoma. A state contractor,Plains Bridge Contracting, cut thepavement into sections andlifted them onto three flatbedtrucks. Central TechnologyCenter of Drumright, Oklahoma,a member of the OklahomaTrucking Association, donated its servicesto transport the pavement slabs toWashington. The eight slabs ofconcrete—weighing about 9,300 pounds

Sections of Route 66


FROM ABOVE RIGHT: HelenThomas’s White House presspasses; sea-turtle costumefrom Seattle protests

Seattle Protest Costume

Artifacts used during public demonstra-

tions help the Museum document a

fundamental American freedom—the

right to peaceable assembly. During

demonstrations at the 1999 World Trade

Organization meeting in Seattle, activists

from the Humane Society of the United

States wore sea-turtle costumes to make

a statement about global environmental

issues. One of the costumes is now part

of the Museum’s reform-movements

collection.

The Humane Society was part of a

large coalition of organizations

concerned over the relaxation of envi-

ronmental protections and human rights

resulting from global trade agreements.

The society donated the costume and

related material to the Museum in 2001

for possible inclusion in the upcoming

exhibition, America on the Move.

Building for the future


EXTERNAL RELATIONS AND

RIGHT: Dorothy LemelsonBELOW: Kenneth and PatriciaBehring

H. P. (PETE) CLAUSSEN

Board member

“The unprecedentedgenerosity of our donorsand sponsors—with theleadership of Kenneth E.

Behring and DorothyLemelson—is a strongendorsement for theMuseum’s transfor-

mation. Our foundationof support is growing,and we’re setting the

stage for innovation andsignificant national

outreach.”

Dynamic supporters enable the Museum to engage the public in theAmerican story more effectively. The Museum’s physical and intellectualtransformation depends on building relationships with diverse groups—

including the United States Congress, corporate and foundation partners, the

Museum’s Board, and other individual supporters.

Building these relationships is a continuous process led by the Museum’s

External Relations and Development staff. This report highlights some of these

important relationships and describes just a few of the activities presented

in the last fiscal year in support of the Museum's successful exhibitions

and programs.

The Lemelson Foundation’s commitment to the Museumreached $40 million this year with a gift of $14.5 millionto endow the Jerome and Dorothy Lemelson Center forthe Study of Invention and Innovation. The Center’s pro-grams and exhibitions honor the ingenuity and creativitythat is such an important part of our history. Additionalsupport from the Lemelson Foundation made possiblethe exhibition Nobel Voices—Celebrating 100 Years ofthe Nobel Prize, and is supporting the development of amajor traveling exhibition, Invention at Play. Meanwhile,the Lemelson Center’s vibrant educational programs—including “Innovative Lives” and a series of electronicfield trips—involve young people in the excitement of

discovery.Kenneth E. Behring’s unprecedented gift of $80 million in support

of the Museum’s revitalization, announced last year, has allowed us tomake significant progress in planning. As a result of Mr. Behring’s gift,public space design is under way, and a preliminary study for theMuseum’s central core will be completed in the summer of 2002. Thisphysical transformation will involve redesigning and renovating 250,000square feet of the building: adding a welcome center where peoplebegin their visit, creating permanent thematic exhibitions, integratingstate-of-the-art interactive and multimedia presentations throughout,and developing new public and educational programming.

Generous benefactors

CAPITAL CAMPAIGN REPORT


Diverse relationshipsEach year, many individuals build relationships with the Museum. They

include people like Sigmund Shapiro—jazz enthusiast and a dedicated

supporter of the jazz programs at the Museum—and Susan and Elihu Rose—

early and generous supporters of Legacies: Collecting America’s History at the

Smithsonian, Steven Lubar and Kathleen M. Kendrick’s book about

the Museum’s collection. Edward and Nancy Rice believe in the value

of interactive learning, so they have committed the Rice Family

Foundation’s support to the innovative programming of the Hands

On Science Center and the Hands On History Room. Some individu-

als enrich the collections with their contributions. Teodoro Vidal,

who was honored this year at the Museum, has donated his collec-

tion of more than 3,200 artifacts of Puerto Rican material culture.

