Smithsonian

Fiscal Year 2019

Submitted to the Committees on Appropriations 

Congress of the United States 
Smithsonian Institution

Fiscal Year 2019

Budget Justification to Congress

February 2018

SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION

Fiscal Year 2019 Budget Request to Congress

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

Overview ....................................................................................................1

FY 2019 Budget Request Summary...........................................................7

SALARIES AND EXPENSES

Summary of FY 2019 Changes and Unit Detail........................................11

Fixed Costs

Salary and Related Costs ...................................................................14

Utilities, Rent, Communications, and Other ........................................15

Summary of Program Changes................................................................19

No-Year Funding......................................................................................20

Object-Class Breakout .............................................................................20

Federal Resource Summary by Performance Objective and

Program Category ..............................................................................21

MUSEUMS AND RESEARCH CENTERS

Grand Challenges and Interdisciplinary Research..............................23

National Air and Space Museum ........................................................25

Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory ............................................31

Major Scientific Instrumentation..........................................................36

National Museum of Natural History ...................................................42

National Zoological Park .....................................................................51

Smithsonian Environmental Research Center ....................................59

Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute.............................................63

Arthur M. Sackler Gallery/Freer Gallery of Art ....................................71

Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage.............................................76

Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum.....................................81

Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden..........................................85

National Museum of African Art ..........................................................90

Anacostia Community Museum ..........................................................95

Archives of American Art ..................................................................101

National Museum of African American History and Culture ..............105

National Museum of American History, Behring Center ...................116

National Museum of the American Indian .........................................124

National Portrait Gallery....................................................................128

National Postal Museum...................................................................134

Smithsonian American Art Museum..................................................138

MISSION ENABLING

Outreach...........................................................................................143

 The Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service; Smithsonian

Affiliations; the Smithsonian Center for Learning and Digital Access; the

Office of Fellowships and Internships; and the Smithsonian Institution

Scholarly Press

Communications ...............................................................................148
Institution-wide Programs .................................................................151

 Research Equipment Pool..............................................................153

 Latino Initiatives Pool......................................................................153

 Asian Pacific American Initiative Pool.............................................154

 Collections Care and Preservation Fund ........................................155

 Information Resources Management Pool......................................157

Smithsonian Exhibits.........................................................................158

Museum Support Center...................................................................161

Museum Conservation Institute ........................................................163

Smithsonian Institution Archives .......................................................168

Smithsonian Libraries .......................................................................170

Office of the Chief Information Officer...............................................174

Administration ...................................................................................177

 The offices of the Secretary; the Provost/Under Secretary for Museums 

and Research/Provost; the Chief Operating Officer/Under Secretary for 

Finance and Administration; and the central activities of diversity, 

human resources, financial/contract management, and legal services.

Office of the Inspector General.........................................................180

Facilities Maintenance ......................................................................182

Facilities Operations, Security, and Support.....................................186

FACILITIES CAPITAL

Overview ................................................................................................189

Summary Tables ....................................................................................192

Revitalization Projects............................................................................194

National Air and Space Museum (NASM).........................................194

NASM Udvar-Hazy Center................................................................197

National Zoological Park...................................................................198

Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum...................................204

National Museum of American History..............................................205

National Museum of Natural History .................................................207

National Museum of the American Indian .........................................208

Smithsonian Institution Building (Castle)...........................................210

Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute...........................................212

Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory ...........................................213

Smithsonian Environmental Research Center ..................................214

Suitland Collections Center...............................................................215

Multiple Facilities ..............................................................................216

Multiple Locations, Revitalization Projects........................................216

Construction Supervision and Administration ...................................217

Facilities Planning and Design ...............................................................218

APPENDIX

Organization Chart .................................................................................219

Visitation Chart.......................................................................................220

Trust Funds Summary............................................................................221

Appropriation Language and Citations ...................................................223

Adjustments to FY 2018 Funding...........................................................231
1

THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION’S IMPACT ON AMERICA 

The Smithsonian greatly appreciates the continued support of the Administration, 

the Congress, and the American people, and takes seriously the crucial role it plays in 

advancing the civic, educational, scientific, and artistic life of this nation. As a public trust, 

the Smithsonian addresses some of the world’s most complex issues and uses everevolving technologies to broaden access to information for citizens, students, and policy 

makers.

Thanks to the generous bequest of English scientist James Smithson, Congress 

established the Smithsonian Institution in 1846 as an independent federal trust 

instrumentality, a unique public-private partnership that has proven its value as a cultural 

and scientific resource for 172 years. The federal commitment provides the foundation for all

we do, and is especially helpful in attracting private support. We leverage our federal 

funding to enrich the lives of the American people and advance “the increase and diffusion 

of knowledge.” 

In pursuit of this mission, the Smithsonian is a world leader in research and 

discovery, addressing today’s relevant issues and helping the American people

understand our role in the world through the arts and humanities. We use cutting-edge 

technology to create unprecedented access to our treasures and inspire educators, 

students, and learners of all ages.

This year we are starting to implement our new Strategic Plan. It will help us be 

more responsive to the expectations of our visitors and audiences in numerous ways. The 

plan sets forth the following goals to: be a more unified Institution; spark new 

conversations and address complex challenges; reach one billion people a year with a 

“digital first” strategy; better understand and make an impact on 21st-century audiences; 

drive large, visionary, interdisciplinary research and scholarly projects; preserve our 

natural and cultural heritage while optimizing our assets; and to provide a nimble, costeffective, and responsive administrative infrastructure that will enable us to accomplish all 

of those goals. We also continue to improve facilities maintenance and collections care to 

be even better stewards of America’s treasures and seek out new federal, state, and local 

partners to expand our reach.

Our vision for the Strategic Plan is that, by 2022, the Smithsonian Institution will 

build on our unique strengths to engage and inspire more people, where they are, with 

greater impact, while catalyzing critical conversations on important issues affecting our 

nation and the world.

The Smithsonian is large and diverse, encompassing art, history, science, education,

and culture. We have 19 museums and galleries, 21 libraries, nine research centers, the 

National Zoo, and 216 Affiliates in 46 states, Puerto Rico, and Panama. We are also open 

every day of the year, except Christmas Day. We have research and education facilities in 

eight states and the District of Columbia, and are involved in research in more than 145

countries. For the last full fiscal year, our museums had more than 30 million visits, and 

another 4.5 million people visited our traveling exhibitions. In addition, the magazines 
2

Smithsonian and Air and Space have a combined readership of nearly eight million people. 

The Smithsonian Channel is distributed by all of the top television cable service providers 

and is available in more than 30 million households nationwide.

Our collections total 155 million objects, including 145 million scientific specimens, 

340,000 works of art, and two million library volumes. We also care for 156,000 cubic feet 

of archival material, 16,000 musical instruments, and more than 2,000 live animals. We 

have the Star-Spangled Banner; Samuel Morse’s telegraph; Thomas Edison’s light bulb; 

the Hope Diamond; the Wright Flyer; one of Amelia Earhart’s planes; Louis Armstrong’s 

trumpet; labor leader Cesar Chavez’s jacket; the Lansdowne portrait of George 

Washington; the Congressional Gold Medal awarded to Japanese American World War II 

veterans; the Spirit of Tuskegee airplane; the camera John Glenn used on his pioneering 

voyage into space; a wide array of Asian, African, and American art; the Apollo 11 

command module, Columbia; and the space shuttle Discovery. We hold all these objects 

in trust for the American people and preserve these priceless national treasures for future 

generations to enjoy.

In fiscal year (FY) 2017, our visitors enjoyed approximately 100 new exhibitions, 

including: Your Community, Your Story: Celebrating Five Decades of the Anacostia 

Community Museum, 1967–2017 at the Anacostia Community Museum; Patriot Nations: 

Native Americans in Our Nation’s Armed Forces at the National Museum of the 

American Indian; Akunnittinni: A Kinngait Family Portrait at the George Gustav Heye 

Center; Yayoi Kusama: Infinity Mirrors at the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden; 

Kung Fu Wildstyle at the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery; The Face of Battle, Americans at 

War, 9/11 to Now at the National Portrait Gallery; Jim Chuchu’s Invocations at the 

National Museum of African Art; My Fellow Soldiers: Letters from World War I at the 

National Postal Museum; Artist Soldiers: Artistic Expression in the First World War at the 

National Air and Space Museum; Clouds in a Bag: The Evelyn Way Kendall Ballooning 

and Early Aviation Collection at the Udvar-Hazy Center; Narwhal: Revealing an Arctic 

Legend at the National Museum of Natural History; The Virtue in Vice at Cooper Hewitt, 

Smithsonian Design Museum; Watch This! New Directions in the Art of the Moving 

Image at the Smithsonian American Art Museum; Parallax Gap at the Renwick Gallery; 

Before Internet Cats: Feline Finds from the Archives of American Art at the Archives of 

American Art; the four exhibitions at the renovated second-floor West Wing of the 

National Museum of American History; and the 11 thought-provoking permanent 

galleries in our National Museum of African American History and Culture.

Digital technology allows us to reach new, diverse audiences more than ever 

before. In FY 2017, our websites attracted more than 150 million unique visitors. In social 

media, we currently have 11 million followers on Facebook and Twitter alone, with tens of 

thousands more engaging with us on other Internet platforms. Our newest podcast, 

Sidedoor, debuted in October 2016, featuring behind-the-scenes stories from the 

Smithsonian’s museums, research centers, and world-renowned experts. The podcast 

has reached people in all 50 states and more than 146 countries, with more than 1.25 

million downloads to date. Last year, the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory 

developed a mobile app that allowed users to have a virtual view in real time of the solar 

eclipse as it crossed the continental United States on August 21, 2017.
3

For years, we have been digitizing our objects, specimens, archival materials, and 

library books to make them more accessible to the public. So far, our museums and 

libraries have created digital images for 2.9 million objects, specimens and books, and 

electronic records for 28 million artifacts and items in the national collections. Our 

archives have created 3.9 million digital images, and now have electronic records and 

metadata for close to 120,000 cubic feet of archival material. More than 10,000 digital 

initiative volunteers have transcribed 344,000 pages of data for our Transcription Center.

Furthermore, we have implemented rapid-capture digitization, a conveyor-belt technology 

to accelerate the digitization of our collections. We reached another milestone when the 

Smithsonian’s Digitization Program Office (DPO) worked with the National Museum of

Natural History’s Department of Botany to digitize and transcribe the Museum’s onemillionth botanical specimen.

Thanks to the work of our DPO, we are now leaders in the field of 3D scanning, 

allowing people to see our treasures and specimens in a new light. Users can connect 

with our collection of 3D-digitized Smithsonian objects available online, creating replicas 

of Smithsonian objects via 3D printers for scientific research or use in the classroom. The 

digitization team’s new 3D collection website features updated content and functionality, 

with the most recent advance allowing viewers to interact with Smithsonian collection 

objects, using Virtual Reality applications. The team is also automating the 3D scanning 

pipeline so that hundreds of objects can be scanned in just weeks.

Another way we accomplish the “diffusion of knowledge” is with myriad 

educational offerings that serve millions of people annually from preschoolers to senior 

citizens. Our Smithsonian Science Education Center produces science curricula 

materials for grades K–8 and supplementary resources for all grade levels. More than 

2,300 of these learning resources are tied to national standards and are available for 

free online. The Smithsonian Learning Lab website created by the Smithsonian Center 

for Learning and Digital Access offers teachers and students free digital access to more 

than a million resources from across the Smithsonian. Smithsonian Affiliate museums 

host speakers, traveling exhibitions, and webinars, bringing educational offerings into 

many communities across the country. In FY 2017, the Smithsonian Institution Traveling 

Exhibition Service (SITES) took large and small exhibitions to regional museums and 

provided educational materials to schools and libraries. In all, SITES brought 31 

exhibitions to 142 communities in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Guam, 

reaching an audience of 4.5 million people. Last year alone, eight poster exhibitions 

were sent to 5,450 schools, museums, and libraries.

We have numerous dedicated education, learning, and discovery spaces in our 

museums and research centers. The Institution also serves the public appetite for 

education through the National Museum of American History’s Object Project, a 4,000-

square-foot space in the Museum’s Innovation Wing, the National Museum of Natural 

History’s Q?rius, our 10,000-square-foot science education center for teenagers, and the 

National Air and Space Museum’s various education spaces that are integrated into 

exhibits. In FY 2018, the National Museum of the American Indian’s George Gustav Heye 

Center will open its imagiNATIONS Activity Center. In addition, we continue to connect 

with young learners through the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden’s ARTLAB+ 
4

program for teens and Cooper Hewitt’s Smithsonian Design Center in New York City’s 

Harlem neighborhood. Smithsonian Affiliates also hosts Spark!Lab to provide unique 

Smithsonian educational experiences through hands-on invention centers developed by 

the National Museum of American History.

However, given the Institution’s high profile and popularity, the Smithsonian’s 

facilities require constant care and maintenance to enable us to serve our visitors. Our 

next major facilities capital project will be the renovation of the National Air and Space 

Museum building on the National Mall. The 750,000-square-foot building, which opened in 

1976, hosts six to seven million visitors each year and has welcomed more than 330 

million people in the past 40 years, far exceeding its original projections. Smithsonian 

Facilities staff teams have spent the past three years planning for and overseeing the 

design of this massive project, which will be the first major overhaul of the building’s 

infrastructure. This work is necessary to ensure that the building can continue to handle 

its large number of visitors and provide a suitable environment for the priceless artifacts of 

aviation and space flight.

The Smithsonian continues to take collections stewardship very seriously. Our 

collections are a vital national asset, and we are always improving storage conditions and 

balancing the preservation of and access to these collections. The collections we 

maintain are a valuable resource for scientists from federal agencies such as the 

Departments of Agriculture and Defense, and the United States Geological Survey. We 

work with the White House’s Office of Science and Technology Policy to coordinate our 

efforts with federal agencies and avoid duplication of activities. Today, we still use 

collections acquired a century or more ago to address the effects of global change, the 

spread of invasive species, and the loss of biological diversity and its impact on 

interconnected ecosystems. Federal, state, and local authorities often look to our 

collections for answers to questions about flu epidemics, oil spills, volcanic eruptions, and

aircraft downed by bird strikes.

As an ambassador of goodwill and a research partner, we are involved in research 

in more than 145 countries by coordinating with strategic allies across the federal 

Government and working with foreign governments and the private sector. Through our

Office of International Relations and our science, art, history, culture, and education units, 

we work with virtually every cabinet-level federal agency and numerous other 

organizations.

In addition, we leverage our strengths with our strategic national and international 

partners for a combined greater impact. For instance, on Earth Day 2017, we convened 

the Earth Optimism Summit, a three-day event featuring more than 150 scientists, 

thought leaders, philanthropists, conservationists, and civic leaders from across the 

political spectrum. It explored solutions to global conservation problems and provided a 

platform to discuss ways to apply findings and replicate successes. Elsewhere, our 

international efforts are increasingly directed toward cultural heritage protection. Last

March, the Smithsonian and the U.S. Department of State announced a project to 

enable Iraq’s State Board of Antiquities and Heritage and others to document and 

stabilize precious artifacts in the ancient city of Nimrud.
5

These and other Smithsonian projects foster international collaboration and bring 

together governments, foundations, and the world’s leading thinkers and scientists. We 

bridge disciplines and borders, whether rescuing art from the rubble of damaged 

galleries and museums, helping to save endangered species, or inspiring tomorrow’s 

artists, scientists, and leaders in all disciplines. Beyond the walls of our museums and 

laboratories, our teams are making discoveries, preserving the past, and sharing 

insights with audiences of all ages. By working with governments and organizations 

around the world, we amplify our impact. Cross-disciplinary collaboration gets results 

and produces a shared legacy of progress and discovery.

Our work toward a groundbreaking partnership with the Victoria and Albert (V&A) 

Museum in London, which we announced in 2016, continues to progress. This 

collaboration will consist of a combined exhibition space jointly curated by Smithsonian 

and V&A staff members as well as a separate space for Smithsonian self-curated 

exhibitions. We expect the new spaces to open in 2023 and that they will help the 

Smithsonian expand our scope to reach new audiences without the need for federal 

funding.

With our international partners and worldwide reach, the Institution is particularly 

well connected to study biodiversity issues. The Smithsonian’s ForestGEO (Global 

Earth Observatories) network is a worldwide partnership of more than 95 institutions 

working to monitor the health of six million trees (including 10,000 different species) on 

63 plots in 24 countries. Our follow-up initiative, Tennenbaum Marine Observatories, or 

MarineGEO, replicates this success by assessing the health of coastal areas and the 

oceans at large, with the goal of determining how to manage these important resources.

Six new sites are scheduled to be added to this network in the coming year, which will 

bring the total to 15 active MarineGEO sites.

Smithsonian scientists also work around the world to help save endangered, 

vulnerable, and threatened species, such as: Asian elephants; Panamanian golden 

frogs; African kori bustards; Asian tigers; Przewalski’s horse; the African scimitarhorned oryx; coral reefs; North American black-footed ferrets; Cuban crocodiles; Asian 

clouded leopards; and giant pandas.

Elsewhere, in today’s world of long-distance travel and new technologies, deadly 

viruses can reach around the globe in 24 hours, and nearly 75 percent of emerging 

pathogens in humans come from animals. With that in mind, the Smithsonian is a 

founding partner in the USAID-funded Emerging Pandemic Threats Program, which helps

public health officials avoid the next major pandemic. Veterinary scientists and 

pathologists from the National Zoo and the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute 

are conducting regional wildlife pathology workshops to train biologists and 

conservationists to recognize, identify and stop the next global health threat in its initial 

stages. These actions, in turn, will prove vital to prevent potential pandemics from 

occurring.

The Smithsonian’s 500 staff scientists also tackle other vital issues of the day, 

make important discoveries, and share them with the public. For example, scientists at 
6

the Harvard-based Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory continue to explore the 

universe’s boundless mysteries, from carbon-based planets capable of supporting life to 

a planet currently forming in an Earth-like orbit around a young star light-years away 

from our own solar system.

The National Museum of Natural History (NMNH) is the leading partner in a global 

effort called the Encyclopedia of Life (EOL), an ambitious project to build a key repository 

of scientific information about virtually every form of life on Earth. The EOL is an online 

database with more than 5.5 million pages, and more than 90,000 people use it for their 

work. Its financial, logistical, and research support comes from numerous partners, 

including the MacArthur and Sloan Foundations.

The NMNH also houses the Consortium for the Barcode of Life, an international 

initiative devoted to developing DNA barcoding as a global standard for the identification 

of biological species. This technique uses a short DNA sequence from a standardized 

position in the genome as a molecular diagnostic marker for species identification. As the 

recognized U.S. leader in DNA barcoding, the Smithsonian seeks to increase its research 

and training capacity to better work with strategic partners in expanding the frontiers of 

knowledge in this exciting field. 

We do all this thanks to more than 6,700 dedicated employees — award-winning 

scientists and scholars, curators, researchers, historians, and experts in fields from 

astrophysics to zoology — and more than 6,900 generous, on-site volunteers, nearly 800

research Fellows, nearly 1,300 research associates, more than 1,700 interns, and more 

than 10,000 digital initiative volunteers: brain power that benefits the Smithsonian and the 

world many times over. Because of their level of commitment, the Smithsonian was, for 

the eighth year in a row, ranked as one of the best places to work in the federal 

Government. 

Building on our legacy, with the continuing support of Congress, the 

Administration, our Board of Regents, and the American people, we will offer even more 

opportunities to enlighten and engage the public in the future. Significant examples 

include the renovated West Wing of the National Museum of American History, the 

recently modernized and reopened Freer and Sackler Galleries, and the National 

Museum of African American History and Culture that opened to great acclaim in 

September of 2016 and is still experiencing record attendance. These important 

museums demonstrate the power of the Smithsonian to educate, inspire, and bring 

people together.

Today, with our numerous museums, distinguished research and scholars, iconic 

American treasures, and a vast array of information made accessible from its websites, 

the Smithsonian remains a resource of extraordinary value for the American people and 

the world. As such, the Smithsonian will continue to prove its worth as an investment in 

the future and a steward of our past.
7

SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION

FY 2019 BUDGET REQUEST SUMMARY

Account

FY 2017

Enacted

FY 2018

CR Level

FY 2019

Request

Salaries and Expenses 

Facilities Capital 

Total

$729,444,000

$133,903,000

$863,347,000

$724,490,000

$132,994,000

$857,484,000

$737,944,000

$219,500,000

$957,444,000

For fiscal year (FY) 2019, the Smithsonian’s request to fund operating expenses 

and revitalization of the Institution’s physical infrastructure is $957.4 million. The total 

amount includes $737.9 million for Salaries and Expenses (S&E) and $219.5 million

for the Facilities Capital account. A detailed summary of the changes requested is 

provided in the table at the end of this section.

SALARIES AND EXPENSES

RESTORE FY 2018 UNDISTRIBUTED RESCISSION

 Undistributed Rescission (+$4,954,000) — This budget request includes 

funding to restore the $4,954,000 undistributed rescission in the FY 2018 

Continuing Resolution (CR) Budget. The increase would bring the FY 2018 

S&E funding back to the FY 2017 Enacted level.

FIXED COSTS INCREASES

 Salaries and Related Costs (+$171,000) — This request funds the necessary

increase for Workers’ Compensation.

 Non-pay Fixed Items (+$3,329,000) — The Institution requests additional 

funding, largely for inflation-related increases in rent, software licenses, and 

other operating costs. Details are provided in the S&E section of this budget 

submission.

PROGRAM INCREASES

 Facilities Maintenance (+$5,000,000) — The Smithsonian requests an increase 

of $5.0 million to enable its maintenance program to continue stabilizing and 

standardizing the overall condition of its facilities. The increase will also allow for 

deferred life-cycle replacement of security equipment, and installation of barrier 

and bollard systems, and anti-terrorism mitigation systems. The increase will 

enable the Institution to address the significant maintenance backlog and make 

progress toward the minimum standards for annual maintenance budgets as 

endorsed by the Government Accountability Office and the National Research 

Council. 
8

FACILITIES CAPITAL

The request for the Facilities Capital Program ($219,500,000) is essential to stop

the deterioration of some of the Smithsonian’s oldest and most visited buildings and 

maintain the current condition of other facilities through systematic renewal and repair. 

This amount will allow the Facilities Capital Program to address all of the priority one 

projects that are ready to be fixed in FY 2019. 

For FY 2019, the requested funds will enable the Institution to begin the major 

renovation project at the National Air and Space Museum (NASM, at $127.0 million). 

The request will also continue major revitalization work at the National Museum of 

Natural History ($3.5 million), the National Zoological Park ($18.5 million), and the 

National Museum of American History ($4.0 million). In addition, these funds will allow 

the Smithsonian to perform critical revitalization work at the NASM Steven F. UdvarHazy Center ($10.0 million); National Museum of the American Indian ($4.0 million); 

Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum ($5.8 million); Smithsonian Environmental 

Research Center ($2.0 million); Smithsonian Institution Building (Castle, at $1.5 million);

Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute ($1.5 million); Smithsonian Astrophysical 

Observatory ($0.85 million); Suitland Collections Center ($4.0 million); and replace firealarm systems and upgrade mass-security notification at multiple facilities ($4.0 million). 

The request also provides for critical revitalization projects throughout the Institution, 

program support, and projects costing under $1 million each ($15.85 million). 

Furthermore, this request accounts for planning and design of future projects ($17.0 

million). Details are provided in the Facilities Capital section of this budget request.
9

SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION

FY 2019 BUDGET SUMMARY

SALARIES AND EXPENSES FTEs Amount

FY 2018 Continuing Resolution Level 4,225 $724,490,000

RESTORE FY 2018 UNDISTRIBUTED RESCISSION 4,954,000

FIXED COSTS INCREASES 0 3,500,000

Salaries and Related Costs (Workers’ Compensation) 0 171,000

Utilities, Rent, Communications, and Other 0 3,329,000

PROGRAM INCREASES 8 5,000,000

Facilities Maintenance 8 5,000,000

Total, FY 2019 Salaries and Expenses 4,233 $737,944,000

FACILITIES CAPITAL FTEs Amount

Revitalization 48 202,500,000

National Air and Space Museum 127,000,000

Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center 10,000,000

National Zoological Park 18,500,000

Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum 5,800,000

National Museum of American History 4,000,000

National Museum of Natural History 3,500,000

National Museum of the American Indian 4,000,000

Smithsonian Institution Building (Castle) 1,500,000

Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute 1,500,000

Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory 850,000

Smithsonian Environmental Research Center 2,000,000

Suitland Collections Center 4,000,000

Multiple Facilities/Locations Projects 19,850,000

Facilities Planning and Design 17,000,000

Total, FY 2019 Facilities Capital 48 $219,500,000

FY 2019 REQUEST, ALL ACCOUNTS 4,281 $957,444,000
10

Blank Page
11

SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION

SALARIES AND EXPENSES (S&E)

FY 2019 Request

FTEs Amount

FY 2018 Continuing Resolution Level 4,225 724,490,000

Restore FY 2018 Undistributed Rescission 4,954,000

Fixed Costs Increases

 Salaries and Related Costs (Workers’ Compensation) 0 171,000

 Utilities, Postage, Rent, Communications, and Other 0 3,329,000

Total Fixed Costs Increases 0 3,500,000

Program Increases

 Facilities Maintenance 8 5,000,000

Total Program Increases 8 5,000,000

Total Increases 8 13,454,000

Total, FY 2019 Salaries and Expenses 4,233 $737,944,000
FTE = Full-Time Equivalent

 Pay & 

Benefits 

 Re

Uti

Page # FTEs $000 FTEs $000 FTEs $000 $000 $0

MUSEUMS AND RESEARCH CENTERS

25 National Air and Space Museum 151 19,853 151 20,110 151 20,110 0 

31 Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory 99 24,393 99 24,593 99 24,593 0 

36 Major Scientific Instrumentation 0 4,118 0 4,118 0 4,118 0 

23 Universe Consortium 1 184 1 184 1 184 0 

42 National Museum of Natural History 335 49,205 335 49,789 335 49,789 0 

51 National Zoological Park 208 27,252 208 27,566 208 27,566 0 

59 Smithsonian Environmental Research Center 32 4,171 32 4,227 32 4,227 0 

63 Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute 191 14,344 191 14,486 191 14,486 0 

23 Biodiversity Consortium 3 1,530 3 1,543 3 1,543 0 

71 Arthur M. Sackler Gallery/Freer Gallery of Art 45 6,197 45 6,273 45 6,273 0 

76 Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage 17 3,039 17 3,084 17 3,184 0 

 National Park Service Regulatory Compliance 

81 Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum 36 5,005 36 5,061 36 5,086 0 

 Rent Escalation 

85 Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden 37 4,627 37 4,534 37 4,544 0 

 Rent Escalation 

90 National Museum of African Art 28 4,576 28 4,654 28 4,654 0 

23 World Culture Consortium 2 792 2 792 2 792 0 

95 Anacostia Community Museum 19 2,329 19 2,405 19 2,405 0 

101 Archives of American Art 17 1,909 17 1,933 17 1,933 0 

105 National Museum of African American History & Culture 165 41,564 145 33,079 145 33,079 0 

116 National Museum of American History, Behring Center 163 24,916 164 25,373 164 25,373 0 

124 National Museum of the American Indian 216 32,341 216 32,671 216 33,242 0 

 Federal Protective Service security in NYC 

128 National Portrait Gallery 56 6,460 56 6,556 56 6,556 0 

134 National Postal Museum 6 1,120 6 1,131 6 1,331 0 

 Federal Protective Service security in DC 2

138 Smithsonian American Art Museum 89 10,115 89 10,239 89 10,239 0 

23 American Experience Consortium 4 596 4 550 4 550 0 

Total for Museums and Research Centers 1,920 290,636 1,901 284,951 1,901 285,857 0 

(FY Request EnactedFull-Year CR

12

SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION

Salaries and Expenses

Unit Detail of the FY 2017 Enacted, FY 2018 Full-Year CR and the FY 2019 Request

($s in Thousands)

FY 2017 FY 2019 ANAFY 2018
FTE = Full-Time Equivalent

 Pay & 

Benefits 

 Re

Uti

Page # FTEs $000 FTEs $000 FTEs $000 $000 $0

(FY Request EnactedFull-Year CR

SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION

Salaries and Expenses

Unit Detail of the FY 2017 Enacted, FY 2018 Full-Year CR and the FY 2019 Request

($s in Thousands)

FY 2017 FY 2019 ANAFY 2018

MISSION ENABLING

Program Support and Outreach

143 Outreach 64 9,214 64 9,333 64 9,333 0 

148 Communications 22 2,632 23 2,839 23 2,839 0 

151 Institution-wide Programs 0 14,784 0 14,784 0 14,784 0 

158 Smithsonian Exhibits 28 3,057 28 3,169 28 3,169 0 

161 Museum Support Center 18 1,890 18 1,906 18 1,906 0 

163 Museum Conservation Institute 22 3,320 22 3,359 22 3,359 0 

168 Smithsonian Institution Archives 20 2,316 20 2,423 20 2,423 0 

170 Smithsonian Libraries 86 11,146 86 11,273 86 11,373 0 

 Subscriptions inflation 

Subtotal, Program Support and Outreach 260 48,359 261 49,086 261 49,186 0 

174 Office of the Chief Information Officer 95 51,371 95 52,009 95 52,509 0 

 Communications 

177 Administration 181 35,756 182 36,234 182 36,405 171 

180 Office of the Inspector General 24 3,499 24 3,538 24 3,538 0 

Facilities Services

182 Facilities Maintenance 395 76,327 401 77,045 409 82,045 0 

 Facilities Maintenance increase 

186 Facilities Operations, Security, and Support 1,325 223,496 1,361 226,581 1,361 228,404 0 1,

 Central Utilities 2

 Central Rent 1,

Subtotal, Facilities Services 1,720 299,823 1,762 303,626 1,770 310,449 0 1,

Total for Mission Enabling 2,280 438,808 2,324 444,493 2,332 452,087 171 1,

SUBTOTAL, SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION 4,200 729,444 4,225 729,444 4,233 737,944 171 2,

Undistributed Rescission -4,954 

GRAND TOTAL, SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION 4,200 729,444 4,225 724,490 4,233 737,944 171 2,

13
14

SALARIES AND EXPENSES

FY 2017 Enacted 729,444,000

FY 2018 Continuing Resolution Level 724,490,000

FY 2019 Request 737,944,000

For Fiscal Year (FY) 2019, the Institution requests $737.94 million in the 

Salaries and Expenses (S&E) account. Within the total increase requested, 

approximately 63 percent is attributable to fixed costs for sustaining base operations 

(e.g., restore rescission, utilities, rent, etc.), and the remainder is for high-priority 

facilities maintenance requirements throughout the Institution.

