# Smithsonian Institution Newsdesk

Latest news from the Smithsonian Institution.

- “Zen and the Open Road” To Feature Most Famous Forgotten Motorcycle The Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History will mark the 50th anniversary of the 1974 publication of Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry into Values by Robert Pirsig with a special display, “Zen and the Open Road,” opening April 15. On view in the museum’s “America on the Move” exhibition, the display will feature Pirsig’s 1966 Honda Super Hawk motorcycle and extends his story from the road to the sea, including his life aboard his sailboat, Arete.  With the motorcycle as the centerpiece, visitors also can view Pirsig’s leather riding jacket and motorcycle helmet, the bike’s keys and the worn motorcycle maintenance manual that accompanied the ride. Pirsig’s typewriter, on which he wrote the book, as well as a typed manuscript and a signed first edition of the novel will be on display. Pirsig endured rejection by 121 publishers but persevered, eventually selling the book to the publisher William Morrow and Sons. With the publication’s royalties, Pirsig purchased a 32-foot sailboat that inspired his next novel, Lila: An Inquiry into Morals. A first edition of that 1991 book and the Apple II computer that he used to write it will also be showcased.“When Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance was published, it had a revolutionary effect on Americans, both from a philosophical awakening to kick-starting a cultural movement that caused people to rethink and retool their relationships with technology,” said Anthea M. Hartig, the museum’s Elizabeth MacMillan Director. “His fictionalized autobiography explored some of life’s most elemental questions for many of that generation and since.”“This is the most famous forgotten motorcycle in American history,” said Transportation Curator Paul F. Johnston. “Pirsig was a trailblazer in motorcycle touring, including completing the monthlong, 5,700-mile trip with his son from Minnesota to California and back as well as his perseverance in documenting its celebration of freedom and the open road.”Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance has sold more than 5 million copies and has been translated into 27 languages. The motorcycle and related objects were a gift to the museum from Pirsig’s widow, Wendy K. Pirsig. There are still devoted riders, readers and writers who recreate Pirsig’s open-road journey.His novel tells a story about the relationships between people and machines: an issue he continued to explore as he and his wife sailed across the Atlantic, living aboard their sailboat for several years. Included in the display will be Pirsig’s navigational equipment, including a wristwatch, a calculator, a sextant and a chart on which he tracked the journey. After selling the sailboat, he kept the backup propeller as well as a treasured watercolor painting of his sailboat Arete as souvenirs.In conducting research for the exhibit, Johnston uncovered a previously unknown educational graphic novel by Pirsig. Doctor Schnabel is a story about the deadly bubonic plague pandemic that swept across Europe in the 14th century. Known as the Black Death, that pandemic is estimated to have killed 25 million people.“America on the Move” is a 26,000-square-foot exhibition that uses transportation as the vehicle to tell the history of America from the mid-1800s to the near present, including the coming of the railroad to a California town in 1876, the role of the streetcar in Washington, D.C., and the Winton, the car that made the first successful cross-country automobile trip in 1903. “Zen and the Open Road” will add to the rich transportation history documented at the museum.Through incomparable collections, rigorous research and dynamic public outreach, the National Museum of American History seeks to empower people to create a more just and compassionate future by examining, preserving, and sharing the complexity of our past. The museum, located on Constitution Avenue N.W., between 12th and 14th streets, is open daily except Dec. 25, between 10 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Admission is free. The doors of the museum are always open online and the virtual museum continues to expand its offerings, including online exhibitions, PK–12 educational materials and programs. The public can follow the museum on social media on Instagram and Facebook. For more information, go to https://americanhistory.si.edu. For Smithsonian information, the public may call (202) 633-1000.# # #SI-149-2024                Media Only                                                 Valeska Hilbig  202-633-3129 202-309-2152hilbigv@si.edu                                 Melinda Machado  202-633-3129machadom@si.edu                                     National Museum of American History          Press Office       202-633-3129               Exhibitions
- Tess Korobkin Receives the 20th Annual Frost Essay Award Tess Korobkin is the recipient of the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s Patricia and Phillip Frost Essay Award for her article “Monumental Absence: Augusta Savage’s Unbuilt Monuments, 1931–1943,” which appeared in the fall 2023 issue (vol. 37, no. 3) of American Art, the museum’s peer-reviewed journal for new scholarship. Korobkin’s article focuses on sculptor Augusta Savage’s proposed monuments to Black American lives and histories, including memorials to transatlantic entertainer Florence Mills, author and civil rights leader James Weldon Johnson and the World War I service of the Harlem Hellfighters. While none of these works were ever constructed, Korobkin argues Savage’s unrealized public projects raise surprising new questions about how to approach absences in the U.S.