Each of these relationships translates a personal passion for history and learn-

ing into a contribution toward education, enjoyment, and excellence that

benefits a broad audience.

Corporate relationships also take many forms. The Museum’s partnership

with the National Association of Realtors for Within These Walls… supports the

Museum at its best—a fascinating exhibition, an award-winning website, and

enriching educational and public programs. The History Channel’s productive

partnership continues to produce noteworthy results—this year, teacher

resources for The American Presidency resulted in the prestigious Beacon

Award. A long-term relationship with Merck—which helped launch the Hands

On Science Center with a $500,000 gift—has yielded consistent support for the

Museum’s educational mission.

Internal relationships also

contribute to the Museum’s

external success. External

Relations and Development

staff members’ participation

on planning teams—for exhibi-

tions and for the Museum’s

renovation—help them articu-

late the Museum’s goals for the

funding community and the

public. Internal collaboration

helps the office provide effec-

tive support through special events,

fund-raising, and public-awareness

efforts.

FROM ABOVE LEFT: Edward andNancy Rice with theirchildren; Teodoro Vidaltalking with a Puerto Ricanstraw hatmaker

Funds raised by source*, fiscal year 2001

Use of funds, fiscal year 2001

Individuals$3,668,673

Foundations$22,245,932

Corporations$5,491,852

Total: $31,406,457

* Cash and pledges

Total: $31,406,457

Exhibit/public spaces$14,492,678

Core Museumfunctions$16,240,878

Other$672,901

71%

46%52%

2%

12%

17%

G E O R G E C L E M O N

F R E E M A N J R .

Board member

“Our goal is to build an active Museum

Board with a national,representative, profile

that will helpcommunicate a vision for

expanded nationaloutreach andeducation.”


FROM ABOVE: MelindaMachado; Museum directorSpencer Crew films aninterview; a media event atthe Museum

National media outreach enables the Museum to share its programs, exhibitions, and staff expertise across the UnitedStates. This year, the Office of Public Affairs promoted more than 25

exhibitions, programs, donations, and awards. According to MelindaMachado, director of Public Affairs, “Our proactive public relations strategyallows us to reach many audiences, drawing them to our exhibitions, websites,and public programs. Through the media, we can expand the public’s knowl-edge and pique their curiosity about the national collections.”

Among the highlights: • Extensive media interest in The American Presidency: A

Glorious Burden. Nearly 30 New York–based media outletsattended the September 27, 2000, press preview in NewYork City. The November 2000 opening attracted majorprint and television attention, including NBC’s Today, ABC’sGood Morning America, The Atlantic, Vanity Fair, top dailynewspapers, and live C-SPAN coverage.

• Flag Day 2001 coverage of the Star-Spangled Banner.Media coverage focused on the release of the State of theFlag Report and the exhibition Snippings from the Star-Spangled Banner, including live reports on NBC’s Today, CBS’s Early Show,and CNN; features on four major networks and their affiliates; and morethan 180 articles in newspapers nationwide.

• Enthusiasm for Paint by Number. Media requests continued throughoutthe 10 months that the exhibition was on view. Extensive print coverageincluded repeated mentions in USA Today, which has a circulation of 8 million,and multiple mentions in the New York Times, Los Angeles Times,Washington Post, and Chicago Tribune. Three morning shows featured theexhibition—Today, CBS’s Sunday Morning, and the Early Show on June 22with an audience of 2.7 million. Periodical coverage included Smithsonianmagazine, Reader’s Digest, The New Yorker, and home-decorating and artmagazines. Media impressions totaled more than 70.2 million.

• Excitement over HistoryWired. User traffic was so heavy following thepress launch of this website—an estimated34,000 unique visitors—that the Smithsonianserver crashed. Advance stories included theNew York Times “Circuits” column, CBSMarketwatch, and USA Today’s website.Nine TV crews attended the press event,and CNN featured a live broadcast demon-strating the site. Media impressions totaledapproximately 10 million.

National media outreach


Special eventsThe Office of Special Events organized more than 200 events

during the past fiscal year—from festive exhibition openings

to receptions and dinners for corporate partners and other

professional and trade associations. These events recognized

friends of the Museum, involved a variety of constituencies,

and celebrated the Museum’s accomplishments.