RESTORATION OF FY 2018 UNDISTRIBUTED RESCISSION

 Undistributed Rescission (+$4,954,000) — This budget request includes 

funding to restore the $4,954,000 undistributed rescission in the FY 2018 

Continuing Resolution (CR) Budget. The increase would bring the FY 2018 S&E 

funding back to the FY 2017 Enacted level.

FIXED COSTS

SALARY AND PAY-RELATED COSTS (+$171,000) — The Institution 

requests an increase of $171,000 for an increase in the Workers’ Compensation 

program costs, as follows:

Salary and Related Costs: Request

 Workers’ Compensation $171,000

 Workers’ Compensation (+$171,000) — This supports the provisions of 

Section 8147(b) of Title 5, United States Code. The Workers’ Compensation bill 

for FY 2019 is $3,191,000, based on a Department of Labor invoice for costs 

incurred from July 1, 2016 through June 30, 2017. This represents an increase

of $171,000 from the prior-year cost of $3,020,000 payable in FY 2018 for 

Workers’ Compensation costs.
15

UTILITIES, POSTAGE, RENT, COMMUNICATIONS, AND OTHER 

FIXED COSTS (+$3,329,000) — For FY 2019, the Institution requests an

increase of $3,329,000 for utilities, postage, rent, communications, and other fixedcost accounts, as detailed in the chart below. The requested increase reflects 

consumption and rate changes in the utilities accounts, inflationary increases, and

program needs in rent accounts. In addition, the increases for Communications and 

Other Support are requested to provide for fixed software licensing and maintenance

costs, inflationary increases for library subscriptions, and to meet compliance

requirements.

The following table displays the FY 2018 and FY 2019 estimates. The details

that follow address the specific changes affecting the FY 2019 accounts.

Federal Utilities, Postage, Rent, Communications, and 

Other Fixed Costs

FYs 2018–2019

(Dollars in Thousands)

FY 2018

Estimate

FY 2019

Estimate Change

Utilities:

Electricity 21,698 21,835 137

Chilled Water 2,947 3,083 136

Steam 8,180 8,607 427

Natural Gas 3,088 3,132 44

DC Gov’t Water/Sewer 6,292 5,855 -437

Other Water and Fuel Oil 1,231 1,255 24

Subtotal, Utilities 43,436 43,767 331

Postage 1,511 1,461 -50

Motor Fuel 370 370 0

Rental Space:

Central 39,988 41,530 1,542

Unit 5,091 5,897 806

Subtotal, Rent 45,079 47,427 2,348

Communications 18,874 19,374 500

Other Support 3,220 3,420 200

Total $112,490 $115,819 $3,329
16

UTILITIES (+$331,000) — Justified here, but included in the Facilities Operations, 

Security, and Support line item, is a requested increase to cover the costs of energy 

and water. The request includes the following:

 Electricity (+$137,000) — Electricity is used to operate the Smithsonian’s large 

infrastructure. The major use of electricity is for air-conditioning that provides 

essential climate control to protect the priceless national collections as well as 

ensure the comfort of visitors and staff. The request covers anticipated cost 

increases in FY 2019 for current services for all accounts (+$39,000) and a 

downward adjustment for lower-than-projected use in FY 2017 (-$66,000). The 

request also funds electricity costs of the new Udvar-Hazy Dulles Collections 

Storage Module 1 (+$59,000); the new Museum Support Center Pod 6 (+$50,000); 

and three new facilities at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) 

(+$24,000). In addition, there are decreased reimbursements due to the closure of 

the National Museum of Natural History’s Atrium Cafe for eight months during 

construction (+$31,000) 

 Chilled Water (+$136,000) — Chilled water costs represent actual chilled water 

usage supplied by the General Services Administration’s (GSA) central plant to 

the Smithsonian’s south Mall facilities. The net increase reflects a rate increase 

of 2.3 percent in FY 2019 (+$144,000), as well as anticipated increased 

reimbursements (-$8,000).

 Steam (+$427,000) — The Smithsonian uses steam for heating and 

humidification, and to produce hot water for facilities on the Mall and in New York 

City. The increase covers escalation as stipulated in Energy Savings Performance 

Contracts (ESPCs) (+$44,000), FY 2019 increased usage at the National Museum 

of Natural History due to inefficiencies caused by premature HVAC equipment 

obsolescence (+$379,000), and increased reimbursements due to the opening of 

the new Hirshhorn Museum Cafe (-$3,000). In addition, there is a projected rate 

increase (+2.3 percent) for New York City facilities (+$7,000).

 Natural Gas (+$44,000) — The Smithsonian uses natural gas and propane for 

heating and generating steam. The request covers cost increases for rates in 

FY 2019 (+$21,000). The request also funds natural gas costs of the new UdvarHazy Dulles Collections Storage Module 1 (+$16,000) and decreased 

reimbursements due to the closure of the National Museum of Natural History’s 

Atrium Cafe for eight months of construction (+$7,000).

 DC Water and Sewer (-$437,000) — Funds cover the costs of both water and 

sewer services provided by the District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority 

(DCWSA). The net decrease includes rate and billing adjustments transmitted by 

DCWSA to the Smithsonian in April of 2017 (-$453,000), as well as anticipated 

increased reimbursements in FY 2019 due to higher rates (-$8,000). In addition, 

there are decreased reimbursements due to the closure of the National Museum 

of Natural History’s Atrium Cafe for eight months of construction (+$24,000).
17

 Other Water and Fuel Oil (+$24,000) — Funds provide water service for 

facilities outside of Washington, DC, and fuel oil used in dual-fuel boilers and

generators for emergency power. The request covers anticipated cost increases 

(+2.3 percent) in FY 2019 for current services for all water accounts (+$14,000) 

and a 4.4 percent payment escalation in the Suitland, Maryland ESPC contract 

(+$10,000).

POSTAGE (-$50,000) — Funds provide for all official domestic and international 

mail services. The request is a decrease of $50,000 for postage in FY 2019. 

MOTOR FUEL — Funds provide for motor fuel that powers the Smithsonian’s 

motor vehicle fleet and scientific research vessels. No increases are requested for 

motor fuel in FY 2019.

RENTAL SPACE (+$2,348,000) — Funds provide for the long-term rental of 

office, collections and warehouse storage, and laboratory space. For FY 2019, the 

Smithsonian requests an increase of $2,348,000 for centrally funded lease 

requirements and for unit-funded, programmatic lease requirements, as follows:

 Central Rent (+$1,542,000) — Justified here, but included in the Facilities 

Operations, Security, and Support line item, are increases needed to support 

leased office and storage space, as follows:

Escalation (+$1,542,000) — This request funds annual rent increases in 

accordance with the terms of current lease contracts, and lease-related services. 

Among the contracts, the annual escalation rate for base rent averages three

percent, and operating and real-estate taxes are each projected to increase at 

four percent above FY 2018 estimates.

 Unit Rent (+$806,000) — Justified here, but included in the following museums’ 

line items, are unit-funded rent and operating cost increases needed to support 

Smithsonian programs. The increases are as follows:

Escalation (+$35,000) — Provides funding for the annual escalation of 

contractual lease costs and lease-related services. The requested increase 

supports leased space occupied by Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum 

(+$25,000) and the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden (+$10,000).

National Postal Museum Operating Expenses (+$200,000) — This request is a 

must-fund increase that is paid to the Federal Protective Service for required 

security protection at the Postal Square Building in Washington, DC. This facility 

houses many federal agencies and is home to the Smithsonian’s National Postal 

Museum.

Heye Center Operating Expenses (+$571,000) — This request is a must-fund 

increase that is paid to the Federal Protective Service for required security 
18

protection at the U.S. Custom House in New York City. This facility houses the 

United States Bankruptcy Court and is also home to the Smithsonian’s National 

Museum of the American Indian’s George Gustav Heye Center.

COMMUNICATIONS (+$500,000) — The communications base supports the 

operations of the Institution’s voice and data telecommunications infrastructure. The 

requested increase covers the higher cost of software and hardware maintenance

fees for existing investments, and the expansion of central storage and backup 

systems used to house, manage, and protect the rapidly growing number of digitized 

collections assets. 

These systems include Enterprise Resource Planning; RedHat/Linux 

enterprise platforms; business analytics software; a software distribution system for 

Macs; SharePoint administration; an employee safety system; the Institution’s 

Facilities Management system; Wi-Fi maintenance at the National Museum of 

African American History and Culture; and the personnel records management 

system. The requested increases will enable systems to stay current and cover 

rising annual maintenance and operating costs, the costs of the upgraded Internet2 

connection that allows the exchange of large datasets with external collaborators 

and sharing of high-resolution images and 3D models, and the annual recurring cost 

for a network connection to the new STRI lab in Gamboa, Panama.

OTHER SUPPORT (+$200,000) — An additional $200,000 is requested to offset 

the effects of inflation and to cover other fixed costs. The Smithsonian Libraries

requires additional funding to adequately address inflationary increases in library 

subscriptions (+$100,000). This increase will enable the Libraries to cover the 

extraordinary inflation costs of purchasing journals and electronic databases, which 

are critical to support the Institution’s many research programs and scientists.

In addition, the Institution requests an increase (+$100,000) to support the 

Smithsonian Folklife Festival’s compliance with new regulations instituted by the 

National Park Service in its management of the turf on the National Mall, which 

strictly limit how the Festival can use both the turf and tree panels on this federal 

property. 
19

SUMMARY OF FY 2019 S&E PROGRAM INCREASES

Category

FY 2019

Program

Increase ($000s) 

FY 2019

FTEs

Increase

PRESERVE OUR NATURAL AND CULTURAL HERITAGE

 Facilities Maintenance +5,000 +8

Total Increase +$5,000 +8

Facilities Maintenance — Base: ($77,045,000); FY 2019 Increase: (+$5,000,000, 

+8 FTEs)

For FY 2019, the Smithsonian requests an increase of $5.0 million and 8 FTEs 

to enable its maintenance program to continue the work of stabilizing and 

standardizing the overall condition of Institution facilities. The long-term, welldocumented goal is to maintain Smithsonian facilities at the Leadership in 

Educational Facilities, or APPA, top rating of Level 1. Progress toward that goal has 

been made in recent years. With the resources requested in the FY 2019 budget, the 

Smithsonian will operate at a solid APPA maintenance rating of Level 3 (out of 5), 

“Managed Care.” 

The National Research Council (NRC) recommends an annual maintenance 

budget in the range of 2 to 4 percent of a physical plant’s aggregate current 

replacement value (CRV) to avoid adding to a deferred maintenance backlog. The 

CRV for the Smithsonian at the end of FY 2017 was $8.1 billion. This includes the 

new National Museum of African American History and Culture. This would equate 

to a minimum need of $160 million a year. With this requested increase, the 

Institution would be at $82 million, one-half of the required level.

The Smithsonian’s maintenance requirements have also been validated 

through the Facility Condition Assessment process and Reliability Centered 

Maintenance (RCM) analysis. This increase provides a minimal level of preventive 

maintenance and building system reliability to ensure that proper environmental 

conditions are maintained for the national collections and that public expectations 

are met. The increase will also allow for deferred life-cycle replacement of security 

equipment, improved barrier and bollard systems, and anti-terrorism mitigation 

systems.
20

NO-YEAR FUNDING — The following table provides the FY 2018 and

FY 2019 Salaries and Expenses requests for No-Year Funding.

No-Year Funding Request

(Dollars in Thousands)

Salaries and Expenses FY 2018

CR Level

FY 2019

Request

Change from 

FY 2018

No-Year Funds

National Museum of Natural History

 Exhibition Reinstallation 954 954 0

 Repatriation Program 1,410 1,410 0

Major Scientific Instrumentation 4,118 4,118 0

Collections Acquisition 435 435 0

Total, No-Year Funds $6,917 $6,917 $0

OBJECT-CLASS FUNDING — The following table provides an object-class 

breakout of resources for the Salaries and Expenses account.

Object-Class Request

(Dollars in Millions)

Salaries and Expenses FY 2018

CR Level

FY 2019

Request

Change from 

FY 2018

Salaries and Benefits 443 446 +$3

Travel and Transportation 7 7 0

Rent, Utilities, Communications, and 

Other

100 104 +$4

Other Services 131 137 +$6

Supplies and Materials 21 22 +$1

Equipment 19 19 0

Land and Structures 3 3 0

Total, Object-Class Funds $724 $738 +$14
21

FEDERAL RESOURCE SUMMARY BY PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVE

AND PROGRAM CATEGORY

The Smithsonian has developed its FY 2019 budget request by reviewing all 

resources and identified increases or decreases, in relation to the Institution’s 

performance plan and overall Strategic Plan. 

The Institution’s program performance goals and objectives are aligned with the 

program categories used in the federal budget and the Institution’s financial accounting 

system. This enables the Institution to more clearly demonstrate the relationship 

between dollars budgeted and results achieved.

The table below summarizes the request by program category and details the pay 

increases and program changes. The table on the following page summarizes the 

Institution’s FY 2018 and FY 2019 estimates and the proposed changes by strategic 

goal, performance objective, and program category. 

FY 2019 Congressional Budget

Federal Resources by Program Category

($s in 000s)

Pay Rent/ 

Utilities

Other 

Fixed

FTEs $000 FTEs $000 FTEs $000 $000 $000 $000 FTEs $000 FTEs $000 FTEs $000

Enhanced Research 571 94,708 571 94,385 0 -323 0 0 100 0 0 0 -423 0 -323

Expand Digital Technologies 86 15,507 86 15,511 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 4

Impact 21st Century Audiences 712 101,367 712 99,782 0 -1,585 0 0 100 0 0 0 -1,685 0 -1,585

Preserve Our Cultural Heritage 2,275 383,255 2,283 390,872 8 7,617 0 2,629 0 8 5,000 0 -12 8 7,617

 Collections 443 69,815 443 69,838 0 23 0 0 0 0 0 0 23 0 23

 Facilities and Safety 1,090 235,920 1,098 243,514 8 7,594 0 2,629 0 8 5,000 0 -35 7 7,594

 Security 742 77,520 742 77,520 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0

Enable Responsive Administration 581 134,607 581 137,394 0 2,787 171 0 500 0 0 0 2,116 0 2,787

 Management Operations 479 90,191 479 92,793 0 2,602 171 0 0 0 0 0 2,431 0 2,602

 Information Technology 102 44,416 102 44,601 0 185 0 0 500 0 0 0 -315 0 185

TOTAL 4,225 729,444 4,233 737,944 8 8,500 171 2,629 700 8 5,000 0 0 8 8,500

Program 

Increase

Program 

Realignment

Total 

Change

Federal Resources by Performance Objective and Program Category

Salaries and Expenses ($s in thousands)

Performance Objective/ FY 2018 FY 2019 Change

Program Category
22

FTEs $000 FTEs $000 FTEs $000

Enhanced Interdisciplinary Research 571 94,708 571 94,385 0 -323

Research

Engage in impactful scientific research and discovery 436 71,796 436 71,791 0 -5

Engage in vital arts and humanities research 135 22,912 135 22,594 0 -318

Expand Digital Technologies 86 15,507 86 15,511 0 4

Digitization and Web Support

Provide improved digitization and Web support 86 15,507 86 15,511 0 4

Understand and Impact 21st Century Audiences 712 101,367 712 99,782 0 -1,585

Public Programs

Provide relevant reference services and disseminate 

information to the public 128 18,871 128 18,863 0 -8

Exhibitions

Offer compelling, first-class exhibitions 425 61,900 425 60,321 0 -1,579

Education

Engage and inspire diverse audiences 159 20,596 159 20,598 0 2

Preserve Our Natural and Cultural Heritage 2,275 383,255 2,283 390,872 8 7,617

Collections

Improve the stewardship of the national collections 443 69,815 443 69,838 0 23

Facilities and Safety

Improve Smithsonian facilities operations and provide 

a safe and healthy environment 689 158,875 689 161,469 0 2,594

Deliver an aggressive and professional maintenance 

program 401 77,045 409 82,045 8 5,000

Security

Provide world-class protection for Smithsonian 

facilities, collections, staff, visitors and volunteers 742 77,520 742 77,520 0 0

Enable Cost-Effective and Responsive 

Administration 581 134,607 581 137,394 0 2,787

Management Operations

Enable efficient and responsive administrative 

infrastructure 479 90,191 479 92,793 0 2,602

Information Technology

Improve the Institution's information technology 

systems and infrastructure 102 44,416 102 44,601 0 185

TOTAL 4,225 729,444 4,233 737,944 8 8,500

Federal Resources by Performance Objective and Program Category

FY 2018 FY 2019 Change

Performance Objective and Program Category

Salaries and Expenses ($s in thousands)
23

GRAND CHALLENGES AND INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH

APPLICATION OF OPERATING RESOURCES

FEDERAL 

APPROPRIATIONS

GENERAL 

TRUST

DONOR/SPONSOR 

DESIGNATED

GOV’T GRANTS

& CONTRACTS

FTE $000 FTE $000 FTE $000 FTE $000

FY 2017

ENACTED 10 3,102 0 0 0 0 0 0

FY 2018

ESTIMATE 10 3,069 0 0 0 0 0 0

FY 2019

REQUEST 10 3,069 0 0 0 0 0 0

Federal Resource Summary by Performance Objective and Program Category

BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT

The Smithsonian’s Strategic Plan articulates the five Grand Challenges which

provide an overarching strategic framework for Smithsonian programs and 

operations. Meeting these challenges will enable the Institution to integrate the work 

of many disciplines within the Smithsonian museums and cultural and research 

centers, as well as broaden our external collaborations. The challenges are 

grounded in research and emphasize complementary education and outreach 

programs; together, they influence how the Smithsonian directs its resources and 

focuses its energies. The Smithsonian has developed and implemented a Grand 

Challenges Awards initiative to advance cross-disciplinary, integrated scholarly 

efforts across the Institution that relate to one or more of the Grand Challenges. 

Using a competitive internal process, the Smithsonian is distributing externally raised 

funds designated for the purpose of advancing research, broadening access, 

revitalizing education, and encouraging new ways of thinking that involve emerging 

technology. The funding may also help to leverage additional resources, both 

internal and external, thereby amplifying the scope and breadth of cross-cutting 

research initiatives. The Smithsonian uses the Grand Challenges to present the 

Performance Objective/ 

 Program Category FTE $000 FTE $000 FTE $000

Enhanced Interdisciplinary Research 

Research

Engage in impactful scientific research and discovery 4 1,727 4 1,727 0 0

Engage in vital arts and humanities research 2 792 2 792 0 0

Understand and Impact 21st Century Audiences

Public Programs

Provide relevant reference services and disseminate 

information to the public 4 550 4 550 0 0

Total 10 3,069 10 3,069 0 0

FY 2018 FY 2019 Change
24

high-level view of the Strategic Plan in the budget. Funds are distributed through 

existing Smithsonian units with subject-matter expertise to make the most of the 

actual expenditures in the areas being supported.

The Grand Challenges are:

 Unlocking the Mysteries of the Universe

 Understanding and Sustaining a Biodiverse Planet

 Valuing World Cultures

 Understanding the American Experience

 Magnifying the Transformative Power of Arts and Design

Although there are no specific units primarily associated with these Grand 

Challenges, all Smithsonian museums, research centers, and offices will look for 

opportunities to integrate the goals and objectives of these challenges into their 

activities and programs, as appropriate, by:

 serving as a laboratory of ideas, research, and artistic practice;

 advancing the power, breadth, and vitality of artistic creativity for the 

inspiration and benefit of all;

 protecting and preserving cultural memory embodied in works of art; and

 promoting the importance of the arts and design in the public sphere.

The FY 2019 budget request includes no increase. Below is a summary of 

the FY 2019 Grand Challenges budget.

Grand Challenges

FY 2018 

CR Base 

$000s

FY 2019 

Request

$000s

Universe 184 184

Biodiversity 1,543 1,543

World Cultures 792 792

American Experience 550 550

 Total $3,069 $3,069
25

NATIONAL AIR AND SPACE MUSEUM

APPLICATION OF OPERATING RESOURCES

FEDERAL 

APPROPRIATIONS

GENERAL 

TRUST

DONOR/SPONSOR 

DESIGNATED

GOV’T GRANTS

& CONTRACTS

FTE $000 FTE $000 FTE $000 FTE $000

FY 2017 

ENACTED 151 19,853 55 5,778 37 8,211 5 1,054

FY 2018

ESTIMATE 151 20,110 66 23,192 32 9,147 5 969

FY 2019

REQUEST 151 20,110 72 64,611 32 9,109 5 219

Federal Resource Summary by Performance Objective and Program Category

Performance Objective/ 

 Program Category FTE $000 FTE $000 FTE $000

Enhanced Interdisciplinary Research 

Research

Engage in impactful scientific research and discovery 9 1,505 9 1,505 0 0

Engage in vital arts and humanities research 24 3,786 24 3,786 0 0

Expand Digital Technologies

Digitization and Web Support

Provide improved digitization and Web support 2 367 2 367 0 0

Understand and Impact 21st Century Audiences

Public Programs

Provide relevant reference services and disseminate 

information to the public 15 1,714 15 1,714 0 0

Exhibitions

Offer compelling, first-class exhibitions 28 3,177 28 3,177 0 0

Education

Engage and inspire diverse audiences 7 1,000 7 1,000 0 0

Preserve Our Natural and Cultural Heritage

Collections

Improve the stewardship of the national collections 45 4,537 45 4,537 0 0

Facilities and Safety

Improve Smithsonian facilities operations and provide 

a safe and healthy environment 2 318 2 318 0 0

Enable Cost-Effective and Responsive 

Administration

Management Operations

Enable efficient and responsive administrative 

infrastructure 13 3,036 13 3,036 0 0

Information Technology

Improve the Institution's information technology 

systems and infrastructure 6 670 6 670 0 0

Total 151 20,110 151 20,110 0 0

FY 2018 FY 2019 Change
26

BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT

The Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum (NASM) collects,

preserves, studies, and exhibits artifacts and works of art related to the history, 

culture, and science of aviation and spaceflight and the study of the universe. Its

research and outreach activities serve multiple audiences within and beyond its

walls. The Museum commemorates the past and is committed to educating and 

inspiring people to appreciate the importance of flight to humanity.

NASM is administered as one Museum with multiple locations: the National 

Mall Building (NMB); the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center (UHC) in Chantilly, Virginia; 

and the Paul E. Garber Facility in Suitland, Maryland. The first module of the Dulles 

Collection Center, adjacent to the UHC, is currently under construction, and when 

completed in early 2019, will provide state-of-the-art storage for the NASM 

collections. NASM provides access to the nation’s aviation and spaceflight history 

to an average of nine million on-site guests from all parts of the globe each year,

making it one of the most visited museum in the world. In addition, NASM draws 

tens of millions of virtual guests to its website and broadcast/webcast educational 

programming. 

In FY 2018, NASM is continuing to collect and preserve the nation’s 

aviation and space artifacts, as well as archival material, and to perform original 

research and provide reference support in aviation and space history and 

planetary science. These activities support its broad array of exhibitions, 

programs, publications, and outreach initiatives. To accomplish its public service 

mandate and reach diverse audiences, the Museum draws upon a mixture of inhouse and contracted resources, and a large corps of volunteers and docents. At 

the same time, as we renovate the NMB and reimagine the exhibits, NASM 

personnel are also rethinking the identity of America’s favorite Museum. The new 

NASM will be more than a destination to visit, it will be an experience available to 

visitors anywhere at any time. The heart of its new identity is a seamless visitor 

experience that takes the on-site encounter and extends its reach beyond the 

walls of the Museum.

The primary focus for the Museum in FYs 2018-2019 and the coming 

years is on the revitalization of the NMB and the transformation of all of the NMB 

exhibits. Planning for artifact movement as part of the revitalization and 

transformation has resulted in a detailed plan to move and treat more than 4,000 

artifacts. The first of these artifacts have already been moved through the 

Restoration Hangar and Conservation Lab for treatment, with treatment of 100 

completed. To support the revitalization schedule, in late-FY 2018, NASM is on 

track to close some public areas and begin deinstalling several exhibits located 

primarily at the west end of the Museum. In addition, the flight simulators will be 

relocated. A successful, temporary, pop-up Museum shop, introduced at the east 

end of the Museum, will be enlarged/enhanced to offset the disruption to the 

main Museum shop during building renovations. 
27

MEANS AND STRATEGY

Public Engagement — NASM continues to reach diverse audiences through 

exhibitions, educational programming, research reference support, publications,

and electronic outreach. In FY 2018, we continue to use our transformation as an 

opportunity to refine and strengthen NASM’s educational role throughout the 

Museum and the world. Senior leadership has developed and aligned the staff 

around a long-term vision and strategy, has identified best practices, and is

designing and executing a national museum education strategy that will, in the next 

20 years, “Help build a nation of innovators and explorers.” Our goals are to 

transport our nation’s aeronautical and space treasures and stories beyond the 

walls of the Museum through digital technology and cultivate the next generation of 

science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics (STEAM) and history 

learners by creating and sharing high-quality education content aligned with 

national education priorities.

In FY 2018, NASM is targeting middle-school math and science teachers 

nationally to improve confidence and capabilities in teaching STEAM topics by 

developing an education portal. We want to reach out to local and tourist families 

to create exciting and fun experiences for youth, and build lifelong relationships 

with adults, via programs and exhibits. 

