Report to the Regents

First Quarter, Fiscal Year 2011

Using the Chandra X-ray Observatory, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics astronomers 

have found evidence for the youngest black hole known—only about 30 years old. This image of 

the galaxy M100 shows the location of supernova 1979c, suspected of producing this black hole. 
Prepared by 

Offi ce of Policy and Analysis
Broadening Access: Visitation Summary

In the fi rst quarter of fi scal year 2011, the Institution counted about 5.8 million visits to its museums 

in Washington, D.C., and New York City, plus the National Zoological Park and Steven F. UdvarHazy Center—up about 6 percent from the fi gure for this period in fi scal year 2010. Of note were 

the increases in visitation at the National Air and Space Museum (up 28 percent) and the Donald W. 

Reynolds Center for American Art and Portraiture (up 64 percent). Th e latter refl ects the impact of 

two exhibitions that received extensive media coverage: the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s Telling 

Stories: Norman Rockwell from the Collections of George Lucas and Steven Spielberg and the National 

Portrait Gallery’s Hide/Seek: Difference and Desire in American Portraiture. 

Th e Smithsonian also counted: 

approximately 1.5 million visits to traveling exhibitions mounted by the Smithsonian Institution 

Traveling Exhibition Service, and 

about 36 million visits to Smithsonian websites. 

Visits to Smithsonian Venues and Traveling Exhibitions

First Quarter, Fiscal Years 2009, 2010, and 2011 

•

•

0

200,000

400,000

600,000

800,000

1,000,000

1,200,000

1,400,000

1,600,000

African Art

Air and Space

American History

American Indian

Heye Center (NY)

Anacostia

Cooper -Hewitt (NY)

Freer/Sackler

Hirshhorn

Natural History

Postal

Renwick

Reynolds Center

Ripley Center

SI Castle

Udvar-Hazy

National Zoo

Traveling (SITES)

FY 2009

FY 2010

FY 2011

Report to the Regents, April 2011 1
Grand Challenges Highlights 

November 2010 saw the release of the fi rst in a planned series of papers by Secretary G. Wayne Clough

on important issues that cut across Grand Challenge areas and touch on the future of the nation and the 

Smithsonian. Th e paper, Increasing Scientific Literacy: A Shared Responsibility, addresses the urgent need 

to improve the scientifi c literacy of America’s citizens. 

Unlocking the Mysteries of the Universe

Research: Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (SAO)

Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics (CfA) 

SAO’s Submillimeter Array obtained pictures of a 

galaxy so remote that its light has been traveling 

for 10.8 billion years—80 percent of the age of 

the universe. Th e detection was facilitated by 

the gravity of a closer galaxy, which acted like 

a magnifying lens. Th is result, by SAO’s Mark 

Gurwell and Ray Blundell, proves that the former 

galaxy is in the process of making new stars; it also 

corroborates the theory of relativity. 

Th e universe has far more stars than previously 

suspected. CfA’s Charlie Conroy has discovered that 

elliptical galaxies (the largest type) have 5–10 times 

as many stars as previously believed. Th is suggests 

that the total number of stars in the universe may be three times larger than had been realized. 

Near Earth Objects (NEOs) are asteroids that pass close to Earth. Scientists study them for insights 

into the young solar system, and they are of concern because of the potential for collisions with Earth. 

Th eir sizes have been hard to measure, but SAO astronomer Joe Hora and his colleagues used an SAOdeveloped infrared camera on the Spitzer spacecraft to measure and 

categorize, for the fi rst time, over 400 NEOs—some as small as 84 meters. 

Using the Chandra X-ray Observatory, CfA astronomers Christine Jones, 

Avi Loeb, and Daniel Patnaude have found evidence for a black hole that 

is only 30 years old—the youngest ever known. Th is discovery off ers a 

unique opportunity to follow a black hole as it develops from infancy. 

Other Research 

Th e National Air and Space Museum’s John Grant (of the Center for 

Earth and Planetary Studies) collaborated with the University of Arizona’s 

High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) science team. 

Th is collaboration has led to the discovery of ancient lake deposits in Uzboi 

Vallis on Mars. Th e paleolake basin exceeded 4,000 cubic kilometers—

twice the volume of Lake Ontario.

An elliptical galaxy 

Uzboi Vallis, Mars

2 Report to the Regents, April 2011
Understanding and Sustaining a Biodiverse Planet

Research: National Zoological Park (NZP) 

Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute (SCBI)

As frogs around the world continue to disappear, one 

endangered species has received an encouraging boost. 

Although the La Loma tree frog Hyloscirtus colymba is 

notoriously diffi cult to care for in captivity, the Panama 

Amphibian Rescue and Conservation Project recently became 

the fi rst organization to successfully breed this species. Th e 

Project—whose partners include NZP and the Smithsonian 

Tropical Research Institute—has also successfully bred the 

endangered Limosa harlequin frog, Atelopus limosus. 

Two cheetah cubs, born at the Smithsonian Conservation 

Biology Institute to two separate females just days apart, are 

very lucky animals. In the wild, cheetahs that give birth to a 

single cub cannot produce enough milk to keep it alive, and 

typically let the cub die. But scientists at SCBI were able to 

hand-raise the fi rst cub for 13 days before placing it with the 

mother of the second, creating a litter of two that stimulated 

the mother’s milk production. Both cubs are thriving.

Research: National Museum of Natural History (NMNH)

Th e description of a new bat species in Mammalian Biology by Don Wilson 

of NMNH and Ricardo Moratelli drew coverage in over 100 online media 

outlets. Myotis diminutus is the smallest known bat from South America, 

and had to be described based on a single specimen collected by Wilson 

in Ecuador in 1979, and is now in the NMNH collections. Th e authors 

delayed naming the species in the hope of collecting more specimens, but 

noted in the paper that “continuing disappearance of forest habitat on 

the western slope of the Andes over the past three decades argues against 

further delay. . . . [W]e know nothing about the natural history of this bat. 