-American memorial landscape through a history of what might have been.The jurors who awarded the $1,000 prize were Cherise Smith, the Joseph D. Jamail Chair in African American studies and professor in the African and African Diaspora studies and art and art history departments at the University of Texas at Austin; Shawn Michelle Smith, professor of visual and critical studies at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago; and Chon A. Noriega, distinguished professor in the department of film, television and digital media at the University of California, Los Angeles. All three are members of the journal’s editorial board.The jurors praised Korobkin for her “masterful demonstration on how to conduct research and produce effective critical writing on absent subjects” noting that the text “significantly expands our understanding of Savage’s creative practice.” The panel believes Korobkin’s article “fills critical gaps in our understanding of both Augusta Savage’s work and the historiography of monuments in the United States, and effectively ties this historical work to contemporary conversations about public memory and the role public visual culture plays in shaping our imaginations both forward and backwards in time.”The Frost Essay Award recognizes excellent scholarship in the field of American art history by honoring an essay published the previous year in American Art. Each year, the winning essay must advance the understanding of American art history and demonstrate original research and fresh ideas. The award, established in 2004, is made possible through the Patricia and Phillip Frost Endowment.Korobkin is an alumna of the Smithsonian American Art Museum fellowship program and an assistant professor in the department of art history and archaeology at the University of Maryland, College Park.This year, for the third time in the history of the award, the jury has given an honorable mention; it goes to Chad Elias for his article “Islam and the Middle East in the United States: Claire Beckett’s ‘Simulating Iraq’ and ‘The Converts,’” which also appeared in the fall 2023 issue of American Art. Elias’ essay discusses Beckett’s portraits and landscapes taken in U.S. military training centers, where fabricated Afghan and Iraqi villages help soldiers prepare for deployment. These images interrogate long held and widespread misconceptions of the region.Elias is an associate professor in the department of art history at Dartmouth College. His research looks expansively across geographies and media to engage with debates about state-sponsored violence, archival knowledge and the epistemological claims of lens-based media.  The journal American Art is part of the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s robust publication program of books and catalogs that complements the museum’s exhibitions and educational programs. Information about subscribing, purchasing single issues or submitting articles to the journal, which is published for the museum by the University of Chicago Press, is available online. A complete list of past Frost Essay Award winners and additional information about the award are available on the museum’s website.About the Smithsonian American Art MuseumThe Smithsonian American Art Museum is the flagship museum in the United States for American art and craft. It is home to one of the most significant and inclusive collections of American art in the world. The museum’s main building, located at Eighth and G streets N.W., is open daily from 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. The museum’s Renwick Gallery, a branch museum dedicated to contemporary craft, is located on Pennsylvania Avenue at 17th Street N.W. and is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Check online for current hours and admission information. Admission is free. Follow the museum on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. Smithsonian information: (202) 633-1000. Museum information (recorded): (202) 633-7970. Website: americanart.si.edu.# # #SI-136-2024                Media Only                                                 Katie Hondorf  202-633-8523hondorfc@si.edu                                     Smithsonian American Art Museum and its Renwick Gallery
- April Programming at the National Museum of African American History and Culture The Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) will host Deesha Dyer, former White House Social Secretary for President Obama, to discuss her book Undiplomatic, detailing the personal impact of the Obama presidency and her “road map from imposter to impact.” In honor of D.C. Emancipation Day, commemorating the freeing of over 3,000 enslaved individuals, NMAAHC will again collaborate with the Washington, D.C.’s Mayor’s Office for the annual District Day event April 16. The day includes a District Day Trunk Show at NMAAHC, which showcases local Washington-area vendors with items for purchase in Heritage Hall. All District residents are granted free admittance into the event with a valid I.D.  The Sweet Home CaféOn District Day, visitors can enjoy a special District-inspired menu curated by executive chef Ramin Coles, including chili cheese half smokes, chicken wings with Mumbo sauce, crispy eggplant and vegetable lo mein. For more details, visit the Sweet Home Café’s webpage. Entry to the museum includes access to the Sweet Home Café.April Programming Schedule SNCC and the Art and Culture Tool KitSaturday, April 6; 3 p.m.–5 p.m. Second-floor classroomArt and culture were central to how the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC, pronounced “snick”) engaged with communities during the Civil Rights Movement. SNCC hired and trained photographers, gave cameras to local people and used community-based collaboration to create film strips and other visual materials as educational tools. Join SNCC veterans, Courtland Cox, Jennifer Lawson and Judy Richardson and movement historian, Emilye Crosby, for this interactive Learning Toolkit workshop. Participants will dig into documents and audiovisual materials, learn about the role of arts and culture in SNCC’s movement building and collectively explore how those lessons might be relevant today. Admission is free; however, registration is required.Explore More! in STEM: To the Moon and Beyond!Tuesday, April 9, and Wednesday, April 10; 11 a.m.–1 p.m. Second-floor classroomExplore More! in STEM is a classroom program for ages 8 and above to explore STEM concepts in relation to African American history, culture or the museum. In this lesson, visitors will learn about African Americans that have worked or are currently working at NASA, and the Artemis mission.Explore More! in STEM: Our Solar System, Our HomeTuesday, April 16, Wednesday, April 17, Tuesday, April 23, and Wednesday, April 24; 11 a.m.–1 p.m. Second-floor classroomExplore More! in STEM is a classroom program for ages 8 and above to explore STEM concepts in relation to African American history, culture or the museum. In this lesson, visitors will learn about size and scale of the solar system, spacetime and gravity, and African Americans who have helped with the understanding of the solar system.District Day Event Tuesday, April 16; 10 a.m.