NASM staff and volunteers continue to provide a variety of Museum 

programs, from daily activities such as docent-led tours, lectures, and science 

demonstrations which reach hundreds of thousands of guests annually, to big 

Family Day events that can reach 20,000 to 50,000 diverse visitors at one event. In 

the past year alone, the Museum has hosted eight Family Days, with a total of more 

than 107,000 guests, displayed the Mars Rover Prototype, which drew more than

100,000 guests and hosted a live downlink with astronaut Randy Bresnik at the 

International Space Station, with more than 700 students from Washington, DC, 

Virginia, and around the nation. Through our STEM in 30 programming, NASM has

reached more than one million viewers. Our astronomy programs, which include the 

Public Observatory and educational programming in the planetarium, also remain 

an important component of STEAM education.

NASM continues to advance the two strategic goals of Preserving Our 

Natural and Cultural Heritage and Understanding and Impacting 21st Century 

Audiences by making collections, archival documents, and images available via 

publicly accessible websites. The NASM collections and archives databases 

contain extensive information on the history and provenance of each artifact and 

are an effective way to offer in-depth information to the public through electronic or 

digitized means. NASM’s electronic resources may also encourage more 

researchers to request access to the Museum’s archives and collections, and to

make in-person visits to follow up on initial online research efforts. In FY 2018, we 

are developing a digitization roadmap for the Museum, and our photographers will 

be capturing high-resolution images for the 3,300 artifacts being placed in our new 

exhibits so that we can use them for public engagement. These will be added to 
28

the thousands of images of NASM artifacts already available online and archival 

materials not currently on display or otherwise available to the public.

NASM is reimagining itself by establishing an Innovation Lab that is looking 

at unique ways to provide high-quality experiences for the visitor at the building or 

at a remote site. The lab’s goal is to generate and test new ideas, products, and 

processes that are experience-driven and guest-centric, while remaining agile in 

execution. In FY 2018, the Lab successfully launched a VR Hanger App, which 

leverages 3D scanning data from the inside of the Wright Flyer, Bell X-1 and Apollo 

11 command capsule, Columbia, to give users an immersive virtual reality 

experience. In 2019, the lab will expand its pursuits, looking at processes for Design 

Thinking to draw visitors into the exhibit development process.

Exhibitions — In FY 2018, the Museum continues to ensure stewardship 

of and access to its collection of aerospace artifacts and archival materials, and 

to produce expert scholarship and research, while developing content and scripts 

for the new galleries. In support of transformation, nine West-end exhibit teams in 

the NMB are completing the designs and will award a production contract for the 

galleries in FY 2019. These include the exhibits: Early Flight, Reinventing Flight,

A Nation of Speed, Exploring the Planets, America by Air, We All Fly, Destination 

Moon, Wright Brothers and One World Connected. In addition, design of exhibits 

for the East-end galleries will start and the design contract to improve wayfinding

and signage in the common areas will be awarded.

With the Museum under renovation and the Apollo exhibit closed during the 

50th anniversary of the moon landing, the Museum, in partnership with the 

Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES), has launched 

Destination Moon: The Apollo 11 Mission traveling exhibit to bring the iconic Apollo 

11 command module Columbia and dozens of other one-of-a-kind artifacts to four 

major cities. The last time the Columbia traveled the United States was in 1970. 

Now, almost 50 years later, the historic spacecraft that helped take us to the moon 

and back is once again on a nationwide tour. The tour launched on October 14, 

2017 at Space Center Houston and will continue to the St. Louis Science Center 

and the Heinz History Center in 2018. In 2019, Destination Moon will head to the 

Museum of Flight in Seattle, where it will be displayed for the 50th anniversary of 

the moon landing, before returning to NASM for its permanent display in the new 

exhibition Destination Moon. 

NASM recently completed a year-long study of its exhibit maintenance 

program, refining the levels of service, roles, responsibilities, and future staffing 

requirements. The Museum identified both efficiencies and some shortcomings 

that will be addressed to adequately maintain the new post-transformation 

exhibits. 

Collections — NASM plans to enhance collaboration with private 

collectors and other Smithsonian museums by requesting loans of key artifacts to 

help share with the public new exhibits on the inspiring stories of America’s role 

in pioneering aeronautics and space exploration. While NASM has a substantial 
29

number of artifacts currently on loan to other museums, as well as the 

Destination Moon traveling show, it is expected that new or additional outgoing 

loans will need to be limited during the revitalization of the National Mall Building,

due to the sheer volume of work that this effort represents.

The proper handling of artifacts will be the biggest challenge throughout 

revitalization of the NMB and transformation of NASM exhibits. NASM has more 

than 4,000 artifacts affected during these moves. The reimagined NMB exhibits will 

require artifact moves from multiple locations such as Garber, UHC, as well as the

NMB, and will also include the return of loaned objects, new loans from other 

institutions, and objects of all sizes. Approximately 3,300 objects will be re-installed 

into the Museum as part of the transformation, including artifacts not currently on 

display at the NMB. Approximately 2,000 of the artifacts presently in the NMB are 

not coming back into the building. Some will go into long-term storage in the new 

Dulles Collections Center Storage Module or be exhibited at UHC. Many of the 

artifacts will require some type of preservation or conservation efforts, and the 

collections staff has evaluated how long the treatment times will be for each 

artifact. Total treatment of all the artifacts is estimated to take approximately 

15,000 workdays, including conservation and preservation. This work is 

progressing with dozens of artifacts already moved, treated, or in treatment.

NASM will continue the relocation of artifacts from outdated, inadequate

storage facilities at the Garber site to the UHC, including documentation, digital 

imaging, re-housing, and select conservation as appropriate to the object. In 

FY 2017, NASM reached the milestone of having moved 50 percent of the artifacts 

previously stored at Garber, but will soon reach the capacity of available storage at 

the UHC. 

Facilities — The Smithsonian Institution has started construction of a stateof-the-art storage module at the Dulles Collection Center adjacent to UHC, which is 

expected to be completed in mid-January 2019. This building will serve as swing 

space for storing artifacts from the NMB as the Museum undertakes construction. 

In 2024, after completion of the NMB revitalization, this storage module will support 

the continued move of artifacts from the Garber facilities.

Much of FY 2018 is focused on the final planning, staffing, and mobilization 

for the NMB Revitalization. The Museum has an ongoing monthly program to 

clean, scan and pack up offices, which facilitated the relocation of the 

advancement team to Capital Gallery. The NMB Revitalization design was 

completed in January 2018. Smithsonian Facilities plans to negotiate the final 

costs of the construction and issue a Notice-to-Proceed in the summer of 2018. 

Scientific Research — To achieve the strategic goal of Enhanced 

Interdisciplinary Research, NASM’s Center for Earth and Planetary Studies 

(CEPS) conducts basic research related to planetary exploration, with an emphasis 

on the moon, Mars, Venus, and icy satellites, and curates galleries and public 

offerings in the planetary sciences. NASM scientists continue to work as members 

of the science teams for the Mars Exploration Rover, Mars Express, Mars 
30

Reconnaissance Orbiter, Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, Mars Science 

Laboratory, JUpiter ICy moons Explorer (JUICE), and Europa Clipper missions. 

NASM scientists work with the data from these and other missions to solar system 

bodies, and convey this exciting information to the public. Basic research continues 

to concentrate on the National Research Council and NASA priorities to determine 

the origin of solar system bodies and habitable planets, with an emphasis on 

understanding the past climate of Mars and publishing the results of this research 

in scientific literature.

Historical Research — NASM continues to lead in the field of aerospace 

history by producing books, scholarly articles, and other publications, and by 

making presentations at professional conferences on the history of aerospace 

technology, aviation, aerodynamics, spaceflight, and space sciences. Based on 

their expertise, the archives and curatorial staff will continue to evaluate potential 

acquisitions for the national collections and respond to public inquiries. NASM will 

also continue to upgrade exhibits dealing with aviation and spaceflight, thereby 

ensuring that current materials are available to the public.

Across NASM, our scientists and researchers continue to lead the way in 

engaging in impactful and significant engagement and discussion, producing an 

average of more than 50 peer-reviewed publications each year.

Management — NASM will pursue the strategic goal of Enabling CostEffective and Responsive Administration. In FY 2017, NASM updated its 2015-

2025 Strategic Plan to emphasize education and digitization. In FY 2018, 

leadership is reviewing workload and staffing requirements and human capital 

capabilities through an update to the FY 2016 strategic workforce planning efforts. 

Transformation of the Museum includes periodic reviews of NASM’s organizational 

alignment and continued refinement of business processes, and development of 

analytical tools to assess progress in achieving the Museum’s Strategic Plan goals 

and objectives. 

NONAPPROPRIATED RESOURCES — General trust funds support research, 

education, exhibitions, and fund raising, including salaries and benefits. 

Donor/sponsor-designated funds support costs related to specific programs and 

projects. Fund raising is under way for future exhibitions, education initiatives, and 

public programs. Government grants and contracts support research and other 

scientific activities. However, the Museum expects to see some negative impact to 

revenue generated by Smithsonian Enterprises over the course of the revitalization 

of the NMB, due to closures of the revenue-generating activities at the Museum 

shops and a reduced number of guests during these activities. Demonstrating a 

commitment to responsible and sound financial management, NASM paid off the 

debt in full for the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in FY 2017, a full 14 years ahead 

of schedule.
31

SMITHSONIAN ASTROPHYSICAL OBSERVATORY 

APPLICATION OF OPERATING RESOURCES

FEDERAL 

APPROPRIATIONS

GENERAL 

TRUST

DONOR/SPONSOR

DESIGNATED

GOV’T GRANTS

& CONTRACTS

FTE $000 FTE $000 FTE $000 FTE $000

FY 2017

ENACTED 99 24,393 103 21,814 8 5,825 208 77,590

FY 2018

ESTIMATE 99 24,593 108 24,773 10 8,824 216 66,249

FY 2019

REQUEST 99 24,593 108 24,773 10 8,824 216 66,249

Federal Resource Summary by Performance Objective and Program Category

BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT

The mission of the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (SAO) is to advance 

the public’s knowledge and understanding of the universe through research and 

education in astronomy and astrophysics. The secondary mission is to be of service to 

the national and international astronomical communities, and to society in general, in 

areas associated with our primary mission. 

The Observatory has an extraordinary record of achievement in developing and 

successfully implementing large, complex, and innovative observational and theoretical 

Performance Objective/ 

 Program Category FTE $000 FTE $000 FTE $000

Enhanced Interdisciplinary Research 

Research

Engage in impactful scientific research and discovery 90 19,580 90 19,580 0 0

Engage in vital arts and humanities research

Understand and Impact 21st Century Audiences

Public Programs

Provide relevant reference services and disseminate 

information to the public 1 191 1 191 0 0

Facilities and Safety

Improve Smithsonian facilities operations and provide 

a safe and healthy environment 0 160 0 160 0 0

Enable Cost-Effective and Responsive 

Administration

Management Operations

Enable efficient and responsive administrative 

infrastructure 8 4,462 8 4,462 0 0

Information Technology

Improve the Institution's information technology 

systems and infrastructure 0 200 0 200 0 0

TOTAL 99 24,593 99 24,593 0 0

FY 2018 FY 2019 Change
32

research projects. Additionally, SAO carries out investigative research performed by 

individual researchers and small groups. This broad range of activities creates the 

distinctive, fertile research environment that drives SAO’s success and makes the 

Observatory a recognized leader in the global astrophysical field of science.

SAO’s work directly supports the new Smithsonian Strategic Plan goal to “Drive 

large, visionary, interdisciplinary research and scholarly projects.” Within this goal,

SAO drives the Grand Challenge of “Unlocking the Mysteries of the Universe,” by

calling for the Smithsonian to “advance knowledge at the forefront of understanding 

the universe and solid Earth.”

Founded in 1890, SAO is the largest and most diverse astrophysical research 

institution in the world. SAO has helped develop some of the world’s most 

sophisticated astronomical instruments, with high resolution at wavelengths across the 

electromagnetic spectrum, to probe the mysteries of the universe. Alone, and in 

powerful partnerships with the National Science Foundation (NSF), the National 

Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), and the Department of Energy, it has 

pioneered the development of orbiting observatories and large, ground-based

telescopes; the application of computers to study astrophysical problems; and the 

integration of laboratory measurements and theoretical astrophysics. Observational 

data are gathered at SAO’s premier facilities: the Submillimeter Array (SMA) in 

Hawaii; the 6.5-meter diameter Multiple Mirror Telescope (MMT); the Very Energetic 

Radiation Imaging Telescope Array System (VERITAS); and related telescopes at the 

Fred Lawrence Whipple Observatory in Arizona. In addition, SAO conducts research 

with a broad range of powerful instruments aboard rockets, balloons, and spacecraft 

(most notably the Chandra X-ray Observatory, the Spitzer Space Telescope, the 

Hinode Telescope, and the Solar Dynamics Observatory); and at locations as diverse 

as the high plateaus of northern Chile and the Amundsen South Pole Station. 

Headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, SAO collaborates with the Harvard 

College Observatory to form the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics.

For more than 60 years, SAO astronomers and their colleagues have made 

revolutionary discoveries which have changed our fundamental understanding of the 

universe and our place in it. We have discovered and examined planets in orbits 

around other stars, watched as new stars are born, and discovered bizarre remnants 

of dead stars that emit vast quantities of x-rays. We have determined that the universe 

is 13.7 billion years old, and that it is populated with billions of galaxies, many of which 

have supermassive black holes at their centers. In addition, we have found convincing 

evidence that most of the matter in the universe is an unexpected mixture of some 

kind of unseen “dark matter,” with normal matter making up less than four percent of 

the total; and that the expansion of the universe is apparently accelerating, driven by a 

mysterious and invisible “dark energy.” At the same time, SAO astronomers work 

systematically on the vital basic research that seeks to explain the sun and its x-rayemitting corona, the nature of the solar system, the abundant elements in our Milky 

Way Galaxy, the gas and dust between the stars, the formation and evolution of 

galaxies, and other important questions about the nature of the universe. 
33

Today, SAO continues to use advanced technologies to make new discoveries, 

leading to a coherent story of the cosmos from the Big Bang to intelligent life here on 

Earth.

SAO’s research is unique and world renowned because of the strength and 

diversity of its observers, theorists, instrument developers, engineers, and laboratory 

experimentalists, and because SAO emphasizes multiple strategies which draw from 

the strengths of both small projects and large research centers. Indeed, SAO’s 

extraordinary research success is partly the result of the rich cross-fertilization that its 

outstanding scholars bring to each other in a climate that nurtures collaborative 

excellence and sharing of ideas. 

SAO’s pre-eminence is underscored by the recognition that its 

researchers receive from leading scientific organizations. For instance, senior 

SAO scientist Dr. Margaret Geller was recognized with an honorary degree by 

the University of Turin. SAO young scientist Dr. Ilsedore Cleeves won the 

American Astronomical Society (AAS) Annie Jump Cannon Award (also won by 

SAO scientist Dr. Laura Lopez in 2017). Dr. Michael McCarthy has been invited 

to give one of only six presentations during FY 2018 in the Distinguished Lecture 

Series in the Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences at the NSF.

Together with its partner, the Harvard College Observatory, SAO is the top 

choice of graduate- and postdoctoral-level young scientists for astrophysics. 

Continued federal support makes this leadership possible.

In a measure of just how highly regarded the work of the Observatory staff is, the 

AAS named SAO scientist Christine Jones-Forman as its president for 2016–2018.

MEANS AND STRATEGY

To achieve the goal of Enhanced Interdisciplinary Research, SAO scientists will 

make optimal use of various astronomical facilities to support their research, including 

the ground-based optical and radio telescopes owned and operated by SAO in 

Arizona and Hawaii, and space-based telescopes, most notably the Chandra X-ray 

Observatory, which is operated by SAO on behalf of NASA, and NASA’s Solar 

Dynamics Observatory. SAO scientists also have research privileges at the two 6.5-

meter Magellan telescopes in northern Chile (because of SAO’s partnership with the 

Harvard College Observatory). In addition, SAO scientists and engineers are leading 

the science operations team and carrying out a vital scientific research program in 

very high-energy astrophysics, with the VERITAS telescope in southern Arizona. 

These facilities enable SAO scientists to make substantial progress in answering 

fundamental questions about the origin and nature of the universe, including efforts to 

understand more about dark energy and dark matter, as well as questions about the 

formation and evolution of the Earth and similar planets. In addition, SAO scientists 

will continue their work on future space missions, collaborating with NASA and its 

research center on missions to study the sun, the x-ray universe, and the outer solar 

system.
34

SAO scientists are leading the development of the international Event Horizon 

Telescope, which will draw radio telescopes around the globe into one network, 

including SAO’s SMA, to operate as one gigantic radio observatory to study the 

physics of the supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way Galaxy. SAO is 

collaborating with Taiwan’s Academia Sinica, Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics, 

to establish a radio observatory in Greenland. The telescope was delivered to Thule in 

2016 and began coming online in 2017. This radio observatory will play a crucial role 

in operating the Event Horizon Telescope when it turns its attention to the even more 

massive black hole in the galaxy M87.

SAO scientists and engineers also play leading roles in the development 

of new techniques and instrumentation for astronomy. Much of this effort is now 

directed toward enabling technologies for the next generation of major 

telescopes. SAO scientists and engineers took the lead in designing critical

elements of the Giant Magellan Telescope’s wavefront control system that allows 

the seven huge mirrors to work as a single optical element. SAO also continues 

to lead in the design and development of the first instrument that will be installed 

on the GMT: the GMT-Consortium Large Earth Finder (G-CLEF), which will 

enable astronomers to detect signs of life on planets orbiting nearby stars. 

In addition, SAO team delivered a major instrument to NASA for launch on 

the Solar Probe Plus mission. The Solar Wind Electrons, Alphas and Protons 

(SWEAP) instrument is the only observatory on this mission that will look directly 

at the sun as the spacecraft approaches closer to the sun than has any previous 

scientific instrument.

NASA selected SAO’s mission proposal Arcus for a Phase A study. Arcus, 

if it is selected for launch, will study the extremely hot medium between the 

galaxies that scientists believe contains most of the hydrogen and helium in the 

universe. SAO also plays a leading role in the competing study, SphereX, led by 

the Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

SAO scientists take a leadership role in astrophysics by participating in or 

hosting national and international conferences (e.g., the American Astronomical 

Society, the International Astronomical Union, and the Astronomical Data Analysis 

Software and Systems conference series), by participating as keynote and/or invited 

speakers at such meetings, and by serving on a diverse range of astronomical and 

astrophysical review panels. SAO scientists will also continue to publish in leading 

peer-reviewed journals, such as the Astrophysical Journal, the Astronomical Journal, 

and Astronomy & Astrophysics. In addition, SAO developed and operates the 

Astrophysics Data System, which is recognized as a world leader in the dissemination 

of scientific literature.

SAO will achieve the strategic goal of Understand and Impact 21st Century 

Audiences by producing and delivering educational services and products rooted in 

SAO research to meet the educational needs of the Observatory’s learners. This 

sustained outreach effort gives SAO increased publicity and recognition.
35

The strategic goal of Enabling Cost-Effective and Responsive Administration

will be achieved by making SAO’s information technology (IT) infrastructure robust, 

reliable, and secure; maintaining a cooperative environment through communication 

and activities that underscore SAO’s special mission and each staff member’s 

contribution to its success; evaluating managers and supervisors on their compliance 

with applicable equal opportunity laws, rules, and regulations, and on the 

effectiveness of their efforts to achieve a diverse workforce; and facilitating the use of 

small, minority, women-owned, and other underused businesses in SAO’s 

procurement operations and business relationships. These management tools will 

continue to support and enhance SAO’s scientific and educational missions. 

NONAPPROPRIATED RESOURCES — General trust funds come primarily from 

overhead charged on grants and contracts. SAO uses these funds to support 

administrative functions approved in the Indirect Cost Budget submitted to the Office 

of Naval Research, as required by 2 Code of Federal Regulations 200, Uniform 

Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal 

Awards. Donor/sponsor-designated funds come primarily from restricted gifts from 

individuals, foundations, and corporations, which are earmarked for particular 

purposes; restricted endowment funds; and non-governmental grants and contracts. 

Government grants and contracts come from Government agencies for research in 

areas of SAO’s expertise. SAO often conducts this research in cooperation with 

governmental, academic, and research institutions in the United States and abroad.
36

MAJOR SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENTATION

APPLICATION OF OPERATING RESOURCES

FEDERAL 

APPROPRIATIONS

GENERAL 

TRUST

DONOR/SPONSOR

DESIGNATED

GOV’T GRANTS & 

CONTRACTS

FTE $000 FTE $000 FTE $000 FTE $000

FY 2017

ENACTED 0 4,118 0 0 0 0 0 0

FY 2018

ESTIMATE 0 4,118 0 0 0 0 0 0

FY 2019

REQUEST 0 4,118 0 0 0 0 0 0

Federal Resource Summary by Performance Objective and Program Category

BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT

Smithsonian science is engaged in research and discovery focused on the origin 

and evolution of the universe, the formation and evolution of Earth and similar planets, 

the origins and prevalence of life in the universe, the discovery and understanding of 

biological diversity, and the study of human diversity and cultural change.

The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory’s (SAO) work directly supports the new 

Smithsonian Strategic Plan goal to “Drive large, visionary, interdisciplinary research and 

scholarly projects.” Within this goal, SAO drives the Grand Challenge of “Unlocking the 

Mysteries of the Universe,” by calling for the Smithsonian to “advance knowledge at the 

forefront of understanding the universe and solid Earth.”

To achieve the strategic goal of Enhanced Interdisciplinary Research, the 

Smithsonian uses its no-year funding from the Major Scientific Instrumentation (MSI) 

line item to develop large-scale instrumentation projects with advanced technologies 

that enable scientists at SAO to remain at the forefront of astronomy and astrophysics 

research. The Smithsonian’s criteria for proposing and selecting MSI projects are: 1) the 

instrumentation will enable compelling scientific advances that would not otherwise 

occur (either at SAO or anywhere else in the world) for some time to come; 2) the 

instrumentation is novel and technically advanced, and would not be developed without 

SAO’s contribution; and 3) the science enabled by the innovative instruments 

Performance Objective/ 

 Program Category FTE $000 FTE $000 FTE $000

Enhanced Interdisciplinary Research 

Research

Engage in impactful scientific research and discovery 0 4,118 0 4,118 0 0

Total 0 4,118 0 4,118 0 0

FY 2018 FY 2019 Change
37

significantly advances the Smithsonian Institution’s Strategic Plan. The fundamental role 

for federal appropriations is to support the basic scientific infrastructure that enables 

SAO to conduct research, compete for external grants and funding, publish in peerreviewed journals, and inform the public about the latest scientific discoveries in an 

exciting and compelling manner. Because of the magnitude of the costs involved and 

the time required to fabricate major new instruments and reconfigure existing ones, the 

Institution requests that MSI funds for these projects be kept available until they are 

spent.

Innovative instrumentation has enabled astronomers to make fundamental 

discoveries about the universe, such as the existence of more than 4,000 planets 

around nearby stars and the bizarre remnants of dead stars that emit large quantities of 

x-rays in the Milky Way Galaxy. Scientists have determined that the universe is 13.7 

billion years old and that it is populated with billions of galaxies, many of which have 

supermassive black holes at their centers. Research has produced strong evidence that 

the expansion of the universe is accelerating due to a mysterious and invisible “dark 

energy.” Today, SAO scientists use advanced technologies to produce a coherent story 

of the cosmos from the Big Bang to the origins of life on Earth. MSI funds are used to 

meet this objective.

Three SAO projects are included in the FY 2019 MSI line item: the Greenland 

Telescope; the Submillimeter Telescope Array (SMA) on Mauna Kea, Hawaii; and 

Advanced Telescope Instrumentation for the converted Multiple Mirror Telescope 

(MMT) at SAO’s Fred L. Whipple Observatory at Mt. Hopkins, Arizona.

MEANS AND STRATEGY

SAO’s mission is to engage in astrophysical research and discovery. 

Observational astrophysics is the basic science responsible for the understanding of the 

universe and its components beyond Earth. SAO has made leading contributions to 

many key discoveries in astrophysics, including: 1) the remarkable discovery that the 

expansion of the universe is accelerating; 2) the discovery of enormous patterns traced 

by galaxies in the universe; 3) the most compelling demonstration of the existence of 

supermassive black holes at the centers of most galaxies; 4) the discovery of very highenergy gamma rays; 5) the most convincing observational evidence for the existence of 

dark matter; and 6) the discovery of planets orbiting other stars. SAO scientists 

contributed to these discoveries by using key facilities that enable observations in 

several different bands of the electromagnetic spectrum (i.e., the broad range of light 

that is emitted by objects in the universe). These contributions have put SAO in the 

forefront of this generation of astronomers and astrophysicists. 

SAO’s pre-eminence is underscored by the recognition that its researchers 

receive from leading scientific organizations. For instance, senior SAO scientist Dr. 

Margaret Geller was recognized with an honorary degree by the University of Turin. 

SAO scientist Dr. Ilsedore Cleeves won the American Astronomical Society (AAS) 

Annie Jump Cannon Award (also won by SAO scientist Dr. Laura Lopez in 2017). Dr. 
38

Michael McCarthy has been invited to give one of only six presentations during FY 2018 

in the Distinguished Lecture Series in the Directorate for Mathematical and Physical 

Sciences at the National Science Foundation (NSF).

In a measure of just how highly regarded the work of the Observatory staff is, the AAS 

named SAO scientist Christine Jones-Forman as its president for 2016 –2018.

Together with its partner, the Harvard College Observatory, SAO is the top choice of 

graduate- and postdoctoral-level young scientists for astrophysics. Continued federal support 

makes this leadership possible.

SAO’s strength in observational astrophysics depends on its major ground-based 

facilities, the Submillimeter Array and the MMT, and the National Aeronautics and 

Space Administration’s (NASA) space-based facilities, including the Chandra X-ray 

Observatory, the Spitzer Space Telescope, and the Solar Dynamics Observatory. 

Access to both ground- and space-based observatories enables SAO scientists to 

conduct research that would be impossible with either type of observatory alone. SAO’s 

future strength in ground-based observational astrophysics depends entirely on 

equipping the Submillimeter Array and its optical telescopes with powerful new 

instruments, and establishing the new Greenland Telescope. This leadership, in turn,

depends on developing specialized instruments and facilities that do not now exist. A 

team of talented scientists and engineers must work together, over several years, to 

develop these tools with support from multi-year MSI funding.

Greenland Telescope ($500,000)

SAO, in partnership with the NSF Division of Polar Programs, has identified a 

high, dry, northern site on the Greenland ice sheet as the ideal place for high-frequency 

radio astronomical observations that require excellent atmospheric transmission and 

exceptional atmospheric stability.

The NSF Division of Polar Programs is redeveloping the Greenland Summit 

Station to better isolate current clear air and snow research from other activities. The 

development of astronomical activities at the site is a key element of redevelopment 

plans. Retrofitting and commissioning of the telescope, which was transferred to SAO 

from NSF Astronomy, is being undertaken by SAO’s partner institution, the Academia 

Sinica Institute for Astronomy and Astrophysics (ASIAA) in Taiwan. These investments 

by NSF and by our Taiwanese collaborators will be greatly leveraged by the SAO 

contribution. 

Significant funding for instrument development for the telescope is being 

provided by external partners, including the international academic community. The 

Smithsonian considers this an excellent opportunity to capitalize on a highly leveraged 

use of federal funds with high-value science returns on the investment. 
39

The Greenland Telescope will form the northernmost node of a Very Long 

Baseline Interferometer (VLBI), operated jointly with the SMA (Hawaii) and the ALMA 

telescope array (Chile), to make unprecedented observations of the event horizon of the 

supermassive black hole (six billion times the mass of our sun) at the heart of the giant 

galaxy M87. This will complement the observations to be made in the southern 

hemisphere of the less massive black hole (only four million solar masses) at the center 

of our own Milky Way Galaxy. The combination of these observations will revolutionize 

our understanding of gravity where it is at its strongest, the very edges of black holes, 

and provide pioneering data for astronomers and physicists to analyze as they pursue 

the Smithsonian’s Grand Challenge of Unlocking the Mysteries of the Universe. When 

the Greenland Telescope is not connected to the VLBI network, it will exploit its high, 

dry location and stable atmosphere to make sensitive measurements of molecules in 

space at the highest frequencies accessible from the ground.