Unfortunately, the prospects for learning more are bleak.” 

In December 2010, Science published “Th e Impact of Conservation on 

the Status of the World’s Vertebrates.” Among the authors are NMNHaffi liated researchers Bruce Collette of the National Marine Fisheries 

Service and Bob Reynolds of the U.S. Geological Survey. According to this 

assessment, one-fi fth of vertebrate species are classifi ed as “threatened.” While the study fi nds evidence 

that conservation initiatives can help, it concludes that eff orts remain insuffi cient to off set the main 

drivers of biodiversity loss: agricultural expansion, logging, overexploitation, and invasive alien species.

Th e Smithsonian Institution Scholarly Press published George R. Zug’s Speciation and Dispersal in a Low 

Diversity Taxon: The Slender Geckos Hemiphyllodactylus (Reptilla, Gekkonidae) (Smithsonian Contributions 

to Zoology, No. 631) for NMNH.

NZP staff are working to save endangered frogs... 

... and cheetahs 

Myotis diminutus 

Report to the Regents, April 2011 3
Long ago on the island of Flores in Indonesia, giant rats, komodo dragons, and pygmy elephants lived 

alongside a tiny species of human, Homo floresiensis. Research by NMNH fellow Hanneke Meijer and 

Rokus Awe Due, published in the Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, has identifi ed a previously 

unknown species in this menagerie: a carnivorous giant stork, Leptoptilos robustus, which at six feet in 

height would have towered over the 3.3-foot H. floresiensis. Th is juxtaposition of dwarf and giant species 

shows how diff erent past ecological communities can be from the present. 

Research: Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC) 

Virginia Sea Grant, part of a Federal program 

that promotes sustainable management of marine 

resources, announced that a research team from 

SERC and Old Dominion University was awarded 

$110,999 to develop a model to predict the best 

places for seagrass restoration. Seagrasses in the 

Chesapeake Bay have been in decline since the 1930s 

and restoration efforts are ongoing. 

SERC and the Alaska Sea Grant Program of the 

University of Alaska, Fairbanks, were recently named 

as recipients of a $400,000 grant from the National 

Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to create 

an early detection and rapid response system for 

invasive marine species in Alaska. A non-native species, Didemnum vexillum (the carpet sea squirt) was 

discovered in Sitka, Alaska, in 2010 by SERC and its collaborators. D. vexillum is of concern because it 

grows rapidly and can completely cover nets, shellfish beds, and sensitive marine environments. 

Research: Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) 

Sixty million years ago, a tropical rainforest in northern South America thrived at temperatures 3 to 5 

degrees Celsius warmer than today. Based on an analysis of fossil pollen, STRI’s Carlos Jaramillo and 

his colleagues concluded that biodiversity increased and many plant families characteristic of tropical 

ecosystems appeared for the fi rst time during this 

warming period. Th ese discoveries were reported in 

Science and widely covered in popular science media.

Th e STRI-coordinated Smithsonian Global Earth 

Observatories (SIGEO), a network of over 40 forest 

plots around the world that provides valuable data for 

understanding global change and forest health, has 

added insect monitoring to its repertoire. Th is will 

enable scientists to gather long-term data to detect 

shifts in insect populations that may be driven by 

climate disturbances or habitat disruption. 

On December 9, 2010, for the fi rst time in over 20 

years, the Panama Canal was closed. Th e shutdown, caused by heavy rains, drew media attention to a 

land-use experiment under way at STRI in partnership with the Panama Canal Authority and Panama’s 

SERC scientists are creating a model to facilitate 

Chesapeake Bay seagrass replanting 

SIGEO is now keeping an eye on insect populations 

4 Report to the Regents, April 2011
Environmental Authority. Th e Agua Salud project examines, from economic and ecological perspectives, 

how diff erent land-management approaches aff ect water availability and other “ecosystem services.”

STRI’s Automated Radio Telemetry System 

(ARTS) has led to breakthroughs in animal 

tracking, the development of miniaturized 

tracking devices, and a global archive 

of tracking data called Movebank. In a 

symposium in December 2010, STRI hosted 

pioneering researchers who have employed 

ARTS. New protocols are now being 

implanted for the system that will replace 

towers and antennas with a space-based 

receiver that employs GPS technology to 

provide the same 24-hour surveillance.

Broadening Access

On December 9, 2010, one of the National 

Zoo’s new lion cubs was named Aslan, after 

the magical lion in the Chronicles of Narnia

series. On this occasion, 20th Century Fox 

and Walden Media presented a gift to support 

the Zoo’s great-cat conservation eff orts, and 

actors Georgie Henley and Skandar Keynes 

from the Narnia fi lm series participated in 

a formal naming ceremony. On December 

18, the other six cubs received names and 

made their public debut; their names were 

determined in various ways, including a public 

contest and suggestions by lion keepers and 

Zoo supporters. 

In a successful videoconference exchange hosted by the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, 

students from fi ve bilingual schools in Panama joined school kids in Arizona, Michigan, Wisconsin, and 

Washington state to learn about ants. Th is pilot project demonstrated the potential for students in the 

United States to “visit” the Institute’s fi eld sites and speak with its scientists in their classrooms.

Th e Biodiversity Heritage Library, a collaborative project that includes the Smithsonian Institution 

Libraries, has been awarded the John Th ackray Medal by the Society for the History of Natural History. 

Th e award was instituted in 2000 to honor signifi cant achievements in biological and earth sciences.

