1100 Jefferson

Barnes Foundation Tour in Philadelphia

Hello everyone! Pam Sanderlin here blogging on a wonderful all-day tour to the Barnes Foundation in Philadelphia. The day provided an extraordinary experience from two perspectives—first, hearing the intriguing story of Dr. Albert Barnes who amassed this surprising collection, and second, viewing the fabulous galleries of art that he created over his lifetime. The collection is comprised of hundreds of paintings and other art, that you have not seen before—in person—unless you have visited the actual museum or stood in line for the one world tour that much of the collection was on in the mid-1990’s. Barnes’ wish was that the art be reserved largely for educational purposes in his home museum, with limited public access. But the story of intrigue and politics that followed his death in 1951 recounts how Barnes’ wishes, specified in his will and the trust he created, have been whittled away over time by people interested in power and money over art. More about that later…

The Current Museum Building

The day began with an introduction to Albert Barnes by our learned guide Ursula Wolfman who described his impoverished childhood, how he put himself through medical school, and the source of his wealth. He and a partner developed a silver-based compound called Algyrol that protected newborns from several ills, and without viable competing products, they made a fortune quickly. As early as 1912, Barnes began acquiring art, with a focus on post-impressionist and modern painters. He became friends with many of the artists and years later Matisse came and painted a spectacular mural, called The Dance, in Barnes’ home.

In the 1920’s Barnes put on an exhibition of his growing collection, which was criticized severely and universally panned by the Philadelphia art establishment. The artists represented in the exhibit were Renoir, Picasso, Van Gogh, Matisse, and several other now-revered artists. This major snub set the stage for Barnes’ ongoing distrust of this group and his desire to remain apart from them—and to keep his art separate from their museums.

Barnes built a lovely mansion in Merion outside Philadelphia and displayed his art on the walls in each room in a unique fashion, called an ensemble. Paintings, metalwork items and furniture are all displayed together and you might see a Matisse or several Renoirs together with metal hinges, candlesticks, or a kitchen utensil, and furniture—chairs or often a Pennsylvania Dutch chest. The ensembles, each one crafted by Dr. Barnes himself, are meant to draw out visual similarities between objects we generally don’t think of together. Barnes used them as teaching tools and he reserved the majority of open time in the museum for training classes, many of which he taught.

We arrived at the museum, a nondescript gray building in the middle of Philadelphia, and after another brief and informative introduction to the collection by a museum expert, we freely wandered through the 23 galleries, our eyes wide at seeing so many stunning artworks. There are 181 Renoirs, more than in any other collection in the world, 69 Cezannes, 59 Matisses, and 46 Picassos, not to mention the Degas, Van Goghs, Seurats, and Monets… The ensembles are fascinating, with African and oriental art mixed in with everything else—whatever Barnes felt went together. He drew designs of what the walls should include and changed them frequently—his designs are iconic—one is even depicted in metal on a wall in one of the gardens.

Barnes’ Merion Home / Museum 

“The Dance” by Matisse 

Room Ensemble 

"The Joy of Life" by Matisse

Portrait of Barnes

After a delicious 3-course lunch in a private room at the museum, we resumed our walk through the galleries. Touring the rooms is described by many as an intimate experience—you can get close to the paintings and everything is displayed on a warm background of cream, woven material that sets off the art work. There are no big labels or plaques identifying artists or paintings—they are there for your eyes to enjoy. The displays are in small-ish rooms and are done exactly as Barnes left them in 1951 when he died suddenly in a car accident at the age of 70. 

Lunch at the Museum 

Barnes Iconic Direction for How to Arrange an Ensemble

"The Postman" by Van Gogh

Room Ensemble

Room Ensemble

Unfortunately, although the art is arranged as he left it, the whole collection has been moved from his beautiful home in Merion to this new museum, literally over Barnes’ dead body. Ever since his death, various ambitious people have chipped away at the will—the value of the collection today is estimated at $25 billion. One result is the move of the collection. Another is that where Barnes’ priority was to use his collection as a teaching tool and reserve time for students and classes, there are no classes in the new museum and the collection is open to the public full time. Barnes also wanted the collection to remain private—no paintings were to be lent out or even depicted in color—and it is now controlled by “the art establishment.” It is likely the paintings will start to be lent out, and in fact this may already be happening— there were several places where a note replaced a painting on the wall.