In FY 2018, SAO, with its partner ASIAA, achieved first light with the telescope in 

Thule, at the United States Air Force base in Greenland, and in FY 2019 will connect 

the antenna with the SMA to make unprecedented observations of the event horizon of 

the supermassive black hole at the heart of the giant galaxy M87.

Submillimeter Telescope Array ($1,718,000)

The SMA is a pathfinder instrument operating between radio and infrared

wavelengths, and will have a major impact in exploring the cool universe. In recent 

years, scientific studies have continued to focus on the study of the distant universe, 

high-energy phenomena, planet-forming disks, and star formation, including the 

important role that magnetic fields play in star formation and the dynamics of molecular 

clouds. In this last area, the SMA leads the field due to polarimetry instrumentation 

developed at SAO, which the Observatory plans to further enhance during the coming 

year.

The SMA is the only submillimeter instrument in the world that can respond 

rapidly to alerts of rare or unique events detected by other observatories. When NASA’s 

Fermi and Swift satellites detected unusual activity in the transient black hole binary in 

V404 Cygni, the SMA formed part of a worldwide observing campaign to monitor the 

outburst. V404 Cygni was briefly the brightest object in the x-ray sky, and the SMA 

captured a corresponding increase in the submillimeter brightness by more than a factor 

of 50 in less than an hour.

The SMA is a key element of the Event Horizon Telescope, linking several 

submillimeter observatories, on continental scales, to examine the black hole at the 

center of the Milky Way at high angular resolution. The Greenland Telescope will join 

the Event Horizon Telescope once it is established in Thule, and will enable key 

observations of the black hole at the center of the galaxy M87.

The capacity to conduct a particular scientific observation with the SMA is directly 

dependent on three factors: the collecting area or size of the telescope array, the 
40

weather, and the sensitivity and number of receivers in operation during an observation. 

The collecting area of the telescope array is fixed at 8 x 6-meter-antennas and cannot 

be augmented without significant additional funding. 

The sensitivity of the SMA instrumentation depends on the instrumentation that 

processes the incoming signals. SAO is developing new capabilities that will ultimately 

make the entire SMA 12 to 24 times more sensitive than it was when commissioned.

(This is as though each of the telescopes became 12–24 times larger. Note that the 

range of enhancements depends on the operational model of the array.) Funds are 

requested in FY 2019 to enable the array to become 6–12 times more sensitive, a 

significant step toward the full enhancement.

Advanced Telescope Instrumentation for the Multiple Mirror Telescope ($1,900,000)

SAO’s expertise in building large and powerful instruments is a crucial capability 

in the era of extremely large telescopes that is now upon us. Continued MSI funding will 

enable SAO to conduct this research and maintain the United States’ lead in this 

important scientific field.

The MMT, a joint project of SAO and the University of Arizona, dedicated in 

1979, was originally made up of six identical 1.8-meter telescopes in a single altitudeazimuth (naval-gun-type) mount. In the 1990s, SAO replaced the six smaller mirrors of 

the original MMT with a single mirror 6.5 meters in diameter. This large mirror more than 

doubled the light-gathering capability of the telescope, and a set of large corrector 

lenses, built with MSI funding, increased its field of view 400 times.

The converted MMT is an extremely powerful telescope, but requires 

sophisticated instruments to analyze the light it collects. To this end, SAO has built a 

series of increasingly sophisticated instruments to exploit the MMT’s potential, starting 

with Megacam in 2003 and most recently with the just-commissioned instrument, 

Binospec.

SAO expects Binospec to be a “game-changer,” enabling the MMT to compete 

on an equal footing with the largest telescopes in the world. Binospec’s huge light grasp 

will enable SAO scientists to carry out pioneering explorations of the structure and 

evolution of galaxies, the structure of the Milky Way, and the nature of dark matter and 

dark energy. Binospec’s nimbleness in moving between spectroscopy and imaging will 

enable Smithsonian scientists to lead in observing transient events, such as supernova 

explosions and gamma-ray bursts, to map the geometry of the universe and accurately 

detect objects at the farthest reaches of the universe. The scientific opportunities 

opened by Binospec will help attract the next generation of astrophysicists who will 

exploit the power of the Giant Magellan Telescope for the next 20 to 30 years.

SAO scientists are advising their counterparts at the National Autonomous 

University of Mexico (UNAM) on the development of a new telescope that will be very 

similar to the MMT. This telescope will be located at the superb San Pedro Martir site in 
41

Baja California, Mexico, with an estimated construction time of five to seven years. SAO 

plans to relocate Binospec at minimal cost to this new facility. Access to an additional 

telescope will expand the capacity of Binospec to conduct novel observations of the 

universe and continue to make new discoveries.

The Giant Magellan Telescope (GMT) is being developed by SAO in partnership 

with 10 other research institutions in the United States, Australia, Brazil and South 

Korea. When the GMT starts scientific operations in 2024, it will be the largest optical 

telescope in the world, with a 24.5-meter (83-foot)-diameter primary mirror. This larger 

aperture will allow the SAO astronomical community to peer back in time and explore 

the earliest phases of the universe itself, and to take much sharper images that those 

obtainable with either the Hubble Space Telescope or the soon-to-be-launched James 

Webb Space Telescope.

SAO leads the design, development and manufacture of the first scientific 

instrument that will be used with the GMT— the GMT- Consortium Large Earth Finder 

(G-CLEF). G-CLEF has been designed to find and characterize the oldest stars in the 

Milky Way and nearby galaxies— by detecting fossil residue of the processes that 

formed the structure of the universe we live in today. G-CLEF will also be used to 

search for planets orbiting stars other than the sun that are “Earth Twins,” and to hunt 

for evidence of life on those planets. G-CLEF is the only instrument in development for 

the coming generation of Extremely Large Telescopes (ELTs) that will be capable of 

detecting signs of biological activity in exoplanet atmospheres.

The MMT is a superb platform on which to develop innovative technologies for 

the new generation of extremely large telescopes such as the GMT. In addition to the 

work on G-CLEF, SAO scientists are developing a novel instrument that is designed 

specifically to detect breathable diatomic oxygen in exoplanet atmospheres. A small, 

prototype instrument is being built for operation on the MMT to validate and optimize the 

underlying concept before a GMT-scale instrument is built.

In FY 2019, MSI funds will be used to complete the commissioning of Binospec 

and enable its transition to full scientific operations. Additionally, MSI funds will advance 

the design of G-CLEF and develop prototypes of high-risk subsystems needed to use 

the instrument to its full potential.
42

NATIONAL MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY

APPLICATION OF OPERATING RESOURCES

FEDERAL 

APPROPRIATIONS

GENERAL 

TRUST

DONOR/SPONSOR 

DESIGNATED

GOV’T GRANTS

& CONTRACTS

FTE $000 FTE $000 FTE $000 FTE $000

FY 2017 

ENACTED 335 49,205 34 5,665 51 15,721 11 1,841

FY 2018 

ESTIMATE 335 49,789 34 5,780 51 16,800 11 1,925

FY 2019 

REQUEST 335 49,789 34 5,850 51 16,950 11 1,950

Federal Resource Summary by Performance Objective and Program Category

Performance Objective/ 

 Program Category FTE $000 FTE $000 FTE $000

Enhanced Interdisciplinary Research 

Research

Engage in impactful scientific research and discovery 111 17,305 111 17,305 0 0

Expand Digital Technologies

Digitization and Web Support

Provide improved digitization and Web support 4 495 4 495 0 0

Understand and Impact 21st Century Audiences

Public Programs

Provide relevant reference services and disseminate 

information to the public 14 1,743 14 1,743 0 0

Exhibitions

Offer compelling, first-class exhibitions 50 7,048 50 7,048 0 0

Education

Engage and inspire diverse audiences 30 3,553 30 3,553 0 0

Preserve Our Natural and Cultural Heritage

Collections

Improve the stewardship of the national collections 91 14,622 91 14,622 0 0

Facilities and Safety

Improve Smithsonian facilities operations and provide 

a safe and healthy environment 4 842 4 842 0 0

Security

Provide world-class protection for Smithsonian 

facilities, collections, staff, visitors and volunteers 1 181 1 181 0 0

Enable Cost-Effective and Responsive 

Administration

Management Operations

Enable efficient and responsive administrative 

infrastructure 15 1,764 15 1,764 0 0

Information Technology

Improve the Institution's information technology 

systems and infrastructure 15 2,236 15 2,236 0 0

Total 335 49,789 335 49,789 0 0

FY 2018 FY 2019 Change
43

BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT

The mission of the National Museum of Natural History (NMNH) is to 

understand the natural world and our place in it. We seek to inspire curiosity, 

discovery, and learning about nature and culture through outstanding research, 

collections, exhibitions, and education. Building upon its unique and vast 

collections and associated data, field research stations, specialized laboratories,

and an internationally recognized team of staff scientists, research associates, 

federal agency partners, and Fellows, the Museum provides fundamental 

knowledge to a wide array of constituencies ranging from federal agencies to the 

public. The Museum’s scientific research focuses broadly on discovering, 

documenting, and understanding biodiversity; studying the formation and 

evolution of the Earth and other planets; exploring human diversity and cultural 

change; and evolutionary patterns and processes throughout the history of life on 

Earth. This research provides new understanding and relevance to broader 

national and international scientific agendas, looking at such important societal 

issues as global change, biodiversity, cultural conflict, and natural hazards.

Natural history science (that is, the observation, description, 

documentation, and analysis of the natural world) is foundational to many 

science domains and is critical to understanding our ever-changing world. NMNH 

science spans an enormous breadth of natural history and our expert staff 

contributes a depth of knowledge that is among the finest in the world. Our 

authoritative expertise in diverse research areas also helps NMNH demonstrate 

the relevance and importance of natural history science in general. Our massive 

and varied scientific collections provide a powerful research resource for 

increasing our understanding of life on Earth.

NMNH science has global impact and is widely cited by the greater 

scientific community. Our scientists document and analyze how species arise, 

evolve, persist, diversify, and interact with each other and with the environment, 

as well as how they migrate and go extinct. Our earth and planetary scientists 

contribute to our understanding of Earth’s history as well as the effects of 

geologic and meteoritic phenomena on Earth’s atmosphere and biosphere. They 

study the dynamic planet we inhabit in all its aspects, from its surface to its core. 

NMNH anthropologists use collections and field-based studies to help 

understand the continually evolving story of our species and its interactions with 

other life and the planet. Our Museum’s science staff also translates science to 

society through their diverse and dedicated outreach efforts, and invests heavily 

in training and mentoring the next generation of new scientists. 

Our collections and collections expertise are fundamental to our science. 

The scope and breadth of NMNH collections provide a vast research 

infrastructure that supports our scientific mission. NMNH scientists work with 

their professional colleagues around the world to draw on these collections,

make new discoveries, and test new theories. NMNH collections also represent 

an invaluable historical archive, documenting billions of years of planetary, 

geological, organismal, and cultural changes.
44

The Museum’s stewardship of its collections, making up nearly 146 million 

natural history specimens and human artifacts, is at the core of its mission. This 

set of collections, the largest of its kind in the world, is an unparalleled resource 

for collections-based research on the diversity of life on Earth, including plants, 

animals, fossils, minerals, and human activity. These anthropological, biological, 

and geological specimens and objects are the foundation for all of the Museum’s 

scientific work. With their unparalleled spatial breadth and temporal depth, the 

collections promote analyses and interpretations that enable scientists to connect 

observations of contemporary phenomena with the past and around the world, so 

that we can better understand our planet and the effect of human activities on it. 

The Museum’s collections capture the imagination and stimulate the next 

generation of scientists, and are important for maintaining the Institution’s 

intellectual infrastructure and keeping our nation competitive in international 

science and the application of scientific knowledge. NMNH collections and their 

attendant information are a dynamic resource used by researchers, educators, 

and policy makers worldwide. 

In addition, NMNH’s collections serve as valuable reference materials for 

U.S. Government agencies. These resources are actively and collaboratively 

used by staff members of the Departments of Defense, Commerce, Agriculture, 

and Interior, who are housed in NMNH facilities. For example, tens of thousands 

of insects urgently requiring identification are sent to the NMNH from ports of 

entry each year. Scientists at the U.S. Department of Agriculture and NMNH 

consult the collections and rapidly provide identifications to border control 

agencies so that U.S. agricultural and economic interests are kept secure from 

damage by potentially invasive species. The NMNH bird collections provide 

answers to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the U.S. Department of 

Defense, revealing the species of birds that damage aircraft, and leading to 

improved habitat control around airports and better aircraft and engine design to 

prevent accidents in aviation. 

The National Cancer Institute relies upon the NMNH as a trusted 

repository for plant specimens that must be kept as vouchers for pharmacological 

and biomolecular research. Similarly, the U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau 

of Ocean Energy Management relies on the NMNH as a trusted repository for the 

ecologically significant invertebrate animals it collects in the course of its 

research. Meteorites collected from Antarctica are deposited at the NMNH by the 

Johnson Space Center and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration 

(NASA).

In the area of law enforcement, the Federal Bureau of Investigation 

benefits from the identifications and analyses conducted by experts in the 

Department of Anthropology, who consult the human skeletal collections when 

providing answers about the remains of crime victims. In the area of public 

health, analyses of the collections have provided vital clues about the spread of 

H5N1, the Avian Flu virus, the Zika virus, and the etiology of past influenza 

epidemics.
45

The NMNH’s first-class research and collections support its exhibitions 

and educational outreach. As one of the most visited museums in the world, 

NMNH provides diverse public audiences with presentations on every aspect of 

life on Earth. In FY 2017, the Museum hosted more than six million on-site 

visitors. Through many affiliations and partnerships, the NMNH takes its science, 

exhibitions, and public programs to other museums and non-traditional exhibition 

venues, such as libraries, schools, and universities across the country. With a 

growing network of interactive websites (which hosted nearly 15 million unique 

visitors), distance-learning experiences, social media and software applications 

(apps), the Museum is transforming itself into a true electronic classroom, that is 

potentially accessible to everyone — free of charge.

MEANS AND STRATEGY

The NMNH has a long history of training future scientists, including those

abroad, which strengthens the Museum’s collections and connections with these 

countries. The NMNH is committed to training future generations of scientists by 

increasing the number of postdoctoral Fellowship awards and providing an entrylevel research experience for the most talented undergraduates in the Earth and 

life sciences, as well as anthropology. The NMNH will also continue to 

emphasize collaboration with foreign students and colleagues to broaden the 

Museum’s international science network. 

A combination of federal and private funding will be used in FYs 2018 and 

2019 to advance the NMNH’s goals of investing in the next generation of 

scientists and researchers. Through the Museum’s academic programs, it will 

continue to create a staircase of academic opportunity to mentor the next 

generation of museum scientists and professionals. These programs take 

students and young professionals from the early stages of exploration in high 

school to the postdoctoral peak of stepping into the role of being professional 

scientists, by offering various Fellowship and internship programs for 

undergraduates, graduates, and postgraduates.

In FY 2019, the NMNH will achieve the Smithsonian’s strategic goal of 

Preserving Our Natural and Cultural Heritage by continuing to emphasize: 

collections preservation and access projects related to initiatives in preserving 

indigenous languages through preservation of manuscripts, recordings and 

moving images, and photographs; preserving and digitizing plant and fossil 

collections and their associated paper records; and preserving biological 

specimens at ultra-cold temperatures to document biodiversity as part of the 

Global Genome Initiative. 

Collections Care Initiative funding will support replacing cabinetry, 

applying updated preservation techniques to fluid-preserved collections such as 

invertebrates stored in alcohol, linking ownership of previously digitized records 

with their associated specimen records, surveying archival collections, and 

providing technical assistance for a digitization strategy that will make hundreds 
46

of thousands of glass slide-mounted specimens accessible for broader use by 

scientists. 

In addition, an essential element of the NMNH’s plans to achieve the 

strategic goal of Preserving Our Natural and Cultural Heritage in FY 2019 is the 

Museum’s commitment to the stewardship of its federal scientific collections. As 

demonstrated by federal agencies’ uses of the collections, and underscored by a

survey of federal collections, these resources play an important role in public 

health and safety, homeland security, trade and economic development, medical 

research, and environmental monitoring. They also provide the foundation for the 

Museum’s diverse research, exhibits, and public outreach programs. The NMNH 

will continue to strengthen its commitment to cutting-edge research and state-ofthe-art stewardship of the collections, in partnership with affiliated federal 

agencies such as the Departments of Defense, Commerce, Agriculture, and the 

Interior. Federal funding is the linchpin for maintaining and preserving these 

priceless collections and their valuable information for future generations, while 

also supporting their use for important ongoing research that, for example, 

facilitates recovery efforts after natural disasters such as volcanic eruptions and 

the associated loss of biodiversity. The breadth of NMNH research and its 

collections of biological, geological, and anthropological objects foster an

interdisciplinary environment that attracts other academic institutions, foreign 

researchers, and national and international policy makers.

To achieve the strategic goal of Understanding and Impacting 21st

Century Audiences, in FY 2019 the NMNH will use funding to maintain and 

upgrade permanent exhibitions, replace outdated exhibits with multi-disciplinary, 

interactive exhibitions on the Mall and in other venues through traveling exhibits, 

and to conduct more digital outreach across the country. Both the permanent and 

temporary exhibitions reflect best practices in visitor experience planning and 

informal science education, and the Museum will continue to develop these 

exhibits as part of an array of public outreach activities. 

In FYs 2018 and 2019, the Deep Time exhibit will continue. The Deep 

Time Initiative team has made significant progress on inter related goals which

include the major exhibition opening on June 8, 2019, a rich array of educational 

programs and learning opportunities, planning two major scientific symposia, and 

conducting exciting field research. The renovation of the historic Fossil Halls is 

essentially complete and ahead of schedule, from the energy-efficient new 

skylight down to the gleaming terrazzo floors. Exhibit fabrication is fully under

way and the first murals and specimens are being installed. The Museum is 

using approximately $50 million in private funds for the exhibit fabrication,

remounting of the fossils in the hall, and educational programming. This exhibit 

effort demonstrates how the Museum is successfully combining federal funding

with its own philanthropic fund raising from private sources.

Narwhal, Revealing an Arctic Legend, opened in August of 2017 and will run 

through FY 2019. It features life‐sized narwhal models, real tusk specimens, 
47

hands‐on explorations, and traditional knowledge and objects gathered in close 

cooperation with Inuit tribal elders and hunters. 

Outbreak! Epidemics in a Connected World will open in May of 2018, and

will examine the ways infectious diseases reveal an intricate interconnectedness of 

humans, animals, their environments, and microbes. It will explore why infectious 

diseases emerge where they do, how they spill over from animals to people, why 

they can amplify and spread so quickly, and where to look for the next outbreak. 

This exhibit will draw on the combined expertise of Smithsonian biologists, 

anthropologists, and National Zoo veterinarians. To maximize the global impact of 

Outbreak, the Museum hopes to design a second version of the exhibition that 

communities can display in hospitals, libraries, train stations, coffee shops and 

other venues around the world. This smaller exhibition will be distributed free of 

charge, worldwide, in partnership with respected public health institutions. Finally, 

in FY 2018, the NMNH opened a new Garden Lounge that serves as a welcoming 

interior garden rest and recharge area for visitors. It features live plants and a 

relaxing atmosphere with botany content as a theme. Bright sunlight, enhanced 

seating, and designated outlets for charging mobile devices welcome visitors to the 

space.

The Museum also has several new exhibits under development, which will 

be on display in FY 2019. Sea Monsters Unearthed opens in November of 2018. 

The exhibition will focus on the marine reptile-dominated ecosystem that thrived 

after the opening of the South Atlantic Ocean basin during the Cretaceous 

Period, as seen through the fossils of coastal Angola in southwestern Africa. 

Angola is one of the few places in the world where fossils are preserved from this 

time in Earth’s history. This exhibition is a wonderful opportunity to introduce our 

visitors to southwestern Africa and its important fossil history, which reveals the 

larger story of the ways geology affects biology — how forces deep in the earth 

shape the planet, and the plants and animals that live in this region. The exhibit 

will display a number of Angolan fossil specimens, reconstructions, and 3D 

models of the material collected by Projecto PaleoAngola.

In addition, Anthropocene Art opens in the summer of 2020. With 

curatorial supervision from the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the NMNH is

planning an exhibition of works by contemporary artists to raise awareness and 

encourage reflection on the role of humans in shaping Earth’s recent past, 

present, and future. The NMNH is planning to use this exhibit to mark the first 

anniversary of the opening of the David H. Koch Hall of Fossils — Deep Time. 

The exhibit will display innovative and thought-provoking art in a variety of media, 

engaging the visual arts to spark conversations about our current geological era, 

the Anthropocene age. We hope to include at least one artist whose work is 

participatory, and will complement the exhibition with programs such as a panel 

discussion, film series, and/or hands-on workshops. 

In FY 2019, the NMNH will continue to inspire public appreciation of, and 

engagement with, science and the natural world through efforts in our education, 

outreach and visitor experience programs. The NMNH will also continue to 
48

professionalize the visitor experience program, increasing volunteer and paid 

staffing to ensure that all public interactions result in consistent, engaging and 

inclusive experiences to meet the needs of all visitors.

Q?rius, The Coralyn W. Whitney Science Education Center — the Museum’s 

science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) learning facility —

brings NMNH research and collections to the forefront, allowing for public 

participation on site, online, and through classrooms. In FY 2019, the Museum will 

continue to design Q?rius programs to inspire, nurture, grow, and diversify the next 

generation of STEM professionals by helping citizens become aware of their 

connection to current issues affecting the natural and cultural world. To achieve 

this, the Museum will create more opportunities for visitors to participate in learning 

experiences based on current research and authentic collections in the Q?rius

center. 

Also, in FY 2019, the NMNH will continue implementing its public 

engagement plan to coordinate its many outreach efforts. This plan focuses the 

Museum’s permanent and temporary exhibitions, educational and outreach 

programs, and Web outreach on the major research themes identified in the 

Science Strategic Plan: Understanding the formation of the Earth and similar 

planets, discovering and understanding life’s diversity, and exploring human 

diversity and cultural change.

In FY 2019, the NMNH will make available the Museum’s science experts 

and collections from behind the scenes, and provide the public with opportunities 

to engage with scientists, their research, collections, and research-grade 

scientific equipment, with programs such as “The Scientist Is In” and “The Artist 

Is In” series. In addition, the Museum will continue to host special themed days 

and festivals that bring the public and NMNH science experts together to focus 

on a specific area of natural history and science, such as National Fossil Day, 

World Ocean Day, International Polychaete Day, Invasive Species Awareness 

Day, Mount St. Helens Day, Pollinator Week, the Orchids Festival, the 

Environmental Film Festival, Boy Scout Day, the Innovation Festival, and the 

Smithsonian‐wide National Math Festival.

The Museum will also keep reaching out to a growing local, national, and 

international audience, including children and families, students and teachers, 

adults, and especially teenagers who visit the Museum on the Mall or its 

extensive presence online. Outreach activities will include traveling exhibitions, 

distance learning, and in-depth, online resources, including the Ocean Portal,

Human Origins, Encyclopedia of Life and Q?rius websites, as well as digitized 

collections and long-standing programs of lectures, films, and teacher education. 

These NMNH programs and resources will continue to inspire citizens by 

making them aware of current issues related to the natural and cultural world, 

helping them understand their role in addressing those issues, and enabling 

them to participate in experiences that inspire stewardship, conservation, and 

protection of natural and cultural diversity. In addition, Museum staff are focusing 
49

their efforts to build new youth audiences and increase youth participation in a 

continuum of opportunities that inspire, nurture, grow, and diversify the next 

generation of STEM professionals. Through innovations in educational 

technology, these efforts will serve visitors to the nation’s capital as well as 

millions of people around the world who cannot visit the Museum in person. The 

NMNH will continue to use focused audience research and evaluation tools to 

study the effectiveness of its public education and outreach efforts.

NONAPPROPRIATED RESOURCES — General trust funds support salaries 

and benefits of administrative personnel, development and business activities, 

and other program-related costs. The Museum raises funds from private sources 

to support research, exhibitions, public programs, and administrative functions. 

This includes securing donations from special events to promote new exhibitions 

and educational initiatives, and public outreach. Donor/sponsor-designated funds 

are vital to support exhibition hall renovations, such as the major gifts that have 

helped to fund extensive renovations of the Fossil Hall and Human Origins Hall, 

establish Fellowship programs at the Museum, and offer educational activities 

and programs such as Q?rius, the STEM education and experience center. In 

addition, significant endowment gifts support internships and Fellowships which 

introduce more students to the natural sciences, as well as help the Museum 

maintain and update its educational programs for the Ocean Hall, and study of 

human origins. 

In FY 2019, gift funding will support the Global Genome Initiative (GGI) to 

use emerging genomic research technologies to drive understanding of Earth’s 

biodiversity to new levels by systematically studying, collecting, organizing, and 

sharing genomic samples of non-human species to preserve and understand the 

genomic diversity of life on Earth. To reach its goals, the GGI is strategically 

cultivating partnerships to collect, preserve and understand Earth’s genomic 

diversity. This will be completed through the Global Genome Biodiversity 

Network (GGBN) biorepositories, GGI Gardens (a growing international network 

of 11 gardens, led by GGI), genome-sequencing projects and initiatives, and 

Government organizations which share the GGI’s mission. The GGI is 

collaborating with large-scale sequencing initiatives such as i5K, the Earth 

Biogenome Project, and Genome10K to achieve the GGI’s objectives through 

support of new genome projects. The GGI is also supporting collections projects 

in collaboration with the Royal Botanic Garden Kew, the Monterey Bay Aquarium 

Research Institute, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, and the 

Smithsonian’s ForestGEO and Tennenbaum Marine Observatories Network. In 

addition, the GGI will continue to train the next generation of scientists through 

two new GGI Buck supported Fellowships and the continued mentorship of six 

GGI interns working on genome or GGI Gardens collections projects. Publication 

of results from GGI’s 16 ongoing genome-scale research projects will begin in 

FY 2018 and continue through FY 2019. 

In FY 2019, endowment funds will support research, exhibit, and 

education programs, including the Betty and Whitney MacMillan Fund 

endowment to study and document the world’s endangered languages and 
50

knowledge systems. Additionally, the Sara E. and Bruce B. Collette Postdoctoral 

Fellowship supports an award to fund the work of Fellows conducting research in 

systematic ichthyology (the study of fish). These endowments provide vital

operational and research support to scientists as they conduct their important 

work. In addition, the Museum continues to receive grants and contracts from 

both non-Government and Government institutions. Endowments and gifts

support the Deep Time Initiative, the Global Genome Initiative, the Outbreak

exhibit, postdoctoral Fellowship programs, youth engagement programs, and 

other educational programming. 