–5 p.m.In coordination with the DC Mayor’s Office on African American Affairs, NMAAHC is hosting a District Day to celebrate DC Emancipation Day, which freed 3,000 enslaved individuals in the nation's capital. In the spirit of celebration, residents across the region (D.C., Maryland and Virginia) are invited to the museum for a day filled with live performances, guided conversations, and a special District Day menu from the Sweet Home Café. For more details, visit nmaahc.si.edu/districtday. District Day Trunk ShowTuesday, April 16; 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Heritage HallVisitors can go to the museum store’s District Day Trunk Show to meet and greet local Washington-area vendors and artisans, courtesy of Smithsonian Enterprises.Historically Speaking: Undiplomatic: How My Attitude Created the Best Kind of TroubleWednesday, April 24; 7 p.m.–8 p.m. EDTOprah Winfrey Theater, Concourse (in person and online) In this vivid portrayal from a true “around the way girl” on the personal impact of the Obama presidency, Deesha Dyer, former White House social secretary, shares her road map from imposter to impact. In Undiplomatic, the reader is invited on a journey of self-discovery. Dyer explains how she overcame doubt, unearthed true love for herself and learned that an individual’s unique worth is not something to be earned, but something inherently deserved. This program will be livestreamed and free, but reservations are required. Explore More! in STEM: Having Fun with FrequenciesTuesday, April 30; 11 a.m.–1 p.m. Second-floor classroomExplore More! in STEM is a classroom program for ages 8 and above to explore STEM concepts in relation to African American history, culture or the museum. In this lesson, visitors will learn about sound, frequency, famous African American electric guitarists and how electric guitars work.New On View in the Museum Freedomways Vol. 20, No. 2On view in the “A Changing America: 1968 and Beyond” ExhibitionCredit: Collection of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Dr. Maurice JacksonFreedomways magazine ran for 25 years from 1961 to 1985. Released quarterly during that time, Freedomways was a leading African American theoretical, cultural and political journal tackling major social and political issues, especially the Civil Rights Movement. The journal’s founders, led by editor Esther Jackson, included Louis Burnham, Edward Strong, W.E.B. Du Bois and Shirley Graham Du Bois.About the National Museum of African American History and Culture   Since opening Sept. 24, 2016, the National Museum of African American History and Culture has welcomed more than 10 million visitors. Occupying a prominent location next to the Washington Monument on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., the nearly 400,000-square-foot museum is the nation’s largest and most comprehensive cultural destination devoted exclusively to exploring, documenting and showcasing the African American story and its impact on American and world history. For more information about the museum, visit nmaahc.si.edu or follow @NMAAHC on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.# # #SI-121-2024                Media Only                                                 Melissa Wood  202-297-6161Woodm2@si.edu                                     National Museum of African American History and Culture         Public Programs
- Just Our Type: Smithsonian’s Dinosaur Skeleton Becomes the Scientific Standard for Prehistoric Predator The Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History’s fossilized skeleton of the Jurassic dinosaur Allosaurus has officially been named the type specimen for the entire species. This distinction makes the specimen, which is displayed in the museum’s “David H. Koch Hall of Fossils— Deep Time,” the single physical example researchers will refer to when they describe new fossils of Allosaurus fragilis, one of the most iconic species of dinosaurs in the world.The specimen’s new status was bestowed by members of the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature (ICZN). According to paleontologist Matthew Carrano, the museum’s curator of dinosauria, the change was more than a decade in the making and represents a coveted scientific honor.“In 2010, a petition was made to the ICZN to solve the problem that the very famous and scientifically important dinosaur A. fragilis was based on materials that couldn’t really be identified as anything more than a non-descript predatory dinosaur,” Carrano said. “This decision really emphasizes how important our specimen is—both historically and in the present—for dinosaur science.”Stretching over 20 feet and sporting a mouthful of dagger-like teeth, Allosaurus terrorized other dinosaurs during the Late Jurassic Period some 150 million years ago. The prehistoric predator lived in western North America alongside other well-known species like the armored Stegosaurus and a number of supersized sauropod dinosaurs like Diplodocus.The Dawn of American PaleontologyThe name Allosaurus has been in the scientific lexicon for nearly 150 years. But it did not always belong to a well-known dinosaur. In 1877, Yale University paleontologist Othniel Charles Marsh was in the midst of a contentious scientific competition now known as the ‘Bone Wars’ with rival Edward Drinker Cope to discover and name new species of dinosaurs from the western United States. To keep pace with Cope, Marsh described a set of fragmentary fossils from the Jurassic-aged Morrison Formation in Colorado as a new species of predatory dinosaur. Because the animal’s vertebrae varied from other dinosaurs known at the time, Marsh came up with the name Allosaurus, which means ‘different lizard’ in Greek. He rounded out the creature’s scientific identity with the species name fragilis due to its delicate remains.Marsh deposited this relatively meager specimen—which included a tooth, toe bone and a couple of vertebrae from the backbone—in the collection of the Peabody Museum of Natural History at Yale University (now the Yale Peabody Museum). Because Marsh used these fossils to formally describe A. fragilis, this sample became the species’ official type specimen.Many prehistoric species enter the scientific record on the basis of scant remains. Complete specimens of dinosaurs are incredibly rare, so scientists are often forced to use fragmentary fossils. Even if paleontologists eventually find more complete specimens, the fossils that were initially described usually retain their type status on a scientific first-come, first-served basis.But Allosaurus represents an intriguing case for a taxonomic do-over. Shortly