Another view of the New Barnes Foundation Museum

On our trip home on the bus, we watched the film, “The Art of the Steal”, which tells the sad story of what has happened with the collection since Barnes died. It is a lesson in how you can’t control anything forever after you die.

I can’t emphasize enough how remarkable this day was or how much I would encourage you to see the Barnes Foundation collection if you have the opportunity. To actually lay your eyes on works you have never seen is quite wonderful—and such resplendent works!

Smithsonian Associates: Valentine's Day Bouquet Workshop

I had a wonderful time at the Smithsonian Associates’ floral workshop, Valentine’s Day Bouquets, taught by Sarah von Pollaro. At the workshop, we learned how to arrange flowers by creating hand-tied bouquets. This floral design technique is widely used in Europe and is now becoming more popular in America. Unlike designing right into a vase, this hand-tied technique allows the designer to hold the flowers as she or he arranges them, making it especially fun and relaxing.

Sarah, our instructor, mentioned a bonus of this technique. Because the flowers and greens are tied together, one can easily change the water in the vase and recut the ends of the flowers. This helps the blooms last as long as possible. This technique is not just fun, but practical!

Another refreshing aspect of this workshop, besides learning a new flower arranging technique, was the featured flowers we used for our Valentine bouquets. You would imagine that the star of the show would be roses, but not this time. Instead, we got to design our bouquets using tulips! These were not your typical tulips, but Melrose tulips. The complementary flowers and greens we added around the tulips were unique and lovely choices as well.

Here is a list of the flowers and greens Sarah selected for us:

 

Melrose Tulips

These tulips are long lasting and look a lot like peonies, since their blossoms are much larger than those of a typical tulip. The edges of their petals can be described as “creamy.” They form double rows of silky-smooth petals in both pink and lilac. They are one of the most romantic, early-blooming tulips out there.

 

Yin Yang Mums

Yin Yang is a white variety of miniature Santini Chrysanthemum with a dark-colored center.

 

Della Waxflower

Della Waxflowers are delicate and delightful. Their tiny blooms are a pretty, pale pink color.

  

Burgundy Snapdragons

Snapdragons are a fresh wine flower. They are well known for their uniquely-shaped petals. Each stem has a high count of blooms, grouped closely together, that makes each stem look like a single, tall flower.

 

Ruscus Greens

These greens are long-lasting decorations that can bring a fresh feel to any arrangement.

 

Bear Grass

Bear Grass consists of long, slender grass blades that add diversity to one’s floral bouquet. (A fun tip we learned during the workshop was that the Bear Grass blades can be tied into a heart shape and placed into the vase after the rest of the arrangement is made.)

 

Aspidistra Leaves

This greenery is beautiful by itself, but it can also amplify the beauty of any flowers placed around it. The leaves are long and chic, creating a sleek, modern look.

 

It was so much fun getting to experiment with hand-tied arrangements using Valentine’s Day inspired blooms. I can’t wait to sign up for another workshop! 

To learn more about Smithsonian Associates' Floral Classes and Workshop, including Sogetsu Ikebana: Modern Japanese Floral Arranging 6-Session Evening Course (Wednesday April 18 to May 23, 2018) visit our website. 

 

By Michelle Moench, Social Media Intern

Dancing with Genius

Hi everyone! Jasmine here; I wanted to share a snapshot of my personal favorite event that I had the privilege of recently attending. In late September, I was able to sit in on a lecture given by Christine Bamberger on the topic “Fred Astaire: Dancing with Genius.” She showed the sold out crowd some of his iconic dances, including some exclusive, never-before-seen pictures found during her years of research.

Source: Wikipedia (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/69/Astaire%2C_Fred_-_Never_Get_Rich.jpg)

Fred Astaire may have been before my time, but his name and signature dance moves are known around the world. I have always been in awe of the culture of the 1920s, as well as the traditions, fashion and entertainment of the time, so this event was incredibly interesting to me. Born in 1899, Fred spent the majority of his early life either in his home in Omaha, Nebraska, or at the Alviene Master School of the Theatre and Academy of Cultural Arts practicing musical talents–like the piano, accordion and clarinet–in addition to ballet and tap dancing. Fred and his older sister were an inseparable and unstoppable dancing duo. When Fred was six years old, he, his sister and his parents ventured to New York City in order to pursue an entertainment career. Eventually, Fred and his sister, Adele made their way to Broadway in the 1920s. As time went on, the dynamic siblings began to drift apart, appearing in fewer and fewer films and performances together.