Finally, in FY 2019, grant funding will support collaborative research in 

studies related to the tropicalization of western Atlantic seagrass beds, the Bird 

Aircraft Strike Hazard (BASH) Program, and Healthy Reefs for Healthy People.
51

NATIONAL ZOOLOGICAL PARK

APPLICATION OF OPERATING RESOURCES

FEDERAL 

APPROPRIATIONS

GENERAL 

TRUST

DONOR/SPONSOR 

DESIGNATED

GOV’T GRANTS

& CONTRACTS

FTE $000 FTE $000 FTE $000 FTE $000

FY 2017

ENACTED 208 27,252 13 8,759 44 9,056 16 2,156

FY 2018 

ESTIMATE 208 27,566 25 8,963 35 6,641 11 2,398

FY 2019

REQUEST 208 27,566 32 9,075 40 7,276 8 1,978

Federal Resource Summary by Performance Objective and Program Category

Performance Objective/ 

 Program Category FTE $000 FTE $000 FTE $000

Enhanced Interdisciplinary Research 

Research

Engage in impactful scientific research and discovery 44 4,515 44 4,515 0 0

Understand and Impact 21st Century Audiences

Exhibitions

Offer compelling, first-class exhibitions 102 14,847 102 14,847 0 0

Education

Engage and inspire diverse audiences 1 131 1 131 0 0

Preserve Our Natural and Cultural Heritage

Collections

Improve the stewardship of the national collections 52 6,396 52 6,396 0 0

Facilities and Safety

Improve Smithsonian facilities operations and provide 

a safe and healthy environment 2 320 2 320 0 0

Enable Cost-Effective and Responsive 

Administration

Management Operations

Enable efficient and responsive administrative 

infrastructure 5 946 5 946 0 0

Information Technology

Improve the Institution's information technology 

systems and infrastructure 2 411 2 411 0 0

Total 208 27,566 208 27,566 0 0

FY 2018 FY 2019 Change
52

BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT

In FY 2019, the Smithsonian’s National Zoological Park and Conservation 

Biology Institute (NZP/SCBI) will almost fully implement its strategic plan, Our 

Plan to Save Species. With the strategic plan as the roadmap, the focus in

FY 2019 will continue to: 

 Fortify and Focus Science, Animal Care, and Collections Management to 

Advance Global Conservation and Sustainability 

NZP/SCBI is a leader within the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) 

community and for all accredited zoos in North America. NZP/SCBI’s work to 

sustain genetically viable live collections and ensure the diversity of species’ 

populations held in zoos is a challenge that no one zoo can accomplish on its 

own. It is only through the coordination and collaboration of all zoos — facilitated 

by AZA — that North American zoos can continue to thrive. One of NZP/SCBI’s 

key contributions to ensuring the survival of endangered species is the work that 

occurs at NZP/SCBI’s 3,200-acre site in Front Royal, Virginia.

NZP/SCBI is world-renowned for its efforts to research, care for, breed, and 

reintroduce some of the world’s most critically endangered species. More than

300 species are exhibited at the Zoo’s Rock Creek Park campus, including giant 

pandas, Panamanian golden frogs, Sumatran tigers and Asian elephants. SCBI 

scientists study and breed more than 26 species at their headquarters in Front 

Royal, Virginia including some that were once extinct in the wild, like black-footed 

ferrets and scimitar-horned oryx. Both locations house and care for some of the 

world’s most endangered animals, such as kiwis, clouded leopards, red pandas, 

and cheetahs, among others. Approximately 250 SCBI scientists and students 

collaborate with colleagues in more than 25 countries.

NZP/SCBI researchers work to identify solutions to threats facing 

endangered animal populations and develop standards or best practices for 

medical care, nutrition, husbandry, reproduction, and safety for zoo animals. 

These efforts have been a key contributing factor in raising the husbandry 

standards for all animals throughout the AZA community and worldwide. 

NZP/SCBI’s accomplishments range from protecting elephants and their 

caretakers, and understanding the specifics of cheetah reproduction, to the 

reintroduction of scimitar-horned oryx to the wild in Chad.

One important consideration in ensuring the living collection’s safety is 

introducing more intensive animal quarantine and screening procedures to 

prevent disease transmission from wildlife to livestock, people, and other animals 

in the Zoo’s collections. These practices are now part of the standard of care. 

New veterinary medical procedures, diagnostics and testing keep animals healthy 

and able to breed. More sophisticated medical equipment is being used and new 

and labor-intensive approaches are increasingly deployed to provide life-saving 
53

veterinary care that means the difference between life and death for these very 

rare animals. NZP/SCBI develops and shares this expertise as well as breeding 

and research protocols throughout AZA and the worldwide zoo and conservation 

community. 

However, all of these new protocols, tests, and management practices are 

resource intensive. When almost every birth at SCBI’s Front Royal headquarters

is of an endangered animal whose individual survival contributes to the overall 

survival of that species, these resources are well-spent. For these reasons, 

NZP/SCBI must strategically augment staffing with a select number of well-trained 

animal care professionals and veterinarians — staff who are essential for ensuring 

that NZP/SCBI succeeds in its vital mission of saving species.

The extensive space available at the Front Royal facility and the capability 

it allows to appropriately house and raise endangered species according to their 

particular needs has been instrumental to NZP/SCBI’s exceptional success in 

species preservation. Yet, with 3,200 acres, there is a cost associated with this 

species preservation on such a large campus. Activities such as fence

maintenance (18 miles of perimeter, 36 miles of cross, eight miles of electric), 

gate maintenance (207 manual, nine electric), snow removal, mowing 519 acres 

of pastures and holding yards, and maintaining 10 miles of overhead and 

underground power lines are vital to ensure the health, safety, and welfare of the 

research and breeding collection. 

Highlights from past years include an SCBI scientist being named species 

survival plan or (SSP) coordinator for cheetahs in all accredited zoos in North 

America. AZA’s SSP is led by expert advisors who work together to maximize 

genetic diversity and manage the demographic distribution and long-term 

sustainability of select species. In this role, SCBI now coordinates a nationwide 

“breeding centers coalition,” a nine-facility consortium that manages the most 

genetically valuable cheetahs in spacious, naturalistic enclosures. This result 

increased cheetah reproduction. To date, in FY 2017, there have already been 10

cubs from two litters. Scientific studies led by SCBI have further contributed to 

improvements in animal management techniques; one study demonstrated that 

allowing multiple males to live together as they would in the wild improves 

reproductive qualities, including sperm production.

This dual emphasis on animal management and research is applied every 

day to other rare species. For example, SCBI scientists are using their expertise,

in collaboration with the Patuxent Wildlife Breeding Center, to improve recovery of 

the endangered whooping crane. Despite this species experiencing a reduction to 

fewer than 20 individuals in the 1960s, SCBI studies have revealed no adverse 

effect on male fertility. Meanwhile, SCBI scientists are developing new sperm 

freezing and hormonal monitoring methods so that artificial insemination programs 

can be more effective in reproducing under-represented species of birds. These 

innovative tools also are being applied to conservation programs for rare Asian 
54

crane species maintained in SCBI’s animal collection at Front Royal, including 

white-naped and hooded cranes. SCBI scientists are using this hard-won 

expertise to increase total animal numbers and put these populations of rare 

species on a trajectory to genetic sustainability.

NZP/SCBI science does not stop at the borders of the Front Royal campus

or Rock Creek Park facility. For example, NZP/SCBI and its partners are working 

hard to develop techniques to restore and preserve more than 11 species of 

corals. Their techniques have enabled corals to be frozen and subsequently 

thawed to enable out-planting of new corals. Thousands of juvenile corals 

produced from cryopreserved material are currently being raised at the National 

Sea Simulator in Australia. 

In addition to groundbreaking science to save wildlife, SCBI scientists are 

developing new and advanced analytical tools to study and model how 

ecosystems and species interact with their environment and how these systems

respond to global changes. Using these new tools and models, SCBI scientists 

create conservation scenarios so that researchers and policy decision makers can 

identify the best possible strategies for preserving ecosystem health and 

biodiversity. 

 Expand Our Reach and Impact

Science alone cannot solve the planet’s extinction crisis. NZP/SCBI has an 

important role in teaching both the public about its role in saving species and the 

next generation of researchers and scientists who are trained at the SmithsonianGeorge Mason University School of Conservation (SMSC) and serve as interns, 

Fellows, residents, and postdoctoral students throughout NZP/SCBI. Through 

SMSC, the Department of Nutrition Science has developed and delivered a weeklong course on Practical Zoo Nutrition Management for animal nutrition 

professionals around the world. This course, like many others offered through 

SMSC, leverages the unique resources available through NZP/SCBI, as well as 

the Smithsonian as a whole. 

Teaching and mentoring programs impact a growing number of students. 

NZP/SCBI restructured its internship program to ensure that these important 

learning opportunities are as effective as possible. NZP/SCBI offers unique 

internships that help participants reach a range of academic and professional 

goals. Internships positions are available from a variety of groups at NZP/SCBI,

including in the areas of veterinary medicine, research, communications, exhibits,

and animal programs. Also, a specialized summer program for high-school juniors 

and seniors takes place on the Front Royal campus and complements the Friends 

of the National Zoo (FONZ) camp, providing an introduction to conservation field 

studies and careers.
55

In FY 2017, the NZP leveraged increased visitation to raise public 

awareness of species under threat. During visits, guests are introduced to flagship 

species. Flagship species such as pandas and Asian elephants act as goodwill 

ambassadors to help the public support conservation of that species and their 

habitat, and by doing so protect other species sharing the same habitat or 

vulnerable to the same threats. 

FY 2017 saw a slight decrease in collection animals at the National Zoo 

(from 3,313 to 3,134 collection specimens). The decrease is due in part to the

planned reduction of the Bird House collection in preparation for creation of the 

new exhibit, Experience Migration. Significant mammal additions in FY 2017 and 

expectations for FY 2018 include a male Asian elephant, a baby gorilla, clouded 

leopards, and cheetahs. Zoo staff expects successful breeding for the carnivores 

(lions/tigers and cheetahs), giant pandas, and pinnipeds (sea lions and seals). 

The addition of large animals increases feeding costs for meat, fish and other food 

items. An aging herd of female elephants requires increased medical care as well.

The Zoo welcomes more than two million visitors every year. Beginning in 

FY 2017, the Zoo expanded its on-site efforts to engage visitors in unexpected 

ways, using temporary exhibits and art installations. For example, to raise 

awareness of SCBI’s research and conservation work, the Zoo installed an exhibit 

in its Visitor Center that profiled individual scientists who work to study, care for,

and save species and habitats across the globe. The conservation programs are

presented in SCBI scientists’ own words, sharing their personal stories on species 

and habitat protection. 

Another highlight of FY 2017 was a collaboration with local arts non-profit 

CulturalDC to install Washington, DC’s first mobile art gallery at the Zoo. This 

temporary gallery, created from a 40-foot shipping container, featured a 

contemporary art exhibit inspired by the impact of invasive insect species on the 

North American landscape. This art installation had a direct connection to the 

work of SCBI ecologists who study how ecosystems and the species within them 

respond to global changes. As Washington, DC has a rich and diverse artistic and 

cultural scene off the Mall, collaborating with CulturalDC offered the Zoo a 

powerful way to reach new audiences in the nation’s capital and directly answered

Smithsonian Secretary David Skorton’s call to strengthen the Smithsonian’s 

connection to its local community. Furthermore, this partnership provided the Zoo 

with an opportunity to increase visitation during its annual holiday lights festival,

ZooLights, with a new audience and leverage the local outreach potential by 

connecting science and art.

NZP/SCBI deploys multiple outreach channels to further engage the public

upon arrival at the Zoo. Visitor surveys reveal that interaction with a keeper or

volunteer interpreter has the most impact in educating the public. Keeper 

demonstrations are the most impactful of all interactions, so each day the keepers 

host a variety of experiences, from fish feeding in Amazonia to elephant training
56

and sea lion demonstrations. Since keepers have many other responsibilities and 

their availability is limited, NZP/SCBI organizes and focuses the energy of an 

extensive volunteer community, using resources from concessions income. 

Volunteer interpreters are on the front lines of engaging the public in connecting to 

the animals that they see. Paid staff train the interpreters to focus on messages 

most relevant to the animals visitors see, and assure that interpreters are wellversed on the challenges facing these species in their native environments. 

In FY 2017, the Zoo launched an internal customer service initiative to 

provide staff with meaningful ways they can improve the guest experience. This 

internal training program is essential to help staff use customer service best 

practices to guide interactions and underscore conservation messaging. 

However, neither keepers nor interpreters can be available for each and 

every visitor. Therefore, during FY 2017, NZP/SCBI advanced its digital sign 

program throughout the Park. Digital signs accomplish multiple goals, one of 

which is to provide an early warning system for events that need to be 

communicated quickly, such as adverse weather conditions, an escaped animal, 

or other security incidents in the Park. On a daily basis, digital signs help provide 

visitors with maps of exhibits and facilities, schedules of activities such as keeper 

demonstrations, and more in-depth information about the animal collection.

NZP/SCBI will continue to develop its digital program and will install new signs as 

funds become available.

In FY 2018, the Zoo is upgrading one of its most popular exhibits and 

bringing back the Zoo’s first webcam, which, when it launched in 2001, was the 

first use of webcams as an online engagement tool at zoos across the country. 

The naked mole rat exhibit at the Small Mammal House has not been renovated 

since the 1990s, so the Zoo is completely replacing the habitat and interpretation 

in this exhibit to improve the visitor experience and bring the public “closer” to this 

amazing species. As part of this upgrade, the Zoo will also install a webcam to 

allow online visitors to enter the fascinating world of the naked mole rat.

Even more visitors come through NZP/SCBI’s new, active website. Since 

the beginning of FY 2017, the NZP/SCBI website experienced 21 million page 

views during 10 million sessions — five times the number of in-person visitors in 

the Park. In FY 2017, NZP webcams were viewed nearly five million times by 

more than one million people. One year after launching an award-winning new 

website, NZP/SCBI continues to use new technology that is more mobile friendly, 

allows for easier updating of content, and enables NZP/SCBI to leverage the 

interest in the website through a deeper engagement with users. NZP webcams 

attract and retain visitors, but also serve a dual function at NZP/SCBI. First and 

foremost, webcams allow keepers to safely monitor animals during critical times 

such as illness, pregnancy and birth. Second, the public webcams bring the 

animals to the public even when the viewers cannot visit in person. NZP/SCBI’s

goal is to have a more robust webcam program for the public in the near future, 
57

including the aforementioned naked mole rat cam as well as a new sloth bear 

cam. 

In addition to its website, NZP/SCBI has a robust social media presence 

with a combined following of nearly 1.1 million across Facebook, Instagram and 

Twitter platforms. Digital outreach through social media includes Facebook Live 

broadcasts, original videos, and thoughtfully developed content focused on raising 

awareness of the NZP/SCBI’s conservation programs and connecting online 

visitors to the animals in the Zoo’s care. Original video content created in FY 2017 

includes in-depth videos on key conservation programs, including Asian 

elephants, scimitar-horned oryx, amphibians and cheetahs. 

NZP/SCBI leverages online platforms for citizen science as well. SCBI is 

the co-creator and leader of eMammal, a regional wildlife project that uses citizen 

scientists and trail cameras to monitor wildlife across public lands in the midAtlantic states. In the past four years, volunteers have captured more than two 

million wildlife images which have been checked by experts and deposited within 

a Smithsonian digital repository. This program has been recognized as one of the 

top citizen-science programs in the country. 

 Strengthen Core Foundations of People, Places, and Fiscal Resources 

for Mission Success 

Past years have seen significant upgrades to NZP/SCBI’s capital infrastructure. 

The next planned major public-facing exhibit renovation is of the historic 

1928 Bird House and surrounding plateau, which will turn the facility into an 

educational celebration of birds and bird migration. FY 2016 marked the completion 

of the design phase for this first-of-its-kind Zoo attraction that immerses visitors in 

birds’ miraculous annual journeys. This exhibit is essential to tell that important 

story.

Planning a Zoo renovation is a major undertaking that must ensure the 

safety of the existing live collection on exhibit. In FY 2017, the Bird House and 

surrounding area was closed to the public and the collection transferred to various

suitable locations so that construction can safely begin in FY 2018.

MEANS AND STRATEGY

The health, well-being, and safety of both the animals and staff of the 

NZP/SCBI are its highest priority. SCBI is world-renowned for its efforts to 

research, breed and reintroduce some of the world’s most critically endangered 

species, including the scimitar-horned oryx, Przewalski’s horse, the golden-lion 

tamarin, black-footed ferret, red-crowned cranes, and many others. Accepted 

standards or best industry practices for medical care, husbandry and safety for 

Zoo animals are continually increasing. For example, federal and state regulations 
58

require intensive animal quarantining and screening procedures to prevent 

disease transmission to livestock, people, and other animals in the living

collection. 

In addition, increased diverse threats, such as Highly Pathogenic Avian 

Influenza, require staffing to respond to new requirements and maintain a viable 

collection. Furthermore, new veterinary medical procedures, diagnostics and 

testing require advanced medical equipment and expertise. Breeding and 

research protocols designed to save endangered species from extinction also

require new, more time-intensive, sophisticated management approaches to 

ensure the safety of animals and staff. Finally, when every birth of an endangered 

animal may impact the survival of a species, new and labor-intensive approaches 

are needed to provide life-saving veterinary care and hand-rearing that means the 

difference between an animal’s life and death. For these reasons, NZP/SCBI must 

strategically augment staffing with a select number of well-trained animal care 

professionals and veterinarians — staff who are essential for ensuring that

NZP/SCBI successfully achieves its vital mission of saving species and enlisting 

public support for that purpose.

NONAPPROPRIATED RESOURCES — General trust funds support salaries and 

benefits of the director and general operational requirements for adequate animal 

care, professional training in conservation sciences, and animal acquisitions. 

Donor/sponsor-designated funds support the costs related to specific programs and 

projects, including: field and captive studies on Sahelo-Saharan antelopes, 

amphibians, cheetahs, giant pandas, Asian elephants, tigers, and clouded leopards; 

ecological studies on migratory birds; and the documentation and monitoring of 

biodiversity and habitat quality in selected sites around the world. A large percentage 

of these funds supplement federal funding for renovating and modernizing NZP/SCBI. 

Private donations for multiple small- to medium-sized projects or for the extensive

Bird House renovation fund a portion of construction costs and support all exhibit 

interpretive design and implementation. Government grants and contracts support a 

wide array of scientific studies on the biology and habitats of endangered and 

threatened species. Concessions, such as food and retail shop sales, fund the 

NZP/SCBI Information Technology Support and Help Desk, exhibit maintenance, 

visitor services, volunteer programs, and communications outreach. 
59

SMITHSONIAN ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH CENTER

APPLICATION OF OPERATING RESOURCES

FEDERAL 

APPROPRIATIONS

GENERAL 

TRUST

DONOR/SPONSOR

DESIGNATED

GOV’T GRANTS

& CONTRACTS

FTE $000 FTE $000 FTE $000 FTE $000

FY 2017

ENACTED 32 4,171 10 1,134 15 2,489 41 5,150

FY 2018

ESTIMATE 32 4,227 33 3,750 23 3,800 13 1,950

FY 2019 

REQUEST 32 4,227 33 3,750 23 3,800 13 1,950

Federal Resource Summary by Performance Objective and Program Category

BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT

The Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC) is a leader in 

research on land and water ecosystems in the coastal zone. SERC’s innovative 

research and unique setting advance basic environmental science in the zone 

where most of the world’s population lives, and provides society with the 

knowledge to solve the environmental challenges of the 21st century.

Research and discovery remain the core activities at SERC. Scientists use 

the unique site on the shore of the Chesapeake Bay, and other sites, including 

the Smithsonian Marine Science Network, to investigate the ecological 

interconnections of aquatic, terrestrial, and atmospheric components of complex 

landscapes, with comparative studies on regional, continental, and global scales. 

Performance Objective/ 

 Program Category FTE $000 FTE $000 FTE $000

Enhanced Interdisciplinary Research 

Research

Engage in impactful scientific research and discovery 23 3,274 23 3,274 0 0

Understand and Impact 21st Century Audiences

Public Programs

Provide relevant reference services and disseminate 

information to the public 2 135 2 135 0 0

Enable Cost-Effective and Responsive 

Administration

Management Operations

Enable efficient and responsive administrative 

infrastructure 7 818 7 818 0 0

Total 32 4,227 32 4,227 0 0

FY 2018 FY 2019 Change
60

SERC maintains a vigorous professional training program dedicated to 

producing the next generation of scientists. Through its efforts to achieve 

extramural funding and establish external partnerships, SERC hosts a large 

number of undergraduate interns, graduate students, postdoctoral Fellows, and 

visiting scientists, with success in reaching candidates from underserved 

communities.

SERC has also started a process to redevelop its programs for public 

engagement. School-based programs, serving thousands of children annually,

continue to be a major emphasis of SERC’s public efforts. In addition, SERC has

expanded its public outreach by incorporating new citizen-science programs and 

enhanced volunteerism.

SERC will continue to update and streamline management systems and 

functions, and advance construction of its Facilities Master Plan. In FY 2018,

SERC has been revisiting and updating its 2008 Facilities Master Plan, the goal 

of which is to address the remaining elements of the 2008 plan and revisit the 

site priorities. In FY 2018, SERC completed work on its 1.5-mile entrance to the 

main campus, which was critical for the safe travel of staff and visitors in 

passenger vehicles and school buses. In addition, in FY 2018, if funds permit,

SERC will implement the next phase of the master plan, including design of the 

Information Commons that will be the Institution’s first “Net-zero energy” building. 

Other projects include developing a campus-wide storm-water management plan

(in progress), design of the Green Village to provide more housing for a growing 

number of visiting and collaborating scientists and students (in progress), and 

much-needed new support facilities for the Smithsonian Facilities staff (in 

progress).

MEANS AND STRATEGY

SERC has an advantage in furthering its research goals and priorities by 

operating its 2,650-acre site on the Chesapeake Bay. Using the unique 

assemblage of streams, shoreline, forests and agricultural fields, its scientists 

investigate the interconnections of aquatic, terrestrial, and atmospheric 

components of complex landscapes. SERC’s research campus also supports 

research efforts of other collaborators and agencies (e.g., the U.S. Department of 

Agriculture, U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and many 

universities and state agencies). SERC develops innovative approaches and 

instrumentation to measure environmental changes at four ecological levels (i.e., 

global scale, landscape ecology, ecology of coastal ecosystems, and population 

and community ecology), and has developed unique, long-term, and 

experimental data sets on environmental change. SERC has been a leader in 

developing the Smithsonian’s Marine Science Network of sites along the western 

Atlantic Ocean for comparative coastal studies, as well as in developing the

Tennenbaum Marine Observatories Network. SERC is a partner site in the 

National Ecological Observation Network (NEON). To support that research, 
61

SERC provides a home for a sampling tower array to collect environmental data 

that feeds a national network, established to observe and interpret changes in

terrestrial environments.

In addition, SERC is a principal collaborator in the global ForestGEO 

initiative and maintains a keystone plot that demonstrates the value of temperate 

forest research for global understanding of terrestrial biomes. During its more 

than 50-year history, SERC has built a reputation for world-class research, 

producing many publications that are rich in data and multi-disciplinary and 

integrative in analysis.

SERC’s research, education, and outreach efforts are closely aligned with 

the Smithsonian’s Strategic Plan. By building on existing strengths and special 

programs, SERC enhances its successful research on the following topics: landsea linkages of ecosystems; landscape ecology of coastal watersheds; estuarine 

ecology; invasive species (especially in coastal ecosystems); global change 

impacts on biotic and chemical interactions; biocomplexity of structure and 

processes in key ecosystems; and community and population ecology. 

During the next few years, SERC research on coastal marine ecology will 

focus on four key, interrelated areas: the structure and dynamics of marine food 

webs; the integrity and biodiversity of crucial marine ecosystems; linkages of 

ecosystems at the land-sea interface; and the ecological regulation of marine 

biodiversity. SERC seeks to expand its expertise in the ecology of invasive 

species and how they affect coastal ecosystems. To implement these goals, 

SERC will continue to link its research with national and international research 

networks through the MarineGEO initiative, and enhance the Marine Science 

Network and the Tennenbaum Marine Observatory Network, which were

conceived to coordinate and align the extensive marine research efforts 

throughout the Smithsonian. SERC is also developing scientific and technological 

capabilities in analytical chemistry, remote sensing, and instrumentation in 

coastal watersheds and connected ecosystems. In addition, SERC is working 

with partners in the National Museum of Natural History and the regional 

research community to develop DNA barcode libraries for all of the species of 

fishes and major groups of invertebrates of the Chesapeake Bay. This will 

become a shared resource for tracking biodiversity, species distributions, and 

foodweb structures in the nation’s largest estuary.

SERC also continues to strengthen its public education and citizenscience programs. In addition to providing a lecture series, workshops, numerous 

volunteer opportunities and expert consultation for the public, teachers, and 

public officials, SERC is open to the public six days a week. In addition to offering 

formal programs to the public, SERC encourages visitors to explore the Center’s 

many trails through forests and fields, as well as more than 12 miles of shoreline 

along the Chesapeake Bay.
62

SERC continues to implement its comprehensive Facilities Master Plan 

through projects that provide critical infrastructure improvements and allow for 

controlled and operationally sustainable growth during the next decade. One of 

the key components of the plan is the focus on reducing energy and water 

consumption across the campus. The incorporation of sustainable improvements 

at the campus will ensure long-term savings in operating costs and a reduction in 

SERC’s carbon footprint. SERC expects future projects to reach design 

standards that exceed those set by the award-winning Charles McC. Mathias 

laboratory, as the Center continues to establish its leadership in innovative 

design and functionality.

Finally, SERC has established management controls to ensure proper 

accounting for its research activities, including indirect cost recovery in its 

sponsored research program. Moreover, the staff strives to maintain an excellent 

record of safety and protection for all staff and visitors. In conjunction with the 

Institution’s central administrative offices, SERC maintains its excellent record of 

property management and protection of sensitive information and data.

NONAPPROPRIATED RESOURCES — General trust funds support fund

raising. In addition, core administrative support is funded through an indirect cost 

recovery derived from extramural research and education awards. Other 

resources include donor/sponsor-designated funds that provide critical operating 

support related to specific programs and projects in research, public education, 

and professional training. Most of SERC’s scientific research program of $5.5

million annually is supported by Government grants and contracts, in addition to

the National Ballast Information Clearinghouse (funded through an interagency 

agreement), which was established by Congress as part of the National Invasive 

Species Act of 1996. 
63

SMITHSONIAN TROPICAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE

APPLICATION OF OPERATING RESOURCES

FEDERAL 

APPROPRIATIONS

GENERAL 

TRUST

DONOR/SPONSOR 

DESIGNATED

GOV’T GRANTS

& CONTRACTS

FTE $000 FTE $000 FTE $000 FTE $000

FY 2017 

ENACTED 191 14,344 45 2,624 26 3,846 21 1,850

FY 2018

ESTIMATE 191 14,486 50 2,500 32 4,000 21 1,251

FY 2019

REQUEST 191 14,486 50 2,500 32 4,000 18 1,251

Federal Resource Summary by Performance Objective and Program Category

Performance Objective/ 

 Program Category FTE $000 FTE $000 FTE $000

Enhanced Interdisciplinary Research 

Research

Engage in impactful scientific research and discovery 114 9,786 114 9,786 0 0

Expand Digital Technologies

Digitization and Web Support

Provide improved digitization and Web support 3 183 3 183 0 0

Understand and Impact 21st Century Audiences

Public Programs

Provide relevant reference services and disseminate 

information to the public 5 357 5 357 0 0

Education

Engage and inspire diverse audiences 2 347 2 347 0 0

Preserve Our Natural and Cultural Heritage

Facilities and Safety

Improve Smithsonian facilities operations and provide 

a safe and healthy environment 1 127 1 127 0 0

Security

Provide world-class protection for Smithsonian 

facilities, collections, staff, visitors and volunteers 18 603 18 603 0 0

Enable Cost-Effective and Responsive 

Administration

Management Operations

Enable efficient and responsive administrative 

infrastructure 40 2,621 40 2,621 0 0

Information Technology

Improve the Institution's information technology 

systems and infrastructure 8 462 8 462 0 0

Total 191 14,486 191 14,486 0 0

FY 2018 FY 2019 Change
64

BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT

In 1910, Smithsonian Secretary Charles Walcott received a request from President 

William Howard Taft to send a scientific expedition to Panama to study the environmental 

impact of the Panama Canal. The President of Panama, Pablo Arosemena, invited the 

Smithsonian to extend its study to the entire isthmus (1910–1912), establishing a 

relationship that more than 106 years later continues to be a remarkable scientific

resource for both countries and the world. The Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute 

(STRI) is now the principal U.S. organization dedicated to advancing fundamental 

scientific discovery and understanding of biological and cultural diversity in the tropics,

and its contribution to human welfare. STRI plays an important role for the U.S. 