after Marsh described the fragmentary type specimen, paleontologists unearthed more substantial Allosaurus fossils that provided a much fuller picture of the Jurassic carnivore. In 1884, one of Marsh’s collectors uncovered a nearly complete Allosaurus skeleton in a Colorado quarry. The specimen was shipped back to Marsh, but he was not able to conduct a detailed description of the fossil before he died in 1899.Allosaurus Arrives at the CapitalAfter his death, a large portion of Marsh’s fossils were transferred to the Smithsonian’s United States National Museum (the precursor to the National Museum of Natural History). Museum paleontologist Charles Gilmore led the effort to unpack, prepare and catalog Marsh’s fossils and integrate them into the museum’s burgeoning National Fossil Collection. This trove of fossils included the nearly complete Allosaurus specimen from Colorado.In 1920, Gilmore described this specimen, cataloged as USNM V 4734, in depth for the first time. The resulting paper cleared up the confusion that had surrounded the species for decades—Cope and Marsh had both mistakenly described other Allosaurus specimens as different, now-defunct dinosaur species. Gilmore’s work helped drive these erroneous scientific names into extinction and made the museum’s specimen an essential piece of the Allosaurus puzzle.“Gilmore’s paper has remained an important reference for paleontologists and really established our specimen as a sort of ‘flagship’ individual for Allosaurus,” said Carrano, who is currently working on updating Gilmore’s century-old description of USNM V 4734. “As a result, our specimen has functioned as a sort of de facto type.”Museum visitors are able to see the historic Allosaurus specimen displayed in the museum’s Deep Time fossil hall along with the type specimen of its fossil foe, Stegosaurus, and the sauropods Diplodocus and Camarasaurus. The exhibition’s Allosaurus mount, which contains the animal’s real fossilized bones, displays the dinosaur in a rarely seen position. Instead of chasing down prey, the Allosaurus’ skeleton is crouched down like a modern bird as it guards a clutch of fossilized eggs.“USNM V 4734 has always been a prize of the Smithsonian’s dinosaur collection,” Carrano said. “Now it has a prominent position in the Deep Time hall, reflecting aspects of its biology that were unimagined in Marsh or Gilmore’s times.”This summer, the museum is celebrating the fifth year anniversary of the “David H. Koch Hall of Fossils—Deep Time.” The world-class hall, which contains some 700 mounted fossil specimens including the Allosaurus type, explores the epic story of how Earth’s distant past is connected to the present and informs the future. As the anniversary approaches, the museum is also putting a remarkable, rainbow-hued ammonite fossil on display in the museum’s “Objects of Wonder” exhibition. The shimmering shell dates back 70 million years to the Late Cretaceous Period and is considered an organic gemstone thanks to its iridescent colors.About the National Museum of Natural HistoryThe National Museum of Natural History is connecting people everywhere with Earth’s unfolding story. It is one of the most visited natural history museums in the world. Opened in 1910, the museum is dedicated to maintaining and preserving the world’s most extensive collection of natural history specimens and human artifacts. The museum is open daily, except Dec. 25, from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Admission is free. For more information, visit the museum on its website, blog, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram.# # #SI-129-2024                Media Only                                                 Randall Kremer  202-360-8770kremerr@si.edu                                 Jack Tamisiea  202-633-0218tamisieaj@si.edu                                 Ryan Lavery  202-633-0826laveryr@si.edu                             Note to editors: Photos of the type specimen and other associated press materials can be found via Dropbox here.                  National Museum of Natural History          Press Office       Media only:&nbsp;202-633-2950               Research News
- National Museum of the American Indian Presents “Youth In Action: Indigenous Ecosystems” for Earth Day 2024 How do Native youth activists envision a sustainable future? How are Native communities uniquely affected by climate change? This Earth Day, the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian presents Youth In Action: Indigenous Ecosystems, a conversation with Seneca Johnson (Mvskoke) and Sgaahl Siid Xyáahl Jaad (Marina Anderson [Haida/Tlingit]) moderated by Jade Begay (Tesuque Pueblo/Diné). The panelists will discuss their work to create a more equitable and sustainable future.The conversation will take place Saturday, April 20, at 2 p.m. in the museum’s Rasmuson Theater. The event is free and open to the public; ASL interpretation will be provided.This program is funded in part by the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians.About the PanelistsJohnson (she/her), a 21-year-old community organizer at the nonprofit Earth Care, began her involvement with social justice and community organizing at the age of 15. In 2019, she worked with other youth and Earth Care staff to found the youth-of-color-led environmental justice organization Youth United for Climate Crisis Action (YUCCA). YUCCA’s mission is to create equitable pathways for a just transition to a livable future and to hold elected officials accountable for action on the climate crisis. Johnson is from the Mvskoke and Seminole Nations of Oklahoma and grew up in Santa Fe, New Mexico.Jaad is from Prince of Wales Island, Alaska. She previously served as the vice chair of her tribal council and the administrator of her tribal government. She currently directs the Sustainable Southeast Partnership, an Indigenous values-led collective impact network in southeast Alaska that works to support community-led initiatives to reach a regenerative and sustainable economy that works in balance with the environment.Begay works at the intersection of climate and environmental justice policy and Indigenous rights. Begay has worked with Indigenous-led organizations and tribes from the Amazon to the Arctic to advance Indigenous-led solutions and self-determination through advocacy campaigns, research, storytelling and narrative strategies.About Youth In ActionYouth in Action: Conversations about Our Future is an online series hosted by the National Museum of the American Indian. These moderated panel discussions serve as a national platform to amplify the efforts of Native changemakers from across the Western Hemisphere who are engaged in civic and social justice work for Indigenous peoples.About the MuseumIn partnership with Native peoples and their allies, the National Museum of the American Indian fosters a richer shared human experience through a more informed understanding of Native peoples. The museum strives toward equity and social justice for the Native peoples of the Western Hemisphere through education, inspiration and empowerment. Through two locations, it features exhibitions and programs in New York City and the National Mall in Washington, D.C. For additional information, including hours and directions, visit AmericanIndian.si.edu. Follow the museum on Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube, LinkedIn and Pinterest.