Valuing World Cultures 

Research 

James Cahill received the Freer and Sackler Galleries’ Freer Medal, which honors a distinguished scholar 

for contributions to the fi eld of Asian art history. Th is was the 12th time the medal has been awarded 

since it was established in 1956. Cahill, a scholar of Chinese art, was a curator at the Freer between 

Tracking sloths in the wild has been one application of ARTS 

Report to the Regents, April 2011 5
1956 and 1965, and contributed his research papers to the Galleries’ 

archives. 

Staff from the Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage participated 

in a meeting with the executive director of the American Folklore 

Society, research center directors from Mexico’s National Institute 

of Anthropology and History, and other scholars to discuss future 

cultural collaborations between Mexico and the United States. Th e 

meeting was spurred by the Mexico Folklife Festival program.

Polynesia: The Mark and Carolyn Blackburn Collection of Polynesian 

Art by Adrienne L. Kaeppler of the National Museum of Natural 

History was published in October 2010 by the University of Hawai`i 

Press. It explores one of the world’s great private collections of 

Polynesian art, featuring both ceremonial and functional artifacts. 

Several works by National Museum of African Art scholarly staff 

recently appeared:

Erin Haney’s book Photography and Africa was released by Reaktion Books. Two articles by 

Haney also appeared: “Fool the Eye: Innocent Photographs” in the Nigerian journal New 

Awakenings, and “8e Rencontres de Bamako” (with Jennifer Bajorek) in Aperture.

Karen Milbourne contributed the article “Seduction’s Shadows and the ‘Terrible Beauty’ of 

Recent Works by Yinka Shonibare” to the publication Yinka Shonibare MBE (edited by Octavio 

Zaya and published by Comunidad de Madrid).

Christine Mullen Kreamer and Bryna Freyer contributed a chapter, “Building a National 

Collection of African Art,” to Representing Africa in American Art Museums: A Century of 

Collecting and Display from University of Washington Press. Kreamer also wrote “Th e Cincinnati 

Art Museum’s Steckelmann Collection: Late-Nineteenth-Century Collecting and Patronage 

Along the Loango Coast” for the same book.

Th e Anacostia Community Museum presented “Connecting the Worlds of the African Diaspora: The 

Living Legacy of Lorenzo Dow Turner,” a research symposium that examined how Turner’s scholarship 

has inspired subsequent work from historians, linguists, and anthropologists, identifying connections 

among diverse communities within the African diaspora. 

Broadening Access

Th e exhibition Guillermo Kuitca: 

Everything—Paintings and Works on 

Paper, 1980–2008 (October 21, 2010–

January 16, 2011) at the Hirshhorn 

Museum and Sculpture Garden 

launched a year of shows at the museum 

featuring Latin American artists 

working in a diverse range of media. It 

was the fi rst survey of the Argentinean 

artist’s work in the United States in 

more than 10 years. 

•

•

•

Th e art of Guillermo Kuitca

Artwork from the Blackburn Collection 

6 Report to the Regents, April 2011
Th e Smithsonian Latino Center–sponsored exhibition Southern Identity: Contemporary Argentine Art 

(October 12, 2010–January 23, 2011) was on display in the International Gallery of the S. Dillon Ripley 

Center. It was the largest show of contemporary Argentine 

art ever organized in the United States. 

Infinity of Nations: Art and History in the Collections of the 

National Museum of the American Indian opened at the 

George Gustav Heye Center of the National Museum of the 

American Indian in New York City on October 23, 2010. 

Th is permanent exhibition includes 700 works of Native art 

from North, Central, and South America, showcasing the 

breadth of the museum’s 

renowned collection. 

African Mosaic: Celebrating 

a Decade of Collecting

opened at the National 

Museum of African Art on November 19, 2010, and will continue 

through 2011. Th is exhibition showcases museum acquisitions of 

the past decade, including both traditional and contemporary art. 

A highlight is the towering sculpture of Haitian leader Toussaint 

Louverture by contemporary Senegalese artist Ousmane Sow. 

Organized by the Smithsonian Center for Education and Museum 

Studies and hosted by the National Museum of the American Indian, 

the feature event in this year’s American Indian Heritage Month was a 

two-day Harvest Festival that attracted 9,000 visitors. 

In collaboration with the Embassy of the Republic of Cyprus and the 

National Museum of Natural History, The Smithsonian Associates 

presented two programs on Cypriot culture and cuisine that tied into 

the museum’s exhibition Cyprus: Crossroads of Civilizations. 

Th e Asian Pacific American Program presented several programs highlighting Asian and Asian American 

arts and culture, including: 

a screening of the documentary fi lm The Great Pinoy Boxing Era, followed by a panel discussion 

and demonstration by renowned Filipino American martial artist Dan Inosanto; 

the 10th annual South Asian Literary and Th eater Arts Festival, showcasing South Asian 

literature and fi lms (in collaboration with the Network of South Asian Professionals); and, 

in collaboration with the Freer and Sackler Galleries, a 

performance by choreographer/dancer Peggy Choy reenvisioning the legacy of martial arts fi lm star Bruce Lee, as 

well as a lecture on the work of artist Fiona Tan by Konrad Ng, 

professor of creative media at the University of Hawai’i and 

senior adviser to the Program.

Th e National Museum of the American Indian released a book by 

Head Chef Richard Hetzler of the museum’s Mitsitam Cafe, The 

Mitsitam Cafe Cookbook: Recipes from the Smithsonian National Museum 

of the American Indian (Fulcrum Publishing). 