When the siblings separated in 1932, Fred found his newest success in a main Broadway production called Gay Divorce which was later made into a film: The Gay Divorcee with Ginger Rogers. From there, Fred’s career took off. Without the constraints of a brother-sister performance group, Fred was able to spread his wings and work in the newly developing film industry. He performed in many notable films, at many incredible venues, and for some extraordinary people during his long career in the entertainment and show business. His love of dancing and musical arts never faltered, and he could never truly stay away. When he ‘officially’ retired, he decided continue working in his beloved field. From choreography to production, he made sure everything he was involved in was top notch. He worked with MGM Productions to produce big name movies like The Royal Wedding (1951), The Belle of New York (1952), and The Bandwagon (1953).

Although I could go into an in-depth list of his accomplishments and talents, Fred’s true talent and charisma can only fully be seen in his dancing. During the lecture, Ms. Bamberger showed and talked about specific scenes or dances that Fred performed during his time in the spotlight. The audience laughed and smiled with him because his happiness and merriment truly was infectious.

The night ended with a roar of applause as the final curtain closed in the last clip and Ms. Bamberger said her final words. As the audience began to shuffle out of their seats and towards the exit, it was impossible not to notice the looks of happiness and satisfaction for the closing of their Wednesday night.

Introducing Our Fall 2017 Social Media Intern

Hi everyone! My name is Jasmine Alson, and I am the fall 2017 Social Media Intern here with the Smithsonian Associates. I am originally from Florida, so I am still getting used to the chill on my morning commute. I grew up in a small city called Palm Coast, and attended college at the University of Florida, where I graduated with a major in Anthropology and a minor in International Studies. Although I have been to DC countless times before, moving here has been quite a culture shock: it is so nice being surrounded by everything you could possibly need and more!

 

 

Growing up as a kid, my family would visit the different Smithsonian museums, and it was always a dream for me to work with such a prestigious institution. In my most recent trips, I have visited the Air and Space Museums, but the Natural History Museum will always have a special place in my heart. I always enjoyed learning about the history of mankind, and the history of the earth as we know it. I also think it was all of the visits to the Natural History Museum from when I was younger that helped kick-start my passion for anthropology. I vow that I will, one day, get through the entire building and see every exhibit. On second thought, it might just be too big…

At my university, I focused my senior studies on visual anthropology as well as cultural studies and decided to take some fun journalism classes as well. This led me to finding passion in social media management, community development, and non-profit organization management. I’ve traveled the world as a part of my international studies minor, and I have been inspired and humbled by it. I’ve traveled to at least 20 different countries ranging from Iceland to the Netherlands and Costa Rica to the Philippines. In my free time, I enjoy videography, photography, reading, tennis playing, video gaming, and the occasional piano playing. I look forward to bringing insights into the happenings of the Smithsonian Associates and all of the exciting adventures and events that are in store for us this fall.

 

eMammal and Citizen Scientists

On June 20, Smithsonian Associates held a program called “Mammals on Camera: A New Approach to Wildlife Observation” at the Smithsonian's S. Dillon Ripley Center. The guest speaker was Bill McShea, a large mammal ecologist whose work focuses on the conservation of mammals and forests throughout Asia. McShea is no stranger to the Smithsonian as he has been working with the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute since 1986. In his lecture, McShea focused on animal surveying with the use of camera traps and the Smithsonian’s program eMammal.

Bill McShea, Mammals on Camera

McShea opened his lecture with both humorous and interesting videos of animals to depict how the public perceives camera trapping in contrast to what McShea actually does. Jokingly, he flipped back and forth between a black and white picture of a deer in the night and a video of a camera disguised as a baby crocodile: “Guess which one I work with all day?” The answer was clear; it wasn’t the crocodile cam. Most of McShea’s job, he explained, is putting cameras out in the wild (crocodile costume not required) and seeing what he gets. Most of the time it is images of white-tailed deer in the woods. McShea went on to point out that the public often imagines ecologist adventuring in exotic places with high-tech equipment, and while some of his work does involve this, most of his work revolves around analyzing the thousands of images of everyday animals like deer, squirrels, and raccoons.