# # #SI-134-2024                Media Only                                                 Becky Haberacker  202-633-5183haberackerb@si.edu                                     National Museum of the American Indian         Public Programs
- Pygmy Slow Lorises Are Born at Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute For the first time, the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute (NZCBI) is celebrating the birth of two pygmy slow lorises, an endangered species. Small Mammal House keepers reported for duty the morning of March 21 and observed that 3-year-old mother Naga had given birth overnight and was caring for two infants. She and the babies’ 2-year-old father, Pabu, received a recommendation to breed from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Species Survival Plan (SSP). These babies are the first offspring for both parents. Keepers have observed Naga carrying, grooming and nursing the babies, which appear to be healthy and strong. Animal care staff will determine the babies’ sexes at their first vet exam, which will take place in a few months. The family is on view at the Small Mammal House, and keepers say the babies are most active in the late morning and early afternoon.Naga and Pabu arrived at NZCBI in August 2022 from the Brookfield Zoo in Illinois and Little Rock Zoo in Arkansas, respectively. SSP scientists determine which animals to breed by considering their genetic makeup, health and temperament, among other factors. According to keepers, Naga’s personality is calm and sweet, though she tends to spook easily. She takes her time when exploring her exhibit and rests often. Pabu, on the other hand, seems to be more high energy. He is inquisitive and always the first to approach keepers and participate in training sessions and feedings. Although pygmy slow lorises reach sexual maturity around 9 months of age for females and 1.5 years of age for males, often they do not successfully reproduce until 2 to 3 years of age. Naga and Pabu’s “howdy” introductions took place in September 2023—about a year after they arrived—and the pair bred soon after meeting. This species’ gestation is about six months.    Pygmy slow loris mothers are the primary caregivers of their offspring. In the wild and in zoos, fathers occasionally interact with offspring, depending on their personality and past experience with babies. Pabu has proved to be an attentive and patient father. Keepers have observed him grooming his family and caring for the babies when Naga leaves the nest to forage for food. Visitors may see the babies clinging to Naga as she moves around the exhibit. On occasion, she will leave the babies in their nest or on a branch while she eats or explores. Keepers look forward to watching the babies independently explore their exhibit and play with enrichment items.Slow lorises are the only known venomous primates. They produce a venom in their brachial glands in their upper arm. Combined with enzymes in their saliva, these primates can produce a painful bite, allergic reaction and a slow-healing wound. Wild slow lorises do not use it against predators because the venom is not fast-acting. Instead, the venom is used in territorial disputes with other slow lorises. They also groom themselves with the venom to ward off parasites and warn predators to stay away.Native to Cambodia, Lao People’s Democratic Republic and Vietnam, pygmy slow lorises live in mixed deciduous and evergreen forests. The greatest threats facing this species are deforestation and the illegal pet trade. Much of their habitat has been cleared for the logging industry; they spend the majority of their time from 10 to 40 feet up in the forest canopy. The International Union for Conservation of Nature considers pygmy slow lorises endangered.# # #SI-135-2024                Media Only                                                 Jen Zoon  301-908-3102zoonj@si.edu                                 Ellie Tahmaseb  202-843-2958tahmasebew@si.edu                                     Smithsonian’s National Zoo &amp; Conservation Biology Institute          Press Office       Media Only&nbsp;202-633-3055&nbsp;
- Adult Fish Struggle To Bounce Back in Marine Protected Areas Age matters when determining how to protect life in the ocean; every population needs a strong cohort of adults to produce the next generation. But many marine protected areas (MPAs) are falling short of their most basic purpose: to rebuild struggling fish populations. In a new study published April 4 in Global Change Biology, scientists looked at the age breakdown of reef fish in marine protected areas for the first time. They discovered in almost all of them, adult fish populations have either flatlined or declined.“Adult fish are really important,” said Steve Canty, marine ecologist with the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center and a lead author of the study. “They are the primary catch within commercial fisheries that support livelihoods and food security of coastal communities. Additionally, it is the adults that breed and rebuild the fisheries, and here size matters. Bigger and older female fish produce more and better eggs, and therefore are critical to rebuilding fish populations.”  