•

•

•

Ousmane Sow’s Toussaint Louverture et 

la vieille esclave

An artifact from the Heye Center’s Infi nity of Nations

Report to the Regents, April 2011 7
Th e National Museum of the American Indian and National Museum of American History celebrated 

their annual Dia de los Muertos program at the former venue, featuring food demonstrations, 

presentations by guest artists, and hands-on activities. It drew over 17,000 visitors. 

Understanding the American Experience 

Research 

National Museum of American History Curator Deborah Warner 

completed Sweet Stuff, a history of American sweeteners from sugar 

to sucralose that explores the interplay of science, technology, labor, 

politics, and popular culture surrounding these products. Th e book is 

due to appear in spring 2011. 

Th e Smithsonian American Art Museum produced an exhibition 

catalogue for Alexis Rockman: A Fable for Tomorrow, written by the 

museum curator Joanna Marsh and copublished with D. Giles Limited.

Broadening Access

Th e National Portrait Gallery hosted two popular exhibitions: 

Hide/Seek: Difference and Desire in American Portraiture (October 30, 2010–February 13, 2011) 

generated a great deal of media coverage and public discussion in December 2010, after the 

decision to remove a video by the artist David Wojnarowicz from the show. 

Elvis at 21: Photographs by Alfred Wertheimer (October 23, 2010–January 23, 2011), a joint 

exhibition initiative with the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service, opened 

in the National Portrait Gallery after three previous stops. It will travel to four more museums 

through March 2012. 

Th e National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) exhibition The Kinsey 

Collection: The Shared Treasures of Bernard and Shirley Kinsey—Where 

Art and History Intersect (October 15, 2010–May 1, 2011) opened in 

the NMAAHC Gallery at the National Museum of American History. 

It features more than 100 artifacts, documents, and artworks spanning 

four centuries of the African American experience. Th e museum also 

presented several exciting public programs:

To mark the opening of the Kinsey Collection exhibition, 

collectors Bernard and Shirley Kinsey took visitors on a journey 

through art and history in “What You Didn’t Learn in High 

School History” at the Carmichael Auditorium of the National 

Museum of American History. Th e Kinseys also led a private 

tour of the exhibition for educators attending Smithsonian 

Teachers’ Night.

Also at the Carmichael Auditorium, the museum presented 

“Lessons Learned: Th e Early History of the Game,” a roundtable 

in which National Basketball Association Hall of Fame honorees 

discussed the early years of pro basketball. 

•

•

•

•

A work from the Kinsey Collection 

8 Report to the Regents, April 2011
After over 25,000 hours of research by 100 volunteers 

and staff , the National Museum of American History

launched a website featuring the diary of piano 

manufacturer William Steinway, 1861–1896. Th e 

site off ers a unique window on American life during a tumultuous period. Th e diary is also featured in a 

special exhibition in the museum’s document gallery (December 17, 2010–April 8, 2011). 

Th e Smithsonian American Art Museum opened Alexis Rockman: A Fable for Tomorrow (November 

19, 2010–May 8, 2011), the fi rst major survey of the artist’s 

provocative work, which expresses deep concern for the world’s 

fragile ecosystems through vivid, even apocalyptic, imagery. 

In tandem with the publication of President Jimmy Carter’s new 

book, White House Diary, The Smithsonian Associates presented 

a program in which Carter refl ected on his years in the White 

House in an interview with Ray Suarez of National Public Radio. 

Th e National Portrait Gallery presented a number of wellreceived public programs:

Th e gallery’s “Cultures in Motion” program presented Ira 

Aldridge: The African Roscius to a full McEvoy auditorium 

on December 6, 2010. Th e original script was performed 

by actor Avery Brooks as Aldridge. 

As a part of the lead-up to the exhibition Gertrude Stein: 

Five Stories, the gallery hosted several well-attended “Stein 

Salons,” including one that was held as a part of the 

opening events for the Hide/Seek exhibition. 

In collaboration with Smithsonian Enterprises, the 

gallery presented a conversation and book signing with 

legendary musician and artist Patti Smith. Smith spoke 

with gallery historian David Ward about poetry, luck, 

and a life in art. Th e program was webcast live.

In January 1961, Richard Avedon photographed President-elect 

John Kennedy and his family in Florida for an article in Harpers 

Bazaar—the only professional images taken between the election 

and inauguration. Th ese photos were later donated to the 

National Museum of American History, where a selection is on 

display for the fi rst time in The Kennedys 50 Years Ago, through 

April 10, 2011. 

•

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•

A roundtable discussion on rap lyrics, “Th e 

Anthology of Rap,” at the historic Lincoln 

Th eater featured hip hop artist and actor 

Common, rapper and producer Kurtis Blow, 

and the editors of the new book The Anthology 

of Rap, Adam Bradley and Andrew DuBois. It 

drew a capacity crowd of over 1,200 and received 

extensive media coverage. 

•

Th e art of Alexis Rockman

Th e Kennedys 50 Years Ago

Rappers Common (left) and Kurtis Blow (right) 

Report to the Regents, April 2011 9
Th e National Museum of American History opened 1939, a small exhibition that explores how 

Americans used entertainment to distract themselves during a turbulent year when the country was 

recovering from the Great Depression and World War II loomed. Th rough a collaboration with the 

Smithsonian Channel, visitors were able, for the fi rst time, to access videos related to the exhibition on 

their cell phones.

On November 5 and 6, 2010, the Lemelson 

Center of the National Museum of American 

History hosted its 2010 invention and innovation 

symposium; this year’s topic was “Food for 

Tomorrow.” 

Th e Anacostia Community Museum presented 

the community forum “Perspectives on East of the 

River” to mark the publication of its book East of the 

River: Continuity and Change. Th e program featured 

presentations by authors of several of the book’s 

essays. Th e museum’s Gail Lowe, the book’s editor, 

served as moderator.