Reconyx Camera Trap Photo courtesy of Reconxy.com

So how exactly did McShea and other scientists end up using cameras to study the environment? In order to study landscapes and animal richness, they had to find a way to survey animals in an accurate and relatively cost effective manner. One option, radio tracking, is only useful for following the migration of one individual animal, and studying feces and surveying the wild on site with other scientists is not the most accurate and certainly not the most cost or time efficient. Cameras provide photos and information that are extremely accessible for scientists and museum digital archives, and anyone can contribute to the collection of data. Thus, camera traps are how many scientists survey the wild.

Camera traps come in a wide variety with different lens, capacities, and sensors. The cameras McShea uses are roughly the size of a brick and can withstand harsh weather conditions. The cameras range from $400 to $600, take around 3,000 pictures, and hold information over a three month period. Using infrared detection that identifies a change in both motion and heat, the cameras take a series of quick shuttered pictures in hopes of capturing the mammal near the camera.

American Black Bear camera trap photo courtesy of eMammal.si.edu

The Smithsonian project McShea works with, eMammal, takes advantage of the simplicity of using and installing the camera. The program relies on what McShea called “citizen scientists,” or average people who want to get more involved in ecology and science. To work with the citizen scientists, McShea distributes camera traps and provide directions to citizens who reach out through the eMammal website. From there, McShea assists in deciding where to place the camera trap on their land or land near them. Once installed, the camera trap does its job and after the three months are up the citizen scientist uploads and sends the photos to eMammal before they sets the camera up in the next location McShea requests. So far this system has been extremely successful. Out of one million users, errors only happen 15% the first time a citizen scientist uses it, 5% the second time, and fewer than 1% the third time.

Initially, McShea had to individually go through each uploaded photo and identify mammals one by one. Now  eMammal photos are uploaded to a crowdsourcing program called Zooniverse, and anyone can identify the animals in the pictures. If five or more users identify an animal as the same thing, it is logged into the database as that animal. If it has mixed responses, then either McShea or one of his team members is notified and identifies the animal. McShea emphasizes the key to the database is the data pipeline that combines the information (date, time, and location) with the photo so they can be analyzed. By combining all of this information, McShea and other scientists have an extensive database to research and study to make advances in conservation.

In closing, McShea exuberantly expressed his optimism for the future of mammal surveying. While ecologists are facing problems in funding and resources, McShea is ecstatic to see where citizen scientists can help take ecology and animal surveying. Now that the citizen scientist and data collection groundwork is done, McShea and other scientists can spend more time researching and analyzing the data to help conserve and protect wildlife. If you are interested in becoming a citizen scientist, make sure you check out https://emammal.si.edu/ to see how you can get involved!  

The Potomac Eagle: A Rail Ride Through the Trough

Hi! Marketing Volunteer Pam Sanderlin here, blogging on my latest tour, The Potomac Eagle: A Rail Ride Through the Trough. What a great way to spend a day – a lovely train ride, delicious lunch, gorgeous scenery, and the opportunity to see eagles in their natural habitat.

While riding on the bus from Washington, we listened as Joe Nevin, expert rail historian and wonderful storyteller, described the history of the South Branch Valley Railroad (SBVR) and the Potomac Eagle excursion train that runs between Romney and Petersburg, West Virginia.

The view from the train

After a few false starts, this rail line was finally completed in 1910 and was bought and sold a few times before its transfer to the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company. In the mid 1970’s the line was abandoned by the B&O but taken over in 1978 by the state of West Virginia when officials became concerned about being able to support existing and prospective industry in the area. By saving the railroad from abandonment, the State Rail Authority protected an estimated 2,600 jobs, and 1,900 jobs have been created since the takeover. We have the Pilgrim’s Pride chicken company to thank for being the railroad’s largest customer and helping it survive and thrive. They depended on it for the delivery of corn and other materials used to manufacture their poultry feed. We passed their enormous feed silo on our way to lunch.

Passing by the Pilgrim's Pride feed silos

Lunch was our first stop and we enjoyed salad, pulled pork sandwiches, and flourless chocolate cake in raspberry sauce before reboarding the bus to hear how the Potomac Eagle excursion train service was born.

Lunch at the Lost River Brewing Company

Spurred by a report showing the line had great potential, in late 1989 the Romney Business and Professional Organization began the process of introducing an excursion train to the SBVR line. In the spring of 1991, the first train left the Romney depot. The Potomac Eagle has grown over time mainly because of the amazing scenery through the “Trough,” where, squeezed between two Appalachian ridges, the South Branch of the Potomac River flows - and because it is a natural habitat for American bald eagles. More and more eagles have nested there over time and in 2016 there were 8 documented nests in the Trough. The train provides a perfect opportunity for viewing the eagles while taking in the beautiful river and surroundings.