Dorothy Lemelson was honored for her generous contin-

uing support of the Museum at an opening reception for the

Lemelson Center’s exhibition Nobel Voices. Presidential fam-

ily members—including John S.D. Eisenhower, Tricia Nixon Cox, and Jack

Ford—were among the guests at The American Presidency opening dinner,

where period table settings and menus recalled the eras of George Washington,

James Monroe, Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, and John F. Kennedy.

Guests at an enjoyable Paint by Number opening reception tried their hands at

a paint-by-number creation.

Among the diverse group of donors that

held events at the Museum throughout the

year were Abbott Labs, IBM, the National

Collegiate Honors Council, Pizza Hut,

Putnam Investments, the San Antonio

Chamber of Commerce, Scott Foresman

Publishing, Western Union, and the

Association of Graduates, United States

Military Academy.


A partnership of public and private support sustains the mission and programs of theNational Museum of American History, Behring Center and enables the Museum to planfor a vibrant future. The Museum welcomes your participation at anylevel and for a range of purposes. If you would like to make a contribu-tion, or if you would like to explore the possibility of a gift, pleasecontact:

John McDonagh, Chief Development and Campaign OfficerOffice of Capital Campaign, External Relations, and BoardLiaisonNational Museum of American History, Behring CenterP. O. Box 37012Washington, DC 20013-7012

Opportunities for giving

E X T E R N A L R E L AT I O N S A N D C A P I TA L C A M PA I G N R E P O R T

SEN. THAD COCHRAN

(R-Mississippi)

Board member and

member, Smithsonian

Board of Regents

“A healthy public-privatepartnership that includes

the administration,Congress, private

citizens, corporations,and foundations is one

of the Museum’sgreatest assets. It is

fitting that support forthe nation’s history

museum comes fromevery sector of our

country.“

FROM ABOVE LEFT: Guests at an opening event for TheAmerican Presidency; aseated dinner in the FirstLadies Hall; one of a pair ofpainted wood eagles given

by Joel Barlow in 1965


D O N O R S T O T H E M U S E U M

$10 million +The Axelrod Family *

Kenneth E. Behring

Dorothy Lemelson *

$1,000,000–$9,999,999American Road and Transportation Builders

Association

Chevy Chase Bank

The History Channel

Elizabeth (Betty) and Whitney MacMillan *

National Asphalt Pavement Association

Catherine B. Reynolds Foundation

Susan and Elihu Rose *

Nina and Ivan Selin *

$100,000–$999,999Heidi and Max Berry

Cisco Systems, Inc.

Linda Powers and Robert F. Hemphill Jr. *

Merck Company Foundation

National Museum of Industrial History

Polo Ralph Lauren

Rodris Roth (bequest)

Seiko Epson Corporation

T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc.

Timex Corporation

Warren Winiarski

$50,000–$99,999AES Corporation

Computerworld Information Technology

KPMG

The Honorable Paul O’Neill, Secretary of

the Treasury

Sears, Roebuck and Company

Tae Yoo *

$10,000–$49,999America Online, Inc.

Anonymous

ASCAP

Association of Graduates, USMA

Automatic Data Processing, Inc.

Aventis Pharmaceuticals US

Broadcast Music, Inc.

The Center for the Study of the Presidency

Linda and Pete Claussen *

Linda and Lester L. Colbert Jr. *

Richard Darman *

Daughters of the American Revolution

Dr. Pepper/7 Up Companies, Inc.

Dean S. Edmonds Foundation

EDS

Nancy and George M. Ferris Jr. *

David M. Fields *

First Data Corporation

Scott Foresman

Forest Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Hayes & Associates

Heidelberg USA, Inc.

IEEE History Center

Fiscal year 2001

The National Museum of American History relies on

private gifts and grants for 50 percent of its

operations and virtually all of its capital needs,

including new exhibitions and the Museum’s master

plan for transformation. More than $150 million has

been raised over the past three years, representing

approximately 47 percent of the total capital need.