Th e Archives of American Art exhibition Lost & 

Found: the Gay and Lesbian Presence in the Archives of American Art (October 29, 2010–February 13, 

2011) at the Reynolds Center presented letters, photographs, unpublished writings, and rare printed 

material that off ered glimpses into the lives, careers, and communities of gay American artists. It 

complemented the National Portrait Gallery exhibition Hide/Seek: Difference and Desire in American 

Portraiture.

Crossing Boundaries 

Research 

Cooper-Hewitt, National Design 

Museum and General Electric presented 

a one-day conference, “Why Design 

Now? Solving Global Challenges” to 

explore the role of design in addressing 

pressing global issues. It brought 

together leading thinkers, scientists, and 

designers to share their ideas. 

Th e National Museum of the 

American Indian hosted an important 

symposium, “Centuries of Change: 

State of the Native Nations,” which 

looked at the role of the indigenous people of the Western Hemisphere in the evolution of the Americas. 

Th e museum partnered with the Organization of American States to develop the program, which 

featured some of the world’s top scholars and policymakers in indigenous aff airs.

Cooper-Hewitt’s “Why Design Now?” conference

“Food for Tomorrow” at the Lemelson Center

10 Report to the Regents, April 2011
Broadening Access 

Th e National Air and Space Museum completed 

the opening of the Barron Hilton Pioneers of 

Flight Gallery, and launched an exhibition 

website. Online activities allow visitors to design 

an air racer, plan a round-the-world fl ight, pack 

for an exploration fl ight into the unknown, fl y a 

bomber escort mission, and explore 360-degree 

views of cockpits of pioneering aircraft. 

From October 9 to 17, 2010, Cooper-Hewitt 

celebrated the role that design plays in daily life 

with its annual National Design Week. Public 

programs included a Teen Design Fair that gave 

young people a chance to meet leading designers 

in the fi elds of fashion, industrial design, multimedia, graphic design, and architecture. As part of the 

festivities, Cooper-Hewitt celebrated the 11th annual National Design Awards Gala, which honored the 

2010 Award winners and raised nearly $900,000. 

Th e iconic Hope Diamond was placed on display in a new, temporary necklace setting designed by 

Harry Winston, Inc. to commemorate the 

50th anniversary of its arrival at the National 

Museum of Natural History. Th e new exhibit 

also coincided with the world premiere of the 

Smithsonian Channel documentary fi lm Mystery 

of the Hope Diamond. 

Also at the National Museum of Natural 

History: A temporary exhibit in the Sant Ocean 

Hall, The Hyperbolic Crochet Coral Reef (October 

16, 2010–April 24, 2011) is a thought-provoking 

fusion of science, conservation, mathematics, and 

art that celebrates the beautiful diversity of coral 

reefs and speaks to the urgent need to protect 

these vanishing ecosystems.

On October 22, 2010, the Smithsonian 

Institution Archives joined with other archives and special collection units at the Smithsonian to off er 

the inaugural Smithsonian Archives Fair. Th e Fair off ered members of the public a chance to interact 

with archival experts, show off their own treasures, and ask questions about care. 

Th e National Postal Museum unveiled three new online exhibitions:

Mexico Via Airmail highlights how Mexico used airmail stamps to promote a progressive national 

image worldwide following its revolution in 1910. 

Important Events in American History is the result of a series of workshops with students at Pine 

Spring Elementary School in Falls Church, Virginia; every aspect of it was selected, written, and 

organized by Pine Spring Elementary students.

The 2010 edition of Celebrating Hispanic Heritage: People, Places, and Events highlights U.S. 

postage stamps featuring Hispanic people and events.

•

•

•

The Hyperbolic Crochet 

Coral Reef

The Hope Diamond in its 

new setting

Report to the Regents, April 2011 11
Broadening Access: Outreach

Smithsonian Affiliations off ers museums, cultural institutions, and educational organizations access to 

the Institution’s collections and other resources. At the end of the fi rst quarter of fi scal year 2011, there 

were 164 Affi liates in 40 states, the District of Columbia, Panama, and Puerto Rico. In this quarter: 

Th e Smithsonian welcomed two new Affi liates: the San Diego Museum of Man in San Diego, 

California; and the Louisiana Offi ce of State Parks / Poverty Point State Historic Site in Baton 

Rouge, Louisiana; 

Forty-seven artifacts were loaned to Affi liate organizations; there are currently 1,228 

Smithsonian artifacts on view at Affi liate organizations; 

Twenty-eight Smithsonian staff participated in programs and events with Affi liates.

In the fi rst quarter of fi scal year 2011, the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service 

(SITES) circulated 45 exhibitions to 357 venues in all 50 states, plus the District of Columbia, Guam, 

and U.S. military bases in 10 countries, where they were viewed by approximately 1.5 million visitors. 

SITES also launched a traveling version of the National Museum of African American 

History and Culture exhibition Ain’t Nothing Like the Real Thing: How the Apollo Theater 

Shaped American Entertainment, with an opening at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African 

American History in Detroit, Michigan. 

SITES and the National Air and Space Museum launched the public program component of 

their collaborative exhibition Suited for Space with a panel discussion about the invention of the 

lightweight, self-contained life support system known as the “spacesuit.” 

Th e Smithsonian Channel’s documentary Mystery of the Hope Diamond premiered on November 21, 

2010. Th e program, narrated by actress Kim Basinger, chronicles the history and alleged curse of the 

Hope Diamond, and features scientifi c studies carried out on blue diamonds by National Museum of 

Natural History scientists.

Historic Flushing Town Hall, a Smithsonian Affi liate in Flushing, New York, is hosting the Museum 

Conservation Institute’s traveling exhibit Within the Emperor’s Garden (October 2010–September 2011). 