South Branch of the Potomac River

We boarded the Potomac Eagle train in Petersburg – we had a reserved car, but part of the fun was wandering from car to car. Each car is unique and I’m sure each could tell quite a story of its life on its original railroad line. These vintage cars have been purchased and added over time – they are colorful and some are filled with pictures. Every car has windows you can open – this is a requirement as they obtain new cars. The windows provided a great breeze and opportunity to take pictures of the lovely countryside as it rolled by.

All aboard the Potomac Eagle!

There is a concession car where you can buy hot dogs, drinks, and popcorn. And at the back of the train are two open air cars made for viewing scenery. The first open car has large wide-open windows cut out of both sides of the car, where you can lean out a little and get a great view of the mountains and the river, which runs by on the right or left throughout the trip.

The first open air car

The final car is an open-top gondola car (formerly used to haul pipe and railroad ties), which is now outfitted with benches. When we approached the Trough, the train stopped and we walked out onto this car. Just as the train started moving again, the sun came out, and we had a magnificent view of the hillside across the river in the Trough where the eagles live.

Gondola car, outfitted with benches

A woman joined us and began calling out and pointing when she spotted eagles. She told us to look for the eagles’ bright white heads and we saw at least six along the way. It is a remarkable feeling to see these large birds in the wild. An adult bald eagle is 2 ½ feet long and has a wingspan of 6 ½ to 7 feet. We saw one fly and it was most impressive.

Spectacular twists and turns led the way out of the Trough as the train continued to Romney, where we reboarded our bus. A beautiful sunset greeted us as we made one more quick stop on the way home.

What a wonderful adventure! I have already purchased tickets on my own to ride the Potomac Eagle in the fall, and I understand there might be an additional Smithsonian tour around that time. I highly recommend the experience.

The beautiful Trough scenery!

The Civil War: Three Key Sites - Harpers Ferry, Antietam, and Gettysburg

Hi! Marketing Volunteer Pam Sanderlin here, blogging on my latest tour, The Civil War: Three Key Sites - Harpers Ferry, Antietam, and Gettysburg. I knew this would be an ambitious undertaking – three major battlefields in three different states in one day – but we did it all – and learned fascinating historic details along the way from our expert guide Gregg Clemmer. The itinerary we were given called the program “Civil War at a Glance,” and this was an appropriate title. We got an introduction to the Civil War with a focus on these particular locations.

Harpers Ferry National Historical Park: We began our tour in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, site of the National Armory and Arsenal before and during the Civil War. In 1859, just prior to the war, this was the site of John Brown’s Raid. Abolitionist John Brown led a 21-man “army of liberation” to seize the armory and several other strategic points. A surprise for me was that Robert E. Lee and J.E.B. Stuart, then Union officers, were sent from Washington to stop the uprising. Brown was captured in the armory fire engine house (now known as “John Brown’s Fort”) and was later hanged for treason.

John Brown's Fort at Harpers Ferry

John Brown called himself an abolitionist and talked about freeing the slaves but his actions often belied his proclamations. We learned that he was actually a murderer who had killed a family in Kansas in the name of abolitionism, and the family didn’t even own slaves. Further, during the raid at Harpers Ferry, the first man killed was a freed slave. Regardless, Brown’s raid on the armory and arsenal is viewed as a precursor to the war and many revere him for his views. Our guide cleverly introduced the concept of the JB bookends of the Civil War – it started with John Brown and ended with John Wilkes Booth.

The Civil War had a devastating effect on Harpers Ferry - the arsenal was attacked and burned, the town’s industries were destroyed, troops from both sides moved through the town frequently, and it changed hands 8 times. Our guide focused on the battle of September 1862, when Maj. Gen. Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson surrounded and captured the 12,500-man Union garrison stationed there, the largest single capture of Federal forces during the war.

The surprising news of this Confederate victory encouraged Lee as he ventured for the first time into northern territory and faced battle with George B. McClellan at Antietam, the next stop on our tour.