It is a vital lesson as the world races to meet the “30 by 30” target to conserve 30% of Earth’s ocean by 2030. Delegates at the United Nations Biodiversity Conference set that ambitious goal in December 2022. However, many experts say the target will mean little unless nations choose sites where marine life can flourish and balance the needs of coastal communities.The study looked at fish in the Mesoamerican Reef. The longest reef in the Western Hemisphere, it stretches over 600 miles along the coasts of southern Mexico, Belize, Guatemala and Honduras. The region is a biodiversity hotspot, home to over 500 fish species, 60 kinds of corals and one of the largest whale shark congregations on Earth. The marine resources of the region also support the livelihoods and food security of over 1 million people.The scientists examined adult versus juvenile fish biomass in 139 reef sites—111 protected and 28 unprotected. Protected sites in the Mesoamerican Reef fall into three categories: “fully protected areas” where fishing is completely banned, “highly protected areas” that allow activities like subsistence and catch-and-release sport fishing and “general use zones” where commercial fishing is often allowed but specific methods or equipment are banned. Of the marine protected areas in the study, a mere 24% were either fully or highly protected.“It’s always difficult to prohibit fishing from any part of the sea—as if it goes against a basic human instinct,” said Melanie McField, co-author and director of the Healthy Reefs Initiative. “But fully protecting and enforcing these areas is the best way to grow bigger fish that can rebuild the populations and actually increase overall fish catches outside the fully protected areas.”The team took their fish biomass data from the Healthy Reefs Initiative, which uses scuba divers to survey fish at hundreds of reefs throughout the region. The initiative has also evaluated the four countries in the Mesoamerican Reef for enforcement and other management practices in protected sites. The study included additional data about coastal development, sea surface temperature and other key variables known to affect fish populations. The scientists looked at data over a 12-year timeframe, from 2006 to 2018.The results were troubling. Though marine protected areas exist largely to rebuild fish populations, only 11 sites in the study—8% total—saw significant increases in adult biomass. Most sites saw no change, and 28 sites saw declines. The sites with declines had several things in common: They all had heavy coastal development nearby and experienced high levels of warming in their waters. They were also all in general use zones—the weakest type of marine protected area—and even then had only “inadequate or moderate enforcement.”“Minimal protection in the weakest MPAs proved to be more detrimental than no protection at all, because it allowed for continued and concentrated exploitation without effective management,” said co-author Abel Valdivia, marine conservation scientist with the World Wildlife Fund. “Unlike open-access zones, where fishing pressure may be spread out, weakly protected areas faced unchecked coastal development, warming waters and inadequate enforcement, leading to the decline in adult biomass.”However, the 11 sites where adults rebounded also had some common trends. They were all in fully protected areas with adequate enforcement, experienced fewer sea surface temperature spikes and were beside areas with a lower human footprint.This 12-year snapshot of the Mesoamerican Reef offers clues for how the rest of the globe can succeed at “30 by 30” conservation. Strong enforcement and effective management are key to a marine protected area’s success, as is community buy-in and support. Choosing sites with climate change in mind is also critical, the authors said. While many parts of the ocean cannot escape warming waters, sites that could act as climate refuges for both adult and juvenile life stages need to be top candidates for full protection.“Our study shows that adults and juvenile fish respond very differently to management and environmental change,” said Justin Nowakowski, a lead author and ecologist with the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center. “Adults were more sensitive to stressors like climate change, which can undermine the local benefits of MPAs. The big question now is where to locate new MPAs to maximize positive impacts for the regional fishery. To do this, we need to consider the unique requirements of adult and juvenile life stages—otherwise we are missing the full picture.”The Smithsonian Marine Station, Conservation International, Barefoot Ocean, Louisiana State University and the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science also contributed to the study. The article will be available after publication on the journal’s website. For photos, an advance copy of the study or to speak with one of the authors, contact Kristen Goodhue at goodhuek@si.edu.# # #SI-118-2024                Media Only                                                 Kristen Goodhue  443-482-2325GoodhueK@si.edu                                     Smithsonian Environmental Research Center         Research News
- Quapaw Treaty of 1818 To Go On View at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian The National Museum of the American Indian, in partnership with the National Archives and Records Administration, will display the Quapaw Treaty of 1818 in “Nation to Nation: Treaties Between the United States and American Indian Nations.” The treaty will be installed today, Wednesday, April 3, and will be on view until October 2024. To commemorate the event, a delegation from the Quapaw Nation, based in Oklahoma, will travel to Washington, D.C. Led by Chair Wena Supernaw, the delegation will join Cynthia Chavez Lamar (San Felipe Pueblo, Hopi, Tewa and Diné), director of the National Museum of the American Indian, and William (Jay) Bosanko, deputy archivist of the United States, for the unveiling.When the U.S. negotiated the Treaty of 1818, the Quapaw lived in four towns along the lower Arkansas River, although their hunting territories extended broadly to the west. The U.S. wished to acquire rights to these territories, which they considered excess Quapaw land, with the idea that those lands might be used for the resettlement of eastern tribes dispossessed by removal. The U.S. offered a lump-sum payment, promises of more payments annually for perpetuity and a reservation composed of the territories occupied by the Quapaw towns. Just six years after the treaty was ratified, U.S. negotiators returned in 1824 at the behest of white settlers who desired the prime agricultural land of the lower Arkansas. The Quapaw were forced to abandon the 1818 reservation and move further west. Quapaw leader Heckaton, who felt compelled to agree to removal, said, “Since you have expressed a desire for us to remove, the tears have flowed copiously from my aged eyes.”  