Flushing is home to one of the largest Chinese-American communities in the United States. 

•

•

•

•

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Ain’t Nothing Like the Real Thing: The Supremes at the Apollo Suited for Space panel

12 Report to the Regents, April 2011
Broadening Access: Education 

Th e National Science Resources Center (NSRC) remained active in collaborative eff orts to improve the 

teaching of science in schools across the nation and the world: 

NSRC launched a $34 million Department of Education Investing in Innovation (i3) Validation 

grant in partnership with the University of Memphis and schools in Indiana, North Carolina, 

and Texas. It will research the eff ectiveness of the Center’s Leadership and Assistance for Science 

Education Reform (LASER) model for K–12 science programs. 

Th e Stevens Institute of Technology and NSRC launched a program funded by a $11.5 million 

National Science Foundation grant. Th e Partnership to Improve Student Achievement in 

Physical Sciences (PISA2) aims to enhance science learning in 12 districts across New Jersey. 

Sally Goetz Shuler and William D. Cassidy represented NSRC at a conference in Britain 

sponsored by the Science Education Program of the InterAcademy Panel. Th ey met with other 

education leaders to discuss an international alliance to expand upon global eff orts to promote 

the inquiry-based science education approach that NSRC champions.

On October 22, 2010, the National Museum of American History hosted over 2,200 educators at the 

Smithsonian Center for Education and Museum Studies’ 18th annual Smithsonian Teachers Night 

event. Participants met Smithsonian educators, explored hands-on activities for children, and engaged in 

other special off erings. 

Shout, a new online education collaboration with 

Microsoft Partners in Learning, connects educators 

with content, tools, and expertise that prompt 

students to take action on global issues. Smithsonian 

contributions include online conferences and a 

global tree-banding project led by the Smithsonian 

Environmental Research Center. Th e director of 

the Smithsonian Center for Education and Museum 

Studies, which has facilitated the project, and other 

senior staff attended the project kickoff in Cape 

Town, South Africa. 

Th e National Postal Museum kicked off its Teacher Leader Program by partnering with eight schools 

in the D.C. region. Th e program is designed to transform classroom teaching philosophies to better 

integrate new media and museum interpretation techniques. 

The Smithsonian Associates sponsored the visit of three Smithsonian scientists to Lafayette, Louisiana, 

public schools for three days, during which they presented to over 700 8th-graders. Th e visitors were 

volcanologist Ed Venzke and geologist Mike Wise of the National Museum of Natural History; and 

Frank Hailer, a biologist from the National Zoo’s Genetics Lab, who focused on the environmental 

eff ects of the BP oil spill in the Gulf. 

In collaboration with the National Air and Space Museum, the Smithsonian Latino Center sponsored 

the bilingual Hispanic Heritage Month Family Day: Argentina in Air and Space as part of the Museum’s 

2010 Heritage Family Day Series. 

•

•

•

Report to the Regents, April 2011 13
Strengthening Collections

Th e National Collections Program and the Office of Planning and Project Management are leading 

an Institution-wide initiative to develop a collections space plan, with recommendations for addressing 

current and projected Institution-wide storage requirements. Although the Smithsonian has made 

progress in expanding and improving collections space, the collapse of Garber Building 21 reinforced the 

need to continue eff orts to replace substandard facilities and 

upgrade collections space. 

It is not unusual for the Smithsonian Institution Archives 

to discover documents from prominent Americans in its 

collections, but such fi nds are still exciting—as when reference 

archivist Tad Bennicoff recently found a letter by Th omas 

Jeff erson.

Th e National Air and Space Museum archives acquired a 

collection of documents on Amelia Earhart’s 1937 aroundthe-world fl ight, consisting of correspondence, telegrams, 

Coast Guard dispatches, newspaper articles, and reports on the 

planning of the fl ight and the naval search for Earhart following 

her disappearance. 

Th e National Museum of Natural History acquired the 

meteorite that crashed through the roof of a medical 

offi ce in Lorton, Virginia, on January 18, 2010. While 

chondrites of its type make up nearly 90 percent of all 

meteorites, only a fraction are recovered as freshly fallen 

objects, which are valued because of the lack of terrestrial 

contamination and weathering.

Sandra Herbert, Professor Emerita at the University of 

Maryland, Baltimore, and her husband Jim, have donated 

a silk embroidered handkerchief once owned by Charles 

Darwin to the Smithsonian Institution Libraries. 

Organizational Excellence

Leadership Milestones

In December 2010, Scott Miller was named to the new position of Deputy Under Secretary for 

Collections and Interdisciplinary Support. Miller will oversee the National Collections Program, Office 

of Fellowships and Internships, Office of International Relations, Smithsonian Institution Archives, 

Smithsonian Institution Libraries, and Smithsonian Institution Scholarly Press. He will also serve as 

the Smithsonian’s liaison to various U.S. and international cultural and scientifi c organizations.

A surprise from the SIA collections: A letter from 

Th omas Jeff erson

Th e Lorton meteorite

14 Report to the Regents, April 2011
Information Technology

On December 13, 2010, the Smithsonian launched a new version of its main website, Smithsonian.

org/si.edu. In addition to freshening up the site’s overall look and feel, improvements were made to help 

visitors fi nd content, both at the central Smithsonian website and through links to museum, research 

center, and other program websites. It also incorporates an improved site-wide search feature; new 

exhibitions and Encyclopedia Smithsonian databases; translations into more than 50 languages through 

Google translate; and a central location for all of the Institution’s social media off erings. 

To date, the Institution has published fi ve apps on the iPhone, Android, and iPad app platforms and 

has launched seven mobile websites, with an additional dozen or more projects in development. Most 

importantly, a Mall visitors’ mobile website and application will be soft-launched in spring 2011.