Antietam National Battlefield: Antietam (or Sharpsburg, Maryland, if you are from the south) is the site of the bloodiest one-day battle in American history. Nearly 23,000 soldiers were killed, wounded, or missing after 12 hours of combat in September 1862. Union soldiers had found Lee’s battle plans rolled around three cigars, yet McClellan missed his chance to effectively use the found intelligence. He erroneously believed that Lee had more men than he had when, in fact, McClellan had more than twice as many troops as Lee. Instead of driving a full-on assault that would have devastated Lee, McClellan led smaller assaults that were far less successful and resulted in horrific casualties. At the end of the day, tactically the battle was a draw, but strategically the north won because Lee retreated to the south.

We drove by Millers Cornfield where men were slaughtered that day and stopped at the Clara Barton memorial. In the heat of battle, this amazing woman cared for the sick and wounded on site. At one point a bullet passed through her sleeve and killed the man she was treating.

Our next stop was Sunken Road or Bloody Lane where bodies were stacked in the road after that battle. Our guide described the reenactment that occurred on this battlefield in 1962 – he was there. They erected bleachers for the spectators and it was quite a spectacle; it reminded me of the Coliseum in an eerie way. After that day, the National Park Service decided never to do a reenactment on an actual battlefield again.

The Sunken Road, or "Bloody Lane" at Antietam

Our final stop was Burnside’s Bridge which stands today as it did then, with a large “witness” tree on the other side of the river. Maj. Gen. Ambrose E. Burnside captured the bridge after four hours of fighting but lost it again while taking two hours to “reorganize” his troops, giving confederate reinforcements time to show up and push him back.

It always saddens me to learn about the incompetence of these generals and to think of the lives they squandered.

Burnside’s Bridge at Antietam

Gettysburg National Military Park: Fought over the first three days of July in 1863, the Battle of Gettysburg was a turning point of the Civil War. It is often referred to as the “High Water Mark” of the Confederacy because it is the furthest north that army ever fought. Lee’s “Army of Northern Virginia” faced Maj. Gen. George Gordon Meade’s “Army of the Potomac”. Despite some early Confederate successes, the Union prevailed, and Lee retreated again to Virginia.

I had thought there were a lot of memorials in Antietam, but the memorials in Gettysburg comprise "one of the largest collections of outdoor sculpture in the world."

We walked through tall grass out into the wide open Wheatfield to see a monument to those who perished there and to hear the gruesome tale of how their bodies were buried in large mass graves in the field until they were recovered and reburied.

We stood on top of Little Round Top and joined the statue of General Gouverneur K. Warren as he surveyed the battlefield far below, realizing this was an important vantage point for the Union Army. Also on Little Round Top, we stood where Union Colonel Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain was told “This is the left of the Union line. You are to hold this ground at all costs!” And he did.

General Gouverneur K. Warren memorial statue on Little Round Top

Our next stop was the high-water mark of the Confederacy itself, where 12,500 men marched through an open field in Pickett’s Charge – over 50% were injured or died at the hands of Union artillery. This was the end of the Battle of Gettysburg.

Our last stop was the Soldiers’ National Cemetery where President Abraham Lincoln gave the Gettysburg Address at the cemetery’s dedication in November 1863. A flag marks the actual spot where he spoke in the cemetery.

Flag marks the spot; Soldiers’ National Cemetery where Lincoln gave the Gettysburg Address

Although I thoroughly enjoyed the taste of history we got on this amazing tour, each of these battlefields could fill a day of site seeing and learning. Hopefully I can return to continue my Civil War education one day soon.

All photos taken by Pam Sanderlin.

 

The Rise of the Airplane: From the Wright Brothers to Lindbergh

On April 6th, Smithsonian Associates held a program called “The Rise of the Airplane: From the Wright Brothers to Lindbergh” at the S. Dillon Ripley Center. The guest speaker was aviation expert Paul Glenshaw, a man of many talents. His career covers multiple disciplines, including documentary filmmaking, exhibit design, STEM and STEAM education, photography, and playwrighting (he is the author of the upcoming play To Swing Through the Sky, commissioned by George Mason University). He has long been affiliated with the Smithsonian as he is one of the drawing instructors for the Smithsonian Associates’ Studio Arts program and a contributor to the Smithsonian's Air & Space magazine. In the lecture, Glenshaw explored the rise of the airplane by analyzing how the airplane changed the world, how the world changed it, and how the 1920s launched the boom of airplanes.