Government and the Smithsonian by maintaining world-class research facilities in 

Panama, where each year approximately 1,400 resident and visiting international 

scientists and university students access the diverse tropical environments STRI 

stewards. Of these, STRI most notably serves as the official custodian for the Barro 

Colorado Nature Monument (BCNM) in Panama under the terms of the Convention on 

Nature Protection and Wildlife Preservation in the Western hemisphere, ratified by the 

U.S. Senate in April 1941 and codified in the Panama Canal Treaties. The BCNM is the 

only mainland tropical reserve under U.S. stewardship and served as the original base of 

operations for the 1910 expedition.

Why is the Smithsonian in Panama? What is now Panama was under water until 

about three million years ago. The rise of the Isthmus of Panama changed the world. It 

connected North and South America and separated the Atlantic from the Pacific, setting

into motion global change that dramatically impacted marine and terrestrial life. STRI has 

been located at the heart of this event for more than a century. Its nine research facilities,

situated throughout Panama’s diverse ecosystems, serve as an unparalleled field research 

platform to investigate the critical events that shaped the world and its tropical diversity. 

Furthermore, the 1,400 resident and visiting scientists and students hosted by STRI each 

year make it a vital teaching and research platform for the nation.

Scientific Productivity

A Visiting Committee of outside experts regularly evaluates the relevance, quality, 

and performance of STRI scientists. In their last review, the Visiting Committee used 

National Research Council criteria to measure the productivity and impact of STRI 

science compared to 142 of the best university research departments in the United 

States. STRI scientists ranked first in all measures of scientific relevance (e.g., publication 

citations), quality (e.g., scientific honors), and productivity (e.g., publication numbers). In 

addition, the number of young scientists who choose STRI as the base for their graduate 

and postgraduate research training provides an annual measure of the relevance and 

quality of STRI science to the future of tropical biology and policy. 

STRI’s 25 staff scientists and 160 research assistants-in-residence share the 

science platform with scientists from the United States and international organizations. 

Each year, approximately 1,400 visiting scientists conduct research at STRI facilities with 

STRI scientists who are leaders in their fields. This collaborative effort has produced more 
65

than 12,000 scientific publications of record during the past century, and currently results 

in one new scientific publication, on average, every day. 

Scientific Direction

The long-term research conducted by STRI scientists and collaborators is a critical 

contribution to the Smithsonian Institution’s newly issued Strategic Plan. STRI’s soon-tobe-released strategic plan is closely aligned with the Smithsonian Plan, particularly with 

regard to the following: Goal 2: Catalyze new conversations and address complex 

challenges; Goal 4: Understand and impact 21st century audiences; Goal 5: Drive large,

visionary, interdisciplinary research and scholarly projects; and Goal 6: Preserve natural 

and cultural heritage while optimizing our assets. STRI has invested for the long term in 

several core research directions. These include:

Environmental Health

The Panama Canal Watershed provides drinking water for more than one million 

Panama residents and sustains the Panama Canal, which is critical to U.S. trade and 

commerce. One-half of the watershed has been deforested. STRI’s Agua Salud Project

uses the Panama Canal’s central role in world commerce to focus global attention on the 

ecosystem services provided by tropical forests in comparison with other types of land 

cover, providing rigorous quantitative data on a critical topic much debated by policy 

makers. The hydrology portion of the project focuses on how forests help sustain waterrelated ecosystems by mitigating the effects of droughts and floods and purifying water.

Panama Amphibian Rescue Conservation Project

Amphibians are disappearing around the world. A systematic global assessment of 

all 5,743 known amphibian species determined that one-third of all species surveyed are 

in danger of extinction. What is particularly alarming to conservationists is that 122 

amphibian species are believed to have gone extinct since 1980, compared to just five 

bird species and no mammals during the same period. The main cause of this massive 

extinction is the pathogenic chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), which 

causes a disease called Chytridiomycosis.

In response to the massive loss of Panama’s amphibian biodiversity, due mainly to 

the chytrid fungus, STRI has partnered with African Safari, Houston Zoo, Cheyenne 

Mountain Zoo, Zoo New England, Defenders of Wildlife, and the Smithsonian 

Conservation Biology Institute (SCBI) to found the Panama Amphibian Rescue 

Conservation (PARC) project. PARC has several key goals to: prevent species 

extinctions by establishing ex-situ (quarantine) assurance colonies of endangered 

amphibians threatened with extinction from the chytrid fungus, which is decimating 

amphibians worldwide; develop tools to mitigate the disease and lead to reintroductions of 

the amphibians in the wild; and engage constituents to support conservation of 

amphibians and habitats. To date, the project has built two ex-situ facilities in Panama, 

and successfully bred more than 10 endangered amphibian species, including the 

Panamanian Golden Frog, a conservation flagship species now extinct in the wild. STRI

scientists actively monitor disease and frog populations in the wild, use the latest 

molecular tools to find beneficial skin bacteria to help frogs fight Chytridiomycosis 

infections, research genetic mechanisms of chytrid resistance in Panamanian Golden 
66

Frogs, and develop assisted reproduction technologies to breed frogs in captivity and 

cryopreserve their gametes for future use.

Monitoring Forest Health and the Global Carbon Cycle

Combining private and federal support, STRI collaborates with the Smithsonian 

Environmental Research Center (SERC), National Zoo/SCBI, National Museum of Natural 

History (NMNH) and the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (SAO) to create the 

Smithsonian Institution Global Earth Observatories (SIGEO), the largest terrestrial-based 

Earth observation system in the world. Additional U.S. partners and supporters include 

the National Science Foundation (NSF), National Aeronautics and Space Administration, 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the U.S. Department of Agriculture

Forest Service, U.S. Department of Energy, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), and the 

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as well as 80 partner institutions. STRI’s 

Center for Tropical Forest Science, formerly CTFS, now named ForestGEO, coordinates 

research activities in 25 countries on 64 standardized forest parcels, ranging from two to 

50 hectares, in which each tree is mapped and measured every five years. This partnerbased global network of 100 partners provides rigorous, widely available, systematic data 

on forest dynamics and carbon budgets. These data are used by scientists and decision

makers around the world to improve our understanding of tropical forests and the societal 

benefits derived from forests. The expanding network allows for global comparisons and 

has yielded important new findings such as the discovery that old trees play an important 

role in carbon sequestration, which was previously unknown.

Monitoring the Oceans: MarineGEO

The great success of ForestGEO led to the creation of MarineGEO, a cross-bureau 

program that is developing a network of marine data-collection sites studying near-shore 

environments. MarineGEO is the first long-term, international research program to focus 

on understanding coastal marine life and its role in maintaining resilient ecosystems. By 

specializing in coastal ecosystems — where marine biodiversity and people are 

concentrated and interact most — this initiative provides policy makers with the science to 

support innovative solutions and advance management and protection of our oceans. The 

network concept includes monitoring basic parameters which include water acidity, 

temperature, salinity, specific conductivity, dissolved oxygen, and chlorophyll, with the 

intent of making all data available on the Web in real time. This network and the 

associated data sets improve our understanding of biodiversity and ecosystem processes. 

To collect this information, STRI has installed sensors at MarineGEO sites on Panama’s 

Caribbean and Pacific coasts.

STRI is important because of its mission, the Institute’s location in the mainland 

tropics on the narrow Isthmus of Panama, and its relationship with the Government of 

Panama. Beyond its mission for the Smithsonian, two examples of collaboration with U.S. 

agencies underscore the important role STRI plays in Panama. The security and facilities 

infrastructure of Barro Colorado Island led the USGS to establish seismic monitoring 

equipment as part of its Caribbean Tsunami Warning System. In addition, the 

Continuously Operating Caribbean GPS Observational Network (COCONet) project, 

funded by the NSF, has partnered with STRI in developing a large-scale geodetic and 

atmospheric monitoring infrastructure in the Caribbean. This infrastructure forms the 

backbone for a broad range of geoscience and atmospheric investigations and enables 
67

research on process-oriented science questions with direct relevance to geohazards. U.S. 

and international partner agencies use STRI’s marine station in Bocas del Toro as a 

COCONet site to monitor sea level rise and plate tectonics — the movement of Earth’s 

crustal plates that can trigger major earthquakes.

Marine Invasions

New data are filling gaps in the understanding of the rise of the isthmus and its 

changing role in invasive species biology, biodiversity, and global climate. Trade through 

the Panama Canal increased dramatically since the June 2016 completion of the canal 

lock expansion project. STRI scientists and colleagues at SERC, in Maryland, are 

documenting the distribution of invasive marine organisms, providing an unparalleled 

platform to understand the biology of invasive species on a scale comparable to that of 

the Great American Interchange of terrestrial organisms that occurred when the rise of 

the Isthmus of Panama first linked North and South America three million years ago. Such 

research has profound implications for mitigating the problems of invasive species in the 

great seaways of the world, from the Panama Canal to the Great Lakes.

Marine Mammal Conservation

STRI scientists are radio-tracking humpback whales and other marine mammals, 

and revealed that the whales — notably mothers with calves — were at high risk of being 

struck by ships entering or exiting the Panama Canal. With support from Panama’s 

maritime and Canal authorities, the International Maritime Organization approved a traffic 

separation scheme (TSS) in 2014, and officially implemented it as international policy. 

The scheme requires ships to maintain speed of not more than 10 knots from August 1 to 

November 30 every year, through two designated ship traffic lanes approximately three 

miles wide. This type of marine conservation work is a U.S. State Department priority and 

demonstrated that the TSS could reduce potential collisions between ships and whales by 

95 percent. Additionally, the work has led the governments of Colombia, Ecuador, and

Peru to collaborate with STRI and request the Institute’s scientific expertise and counsel 

on this topic.

Establish a Living Laboratory in the Tropical Eastern Pacific 

STRI is poised to take possession of Coibita Island, following a recently resolved 

ownership dispute. The island provides the opportunity to develop a new living 

laboratory and basic research facilities, with the potential to become the “Barro 

Colorado of the Tropical Eastern Pacific.” Coibita is a strategic scientific vantage point 

to expand the Smithsonian MarineGEO program and enhance fundamental research in 

a region of high biodiversity, with two layers of legal protection as part of Panama’s 

Coiba National Park and status as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This development 

represents a major step in completing our goal of two-ocean facilities, complementing 

our Caribbean research stations at Galeta and Bocas del Toro. Part of an undersea 

mountain chain and migratory corridor that links marine species from North and South 

America, Coibita is an ideal location to launch investigations that will provide key 

insights in marine biology.
68

MEANS AND STRATEGY

STRI is the only major research center to locate modern scientific instrumentation 

and facilities at the edges of tropical forests and coral reefs. STRI staff lead internationally 

recognized research programs and assist scientific visitors with obtaining visas, collecting 

permits, transportation, housing, computing, and library needs. STRI staff are also 

mentors for students from universities across the United States and around the world. 

Panamanian staff and the support of the Government of Panama, including rent-free use 

of multiple properties, have fostered Smithsonian research in Panama for more than 106

years and STRI has been an exceptional ambassador of goodwill for the United States in 

Panama and throughout Latin America. 

As part of its core mission, STRI will continue to enhance the Smithsonian’s 

platform for long-term research on biodiversity, ecosystems, and the impacts of 

environmental change. This will be accomplished through novel research, education of 

the next generation of scientists, and the dissemination of scientific findings to its

audiences.

Policy makers and scientists need long-term data on fluctuations in the primary 

productivity of forests around the globe, as well as information on changes in the 

abundance and distribution of biological diversity, to distinguish the components of global 

change that can be ascribed to planetary processes from those that may be caused by 

human activity. The Smithsonian Institution is building on its unique research 

infrastructure to provide the required data by expanding its global network of dynamic,

long-term tropical forest plots into the temperate zone, and by collecting additional data 

on vertebrates, insects, and soil micro-organisms, in addition to the trees in the 

ForestGEO plots that scientists have monitored for more than three decades. 

Smithsonian researchers are answering the following questions: How are changing 

environments altering forest biomass? Does the rate of carbon sequestration by forests 

vary with latitude, hydrological condition, and soil fertility? How are the diversity and the 

relative abundance of forest organisms changing over time and space? What components 

of observed changes are due to human activities? How can people modify their behavior 

and economies to ameliorate any changes detrimental to global society?

STRI shares knowledge, experience, and expertise with the next generation of 

tropical scientists. In particular, STRI hosts more than 800 pre- and postdoctoral students 

each year, half of whom come from the United States. For many, their experience at STRI 

is their first real opportunity to be scientists. The experience is transformational. As 

mentors, the Institute’s researchers guide these future investigators, encouraging their 

scientific development and challenging them to develop the scientific rigor required to 

make new discoveries, and to share them for the welfare of humankind. 

STRI continues to work with primary school science teachers to inspire wonder 

and critical thinking skills in the classroom. In Panama and through digital partnerships 

with school districts in the United States, STRI continues to explain field and laboratory 

science and make environmental research accessible to teachers and students.
69

ENABLING STRI’s MISSION THROUGH ORGANIZATIONAL EXCELLENCE

STRI continues to advance the vision detailed in the 20-year plan for upgrading its 

facilities, some of which date back to the pre-World War II era of Panama Canal defense. 

The 20-year STRI facilities plan represents an important opportunity for the Smithsonian 

to provide its tropical scientists with the modernized, sustainable, and state-of-the-science 

facilities needed to face the environmental challenges of the 21st century.

STRI also offers important facility resources for federal agencies and universities. 

For terrestrial research, STRI serves as the headquarters for ForestGEO, and as a base 

for tsunami-monitoring equipment installed by the USGS. For marine research, the 

access to two oceans provided by STRI marine facilities permits scientists to move 

between experiments in the eastern Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea in a few hours, 

and represents a principal component of the Smithsonian MarineGEO network that 

extends from the Chesapeake Bay to Florida, Belize, and Panama. The recurring twoocean theme in marine science at STRI has resulted in landmark studies of the evolution 

and ecology of tropical marine species and communities, as well as research funded by 

NSF and the National Institutes of Health for the ecologically guided discovery of new 

pharmaceutical compounds. STRI’s MarineGEO site in Bocas Del Toro (Caribbean) and 

the Naos Marine Laboratories (Pacific) provide direct access to two oceans, and take on 

increased importance as experimental platforms for studying the impact of climate change 

and ocean acidification on coastal coral reefs, sea grasses, and mangroves. Coibita 

Island will provide a new potential MarineGEO platform in the Pacific.

STRI’s primary research facility on the Pacific coast of Panama is Naos 

Laboratories, which provides easy access to key coastal, marine, and off-shore 

environments. It is situated in a unique location that provides ready access to two very 

different marine ecosystems, in the Gulf of Panama and the Gulf of Chiriqui, including 

areas impacted by human activities. This facility is a key resource for a highly productive 

team of researchers, led by eight STRI scientific staff members working in fields such as 

marine biology and ecology, animal behavior, evolutionary and molecular biology, specieshost interactions, species invasions, archaeology, and paleontology. This site is also

essential to MarineGEO.

STRI’s facilities include the Galeta Laboratory, the oldest scientific facility on the 

Caribbean coast of Panama. The laboratory houses a long-term environmental data 

operation, which included monitoring the most thoroughly documented recovery from a 

major oil spill. The current infrastructure allows staff scientists and scientific visitors to carry 

out research in coastal ecosystems such as mangroves, coral reefs, and sea grass beds, 

and on invasive species, due to its proximity to the Panama Canal entrance. Galeta is also 

home to one of STRI’s most dynamic and successful public outreach programs.

Research conducted at both laboratories has greatly contributed to the increase of 

our understanding of tropical biodiversity. STRI continues to support scientific research at 

these sites because they offer an unparalleled opportunity to conduct evolutionary and 

ecological studies in contrasting environments, including comparisons of marine habitat, 

ecosystems, and species dynamics between these two oceans.
70

FY 2019 will be another year in which STRI continues to more efficiently use its

available resources while at the same time adapting its work to be more cost-effective in 

the ever-expanding economy of Panama. STRI’s organizational efforts will include 

continued upgrades of its physical plant by seeking to reduce deferred maintenance and 

to conduct more design planning. In addition, STRI will rely on its restructured 

organization, including its Information Technology department and Finance and 

Administration areas, to better and more efficiently meet the needs of its scientific 

computing community as well as the business needs of the Institute.

NONAPPROPRIATED RESOURCES — General trust funds support salaries for a small 

percentage of STRI employees involved in research, public outreach, and fund raising. 

Donor/sponsor-designated funds support specific programs and projects to investigate 

key indicators of global environmental health. 

More specifically, donor-designated support also provides an endowed chair for 

the director of STRI, an endowed staff position in tropical paleoecology, and an endowed 

chair for the director of ForestGEO. With private funds, STRI is launching a new initiative 

to understand the critical role played by microbes in marine ecosystems, and host a 

series of postdoctoral Fellows. STRI is also leveraging additional private funding to hire a 

new staff scientist and begin a new initiative to understand the critical role played by 

microbes in forest ecosystems.

The chair in paleoecology currently investigates how Earth’s environment has 

changed during the last 60 million years, in part by taking advantage of the multi-billiondollar expansion of the Panama Canal, which has exposed new fossils and geologic 

strata during the massive excavations. Donor-designated support also funds postdoctoral 

studies of the relationship between organism brain size and behavioral complexity, and 

postdoctoral Fellowships in tropical marine biology, using STRI’s Bocas del Toro and 

Galeta field stations in the Caribbean and its Naos Laboratories and Coibita Island field 

station in the eastern Pacific Ocean.
71

ARTHUR M. SACKLER GALLERY/FREER GALLERY OF ART

APPLICATION OF OPERATING RESOURCES

FEDERAL 

APPROPRIATIONS

GENERAL 

TRUST

DONOR/SPONSOR 

DESIGNATED

GOV’T GRANTS

& CONTRACTS

FTE $000 FTE $000 FTE $000 FTE $000

FY 2017

ENACTED 45 6,197 7 1,286 58 12,634 0 0

FY 2018 

ESTIMATE 45 6,273 7 4,154 63 11,822 0 27

FY 2019 

REQUEST 45 6,273 7 4,279 63 12,177 0 0

Federal Resource Summary by Performance Objective and Program Category

Performance Objective/ 

 Program Category FTE $000 FTE $000 FTE $000

Enhanced Interdisciplinary Research 

Research

Engage in impactful scientific research and discovery 6 1,446 6 1,446 0 0

Expand Digital Technologies

Digitization and Web Support

Provide improved digitization and Web support 0 55 0 55 0 0

Understand and Impact 21st Century Audiences

Public Programs

Provide relevant reference services and disseminate 

information to the public 3 267 3 267 0 0

Exhibitions

Offer compelling, first-class exhibitions 16 2,200 16 2,200 0 0

Education

Engage and inspire diverse audiences 5 459 5 459 0 0

Preserve Our Natural and Cultural Heritage

Collections

Improve the stewardship of the national collections 12 1,397 12 1,397 0 0

Enable Cost-Effective and Responsive 

Administration

Management Operations

Enable efficient and responsive administrative 

infrastructure 3 449 3 449 0 0

Total 45 6,273 45 6,273 0 0

FY 2018 FY 2019 Change
72

BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT

The Freer Gallery of Art and the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery (F|S) provide a place on 

the National Mall where Americans can develop their understanding and appreciation of 

Asia’s artistic creativity and its cultural and historical traditions. A worthy goal since the 

opening of the Freer as the first Smithsonian art museum in 1923, this endeavor is 

increasingly important in the 21st century — as Asia looms larger, more central and closely 

related to the life and interests of Americans. The Museums’ renowned collections enable 

experts and actual and virtual visitors to engage Asia’s art, and gain insight into its diverse 

and complex populations, civilizations, religions, and traditions. Collections, exhibitions and 

programs also examine the connections between Asian and American artistic and cultural 

expressions.

The Museums collect, study, exhibit, and preserve exemplary works of Asian art, 

widely regarded as among the most important in the world, as well as works by Whistler and 

other outstanding American artists, provided by Charles Lang Freer’s original gift to the 

nation. The Museums direct their combined resources toward programs that advance the 

knowledge of the arts of Asia, and foster understanding and appreciation for its cultures and 

history.

In FY 2019, the F|S will capitalize on the momentum created by the reopening of the 

Freer Gallery of Art after a nearly two-year closure to fully renovate its heating, ventilation, 

and air-conditioning (HVAC) system, and also a brief closure of the Arthur M. Sackler 

Gallery. Both Museums opened with reinvigorated galleries, an upgraded public auditorium, 

and enhanced visitor amenities. Innovative exhibitions in the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery and a 

new interpretive approach in the Freer Gallery of Art serve to contextualize growing 

permanent collections and integrate their public display. The FY 2019 exhibition schedule 

and complementary public programs will provide audience engagement with both historical 

and contemporary topics, and access to some of the finest works of art from Asia. 

The Museums will further the strategic goal of Expanding Digital Technologies by 

devoting coordinated resources in FY 2019 to position F|S as a world leader in digital 

collections management initiatives. This will be done by maintaining 100 percent digitization 

as its collections grow, improving the F|S website with a new content management system 

that will allow linkages between thousands of different types of records and media, and 

providing a new search tool for online collections. F|S will continue to increase the 

digitization of its publications, and enhance the visitor experience with new ways to access 

its research and wealth of assets, such as ensuring an Americans with Disabilities Act 

(ADA)-compliant website. The new programming effort for the International Gallery in the S. 

Dillon Ripley Center, managed jointly by F|S and the National Museum of African Art, enters 

its second five-year phase. This gallery, with links to both Museums, allows programmatic 

collaboration, provides a testing ground for new types of exhibitions, and creates new 

opportunities to achieve the Institution’s strategic goal to Understand and Impact 21st 

Century Audiences.

The F|S will contribute to the strategic goal of Enhanced Interdisciplinary Research 

by maintaining its impressive record of hosting research Fellows and scholarly visitors, 

through its publications, and by searching for new funding sources for research.
73

In addition, the F|S will address the strategic goal of Enabling Cost-Effective and 

Responsive Administration by continually assessing and enhancing staff development, the 

efficacy of its organizational structure, and oversight of internal controls. 

MEANS AND STRATEGY

To achieve the strategic goal of Understanding and Impacting 21st Century 

Audiences, the F|S continues to direct resources to raise attendance and assert its preeminence in the field of Asian art by organizing and presenting high-profile exhibitions.

Two innovative mid-duration exhibitions are on view in the Sackler throughout

FY 2019: Encountering the Buddha: Art and Practice across Asia expands the 

understanding of Buddhism in Asian art through both beautiful objects and immersive 

spaces. Visitors can step into a Tibetan Buddhist shrine, travel the Buddhist world with an 

8th-century Korean monk, visit a Sri Lankan stupa, meet teachers and guardians, and 

discover the ways art and place embody and express the teachings of Buddhism. Related 

digital content enhances the exhibition experience and makes online connections to the 

Freer collections. In RESOUND: Bells of Ancient China, musical innovations in the Bronze 

Age meld with today’s digital technology in an interactive exploration of ancient Chinese 

bells. Research by archaeologists, art historians, musicologists, materials scientists, and 

physicists indicates that the Smithsonian’s holdings span the entire length of the Bronze 

Age and reflect a variety of regional types and a wide range of uses. Early instruments and 

a bell set discovered in a Chinese tomb are accompanied by videos of ancient bells being 

played, musical soundscapes and visualizations commissioned from contemporary 

composers, and an interactive experience that correlates these ancient bells to the piano, 

where visitors can compose their own music. An accompanying music salon series, 

designed to be informal, experimental, and interactive, will attract new audiences with a 

contemporary perspective on the exhibition.

Planned presentations in the fall and winter of FY 2019 will focus on recently 

acquired material that expands our understanding of historical Japan and its artistic 

contributions through the 20th and 21st centuries. These major acquisitions of Japanese 

photographs and modern graphic arts further enhance the depth of the F|S Japanese 

collections, deepen understanding of the various artistic responses to modernity in Japan, 

and offer a uniquely nuanced context for understanding the development of Japanese 

photography and its relationship to the other arts. A major exhibition of loan material from 

the Palace Museum in Beijing will be on view in spring 2019. Organized in collaboration 

with the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, Massachusetts, THE LAST EMPRESSES OF 

CHINA is the first exhibition to present the dynamic and increasingly visible role of Qing 

dynasty empresses in imperial politics, art, religion, and culture. Through the stories of four 

empresses, the exhibition will offer a fresh perspective on life in the Forbidden City. 

Additional temporary exhibitions will include a small exhibition of Islamic material in 

conjunction with F|S’s annual Nowruz Persian New Year Festival and an exhibition, 

devoted to the traditional Chinese stringed instrument, the qin (zither), based on newly 

published research that shares, for the first time, the “biographies” and “personalities” of all 

six named qin zithers in the F|S collections. A new, large-scale work in the Sackler pavilion 

will crown the last quarter of FY 2019, continuing F|S’s attention to the display of 

contemporary Asian art and its historical linkages. 
74

F|S continues to develop major exhibition projects and long-term exchanges in 

collaboration with U.S. museums and with international scholars and institutional partners 

in China, Japan, Korea, India, Sri Lanka, and Italy. Sharing select exhibitions through multivenue presentations is an integral component of several exhibition projects under 

development, and touring versions of F|S collection-based exhibitions are being developed.

In FY 2019, F|S will begin planning for thematic refreshes of the Freer Gallery 

permanent collection displays. While the public experiences new surprises throughout the 

year because of cyclical small changes in the works of art on show — due to long-term 

collection preservation requirements — the exhibitions with which the Freer Gallery 

reopened in the fall of 2017 were never intended to be “permanent.” Rather, the F|S will 

deploy a rolling calendar of thematic reinstallations of its collections to incorporate 

important new acquisitions, maintain a broad spectrum of provocative conversations about 

Asia and America, and compile exhibitions on view in the Sackler. A more comprehensive 

plan for visitor experience surveys will fully incorporate the Freer Gallery to understand the 

impact of its displays and how F|S can best integrate the visitor experience across both 

Museums.

F|S will further impact 21st century audiences through its groundbreaking 

educational and scholarly programs on the arts of Asia. These programs involve hosting a 

series of international conferences and workshops, and collaborating within the 

Smithsonian and with outside organizations such as the National Museum in Beijing, the 

Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, Russia, the Uffizi in Florence, Italy, and the British 

Museum in London.

Enabling the Museums to be the center for public engagement on the arts of Asia, 

the F|S website continues to undergo refinements to allow greater access to our 

collections, which are now fully digitized. With the help of a major Getty Foundation grant, 

an online publication of the Pulverer Collection of Japanese books was launched. In 

addition, in the past several years, the F|S has collaborated with Ritsumeikan University to 

digitize more than 100,000 images of Japanese books of art.

F|S will achieve the Institution’s strategic goal of Enhanced Interdisciplinary 

Research by coordinating its own collections more vigorously with researchers in 

universities in the Washington, DC area, as well as internationally, and ensuring that F|S 

has appropriate distribution, in print and online, of scholarly publications and data 

resources. 

The Museum’s department of public and scholarly engagement, which is responsible 

for the public-facing activities of the F|S in the areas of public programs, education, visitor 

experience and research, is continuing the new accessibility initiatives developed for the 

Museums’ reopening, including large-print labels for major exhibitions, a tactile map for 

vision-impaired visitors, and piloting programs for disabled audiences. In the area of K–12 

education, the number of students visiting the Museums has increased dramatically. A 

major focus for FY 2019 is the development of new online resources for K–12 educators, 

based on the Museums’ world-renowned collections, with the goal of making the F|S 

website the premier online K–12 resource for information on the arts of Asia. The Museums

continue to offer an exciting and robust series of programs to the public, and with the move 
75

of the F|S scholarly journal Ars Orientalis to an open-access model, the overwhelming 

majority of the Museums’ publications are now freely available to the public on the F|S

website.

