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Results tagged “smithsonian”
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The Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History held a press conference this morning (the Post even sent someone to cover it) to show off the Hope Diamond, now on display for the first time ever without any kind of setting. The 45.52-carat diamond has been at the museum for 50 years, but always in its traditional setting, a pendant circled by smaller diamonds on a diamond necklace. The naked blue gem will now remain on display until April 2010, when it will be placed into a temporary new setting, and then sometime later, returned to its original setting.
The Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum has had quite the year so far. Last month they were visited by astronaut heroes from the beginning of the space race all the way through the latest space shuttle missions; they've continued to build out Phase Two at the Udvar-Hazy location, on track to finish in 2011; and will soon announce the opening, expected later this month, of their new Public Observatory on the Mall.
Any fan of the space program should recognize quite a few faces roaming around D.C. this week. Last night, the biggest gathering of Apollo astronauts in years arrived at the Smithsonian's National Air & Space Museum for the annual John H. Glenn Lecture featuring the Apollo 11 crew, Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins, along with NASA's first Flight Director, Chris Kraft, and of course, astronaut and Senator John Glenn himself. The audience was filled with other Apollo astronauts, as well as the STS-125 crew that flew the space shuttle Atlantis to repair the Hubble Telescope in May.
>> Saturday night, head over to the vacant lot at 1st and K Streets SE to see over 20 artists perform some live street art for Breaking Wave: Mural Jam. Presented by the Capital Riverfront BID and Artomatic, they'll also have music, food and drink from 5 to 11 p.m. This event has been postponed.
DCist's guide to lectures and discussions in the D.C. area Monday: >> The National Building Museum focuses on design tonight with New York architect Deborah Berke from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Berke will discuss her experiences as well as her "notion that architecture is not an end in itself, but a setting that is enhanced by its use." $20.
This isn't exactly happening in the D.C. area, but we were so interested to see these incredible wild animal images pop up on the National Zoo's Flickr stream today, we wanted to share them. The Smithsonian's Monitoring and Assessment of Biodiversity Program has been around since 1986, traveling around the world working with governments and organizations to, among other things, "provide scientific information and build in-country capacity to foster the sustainable use of natural resources."
D.C. may be known as Hollywood for ugly people, but for a little while last night, it was almost like we were just plain Hollywood. Granted, there was no actual red carpet at last night's "red carpet" U.S. premiere — which was billed as a World Premiere despite Tuesday night's London screening — of Night at the Museum 2: Battle of the Smithsonian at the National Air & Space Museum. But there was a crowd of excited fans lining the steps up to the museum's doors, a red velvet rope line populated with microphone-wielding entertainment journalists inside, stressed-out personal assistants and handlers in headsets, heavily-made-up television correspondents, and discreet but tough-looking bodyguards. Substitute middle-aged male studio execs for the slightly paler middle-aged male government types who got invites to the event, and you could almost imagine you were at Grauman's Chinese Theatre.
There are a number of really interesting lectures this week, including three focused on food (tomatoes, tortillas and even an Indian buffet!), as well as a good variety of visual and performing arts lectures, book talks, and more.
The first annual CraftWeek DC kicks off this Wednesday, April 22, with five days filled with exhibits, panel discussions, open studios and more. The week is an expanded program of crafty celebration, anchored by the 27th Annual Smithsonian Craft Show and the James Renwick Alliance (JRA) Spring Craft Weekend.
Smithsonian Secretary Wayne Clough announced Monday that the three most popular museums on the National Mall will stay open longer through the summer in an effort to boost revenue for their gift shops and restaurants, the AP reports. The National Museum of Natural History and National Air and Space Museum will stay open two hours later, until 7:30 p.m., and the National Museum of American History will stay open at least one hour later, every day this summer. The museums open at 10 a.m. and typically closed at the end of the work day. A spokesperson for the Smithsonian confirmed that the extended hours actually started on Mar. 28, and will last until at least Sept. 7, with a few exceptions. Consult the web sites of each museum for the most up to date operating hours.
The power of the Smithsonian is growing. The Smithsonian will use his puppet southpaw20 to destroy the people of Rohan. Isengard has been unleashed. The eye of the Smithsonian now turns to Gondor, by way of the Natural History Museum rotunda. In the gathering dark, the will of the museum grows strong. For the Smithsonian will have dominion over all life on the National Mall, even unto the ending of the world. The time of the elves is over. Do we leave D.C. to its fate? Do we let D.C. stand alone?
This week, we have discussions about the Roman Empire, Lincoln, Nazis and blogging, as well as a handful of lectures on contemporary art.