Displaying original treaties in “Nation to Nation” is made possible by the National Archives and Records Administration, an exhibition partner. Several of the treaties required extensive conservation treatment by the National Archives’ conservator prior to loan. Treaties can only be displayed for a short amount of time in order to conserve them for the future. There are a total of more than 370 ratified Indian treaties in the National Archives, and more information about these treaties is on its website. The current treaty on display at the National Museum of the American Indian is the 1867 Medicine Lodge Treaty. The next treaty to go on display at the National Museum of the American Indian will be determined by curators at the museum in collaboration with conservators and staff at the National Archives. Treaty ScheduleSeptember 2014–February 2015  Treaty of Canandaigua, 1794March 2015–August 2015  Muscogee Treaty, 1790September 2015–February 2016  Horse Creek (Fort Laramie) Treaty, 1851March 2016–August 2016  Treaty with the Potawatomi, 1836September 2016–February 2017  Unratified California Treaty K, 1852March 2017–August 2017  Medicine Creek Treaty, 1854September 2017–January 2018  Treaty of Fort Wayne, 1809February 2018–April 2018  Navajo Treaty, 1868May 2018–October 2018  Treaty with the Delawares, 1778November 2018–March 2019  Fort Laramie Treaty, 1868April 2019–September 2019  Treaty of New Echota, 1835October 2019–March 2020  Treaty of Fort Stanwix, 1784October 2020–March 2021  Treaty of Fort Jackson, 1814November 2021–May 2022  Treaty of Fort Harmar with the Six Nations, 1789May 2022–November 2022  Treaty with the Nez Perce, 1868November 2022–April 2023  Prairie du Chien Treaty, 1829May 2023–October 2023  Treaty with Cheyenne and Arapaho, 1865October 2023–April 2024  Medicine Lodge Creek Treaty, 1867April 2024–October 2024 Treaty with the Quapaw, 1818About the MuseumIn partnership with Native peoples and their allies, the National Museum of the American Indian fosters a richer shared human experience through a more informed understanding of Native peoples. The museum in Washington, D.C., is located on the National Mall at Fourth Street and Independence Avenue S.W. For additional information, including hours and directions, visit AmericanIndian.si.edu. Follow the museum via social media on Facebook, X, Instagram, YouTube, Pinterest and LinkedIn.About the National ArchivesThe National Archives ensures continuing access to the essential documentation of the rights of American citizens and the actions of their government. Its holdings include vast resources on Native Americans from as early as 1774 through the mid-1990s, including records from the Bureau of Indian Affairs in addition to the hundreds of original treaties between the U.S. and Native American tribal nations, now freely available online through the National Archives Catalog. Follow the National Archives on social media at Facebook, X, Instagram and LinkedIn.# # #SI-133-2024                Media Only                                                 Becky Haberacker  202-633-5183haberackerb@si.edu                                 Lisa Austin  212-514-3826austinl@si.edu                                     National Museum of the American Indian         Exhibitions
- Smithsonian Celebrates Earth Month With Free Festivals and Programs The Smithsonian is celebrating the Earth throughout the month of April with free festivals, programs and performances in Washington, D.C.; Chantilly, Virginia; Edgewater, Maryland; and New York City. The festivities include a full day of programming across several Smithsonian museums April 20. A full schedule is available; events are free unless otherwise noted. April 20 Programming  10 a.m.–1 p.m. The National Museum of Natural History is hosting “The World &amp; Me,” a celebration of the diversity found in nature, movement and the planet people call home. The event will feature local dancers from Company | E, musicians from Sound Impact, science students from local colleges and educators from the National Museum of Natural History. Visitors can watch the performance “Letters to Earth” and explore hands-on activities with museum specimens, microscopes and more to learn about DNA and some of the tiny and large organisms with which humans share the Earth. 10 a.m.–5 p.m. The Anacostia Community Museum’s “Honor Earth: An Earth Day Celebration” festival will feature a clothing swap, family-friendly maker activities and chances to meet community partners and learn more about plant care. Plus, visitors can attend the inaugural weekend of the 2024 FRESHFARM ACM Farm Stand, one of two direct-to-consumer farm stands of its kind east of the Anacostia River in Washington, D.C. 11 a.m.–5 p.m. The National Museum of the American Indian’s George Gustav Heye Center in New York City is hosting “Earth Day: Native Blooms,” where families can learn about flowering plants indigenous to the Americas, their different uses and the significance behind them with Native artists Jennifer Younger (Tlingit) and Neebinnaukzhik “Neebin” Southall (Chippewas of Rama First Nation). 11:30 a.m.–3 p.m.  At the Smithsonian American Art Museum and National Portrait Gallery’s Earth Day Family Day, taking place in the museums’ Kogod Courtyard, visitors can enjoy musical performances from Bash the Trash and other acts to learn how art and science can help protect the Earth. Attendees can also enjoy nature-themed crafts and coloring pages as well as face painting for those ages 12 and under. A scavenger hunt in the galleries features works in both museums’ collections that highlight the natural wonders of Earth and the various ways artists contribute to the care of the planet. Registration is encouraged. 2 p.m.–3 p.m. The National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C., will host the panel discussion “Earth Day—Youth in Action: Indigenous Ecosystems,” moderated by Jade Begay (Tesuque Pueblo/Diné). The panel will feature two Native youth activists, Seneca Johnson (Mvskoke) and Sgaahl Siid Xyáahl Jaad (Marina Anderson [Haida/Tlingit]), who will discuss their work to create a more equitable and sustainable future.  Additional Earth Month Programming  April 4; 6:45 p.m.–8 p.m., Smithsonian Associates Not the End of the World: The Beginning of a Better Future ($20 for members, $25 for non-members) April 6; noon–2 p.m., Anacostia Community Museum Grow Green Waste Warrior: Composting For Youth (registration is required) April 8; noon–4 p.m., National Air and Space Museum and National Museum of Asian Art Solar Eclipse Festival on the National Mall and viewing party at the Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia. April 9, 11, 12, 25 and 26; 10:15 a.m. and 11:30 a.m., Smithsonian Associates Mother Earth &amp; Me (pricing varies) April 15; 6:45 p.m., Smithsonian American Art Museum Artist Spencer Finch in Conversation (registration is required) April 16; 7 p.m.