The F|S will achieve the strategic goal of Preserving Our Natural and Cultural 

Heritage by continuing to devote resources to its internationally renowned conservation 

department and laboratory. The department is led by a director who is one of the most 

respected figures in the field. In FY 2019, conservators, curators, and scholarly researchers 

will continue to study and publish new research on the collections, largely focused on 

ancient Chinese art. Building on the success of the FY 2018 exhibition entitled Secrets of 

the Lacquer Buddha, research on Asian lacquers will continue to explore and educate the 

public on ways science can contribute to the understanding of art. The conservation 

department is also heavily involved in several international coalitions to develop publicfacing scholarly textile and bronze-casting databases. Additionally, with support from the 

David Berg Foundation, the F|S collections department continues its research into Nazi-era 

provenance issues, further strengthening international ties developed in previous years. 

The Museums will also complete work to record all of their exhibition history for eventual 

public access. As Museum collections continue to grow, collections managers, curators, 

and conservators will collaborate to ensure that objects are properly researched, stored, 

preserved, and presented to our visitors, both onsite and online. Finally, the F|S will 

cooperate with broader Smithsonian efforts coordinated with the Departments of State and 

Defense, and other agencies and organizations, to save cultural heritage damaged by ISIS 

and other combatants in Iraq, Syria, and other parts of the Middle East.

To meet the strategic goal of Enabling a Cost-Effective and Responsive 

Administration, the F|S will continue to improve its administrative efficiencies and reporting 

mechanisms, ensuring that its workforce is efficient and skilled, and to adopt best practices 

for safeguarding Smithsonian resources. The F|S continues to dedicate training funds to 

leadership and supervisory training to equip managers and supervisors with the 

information, skills, and tools needed to make effective decisions. The F|S strategic plan 

aligns with the Smithsonian’s overall Strategic Plan in terms of both timing and goals. The 

F|S continues to closely track progress against its strategic plan through the use of a 

management tracking system that enhances accountability by linking the strategic plans 

and goals of the Museums directly to departmental activities and outputs.

NONAPPROPRIATED RESOURCES — General trust and donor/sponsor-designated 

funds are generated from memberships, revenue sharing from Museum shop sales and the 

Smithsonian Channel; participation fees from traveling exhibition venues; special events; 

unrestricted and restricted gifts and grants; and endowment income. The Museums are 

highly dependent on nonappropriated sources of income to provide the quality of 

exhibitions, programs, and publications expected by visitors and scholars, both online and 

on site.
76

CENTER FOR FOLKLIFE AND CULTURAL HERITAGE

APPLICATION OF OPERATING RESOURCES

FEDERAL 

APPROPRIATIONS

GENERAL 

TRUST

DONOR/SPONSOR

DESIGNATED

GOV’T GRANTS

& CONTRACTS

FTE $000 FTE $000 FTE $000 FTE $000

FY 2017 

ENACTED 17 3,039 10 1,668 6 1,712 1 501

FY 2018

ESTIMATE 17 3,084 9 1,442 6 388 3 2,431

FY 2019

REQUEST 17 3,184 9 1,442 7 1,838 1 338

Federal Resource Summary by Performance Objective and Program Category

Performance Objective/ 

 Program Category FTE $000 FTE $000 FTE $000

Enhanced Interdisciplinary Research 

Research

Engage in vital arts and humanities research 1 175 1 175 0 0

Expand Digital Technologies

Digitization and Web Support

Provide improved digitization and Web support 1 155 1 155 0 0

Understand and Impact 21st Century Audiences

Exhibitions

Offer compelling, first-class exhibitions 8 1,324 8 1,424 0 100

Education

Engage and inspire diverse audiences 1 200 1 200 0 0

Preserve Our Natural and Cultural Heritage

Collections

Improve the stewardship of the national collections 4 455 4 455 0 0

Facilities and Safety

Improve Smithsonian facilities operations and provide 

a safe and healthy environment 0 395 0 395 0 0

Security

Provide world-class protection for Smithsonian 

facilities, collections, staff, visitors and volunteers 0 100 0 100 0 0

Enable Cost-Effective and Responsive 

Administration

Management Operations

Enable efficient and responsive administrative 

infrastructure 2 280 2 280 0 0

Total 17 3,084 17 3,184 0 100

FY 2018 FY 2019 Change
77

BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT

The Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage (CFCH) is a research, collections, 

education, publications, and public programming unit of the Smithsonian Institution 

with the mission to “promote greater understanding and sustainability of cultural

heritage across the United States and around the world.” It is the largest of a 

triumvirate of federal offices (with the Library of Congress’ American Folklife Center 

and National Endowment for the Arts,’ or NEA’s, Folk and Traditional Arts program) 

that supports traditional arts and culture in the United States and abroad. For more 

than five decades, the CFCH has accomplished this mission through research, 

documentation, preservation, presentation, education, social enterprise, and 

publication. It has collaborated with thousands of organizations, foundations, and 

governments in the United States and worldwide. The Smithsonian Folklife Festival 

and Smithsonian Folkways Recordings are its most visible products, reaching more 

than 250 million people each year and earning major recognition, including one of the 

first Best Practice Citizen Diplomacy awards from the U.S. Center for Citizen 

Diplomacy, 30 Grammy Award nominations, seven Grammys, one Latin Grammy, 

and 26 Independent Music Awards. 

The CFCH, with its highly qualified staff, nearly one-third of whom hold 

doctoral degrees, and first-rate production capabilities for public events, also 

produces multi-media website features and publications, exhibitions, documentary 

films, symposia, print publications, educational materials, and more. Ethnographic 

research and documentation are fundamental to all of its products and anchor its 

active engagement in high-profile international cultural heritage policy forums. Its 

Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections house, preserve, and provide access 

to its world-class collections. Professional training efforts offer opportunities for more 

than 130 interns each year and include hosting advanced study Fellows from 

countries around the world. 

The FY 2019 budget request includes an increase of $100,000 for the annual 

Folklife Festival to comply with rigorous new National Park Service regulations 

governing the use of the National Mall. This increase is further justified in the Fixed 

Costs section of this budget submission.

MEANS AND STRATEGY

Research, production capacity, and entrepreneurial resource leveraging are 

the keys to how the CFCH accomplishes its core mission. Earned revenues cover the 

costs of half of its staff, create its public products, and deliver them to a broad 

national and international public of more than 250 million consumers. Institutional 

collaboration and major public impact nationally and internationally are also key to 

fulfilling its mission. Institutional collaborations (more than 100 partnerships in the 

past seven years), fund raising, and mission-driven business activities leverage the 

Center’s modest federal investment many times over to reach millions of people per 

year.
78

The CFCH achieves this through the Smithsonian Folklife Festival (with 8.14

million visitors on site and online), Smithsonian Folkways Recordings (with more than 

273 million listeners via recordings, radio programs, downloads, and audio streams), 

websites and social media (with 8.12 million visits), the Smithsonian Cultural 

Sustainability Initiative, and other products. The CFCH also periodically applies its 

event production capacity to put on other major, national cultural events consistent 

with its mission, such as the National World War II Reunion, the First Americans 

Festival for the opening of the National Museum of the American Indian, and 

programs for the Olympic Games and presidential inaugurations. In 2018, the CFCH

finalized its second five-year strategic plan, which sets ambitious goals for the future 

and harmonizes its work with the Strategic Plan of the Smithsonian as a whole; this 

realignment can be seen in the reallocation of funds across program categories. As of 

2017, the CFCH had met all the major goals of its first strategic plan, some two years 

ahead of schedule. In 2018 and 2019, the CFCH will collaborate with at least seven 

Smithsonian units, 35 nonprofit organizations, at least two other federal agencies, 

and four foreign countries to create and deliver programmatic content. 

The 2019 Smithsonian Folklife Festival will focus on the social power of music.

Organized in partnership with individuals and organizations around the globe, the 

Festival will explore how communities have used music to create and sustain 

important social connections. Current plans include program highlights on sacred 

music from the American South, protest music, hip-hop, and a case study on musical 

traditions across the African Diaspora with roots in the Republic of Benin. From June 

28 to July 8, 2018, participants will learn from each other by sharing their successes, 

challenges, and opportunities. Festival visitors will interact directly with practitioners 

and consider the role that creativity and cultural heritage play in their own lives.

Since its inception, the Festival has engaged teachers through workshops both 

on and off site. As part of continuing efforts to extend the event’s impact beyond its 

annual 10-day run on the National Mall, in 2019, Festival staff will convene an 

advisory group to help identify goals and strategies for engaging K–6 educators. 

Additional opportunities to expand the Center’s impact and cultural exchanges are 

presented by “off-cycle" public programming. Conversations, performances, and 

screenings with partners throughout Washington, DC and around the country, with 

emphasis on Smithsonian Affiliates, will amplify the missions of the Institution and the 

Center. In order to execute the above activities as the Festival contends with 

increasing production costs, a thoughtful reconsideration of fundraising strategies and 

opportunities to earn revenue will be conducted. The goal is to ensure the long-term 

fiscal health of this venerable cultural resource that has fostered exploration, 

exchange, and engagement for more than 50 years. 

Also in 2018 and 2019, the CFCH will further harness the power and reach of 

the Web to broaden access to Festival content far beyond Washington, DC, through 

programmatic features preceding, during, and following the 10-day Mall event. The 

CFCH will accomplish this by further increasing the interactivity of its websites, 

aggressively aiming to increase visits to all of its websites in 2017.
79

In 2018, Smithsonian Folkways Recordings will continue its African American 

Legacy and Tradiciones/Traditions series of African American and Latino music, 

producing at least six albums of new material. A multi-disc box set on hip-hop 

traditions will be publicized in FY 2018 and released in FY 2019; a major crowdfunding campaign raised more than $360,000 for this effort. Smithsonian Folkways 

Recordings will also release a major box set to highlight the enduring musical 

contributions of Pete Seeger to mark the centennial of his birth, and a box set on the 

social power of music that will leverage the Folklife Festival programming. In addition 

to these landmark releases, Folkways will release an additional 20 recordings in

FY 2019.

Folkways will also continue to extend its reach to millions more listeners, 

distributing almost 4,000 albums (60,000 tracks) of audio to teachers, students, 

scholars, and the general public. Digital distribution will expand further, opening new 

horizons for the creation and delivery of the Center’s educational content via 

downloadable audio streams, “podcast” feeds, and multi-media video features. 

Folkways will also bolster its million-plus circulation of digital content from nonSmithsonian websites such as iTunes U, now available in more than 67 countries. It 

will continue to expand its collaboration with private partners to deliver the entire 

Folkways collection to more than 560 libraries throughout the continent and beyond. 

The Musica del Pueblo virtual exhibition will expand its offerings of American and 

Latin American content by featuring even more video and audio recordings as well as 

text from and about Latino roots musical traditions. This mission-critical content will 

also generate additional revenues through online and retail sales.

A third signature program, the Smithsonian Cultural Sustainability Initiative, 

invigorates the Center’s long-established commitment to community engagement, 

cultural documentation, and support of cultural vitality. Four ongoing five-year 

programs respond to the urgency of the need to save endangered languages and 

cultural expressions and the associated loss of their knowledge. This includes a 

USAID-funded “Integrated Development Program to Preserve Cultural Heritage and 

Improve Sustainable Livelihoods in Ethnic Tibetan Communities in China” and “My 

Armenia,” which is linking cultural heritage preservation with sustainable tourism 

development in innovative ways. The third is a privately funded research initiative for 

“Sustaining Minority Languages in Europe” (SMiLE), which is part of the 

Smithsonian’s larger Recovering Voices Initiative. Finally, in 2018, CFCH initiated a 

collaboration with the Royal Textile Academy of Bhutan, a national center focused on 

weaving and other folklife; this project is also funded through a gift.

Center curators and research staff will continue to publish books, articles, and 

Web features, and make professional presentations at gatherings of specialists. In 

2014, the CHCF set aggressive publication targets, and by the end of FY 2016

Center staff had published 111 research-based products. The CFCH’s cultural 

heritage policy team will continue its vital participation in national and international

UNESCO cultural heritage policy formulation by consulting with the U.S. Department 
80

of State, cooperating with our national and state folklife colleagues, and collaborating 

with other national and international organizations.

The yield from ethnographic research and multi-media primary sources will 

add to the Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections’ strategically important 

holdings of music and cultural traditions from the United States and around the world. 

Both the Folklife Festival and Smithsonian Folkways draw from and contribute to the 

world-class holdings of the Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections. 

Containing 13 record labels, more than a half-century of documentary research, and 

extraordinary records of grassroots cultural traditions from around the globe, it 

provides a sine qua non folklife resource for both researchers and the public alike. In 

recognition of its important holdings, UNESCO inscribed the Moses and Frances 

Asch Collection in its Memory of the World Register in 2015. The Folklife Archives will 

tackle four main challenges in 2019 — accessioning the vast collections associated 

with the acquisition of Arhoolie Records; assessing, cataloguing, preserving, and 

making available endangered, valuable paper and audiovisual holdings; setting 

priorities for handling delicate and critical collections materials; and transferring 

audiovisual collections from their current media to ensure their survival. Central funds

from within the Institution will further support the Rinzler Archives’ digitization and 

dissemination efforts.

Through these activities, the CFCH will take major steps to fulfill the 

Smithsonian Grand Challenges of Understanding the American Experience, Valuing 

World Cultures, and Magnifying the Transformative Power of the Arts and Design. 

The CFCH will contribute to the Smithsonian’s strategic goals of Expanding Digital 

Technologies and Enabling Cost-Effective and Responsive Administration by 

continuing to improve its information technology infrastructure and related project 

budgeting and planning. 

NONAPPROPRIATED RESOURCES — General trust funds support salaries and 

benefits of approximately one-quarter of the CFCH’s personnel, and revenues from 

Folkways Recordings pay nearly half of staff salaries and expenses. Donor/sponsordesignated funds cover costs related to specific projects such as the Smithsonian 

Folklife Festival, some research efforts, and several other educational programs. By 

the end of FY 2017, with support from the Smithsonian National Campaign, the 

CFCH raised more than $9 million, more than 200 percent of its goal, to support the

Center’s mission.
81

COOPER HEWITT, SMITHSONIAN DESIGN MUSEUM

APPLICATION OF OPERATING RESOURCES

FEDERAL 

APPROPRIATIONS

GENERAL 

TRUST

DONOR/SPONSOR

DESIGNATED

GOV’T GRANTS

& CONTRACTS

FTE $000 FTE $000 FTE $000 FTE $000

FY 2017

ENACTED 36 5,005 25 4,197 25 5,451 0 127

FY 2018

ESTIMATE 36 5,061 30 4,250 22 5,900 1 125

FY 2019

REQUEST 36 5,086 30 4,375 22 6,575 1 125

Federal Resource Summary by Performance Objective and Program Category

Performance Objective/ 

 Program Category FTE $000 FTE $000 FTE $000

Enhanced Interdisciplinary Research 

Research

Engage in vital arts and humanities research 4 350 4 350 0 0

Expand Digital Technologies

Digitization and Web Support

Provide improved digitization and Web support 1 105 1 105 0 0

Understand and Impact 21st Century Audiences

Public Programs

Provide relevant reference services and disseminate 

information to the public 1 125 1 125 0 0

Exhibitions

Offer compelling, first-class exhibitions 4 390 4 390 0 0

Education

Engage and inspire diverse audiences 3 260 3 260 0 0

Preserve Our Natural and Cultural Heritage

Collections

Improve the stewardship of the national collections 7 2,071 7 2,096 0 25

Facilities and Safety

Improve Smithsonian facilities operations and provide 

a safe and healthy environment 11 1,115 11 1,115 0 0

Enable Cost-Effective and Responsive 

Administration

Management Operations

Enable efficient and responsive administrative 

infrastructure 4 475 4 475 0 0

Information Technology

Improve the Institution's information technology 

systems and infrastructure 1 170 1 170 0 0

Total 36 5,061 36 5,086 0 25

FY 2018 FY 2019 Change
82

BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT

Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum (CHSDM), in New York City, 

is one of two Smithsonian museums located outside of Washington, DC. CHSDM 

is the only museum in the nation dedicated exclusively to historic and 

contemporary design. Its collection is international in scope and encompasses 

212,000 objects representing 30 centuries of design, from China’s Han Dynasty 

(200 B.C.) to the present. The Museum presents compelling perspectives on the 

impact of design on daily life through educational programs, exhibitions, and 

publications. After a major renovation, the Museum reopened in 2014, changing 

the way the Museum inspires, educates, and empowers people through design. 

As the design authority of the United States, CHSDM’s programs and 

exhibitions demonstrate how design shapes culture and history — past, present, 

and future. To achieve the Institution’s strategic goal of Impacting 21st Century 

Audiences, the Museum will continue its dynamic exhibition programming and 

active roster of educational and public programs, as well as expand the number 

of programs offered in venues outside the New York metropolitan area in 2019. 

Together, these programs will help CHSDM engage larger, more diverse 

audiences, and fulfill its mission to serve as a catalyst for design education

throughout the nation and internationally. 

The Museum devotes resources to ensure the advancement of knowledge 

in the humanities by fostering a greater understanding of the role of design in 

everyday life and its impact on shaping the built environment of the past, present,

and future; and to encourage the “by-products” of design thinking — such as 

creative problem solving and teamwork — in other disciplines and areas of life, 

through interactive, engaging, in-person and online experiences.

The FY 2019 budget request includes an increase of $25,000 for rent 

escalation, which is included in the Fixed Costs section of this budget submission.

MEANS AND STRATEGY

In FY 2019, Cooper Hewitt will continue to transform the Museum visit 

from passive to participatory with the most innovative, educational, immersive 

and interactive exhibitions for the public, focusing on the design process. The 

Museum will present Nature — Design Triennial, as well as several rotations in 

the galleries that display the Museum’s permanent collection. Nature will feature 

approximately 80 innovative projects, from 2016 and later, of architecture, 

urbanism, product design, landscape design, fashion, visual communication, and 

materials research which seek to enhance and reimagine our uses of the natural 

world. Areas of innovation include renewable energy, scenario planning, 

synthetic biology, biomedical research, data visualization, urban agriculture and 

additive manufacturing. An interactive pen will continue to enhance the visitors’

experience by letting them “collect” and “save” objects from around the galleries.
83

CHSDM resources will continue to support our strategic goal to Enhance 

Disciplinary Research, ensuring the advancement of knowledge in the 

humanities through exhibition-related and collections-oriented scholarly research 

to create the most innovative and educational exhibitions for the public.

To achieve the goal of Preserving Our Natural and Cultural Heritage, the 

Museum continues to acquire objects for its internationally renowned permanent 

collection. With the digitization of the collection completed, the Museum continues 

to expand its online programs, such as the Object of the Day blog and channels 

for all exhibitions. The Museum will continue its more than 30-year partnership 

with the New School/Parsons with an on-site graduate program focused on the 

history of design and curatorial studies, which will give students and scholars 

access to objects in CHSDM’s collections.

CHSDM will inspire, educate and empower audiences through design by 

offering educational programs and content in a variety of formats. The goal 

across all of the programming is to deliver content relevant to the program 

participant’s level of understanding of design and design thinking. The Museum

will engage inter-generational audiences, through beginning, intermediate and 

advanced programs in design. All programs will focus on using objects in the 

collection as points of inspiration and reference; with the broad goals of

developing creative problem-solving and critical thinking to advance connection 

building and empathy as skills that can be applied in any field. The Museum will 

continue its traditional offerings such as design field trips, family programs, 

docent-led tours, and public programs. The Museum is also committed to making 

its programs and content nationally accessible. In addition, the Museum plans to 

make its educational opportunities available to a much broader audience through 

online platforms such as the SI Learning Lab, Educators’ Resource Center, and 

EdX course.

CHSDM will also continue to offer nationally recognized design thinkingfocused professional development workshops for K–12 educators from across 

the country, leveraging its world-renowned design collection. 

To further the Smithsonian’s goal of Enabling Cost-Effective and 

Responsive Administration, CHSDM will enhance its reputation, and that of the 

Smithsonian, by continuing to secure significant media coverage across national 

and international print and digital platforms such as The New York Times, The 

Washington Post, and The Wall Street Journal, as well as general interest 

publications and those relating to all fields of design, and increase the Museum’s 

social media presence. Cooper Hewitt will maintain and cultivate substantive 

relationships with the public, its existing membership community, state and local 

governments, children, educators, business leaders, and designers.
84

NONAPPROPRIATED RESOURCES — Nonappropriated resources support 

70 percent of the Museum’s operating budget. General trust funds are generated 

from memberships, Museum shop sales, admissions, special events, and 

unrestricted contributions. General trust funds support salaries and benefits of 

administrative personnel, development and business activities, and other 

program-related costs. The Museum also raises funds from private sources to 

support research, exhibitions, public programs, and administrative functions. This 

includes securing contributions for new exhibitions, educational initiatives, and 

public outreach. Donor/sponsor-designated funds are critical to support 

exhibitions and educational initiatives. In addition, significant endowment gifts 

support research, exhibitions, public programs, and administrative functions.
85

HIRSHHORN MUSEUM AND SCULPTURE GARDEN

APPLICATION OF OPERATING RESOURCES

FEDERAL 

APPROPRIATIONS

GENERAL 

TRUST

DONOR/SPONSOR

DESIGNATED

GOV’T GRANTS

& CONTRACTS

FTE $000 FTE $000 FTE $000 FTE $000

FY 2017

ENACTED 37 4,627 5 2,409 24 7,933 0 0

FY 2018

ESTIMATE 37 4,534 5 2,666 24 6,250 0 0

FY 2019

REQUEST 37 4,544 5 2,666 24 6,250 0 0

Federal Resource Summary by Performance Objective and Program Category

BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT

The Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden is a leading voice for 

contemporary art and culture, providing a national platform for the art and artists of 

our time. The Museum seeks to share the transformative power of modern and 

Performance Objective/ 

 Program Category FTE $000 FTE $000 FTE $000

Enhanced Interdisciplinary Research 

Research

Engage in vital arts and humanities research 5 521 5 521 0 0

Expand Digital Technologies

Digitization and Web Support

Provide improved digitization and Web support 2 140 2 140 0 0

Understand and Impact 21st Century Audiences

Public Programs

Provide relevant reference services and disseminate 

information to the public 2 405 2 405 0 0

Exhibitions

Offer compelling, first-class exhibitions 11 1,278 11 1,278 0 0

Education

Engage and inspire diverse audiences 2 188 2 188 0 0

Preserve Our Natural and Cultural Heritage

Collections

Improve the stewardship of the national collections 8 1,132 8 1,142 0 10

Enable Cost-Effective and Responsive 

Administration

Management Operations

Enable efficient and responsive administrative 

infrastructure 7 870 7 870 0 0

Total 37 4,534 37 4,544 0 10

FY 2018 FY 2019 Change
86

contemporary art with audiences at all levels of awareness and understanding by 

creating meaningful, personal experiences in which art, artists, audiences, and ideas 

converge. The Hirshhorn enhances public understanding and appreciation of 

contemporary art through acquisition, exhibitions, education and public programs, 

conservation, and research.

The Museum allocates resources to further the Institution’s goals so that 

progress toward one goal advances work toward the others. For instance, through 

its efforts to pursue the strategic goal of Enhanced Interdisciplinary Research, the 

Hirshhorn has developed a deep expertise in conserving time-based media works 

that are at the forefront of contemporary art. This knowledge enables the Museum to 

sustain these works under the strategic goal to Preserve Our Natural and Cultural 

Heritage, and to display these works in compelling exhibitions under the goal to 

Understand and Impact 21st Century Audiences.

The Hirshhorn dedicates a significant portion of its resources to advance the 

Institution’s strategic goal to Understand and Impact 21st Century Audiences, 

primarily through its presentation of insightful, deeply researched exhibitions of 

modern and contemporary artists, many of them with novel thematic interpretations 

that win critical and public acclaim. The Hirshhorn supplements these exhibitions with 

an active roster of public programs, scholarly publications, and carefully selected 

images in original catalogues, and through continued progress in digitizing images of 

every work in the collection and highlighting them on the Museum’s website. 

The Museum’s extensive collection is central to its purpose, and, pursuant to 

the Institution’s goal to Preserve Our Natural and Cultural Heritage, the Hirshhorn

dedicates another substantial portion of its resources to the preservation of its 

thousands of artworks. These artworks have been highlighted in several collection 

shows, such as What Absence Is Made Of, which opened in October 2017. The 

strength of this collection and the need to preserve it will be highlighted significantly 

as the Museum moves into its fifth decade, with plans for additional showcases of its 

unique collection. Moreover, the Hirshhorn continues to make these artworks 

available to museums around the country with a very active loan program, and lends 

staff expertise on conservation matters to arts organizations worldwide.

The Museum contributes to the strategic goal to Understand and Impact 21st

Century Audiences with ARTLAB+ and numerous educational programs, including a 

gallery guide program that serves the Museum’s diverse audience and encourages 

viewers to learn about various fields of contemporary culture. The educational 

programs also make strong efforts to bring senior, non-museum education 

professionals into the Museum to expand on the Hirshhorn’s didactic approaches.

ARTLAB+ is a digital media studio for local teenagers, giving them access to 

professional technology and art, and connecting them to artist mentors who build a 

community of young creators. ARTLAB+ has been a signature achievement of the 

Museum and has received critical acclaim from the broader educational community, 

as well as support from the Pearson Foundation and the Smithsonian Youth Access 
87

Grant program. The Museum also pursues the goal to Enable Cost-Effective and 

Responsive Administration by constantly improving its financial and administrative 

management tools and procedures. 

The FY 2019 budget request includes an increase of $10,000 for rent 

escalation, which is included in the Fixed Costs section of this budget submission.

MEANS AND STRATEGY

In FY 2019, Enhanced Interdisciplinary Research continues as the Museum 

further develops a major public forum on the intersections of art, design, technology,

and education, featuring international subject-matter experts and an interactive 

online component, effectively extending participation to audiences far beyond the 

walls of the Museum. Also, the Hirshhorn will continue to expand its series of online 

and on-site programs dealing with the role of technology and new media in 

contemporary art, museum culture, and digital education.

Thanks to the success of our FY 2017 exhibitions, the Hirshhorn saw record 

visitation and coverage by local and national media outlets. During the successful 

runs of Ragnar Kjartansson and Yayoi Kusama: Infinity Mirrors, the Museum 

experienced a 63 percent increase in visitation above the same period in the prior 

fiscal year. Yayoi Kusama: Infinity Mirrors was the Hirshhorn’s first exhibition to 

require timed-entry tickets. In response to demand that was even more enthusiastic 

than anticipated, the Museum enabled patrons to visit the exhibition through 

extended hours and other outreach efforts. The Hirshhorn also built visitor services 

support systems from the ground up by increasing the use of volunteers, gallery 

guides and part-time visitor attendants.

FY 2019 exhibitions will remain at the forefront of the Hirshhorn mission to 

expand access to the arts and, specifically, to increase public understanding of, and 

engagement with, the international scope of modern and contemporary art. FY 2019 

exhibitions will include:

 Mark Bradford’s site-specific commission, installed along the full 400-foot 

circumference of the inner wall, which will continue on view until November 

2018. This commission, inspired by artist Paul Philippoteaux’s 19th-century 

cyclorama in Gettysburg National Military Park, Pennsylvania, weaves past 

and present, illusion and abstraction, inviting visitors to reconsider how 

narratives about American history are shaped and contested.

 What Absence Is Made Of, the major thematic reinstallation of masterworks 

from the Hirshhorn’s collection, and Sean Scully: Landlines, a loan show of a 

recent, comprehensive body of work by the renowned Irish-American artist.

 Pulse, a dramatic, new installation of work by Mexican-Canadian artist Rafael 

Lozano-Hemmer, which will open in October 2018 in the Museum’s second-
88

level galleries. Lozano-Hemmer’s room-sized light-works allow visitors to 

interact with the works, incorporating visitors’ fingerprints and pulse rates into 

compelling walk-through light displays.

 A new exhibition of important works by German-born, American-based painter 

Charline Von Heyl, which will open in early FY 2019 on the Hirshhorn’s Lower 

Level. The exhibition is organized in partnership with the Deichtorhallen 

Museum in Hamburg, where it premieres in the summer of 2018 before 

traveling to Washington, DC. The exhibition will be accompanied by a fullyillustrated catalogue containing an interview with the artist conducted by 

senior curator Evelyn Hankins. 