Glenshaw's lecture was entertaining as he was able to intertwine his personal passion for flight with the astonishing story behind the emergence of airplanes. The history of aviation is a story of remarkable people, and Glenshaw began his lecture with a quick history of the scientists, artists, and writers, or as Glenshaw calls them, the “Heroes and Weirdos,” whose work with aviation and flight influenced and inspired the Wright Brothers. These “Heroes and Weirdos” include Leonardo Da Vinci, the Montgolfier Brothers, and George Cayley. I really enjoyed this section of the lecture as Glenshaw was able to give a brief summary of each historical person's contribution as well as a unique fact about them.

After this section, Glenshaw talked about the Wright Brothers. Glenshaw emphasized the trials and tribulations they faced as they invented, built, and flew the world's first successful airplane. Glenshaw shared many videos of the Wright Brothers’ flights as well as videos of his own family flying replicas of the aircrafts. It was truly a special moment when Glenshaw showcased his and his family’s love of flying; the audience could truly tell that Glenshaw had successfully passed down his love of flying to his kids.

Wright, Wilbur, Orville Wright, and John T Daniels, photographer. [First flight, 120 feet in 12 seconds, 10:35 a.m.; Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, 1903]. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/00652085/

Glenshaw then transitioned to the entertainment aspect of flight, which was by far the funniest part of the lecture. The entertainers that Glenshaw highlighted had such unique and bizarre stories that it was hard to believe that these people were active during the time of the Wright Brothers. An example of these entertainers was “Captain” Thomas Baldwin, one of the greatest showman among American aerialists. Baldwin gained international fame in 1887 with his first parachute jump. After its success, Baldwin took his parachute act to Europe, South Africa, New Zealand, and Asia. Glenshaw described how Baldwin would earn a dollar for every foot he dropped, which was about 3,000! Glenshaw wrote more about Baldwin in his article from the Air & Space magazine called “Kings of the Air,” which I highly recommend.

Bain News Service, Publisher. Capt. Thomas S. Baldwin. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/ggb2004008188/

After explaining the entertainment aspects of flying and Charles Lindbergh's contributions to flight, Glenshaw concluded his lecture by explaining the evolution of airplanes from entertainment to war. In that section, I could truly feel the sense of urgency as Glenshaw described how different countries tried to create war machines out of airplanes.

In summary, through the laughter and airplane puns, I thoroughly enjoyed Glenshaw's lecture about the remarkable evolution of airplanes. And after visiting the Air and Space Museum’s Udvar-Hazy Center with my newfound appreciation for airplanes, I was able to see the Wright Model A (Reproduction), an early aircraft produced by the Wright Brothers, and truly realize the Wright Brothers contribution to aviation.

 -Written by Martina Umunna

Rick Steves on Thoughtful Travel: Broadening Your Global Perspective

Intern Jesse here writing to share my experience attending the Smithsonian Associates event “Rick Steves: on Thoughtful Travel: Broadening Your Global Perspective.” While I expected to attend and strictly gather an inside perspective for our blog readers, I left with insight and new inspiration for my own future endeavors. Rick Steves is a travel expert with various television shows and guidebooks to help Americans with all things travel. With a certain focus on Europe, Steves provides tours to Europe through his travel company based in his hometown of Seattle. 

In this lecture at Baird Auditorium in the Natural History Museum, Steves gave the audience a deeper look into travel as more than just a vacation. From the typical family cruise ship vacation to the quintessential tourist vacation catching all the go-to sights around Europe, Steves stressed the importance of traveling outside the norms. He urged travelers to meet locals and explore their favorite spots.  There were many profound statements spoken by Steves but there were five key points he made that stood out to me above the rest:

Have a good attitude. Allow locals to show off! Go ahead and listen to the story of the years old, mold ridden piece of cheese in your fingertips that the French shop owner is so eager to share. And take a good whiff, because to the people of that country, that could be the edible equivalent to the flowers growing in your garden at home. They are enthusiastic, not show-offs.

Be a part of history. We are in an exciting time in the world. History is being made every day and the chance to be a part of it is too good to pass up. Visit countries on their holidays, visit the places you read about in the headlines. Regardless of what side of the political climate you’re on, there is something to be learned when you are present for historical events, when you see something record breaking. These events and occurrences are happening all over the world, not just in our own country.

Know the history. Be aware of the context of the place you’re visiting, when you are visiting it. Before traveling somewhere, do a little research. The last thing you want to do is return home and see an article about an amazing, maybe even historical, event you were just a few miles away from but missed due to lack of knowledge. Understand how the city you are visiting came to be, who lived there, and who inhabits the area currently. Be engaged and be enlightened. Interact with the world around you and realize who, what, where, when, and why.