The following donors have made significant

commitments to this undertaking, and they have

the profound gratitude of the Smithsonian

Institution and the American people. These

thoughtful individuals and organizations have set a

pace for success in creating a 21st-century museum

worthy of our nation’s extraordinary heritage.


International Pizza Hut Franchise Holders

Association

Krispy Kreme Doughnut Corporation

Amy and Donald G. Lubin *

Lutheran Brotherhood

Marriott International, Inc.

Suzanne and James R. Mellor *

Henry R. Munoz III

NAMM – International Music Products

Association

Oracle Corporation

Piano Manufacturers Association

International

Putnam Investments

Silgan Containers Corporation

Perri and Gary Silversmith

Guenther and Siewchin Yong Sommer

$5,000–$9,999Armed Forces Communications &

Electronics Association

David E. Behring *

Ella Fitzgerald Charitable Foundation

Albert Fuller

General Electric Lighting

Alan Russell Kahn

Morgan Stanley Dean Witter & Co.

NAMSB Foundation, Inc.

Pacificor, Inc.

Professional Currency Dealers Association

Ray & Berndtson

Schwab Fund for Charitable Giving

Storage Technology Corporation

The Tokyo Electric Power Company, Inc.

Marvin D. Williams *

$1,000–$4,999William R. Albers

David J. Bailey

Jan McLin Clayberg and Olaf Bexhoeft

Malcolm Bilson

Pauline Anne Cochrane

Nancy L. Connor

Anita DeFrantz *

Fannie Mae Foundation

Nicholas Greer Feamster

Richard S. Gallagher

Global News & Communication, Inc.

The Gottesman Fund

James A. Green

Brenton Halsey

Helen Leale Harper

John H. Hogue

R. Devon Hutchins

Pauline Innis

James D. Johnston

Jophe Jones-Gaddis

Mary Elizabeth Joyce

Ina and Jack Kay

Thomas J. Kehoe

Dr. and Mrs. Emanuel Landau

Hubert E. Lillis

Thomas G. MacCracken

Carolyn Margolis

Valerie and Orlando Martino

Michael W. Michelson

Anna Wood Murray

Eleanor B. Niebell

Earle H. O’Donnell

O. I. Analytical

Porter Novelli, Inc.

Kathryn and Peter G. Powers

Psion Enterprises Computing Ltd.

H. Lewis Rapaport

Earldine R. Sampson

Thelma and Albert Sbar

Shelby Shapiro

M. Sigmund & Barbara K. Shapiro

Family Fund

Angela and John Donald Shilling

Drs. Jean M. Karle and Lionel J. Skidmore

Jane and Van Telford

Enid N. Warner

* National Museum of American History

Board Member

R E P. J O H N C O N Y E R S

(D-Michigan)

“The National Museumof American History

is a place for gatheringtogether—a place where

each of us can findourselves, learn moreabout our neighbors,and experience the

rich texture of American life.”


F I N A N C I A L S U M M A R YPublic and private support—fiscal year 2001

The Museum had a total operating budget of

$45,304,000 for the fiscal year ending September 30,

2001. Fifty-one percent (51%) of the operating

budget came as part of the Smithsonian’s federal

appropriation, including base resources, a one-

time allotment for The American Presidency, and

several federal grants supporting major perma-

nent exhibitions. Thirty-three percent (33%) of

the operating budget came from private sources,

including trust gifts, grants, and endowments.

In the fiscal year, the Museum raised more than

$31 million in gifts and pledges through the gen-

erosity of individuals, corporations, foundations,

and organizations. The hard work of our Board,

volunteers, and staff in articulating the Museum’s

vision and creating strategic partnerships was

responsible for this success. Record-level private

giving continues to provide the foundation and

momentum for the Museum’s renewal and trans-

formation.