–8 p.m., Smithsonian Environmental Research Center America’s Mercury Detox: A Victory in Progress (registration is required) April 18; 10:30 a.m.–5:15 p.m., National Museum of Natural History Life on a Sustainable Planet: Exploring and Understanding our Natural World—Natural Science Symposium (registration is encouraged) April 19; 10:30 a.m.–5:15 p.m., National Museum of Natural History Natural Science Careers Workshop for Undergraduates (registration is required) April 23; 5 p.m.–6:45 p.m., National Portrait Gallery Trivia Night: The Great Outdoors (registration is encouraged) April 24; 2 p.m.–3 p.m., Smithsonian National Zoo Conservation Classroom: Saving Endangered Species (registration is required) April 28; 4 p.m.–4:45 p.m., National Portrait Gallery Glacier: A Climate Change Ballet (registration is required) About Life on a Sustainable Planet  Life on a Sustainable Planet is the Smithsonian’s initiative to collect new data about our changing planet, implement holistic approaches to environmental conservation and educate the world about why and how sustainable solutions to climate change can benefit people and nature. Life on a Sustainable Planet uses the Institution’s vast scientific resources across its global network of research centers to produce, curate and communicate strategies for adapting to and mitigating the impacts of climate change.   The Institution will also pioneer new technologies to collect environmental data, develop new platforms to analyze and share data and work with partners and communities to inform conservation action. Life on a Sustainable Planet is part of the Smithsonian’s commitment to working with communities to promote equitable, sustainable and resilient ecosystem solutions to build a more sustainable future for all. # # #SI-125-2024                Media Only                                                 Benjamin Marcus  202-633-5194marcusba@si.edu                             Public Programs
- National Museum of Asian Art Announces 2024 Arts and Culture Festival Dedicated to Well-Being in the Asian American Community The Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art has announced its 2024 May Arts and Culture Festival. From May 10 to May 12, the museum will host pop-ups, performances, discussions and other programs that draw upon the role of the museum as a space of gathering, learning and contemplation to honor and celebrate the cultures of the Middle East, Asia and America’s Asian American communities. This is the second festival in a five-year initiative sponsored by Bank of America for annual celebrations during Asian American and Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander Heritage Month. All events are free of charge. More details on the May 2024 festival programming will be announced in the coming weeks. The public can follow #TheNext100 and @NatAsianArt for details about the events, including those that require tickets and registration.This year, the museum will feature arts and culture programming dedicated to well-being in the Asian American community. The weekend-long festival aims to create dialogue around and bring awareness to often overlooked issues, stories and practices around mental health and wellness in Asian diasporic experiences. Activities like mindfulness practices will be integrated alongside arts and cultures resources that support mental health. Programming also includes panel discussions, interactive experiences, culinary pop-ups and art-making projects.The museum’s partnership with Bank of America greatly expands the National Museum of Asian Art’s public programming, both within its galleries and on the National Mall, ensuring that Asian arts and culture reach the broadest possible audiences. Last year’s two-week festival commemorated the museum’s centennial and drew more than 40,000 people.Health and Wellness InitiativesThis festival is the latest example of the National Museum of Asian Art’s portfolio in health and wellness work.Other initiatives include: Free online meditation sessions every Tuesday and Friday	“Artful Movement,” a virtual program developed in partnership with the non-profit children’s yoga organization Create Calm that combines mindful movement with slow looking at art for students in pre-K–sixth grade	Exhibitions and publications that speak to health and wellness such as:	Yoga: The Art of Transformation		Mind Over Matter: Zen in Medieval Japan	SponsorBank of America is the Founding Sponsor of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art’s May Arts and Culture Festival.About the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian ArtThe Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art is committed to preserving, exhibiting, researching and interpreting art in ways that deepen our collective understanding of Asia, the United States and the world. Home to more than 46,000 objects, the museum stewards one of North America’s largest and most comprehensive collections of Asian art, with works dating from antiquity to the present from China, Japan, Korea, South Asia, Southeast Asia and the Islamic world. Its rich holdings bring the arts of Asia into direct dialogue with an important collection of 19th- and early 20th-century art from the United States, providing an essential platform for creative collaboration and cultural exchange between the U.S., Asia and the Middle East.  Beginning with a 1906 gift that paved the way for the museum’s opening in 1923, the National Museum of Asian Art is a leading resource for visitors, students and scholars in the United States and internationally. Its galleries, laboratories, archives and library are located on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., and are part of the world’s largest museum complex, which typically reports more than 27 million visits each year. The museum is free and open to the public 364 days a year (closed Dec. 25), making its exhibitions, programs, learning opportunities and digital initiatives accessible to global audiences.  # # #SI-119-2024                Media Only                                                 Jennifer Mitchell  202-251-4892mitchellja@si.edu                                     National Museum of Asian Art         Public Programs