We are not the norm. There are all kinds of people in the world with all kinds of cultures and ways of life. By traveling with a particular humanistic awareness, the world becomes smaller and other people are humanized. Seeing how others live is a way to humble ethnocentricity and realize that there is more than one right way. Whether it be habits of work, food, or clothing, what we find normal at home can be seen as totally unordinary in another part of the world, and until you see it first hand, it's easy to have a “my way or the highway" mentality.

Not everyone has the ‘American Dream.’ Different people in different societies aspire to different dreams. People in Norway have their own ‘Norwegian Dream’ just like people in India have their own ‘Indian Dream’ and so on. Realizing that not everyone wishes to leave their home country for the picturesque dream our country prides itself on, helps to broaden the global perspective.

Along with thoughtful provocations, Steves provided images and anecdotes from his own travels, recent and otherwise. The stories and images presented served to motivate my travels even further. I am fortunate enough to say that my 2017 travel list will include Israel, the Caribbean, Spain, and several American states. This presentation gave me inspiration and endless ideas on how to expand my travel beyond a tourist's perspective and push the vacation itineraries outside of my comfort zone. I definitely plan to view the archived episodes and clips from Rick Steves on his website and use his guidebooks in my future travel adventures.

Here are some of my favorite quotes from the event:

“Fear is for people who don’t get out much.”

“Tolerate alternative lifestyles or invest in more prisons.”

“If everyone had to travel before they voted, a lot of problems about gerrymandering would be solved.”

The Battle of the Meuse-Argonne

John Joseph "Jack Black" Pershing

With the centennial of the end of World War I around the corner, Smithsonian Associates held a program called “The Battle of the Meuse-Argonne” on February 27th at the S. Dillon Ripley Center. The guest speaker was Mitchell Yockelson, a military historian, archivist, and author of four books including Forty-Seven Days: How Pershing's Warriors Came of Age to Defeat the German Army in World War I. He currently teaches history at Norwich University and works as an Investigative Archivist at the National Archives and Records Administration. Yockelson also serves as a consultant in the U.S. World War One Centennial Commission. As one of the leading authorities on the topic of World War I, Yockelson's lecture was quite insightful as he was able to weave his personal admiration for General John Joseph "Black Jack" Pershing with the extraordinary story of the Battle of the Meuse-Argonne, the largest in United States military history and commanded by that very same man.

Yockelson began the lecture with an anecdote about how he first learned about General Pershing. Coupled with a picture of a five-year-old Yockelson on the PowerPoint, Yockelson explained how he would always see the street sign “Pershing Drive” before he would go see the doctor for his yearly check-up. Yockelson's admiration grew as he learned about General Pershing’s achievements through reading scholastic books during his early adolescence and his military history classes in college. Yockelson walked the audience through the life of General Pershing, from his days at West Point, to the tragic fire that killed his wife and three daughters, and finally to the Battle of the Meuse-Argonne. Yockelson was able to characterize General Pershing so that I could feel the passion and admiration that Yockelson felt for him. 

A part that I really enjoyed in the lecture was when Yockelson emphasized the characteristics of General Pershing. Yockelson made sure to highlight the fact that General Pershing was a natural leader, which helped him immensely during World War I. He also stressed how General Pershing had an instinctive drive to understand other people’s cultures, such as his interactions with Native Americans, African Americans, and the Moro people from the Philippines. Not only does it explain how he was able to work with French and British allied forces during World War I, but it also makes General Pershing truly ahead of his time as he was able to (to a certain degree) respect his fellow man in era of prejudice and discrimination.

Mitch Yockelson, Ph.D. Photo Credit: WWI Centennial Commission

After explaining the ending of World War I in detail, Yockelson concluded his lecture by explaining how the Battle of the Meuse-Argonne, General Pershing, and World War I itself have been forgotten by the American people. He then shared that starting on April 6th the U.S. World War One Centennial Commission’s mission will be to educate people about World War I through lectures, tours, and books in hopes of honoring the sacrifices of the men and women who died protecting our nation. Keep an eye out for more Smithsonian Associates programs on World War I this spring!

All in all, through the laughter and the seriousness of the lecture, I thoroughly enjoy Yockelson telling the story of the remarkable General Pershing, a man truly to be admired.

 -Written by Martina Umunna