Sources of funds, fiscal year 2001

Uses of funds, fiscal year 2001

SI indirect services$5,000,000

Federal appropriation & grants$23,047,000 Trust gifts, grants,

& endowments*$15,111,000

Total: $45,304,000

Total: $45,304,000

Facilities maintenance &general support$7,290,000

Outreach, education,& exhibitions$23,268,000

Administration$4,941,000

51%

22%51%

16%

5%

33%

11%

11%

Business activities$2,146,000

Research & collections$9,805,000

* Cash payments

Funds raised, cash and pledges, fiscal year 2001

Funds raised by source*, fiscal year 2001

Cash payments$15,111,000

Total: $31,406,457

52% 48%Pledges$16,295,457

Individuals$3,668,673

Foundations$22,245,932

Corporations$5,491,852

Total: $31,406,457

* Cash and pledges

71%

12%

17%

Sources and uses of funds Private giving

Richard DarmanChairman of the Blue Ribbon Commission Partner, The Carlyle GroupPublic Service Professor, John F. Kennedy Schoolof Government, Harvard University

Tom BrokawAnchor and Managing Editor, NBC Nightly News

Ellsworth BrownPresident and Chief Executive Officer, CarnegieMuseums of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Library

Sheila P. Burke(Ex officio) Under Secretary for American Museumsand National Programs, Smithsonian Institution

Spencer R. CrewDirector and Chief Executive Officer, NationalUnderground Railroad Freedom Center

Loni DingTV Producer and Executive Director, Center forEducational Telecommunications

David Herbert DonaldAuthor and Charles Warren Professor of AmericanHistory and Professor of American CivilizationEmeritus, Harvard UniversityPulitzer Prize–winning biographer of Abraham Lincoln

Eric FonerDe Witt Clinton Professor of History, Columbia University

Diane FrankelProgram Director for children, youth, and families,James Irvine Foundation

Ramón GutiérrezAssociate Chancellor, University of California, San DiegoFounder and Director, Center for the Study ofRace and Ethnicity

Neil HarrisAuthor and Preston and Sterling Morton Professorof History, University of Chicago

K. Tsianina LomawaimaProfessor, American Indian Studies Program,University of Arizona

Roger MuddHost, The History Channel

Don T. NakanishiDirector, Asian American Studies Program,University of California, Los Angeles

Chet OrloffDirector Emeritus, Oregon Historical Society

Marc Pachter(Ex officio) Director, National Portrait Gallery, and Acting Director, National Museum ofAmerican History

William F. RussellRetired NBA Player and Former Coach, Boston Celtics

Richard Norton SmithExecutive Director, Robert J. Dole Institute of Politics

John Kuo Wei TchenFounding Director, Asian Pacific American StudiesProgram and Institute, New York University

Charles H. TownesPhysicist, winner of the 1964 Nobel Prize for physics

Laurel Thatcher UlrichJames Duncan Phillips Professor of Early AmericanHistory and Director, Charles Warren Center forAmerican Studies, Harvard University

G. Edward WhiteAttorney, Author, and Law Professor, University of Virginia

Don WilsonRetired Historian and former head of the NationalArchives and Records Administration

BLUE RIBBON COMMISSION

Photography

Executive staff

M A R T H A M O R R I S

Deputy director

“In response to Kenneth E.Behring’s generous gift,our Museum has a majoropportunity to design atransforming vision for

the 21st century. The BlueRibbon Commission’srecommendations will

help shape the public faceand programs of this, thenation’s leading museum

of American history.”

Marc Pachter, Acting Director

Martha Morris, Deputy Director

Ron Becker, Associate Director, Capital Programs

Dennis Dickinson, Associate Director,Management & Museum Services

James Gardner, Associate Director, Curatorial Affairs

Elizabeth A. C. Perry, Associate Director, External Relations, Capital Campaign, &Board Liaison

Smithsonian Office of Imaging, Printing, and Photographic Services; HaroldDorwin, Eric Long, Fred Marcus, Dane Penland, MH Photography, RichardStrauss, Hugh Talman, Helen Thomas, Jeff Tinsley. Cover from Town andCountry magazine courtesy of Peter Gwillim Kreitler. Special thanks to the manyindividuals and organizations for the use of their photos.

Annual report production

Project director: Shelley Goode, Assistant Director of Development &Communications

Design: Creative Project Management, Inc.

Writer: Ellen Hirzy

Editor: Joan Mentzer

A N N U A L R E P O R T 2 0 0 1

14th & Constitution Avenue, NWWashington, DC 20560americanhistory.si.edu


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