Over 1,200 public comments were received on the Smithsonian Commons prototype website, with 97 

percent voicing support for the initiative. Th e Smithsonian Commons project, which is currently in 

a fundraising phase, will create a new digital presence dedicated to stimulating learning, creation, and 

innovation through open access to Smithsonian research, collections, and communities. Th e commons 

prototype comments can be viewed at http://www.si.edu/commons/prototype. 

Major Construction, Renovation, and Facilities Projects

Arts and Industries Building (AIB)

$52.8 million estimated cost for shell only

Th e AIB shell project, consisting of roof/

window replacements and upgrades to the 

building’s structure, began on November 15, 

2010, and is scheduled to be completed by 

mid-fi scal year 2013. Total project costs for the 

shell are $15 million in Federal capital funds, 

$30 million from the Federal Legacy Fund, 

and the remainder from private donations. 

A favorable bidding climate has permitted 

additional interior demolition to be added to 

the project scope; this will further reveal the 

character of the original spaces and open views 

through the building that have been obscured 

for nearly 100 years. Design of the building 

core and the development of a future program for the building are in the scope development phase.

National Zoological Park, Seal / Sea Lion Exhibit

$40.0 million total estimated project cost

Th e Zoo’s seal/sea lion exhibit is being revitalized to meet standards for animal care and to improve 

accessibility. Th e project includes an upgrade of underground utilities in Beaver Valley. Construction 

is approximately 40 percent complete and is projected to be fi nished in early 2012. Th e noncapital, 

interpretive component of the project will be funded with $1 million in Trust funds, while the Federal 

capital contribution is approximately $39 million in fi scal years 2009–2012.

Report to the Regents, April 2011 15
National Zoological Park, Asia Trail II: Elephant Trails

$55.9 million estimated total project and program cost

Th e second phase of the Asia Trail project has a 

projected cost of $55.9 million—$41.05 million 

Federal (received in fi scal years 2006–2012) and 

$14.8 million Trust. Construction of the new 

elephant barn and two of three outdoor habitats 

were recently completed. Remaining work 

on the “elephant community center” has been 

removed from the original contract and awarded 

to a new contractor; work on this component is 

approximately 10 percent complete. Additional 

private funding is being sought for completion 

of the fi nal habitat, and the project is now 

scheduled to be fi nished in 2013.

National Zoological Park, General Services Building and North Road Retaining Wall

$33.3 million total estimated project cost

Design is substantially complete for structural repairs, fi re-protection improvements, and safety 

upgrades at the Zoo’s General Services Building, which houses vital support functions that must remain 

operational throughout construction and will be temporarily relocated to swing space. Replacement of 

an adjacent retaining wall supporting the North Road was recently incorporated into the project and 

will be reviewed with the Commission of Fine Arts and the National Capital Planning Commission in 

February and March 2011. Th e project also includes the permanent relocation of the Institution’s vehicle 

maintenance branch to a Suitland, Maryland, facility, which is nearly 50 percent complete. Federal 

funding has been requested for fi scal years 2012–2014 for work on the retaining wall and the General 

Services Building.

National Zoological Park, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute 

Smithsonian-Mason Global Conservation Studies Partnership and Utilities Upgrade

$39.6 million total estimated project cost

A 2008 Memorandum of Understanding between the Smithsonian and George Mason University 

(GMU) pledged both parties to provide facilities to support a joint conservation biology program 

for undergraduates and professionals at the National Zoo’s facilities in Front Royal, Virginia. A bill 

authorizing construction was passed by the House during the 111th Congress, but has not been 

introduced during the 112th Congress. Th e Smithsonian is proceeding with renovating and expanding 

an existing building to house classrooms, laboratories, and faculty offi ces at a cost of $12.5 million—$7.5 

million in Federal funds in fi scal years 2010–2013, some of which has already been allocated, and $5 

million in raised funds. Relocation of animals from this building is under way, with $1.6 million in 

raised funds. Design is 95 percent complete, and construction is expected to begin in late spring 2011. 

Along with this contract award, the Smithsonian will upgrade site utilities with $5.5 million in Federal 

funds. GMU has secured a $20 million bond to fund its construction of residential and dining facilities. 

All facilities are projected to be complete for the start of the fall 2012 semester.

16 Report to the Regents, April 2011
National Museum of African American History and Culture

$500 million total estimated project cost

Schematic design for the Smithsonian’s newest museum is in process and will yield refi ned submittals 

to the Commission of Fine Arts and National Capital Planning Commission for their respective March 

and April 2011 hearings. In parallel with design activities, and in accordance with the National Historic 

Preservation Act, regular consultations with interested parties continue. Several public hearings were 

held in November 2010 and January 2011 to present the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) process 

and to receive comments on the Draft EIS. Th e EIS public comment period ended in mid-January, and 

comments will be incorporated in the fi nal EIS. A contract has been signed with the exhibit design fi rm 

of Ralph Appelbaum Associates, enabling exhibition design to proceed in concert with building design. 

Additionally, proposals have been received and are in review for a construction manager at-risk. Th e RFP 

was issued in December 2010; selection and award are anticipated in spring 2011. Total project costs are 

to be shared evenly, with $250 million from Federal capital funds and $250 million from non-Federal 

sources. 

National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center

Revitalization of west wing public space, package III: $60 million total project cost

Th e focus of the third phase of renovation at the National Museum of American History is on renewal of 

three west wing public spaces. Data gathering, fi eld surveys on existing conditions, and schematic design 

have been completed. Th e 35 percent design documents are complete, with fi nal design expected by 

summer 2011 and construction to begin by early 2012. Th e Federal appropriation for design 

($6 million) was received in fi scal years 2009 and 2010. Initial construction funding of $5 million was 

received in fi scal year 2011, with the remainder ($49 million) requested for fi scal years 2012–2013.

Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum

$57.7 million total estimated project cost

Th e renovation of the Fox-Miller townhouses is scheduled to be completed in summer 2011. Design for 

the Carnegie Mansion renovation is scheduled for completion in early 2011, with a construction contract 

to be awarded in June 2011 and construction to begin in July 2011. Total project costs include $25.2 

million in Federal funds and $32.5 million in private funding. Federal funds include pre–fi scal year 

2009 awards of $2.9 million for design and collections storage; $1.7 million in fi scal year 2009 funds 

for the Fox-Miller work; and the balance for Mansion construction in fi scal years 2011–2013. Of the 

required private funds, over $30 million (more than 90 percent) have been identifi ed in gifts and pledges.

National Museum of Natural History, Main Building Ground Floor and Mezzanine

$24.0 million total project cost

Th e entire north ground fl oor of the main Natural History building is slated for renovation. Th e 15,500-

square-foot west end of the fl oor will become a new learning center, and the 27,600-square-foot east 

end will house an expanded Smithsonian Early Enrichment Center, renovated Smithsonian Institution 

Libraries facilities, an improved paleobiology laboratory, and a consolidated facility support operations 

center. Th e project was awarded for construction in December 2010 with completion planned for mid2012.

Report to the Regents, April 2011 17
Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Gamboa Laboratory Facilities

$19.4 million total estimated project cost

With the acquisition of 172.5 acres in Gamboa in 2007, the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute 

is proceeding with the replacement of outdated facilities. A new terrestrial science lab facility on 

the Gamboa site will be funded with $15.94 million in Federal and $3.46 million in Trust funds. 

Programming, design, and selection of construction management are complete, with construction to 

begin in 2011.

National Air and Space Museum—Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, Phase Two

$81.8 million total project cost

Phase II of the Udvar-Hazy Center has added 237,000 square feet of collections care space to the current 

facility. Th e infrastructure construction ($68.7 million in Trust funds) was completed in December 

2010. Th e equipment fi t-out for the center’s storage, processing, and archives spaces will be completed 

using Federal funding. 

Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, Mathias Replacement Laboratory Project

$44.5 million total estimated project cost

Th e Smithsonian Environmental Research Center is eliminating trailers that house lab space and 

offi ces; renovating and reconfi guring the Mathias Lab; and creating replacement labs that meet national 

standards. Th e 85,000-square-foot project employs sustainable technologies and building materials that 

will yield substantial reductions in energy and maintenance costs. Design was completed in October 

2010, and construction is scheduled to commence in early 2011 and to be completed in 2014.

Donald W. Reynolds Center for American Art and Portraiture

$19.5 million total estimated project cost

Th e Smithsonian will complete the renovation of the Reynolds Center with the reconstruction of the F 

Street stairs and the addition of landscaping and security. Estimates for the associated costs are 

$9.5 million in Federal funds and $10.0 million in Trust funds.

18 Report to the Regents, April 2011
Museum Support Center of the National Museum of Natural History, Pod 3

$42.6 million total estimated project cost

Renovations have been completed on Pod 3 in Suitland, Maryland, which will provide consolidated 

storage space for several types of collections, allowing the Smithsonian to vacate leased properties and 

freeing up congested space in several museums. Over $15 million of shelving/racking, cases, and freezers 

are now being installed. Transfers of collections from four museums began in June 2010, and will take 

two years and cost almost $5 million to complete.

Permanent Physical Security Barriers

$55 million total project cost

Construction of security barriers at the National Air and Space Museum is complete. Th e fi nal phase 

of security barriers at the National Museum of Natural History is under way, with completion expected 

by summer 2011. Th e installation of security barriers around the perimeter of the National Museum of 

American History was completed in December 2010. Construction of security barriers for the Castle 

and Quadrangle is slated to start in fi scal year 2014. Work on off -Mall barriers will follow in order of 

priority.

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 Projects

$25 million total project cost

Th e American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 provided $25 million for repair and revitalization 

projects not covered by fi scal year 2009 funding, most involving safety/code compliance or sustainability 

and energy effi ciency. All project contracts were awarded by the end of fi scal year 2010. Final contractor 

payments and reporting will occur by spring 2011.

Sustainability

In response to Executive Order 13514, “Federal Leadership in Environmental, Energy, and Economic 

Performance,” the Smithsonian submitted greenhouse gas (GHG) emission inventories for fi scal years 

2008 and 2010 (the former was established by the order as the baseline year for tracking GHG emission 

reduction progress). Th e Smithsonian reported 2010 GHG emissions equal to 152,309 metric tons 

carbon dioxide equivalent (MTCO2

e), comparable to the annual impact of approximately 27,690 typical 

passenger vehicles. About 60 percent of these emissions are attributable to the transmission, distribution, 

and consumption of purchased electricity. Other major contributions, in descending order, include 

purchased steam, stationary combustion of natural gas and fuel oil, employee commuting, and purchased 

chilled water. Th e inventory also includes emissions related to solid waste disposal, business travel, 

vehicles and equipment, use of fl uorinated gases, and wastewater treatment.

Th e Smithsonian was awarded a contract for energy and water assessments at the Reynolds Center, Heye 

Center, Herndon Data Center, Quadrangle, and Freer Gallery. Th ese assessments, now under way, are 

expected to identify conservation opportunities, with estimated costs and economic payback. At the 

Quadrangle and Freer, the scope also includes retro-commissioning of major energy-using systems aimed 

at improving both effi ciency and performance. 

Report to the Regents, April 2011 19