The major exhibitions presented in FY 2019 will be complemented by smaller 

exhibitions. Those currently under consideration include a show on interactive 

environments created by Thai artist Rirkrit Tiravanija and a mid-career survey of 

multi-media works by Italian artist Enrico David, organized in collaboration with the 

Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago. The Hirshhorn’s blockbuster exhibition 

Yayoi Kusama: Infinity Mirrors will complete its historic six-venue national tour in FY 

2019 at the High Museum in Atlanta. All exhibitions displayed at and organized by 

the Hirshhorn are augmented with public tours led by gallery guides and invited 

specialists, lectures and other public programs. Many exhibitions will be 

accompanied by brochures and online educational resources.

The Hirshhorn continues to further the strategic goal to Expand Digital 

Technologies by using the Museum’s website to engage with local and remote 

audiences regarding exhibition offerings, upcoming public programs, and information 

about collections and artists. Planned content for the website includes audio and 

video from public programs, interviews with artists and curators, and searchable 

access to the Museum’s collections. The Hirshhorn will also refine its communication 

procedures to diffuse deep knowledge of contemporary art and culture, whether 

presented in the Museum or elsewhere, and not merely describe events in 

superficial terms. The Museum will also continue to publish original catalogues to 

complement the viewing of its exhibitions as well as other books that examine 

modern art, design, and cultural shifts of the early 21st century. In addition, based on 

the popularity of a pilot program rolled out in FY 2017, the Hirshhorn is developing a 

mobile video guide to further increase interaction between visitors and the digital 

resources of the Museum. 

The Hirshhorn will support the goal to Understand and Impact 21st Century 

Audiences with a range of programs geared toward people with varying levels of art 

experience and cultural interests, and by expanding or revising the concept of a 

museum as a center of learning. As in previous years, one or more working artists 

will lead youth and teacher workshops for K–12 teachers and students. Artists will 

also present their ideas and inspirations to people of all ages in the “Meet the Artist” 

programs and “In Conversation” interviews and panel discussions. The Museum will 
89

draw upon a wide pool of artists, researchers, and experts from unexpected fields to 

provide interpretive tours in the weekly Friday Gallery Talks.

In concert with educational foundation sponsors, the Hirshhorn will expand 

the ARTLAB+ program throughout the Museum to create an environment where 

teenagers can attend workshops to learn about and explore digital media. The 

Museum will also sustain its “Interpretive Guides” program, which brings advanced 

art students into the galleries to aid visitors’ critical experience with art on display, 

and which develops the students’ own education objectives and teaching skills. In 

FY 2019, we will continue to pilot programs to capture additional audiences such as: 

pre-school-aged children, through STORYTIME, which explores contemporary art 

through stories and movement; family-focused activities, through Maker Mornings;

and youth audiences with cognitive and intellectual disabilities, through the 

Expanding Pathways to Participation program.

In FY 2019, the Museum’s main action to achieve the strategic goal to 

Preserve Our Natural and Cultural Heritage will continue to involve planning and 

fundraising efforts to reconfigure the office and storage space on the fourth floor, 

and to move the Conservation Lab from the basement to the fourth floor, where 

natural light will greatly enhance the Lab’s activities. In addition, the Hirshhorn will 

further develop itself as a center for research and preservation of time-based media 

(e.g., film, digital video, and audio) artworks, by integrating the work of conservation 

and exhibits to provide leading-edge presentation and responsible stewardship of 

the analog and digital time-based media artworks in the Museum’s collection.

The Museum will also continue its efforts to photograph and catalogue the 

entire permanent collection, thereby bringing more of the collection to the public via 

extensive search features on the Hirshhorn public website.

Under the strategic goal to Enable Cost-Effective and Responsive 

Administration, the Museum will continue to pursue capital projects that merge the 

functional with the artistic by including artists and designers in discussions with central 

Smithsonian engineering staff. The Hirshhorn will continue to refine its public spaces 

for visitors who apply mobile technology in every facet of life, and expect access to 

Web-based knowledge and social media platforms to enliven their interpretive 

experience as they explore Museum galleries. The Hirshhorn administration will 

continue to improve long-range program planning reviews to improve resource 

allocation, funds management, and more effective cost sharing with outside 

organizations that support major exhibitions and programs. By identifying and working 

with partners in the private sector, Hirshhorn senior leaders leverage the Museum’s 

federal appropriations to the maximum extent possible.

NONAPPROPRIATED RESOURCES — General trust funds support salaries and 

benefits of administrative and development personnel, as well as some programs 

and public relations staff, development activities, and exhibition and program-related 

costs. Donor/sponsor-designated funds support development, exhibitions, public 

programs, communications, and marketing.
90

NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AFRICAN ART

APPLICATION OF OPERATING RESOURCES

FEDERAL 

APPROPRIATIONS

GENERAL 

TRUST

DONOR/SPONSOR 

DESIGNATED

GOV’T GRANTS

& CONTRACTS

FTE $000 FTE $000 FTE $000 FTE $000

FY 2017 

ENACTED 28 4,576 3 911 5 1,239 0 0

FY 2018 

ESTIMATE 28 4,654 6 1,000 8 1,425 0 0

FY 2019

REQUEST 28 4,654 6 1,000 8 1,568 0 0

Federal Resource Summary by Performance Objective and Program Category

Performance Objective/ 

 Program Category FTE $000 FTE $000 FTE $000

Enhanced Interdisciplinary Research 

Research

Engage in vital arts and humanities research 3 578 3 578 0 0

Expand Digital Technologies

Digitization and Web Support

Provide improved digitization and Web support 1 133 1 133 0 0

Understand and Impact 21st Century Audiences

Public Programs

Provide relevant reference services and disseminate 

information to the public 3 544 3 544 0 0

Exhibitions

Offer compelling, first-class exhibitions 8 1,532 8 1,532 0 0

Education

Engage and inspire diverse audiences 4 542 4 542 0 0

Preserve Our Natural and Cultural Heritage

Collections

Improve the stewardship of the national collections 5 678 5 678 0 0

Enable Cost-Effective and Responsive 

Administration

Management Operations

Enable efficient and responsive administrative 

infrastructure 3 432 3 432 0 0

Information Technology

Improve the Institution's information technology 

systems and infrastructure 1 215 1 215 0 0

Total 28 4,654 28 4,654 0 0 

FY 2018 FY 2019 Change
91

BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT

Africa — the cradle of humanity — is part of everyone’s heritage. The 

mission of the National Museum of African Art (NMAfA) is to inspire 

conversations about the beauty, power, and diversity of Africa’s arts and cultures 

worldwide. The Museum’s vision is to be the world’s leading center of scholarly 

and artistic excellence on the arts of Africa. The Museum accomplishes its 

mission and vision through effective use of its unparalleled collections, 

exhibitions, programs, publications, and educational initiatives, which are widely 

accessible and strengthened through collaborations with African, diasporic, and 

global arts communities. The Museum collects and exhibits ancient to 

contemporary works of art from the entire continent of Africa and follows best 

practices, including rigorous provenance research, in carrying out this work. The 

NMAfA’s activities and programming support the Grand Challenges of the 

Smithsonian’s Strategic Plan, particularly in the areas of Valuing World Cultures, 

Understanding the American Experience, and Magnifying the Transformative 

Power of Arts and Design.

A key component of Museum operations is the creation of temporary and 

semi-permanent exhibitions of artworks from its own collection and from other 

museum and private collections. 

Substantial selections from the Museum’s large and important permanent 

collection of traditional and contemporary African art will remain on view in 

FY 2019, with periodic rotations, in the African Mosaic gallery on sublevel 1. In 

the Museum’s fountain area gallery space on sublevel 3, the NMAfA will continue 

to present a small exhibition entitled Currents: Water in African Art, which opened 

in FY 2016 and features aquatic-themed artworks from the permanent collection.

The small Healing Arts exhibition, which opened in FY 2017 in the Museum’s

pavilion, will remain on view; it brings together selected traditional and 

contemporary artworks which explore knowledge, creativity, and the arts as they 

broadly intersect the theme of healing. At the beginning of FY 2018, the Museum 

opened the exhibition entitled Visionary: Viewpoints on Africa’s Arts. The 

permanent exhibition, with changing elements, features more than 300 works 

from the permanent collection of traditional and contemporary African arts, and 

highlights the Museum’s Walt Disney-Tishman African Art Collection. The 

Visionary exhibition features cross-cutting themes and includes selected dense 

display areas that showcase particular strengths in the Museum’s collection. In 

addition, the Museum has revised its popular Looking @ Art gallery guide to 

complement NMAfA’s permanent collection exhibitions and to assist visitors in 

understanding the forms, materials, messages, and global relevance of Africa’s 

traditional and contemporary arts.

The NMAfA exhibition Chief S.O. Alonge: Photographer to the Royal Court 

of Benin, Nigeria will remain open at the National Museum in Benin City, Nigeria. 

The exhibition in Nigeria, which includes copies of Alonge photographs in the 
92

Museum’s photographic archives, exhibition text panels, and other materials, will 

remain on view indefinitely in Nigeria and involve collaboration with Nigeria’s 

National Commission of Museums and Monuments, training of Nigerian museum 

colleagues, and outreach to communities in Benin City. The exhibition includes a 

scholarly publication with essays by NMAfA staff and invited scholars.

MEANS AND STRATEGY

The NMAfA will achieve the strategic goal to Understand and Impact 21st 

Century Audiences by directing resources to activities that will result in 

consistently high-quality programs and larger, more diverse audiences. The 

Museum will provide greater Web and digital access to NMAfA collections 

through enhanced navigation features via eMuseum and multi-media 

applications, and by completing additional image and object catalogue records 

for the Museum’s public access database. Special 3D scans of ivory works of art, 

completed in FY 2018, will continue to provide information on the cultural uses of 

ivory in Africa’s historical arts, and will continue to educate audiences within the 

Museum and online on the importance of conserving elephant populations on the 

African continent. The Museum’s website will continue to add content such as 

podcasts, blogs, Facebook, Twitter, and other social media options, as well as 

online educational resources and activities for teachers and younger audiences.

The NMAfA will also implement an expanded social media strategy in FY 2019 to 

better engage audiences worldwide in the arts of Africa.

The Museum will continue to seek visitor feedback on exhibitions and 

programs, and implement performance assessments of its public programs. The 

NMAfA will also continue to engage with our diverse audiences through 

programming and, in particular, through outreach with teachers of primary, 

secondary, and college students, as well as with representatives from African 

immigrant and other local community groups, and to seek input from these 

groups for exhibitions, programs, and activities. These efforts will result in more 

effective planning and development of programs and services, which will enable 

the Museum to reach its target groups and expand its audience base. In addition, 

marketing strategies will continue to be reviewed and tested to determine the 

most effective ways to communicate with diverse audiences. Funding permitting, 

the Museum anticipates forging partnerships with museum colleagues and artists 

on the African continent.

Ongoing educational programs will include musical and dance 

performances, programs geared to younger visitors and family groups, such as 

reading, storytelling, and art-making activities, exhibition-related teacher/student 

workshops and teleconferences, and an annual Community Day. To attract 

mixed-generation and adult audiences, the NMAfA will present lectures with 

scholars and artists, gallery tours, community discussions, and film series linked 

to the ideas and themes explored in the Museum’s exhibitions and reflecting 

current trends in African-oriented and diasporan scholarship. In addition, the 
93

Museum will continue its successful evening events which feature special 

lectures and opportunities for enthusiasts of Africa and Africa’s arts to gather. 

The Museum’s leadership also anticipates continuing the popular Director’s 

Series, featuring the NMAfA’s director speaking with leading figures associated 

with Africa and its diasporas.

The Museum will continue to respond to the public regarding the quality 

and care of collections of African art and to help people learn about African art 

forms, styles, materials, and contexts of use as part of museum connoisseurship 

and object quality assessments. To educate casual and serious collectors of 

African art, the Museum’s website will include more useful tips on object 

identification, assessment, and care. Furthermore, the Museum’s successful 

implementation of its conservation training Fellowship program, funded by a 

multi-year Mellon Foundation grant, will contribute to strengthening diversity and 

inclusion in the field of museum conservation.

To achieve the strategic goal of Expanding Digital Technologies, the 

Museum will continue digitizing and cataloguing its art and photographic 

collections, with a focus on recent acquisitions, the Museum’s collection of 

contemporary art, selected works from the Walt Disney-Tishman African Art 

Collection, and the Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives. Digital access to these 

materials will facilitate research and study by students, teachers, scholars, 

conservators, and the public. The Museum will continue to integrate contextual 

photographs from the Eliot Elisofon Archives with related objects in the collection.

In FY 2019, the Museum will open three new exhibitions. Good as Gold, a 

temporary exhibition that will open in October 2018, features works of 

Senegalese jewelry donated to NMAfA in 2012 by art historian Marian Johnson. 

The exhibition will also include the loan of selected objects and archival images 

borrowed from museums in the United States and Senegal. A second exhibition, 

I Am: Women’s Voices in the Contemporary, will open in late spring or summer 

2019 in the NMAfA’s contemporary galleries. It will feature selected works from

the NMAfA’s collection made by important modernist and contemporary women 

artists from Africa. Potential rotations may extend the life of this exhibition into

FY 2020. The Museum will also host an important traveling exhibition, Striking 

Iron, a temporary exhibition developed by the Fowler Museum at the University of 

California-Los Angeles. It features a broad range of iron works of art made over 

several centuries by African blacksmiths. Striking Iron will open in February 2019 

in the International Gallery on sublevel 3, a space that is jointly shared by the 

NMAfA and the Freer and Sackler Galleries. It will remain on view through the 

beginning of FY 2020. 

In FY 2019, the Museum will also devote staff resources to planning 

exhibitions in FY 2020 and beyond, including the Caravans of Gold exhibition, 

developed by the Block Museum of Art at Northwestern University. It is slated to 

open in the level 3 International Gallery and run from late January through June 
94

2020. Other possible Museum-developed exhibitions and accompanying 

scholarly publications include the Mechanics of Art, Visionary Leadership, African 

Minimalism, and the Creativity of Work. The NMAfA will also seek additional loan 

shows developed by outside institutions. Staff members will enhance displays of 

permanent collection artworks and pay particular attention to audience 

engagement strategies. The Museum’s emphasis on selected works from the 

NMAfA’s permanent collection, displayed in galleries on all four levels of the 

Museum, is cost-effective and designed to attract general audiences, collectors, 

and scholars, as well as local school groups that rely on consistently available 

works of art for their themed tours and curriculum projects. The Museum will 

continue to develop rotating exhibitions from the permanent collection for the 

small Point of View gallery and adjacent galleries on sublevel 1.

To address the strategic goal of Expanding Digital Technologies, the 

NMAfA is focusing resources in several areas: information technology (IT)

operations, staff performance and accountability, strategic audience engagement 

via social media, and effective relations with the media. The Museum’s IT plan 

has integrated information technology functions for administration, collections 

management, exhibitions, and public access. The IT plan will continue to be 

reviewed on an annual basis, with updates made as needed. Museum 

administrators will continue to use the updated and revised strategic plan and 

feedback from visitor evaluations to update the NMAfA’s operational plan and 

ensure high-quality public programs and experiences for all audiences. 

The Museum integrates its strategic goals and operational plans, in concert

with the Secretary’s annual goals, into the performance plans for all NMAfA staff 

members. In addition, personnel and programmatic management responsibilities 

have been incorporated into the performance plans of all department heads to 

provide more effective review of programs, activities, and relevant projects.

Educational brochures and special webpages will increase the educational value 

of NMAfA exhibits. Finally, the Museum will continue to forge strong relationships

with the news media, corporations, foundations, community interest groups, and 

congressional representatives. Museum staff will accomplish this by further 

expanding the NMAfA’s contact base and distributing more information online and 

via social media about Museum activities, events, and programs.

NONAPPROPRIATED RESOURCES — General trust funds support staff 

salaries, benefits, and travel. Funds raised from individual and corporate donors 

will support the NMAfA’s major exhibition efforts, including exhibition-related 

publications, educational programming, and outreach initiatives. Corporate and 

foundation sponsorships also support the planning and development of 

exhibitions, including installation expenses and exhibition-related public 

programming, travel, and curatorial collaborations.
95

ANACOSTIA COMMUNITY MUSEUM

APPLICATION OF OPERATING RESOURCES

FEDERAL 

APPROPRIATIONS

GENERAL 

TRUST

DONOR/SPONSOR 

DESIGNATED

GOV’T GRANTS

& CONTRACTS

FTE $000 FTE $000 FTE $000 FTE $000

FY 2017 

ENACTED 19 2,329 3 515 0 65 0 30

FY 2018 

ESTIMATE 19 2,405 4 581 0 75 0 250

FY 2019

REQUEST 19 2,405 3 490 0 150 0 0

Federal Resource Summary by Performance Objective and Program Category

Performance Objective/ 

 Program Category FTE $000 FTE $000 FTE $000

Enhanced Interdisciplinary Research 

Research

Engage in impactful scientific research and discovery 2 345 2 345 0 0

Engage in vital arts and humanities research 1 152 1 152 0 0

Understand and Impact 21st Century Audiences

Public Programs

Provide relevant reference services and disseminate 

information to the public 3 429 3 429 0 0

Exhibitions

Offer compelling, first-class exhibitions 2 101 2 101 0 0

Education

Engage and inspire diverse audiences 3 399 3 399 0 0

Preserve Our Natural and Cultural Heritage

Collections

Improve the stewardship of the national collections 5 414 5 414 0 0

Facilities and Safety

Improve Smithsonian facilities operations and provide 

a safe and healthy environment 1 69 1 69 0 0

Enable Cost-Effective and Responsive 

Administration

Management Operations

Enable efficient and responsive administrative 

infrastructure 2 496 2 496 0 0

Total 19 2,405 19 2,405 0 0

FY 2018 FY 2019 Change
96

BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT

The Anacostia Community Museum (ACM), the first federally funded, communitybased Museum, was founded on September 15, 1967. As the Museum celebrated its 

50th anniversary in 2017, it embarked on a transitional period. After a series of 

stakeholder interviews, community forums and strategic retreats, a plan for revitalization 

emerged. The three-phase plan consisted of market research, development of a 

business case detailing a new community driven model, revitalized mission and refined 

areas of focus, and the creation and implementation of a new strategic plan. 

With the completion of phases 1 and 2, the ACM used its anniversary as a wellpositioned opportunity to reintroduce itself to the Washington, DC metropolitan area and 

Smithsonian Institution at large. The Museum’s new mission explores social issues that 

impact those living in the metropolitan area through the arts, environment, community 

history and urban studies. By promoting the coming together of diverse people and 

perspectives, the ACM seeks to reaffirm its role as a pillar of the community, champion 

for self-expression and catalyst for social change. 

The Museum is currently in phase 3 of its revitalization, the development of a 

strategic plan. This process will include an in-depth analysis using the strengths, 

weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) approach, internal and external 

stakeholder buy-in, and reimagining of programmatic offerings to support the ACM’s 

new model. 

MEANS AND STRATEGY

The ACM will work with Smithsonian Organization and Audience Research 

(SOAR) to create a strategic plan that supports the Museum’s goals and positions the 

ACM to achieve priorities outlined in the Institution’s new Strategic Plan: engaging and 

understanding 21st century audiences; catalyzing conversations; collaborating with the 

Washington, DC public school system; and employing a digital-first strategy.

ACM research, exhibitions, and collections are shaped by the metropolitan 

community. The Museum explores urban trends through a hyper-local lens, collects 

artifacts and historical documents about civic leadership, engages with community 

activism and everyday life, works toward identifying new sustainable methods for 

environmental conservation, and celebrates all forms of related artistic expression. 

Mutually beneficial partnerships will strategically expand the Museum’s spheres of 

influence, both locally and nationally. The ACM will partner with other Smithsonian 

entities, scholars, community organizations and residents to employ a community-driven 

model. Instead of following the traditional Museum method of selecting and interpreting 

stories for an audience, the ACM will work to ensure that local community voices are 

heard.
97

Enhanced Interdisciplinary Research 

In FY 2019, the ACM will enhance its interdisciplinary research with three 

projects: Urban Waterways; an Urban Waterways website; and a reconfiguration of the 

Community Documentation Initiative (CDI).

Urban Waterways

For the past eight years, the Smithsonian’s ACM has led the Urban Waterways 

Project, a collaborative research and educational initiative established with the support 

of the Grand Challenges Consortia. The project was formed within the larger context of 

debates and discussions surrounding the restoration and development of the Anacostia 

River, and seeks to explore the many ways urban residents engage with and advocate 

for the health of their waterways and communities. The Urban Waterways current 

network (including Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Spartanburg, Biloxi, Gulfport, Los Angeles, 

Honolulu, and London) consists of communities with histories similar to Anacostia and 

other East of River (EOR) communities. These communities, which have traditionally 

been a place of the “Other,” have played an integral role in the economic development 

of their larger metropoles, regions, and nations. 

Urban Waterways Website

The Urban Waterways website aligns with the Museum’s greater Web digitization 

efforts. More than seven years of waterways research will be accessible to millions of 

visitors. The website will focus specifically on the communities in the ACM’s network: 

Washington, DC; Baltimore; Pittsburgh; Los Angeles; Louisville; O’ahu; the Gulf Coast 

(including Turkey Creek/Gulfport, Biloxi, Codan, and Moss Point Africatown); London;

and Spartanburg. Each community will have a page on the site dedicated to the history 

of the waterway and the various communities surrounding it; the Web content will 

include a collection of images, reports, newsletters and audiovisual narratives taken 

over the course of the ACM’s research. 

Community Documentation Initiative

The Museum’s Community Documentation Initiative researches, records and 

examines historical and contemporary issues that impact diverse populations within the 

Washington, DC metropolitan area. The ACM addresses topics such as urban 

development and renewal, understanding the environment, cultural identity, and 

creative expression. This research is the basis for issues addressed in exhibitions, 

programs and publications, and will be made accessible to the general public. The CDI 

will connect the Museum’s research, documentation materials and collections directly to 

constituents through education and public programs, the Smithsonian Institution’s

Collection Search Center, The Museum System (TMS) database, online and gallery 

exhibitions, and Web content. 
98

Understand and Impact 21st Century Audiences

Digitization/Web Support 

The ACM will continue to ensure that digital content, both collections- and 

research-based, is properly formatted and tagged for use across all digital delivery 

platforms. Accordingly, the refresh of the ACM’s website is in line with the Museum’s 

strategic planning period. In its current state, the website is outdated and lacks the 

content and interactive experience expected by 21st century users. As the Museum’s 

digital storefront, the website will create a positive first impression for online visitors 

seeking information about the ACM. The website also serves as the platform for 

collaborative projects with community organizations and individuals. The refresh 

process will happen in multiple phases to ensure all background workings of the website 

integrate seamlessly with ACM social media platforms, internal Smithsonian databases 

and partner sites. The ACM also plans to introduce a new website to support the Urban 

Waterways project. 

Pop-up Programming 

“Pop-up” exhibitions and programs around the Washington, DC metropolitan 

area will give the ACM the opportunity to respond to real-time topics and to test 

technologies that create engaging, immersive experiences. As the ACM moves to align 

operations with its new community-driven, grassroots model and strategic plan, creating 

physical space outside of the Museum’s Anacostia location is very important. Pop-up 

programming lends itself to our goals of increased visibility and accessibility. The quick 

turnaround and short lifespan of these projects will allow the Museum to be flexible and 

relevant while demonstrating an understanding of current community happenings and 

priorities. The ACM will require additional human capital and financial support to 

effectively produce pop-up programming. 

Exhibitions 

A Right to the City — After a half-century of population decline and 

disinvestment, Washington, DC and similar urban centers around the country have 

been witnessing a “return to the city” — with rapidly growing populations, rising rents 

and home prices, but also deepening inequality. A Right to the City explores the history 

of neighborhood change in the nation’s capital, but also its rich history of neighborhood 

organizing and civic engagement that transformed the city in the face of tremendous 

odds. With a focus on a diverse range of neighborhoods across the city, the exhibition 

tells the story of how ordinary Washingtonians have helped shape and reshape their 

neighborhoods in extraordinary ways — through the fight for quality public education, for 

healthy and green communities, for equitable transit and development, and for a 

genuinely democratic approach to city planning.
99

Education 

Urban Gardening Initiative — The ACM’s Urban Gardening Initiative has two 

major components. The first is designed for teachers to easily introduce classroom 

activities and integrate them in the Washington, DC public school curriculum. Garden 

programming will incorporate a variety of classroom subjects, serving as a reminder that 

knowledge and skills do not operate in isolation but have a real-world application. 

Hands-on experience will engage various learning styles and strengthen the sense of 

community among students as they work toward a common goal of stewardship for their 

garden and their larger community. Classroom activities will encourage them to 

question and explore the origins of their food, the cultural practices of their forebears,

and the importance of healthy eating. The second component of this initiative is the 

ACM Community Garden. The Museum has partnered with “Garden Guru” Derek 

Thomas and Dr. Robin Davisson to build an on-site garden for the surrounding 

community to nurture. The ACM will also work with community organizations to build 

and maintain new gardens in an effort to make fresh food available in urban areas 

identified as “food deserts.”

Teen Initiative — In its revitalization process, the ACM has started a new teen 

initiative geared toward encouraging civic engagement, providing access and

educational opportunities, and promoting creativity among young people. The Youth 

Advisory Council will be established in collaboration with local schools and youth 

organizations. Students will work together to create a signature project (such as shortterm exhibition and community archiving) for their peers each semester. They will also 

be responsible for assisting ACM staff with youth outreach, engagement, and program 

development. 

Preserve Our Natural and Cultural Heritage

Collections 

The ACM is committed to improving stewardship and increasing public access to 

its collections. The Museum’s major priority is to continue to digitize collections and 

develop its online portal to make hundreds of high-quality images and records available 

through Smithsonian’s Collection Search Center and TMS database. Because 

collections stewardship is fundamental to the Smithsonian’s mission, there is a vital 

need for resources to accomplish basic collections management activities for 

accountability, preservation, storage, digitization, and accessibility. 

Enable Cost-Effective and Responsive Administration 

Strategic Planning 

The development of a revitalized strategic plan is crucial to the survival of ACM. 

Great attention to detail must be given to properly align Museum operations with the 

new mission, goals and overarching institutional priorities. This process will include an 
100

in-depth SWOT analysis and four strategic planning sessions. The SWOT analysis will

elicit the perceptions of ACM staff and key external stakeholders about the current state 

of the Museum, its future direction, and what social impact they believe the Museum

should accomplish. This analysis will also allow the Museum to assess whether the

perceptions of ACM staff and those of external stakeholders are aligned to enable the 

Museum to achieve its goals. It provides important context for the formulation of goals 

and strategies. The planning sessions will allow the ACM to assess the findings of the 

SWOT analysis. This will allow ACM management to review the current mission 

statement and draft a vision statement detailing where the Museum will be within the 

next three years, and determine the core competencies it will excel in to realize that 

vision. Sessions will also examine the signature characteristics of ACM’s engagement 

with audiences and its internal work environment to establish realistic and measurable 

goals that are directly tied to the Museum’s mission and Smithsonian Strategic Plan. 

NONAPPROPRIATED RESOURCES — The ACM’s financial strength is closely tied to 

its strategic revitalization. In FY 2019, advancement goals will include planning and 

developing strategies for grassroots fund raising to support Museum programs and 

research. Advancement staff will leverage the 50th anniversary year and the Museum’s 

new direction and model to excite current donors while attracting new ones. The ACM 

will continue to direct resources to establish its visibility throughout the Washington, DC 

metropolitan area. The Museum will use findings from the SWOT analysis to build a 

new communications department, which will play a key role in increasing local 

awareness of the Museum and its mission. The ACM will harness this awareness to

better connect it with community partners and local entities for giving and resource 

sharing. 
101

ARCHIVES OF AMERICAN ART

APPLICATION OF OPERATING RESOURCES

FEDERAL 

APPROPRIATIONS

GENERAL 

TRUST

DONOR/SPONSOR

DESIGNATED

GOV’T GRANTS

& CONTRACTS

FTE $000 FTE $000 FTE $000 FTE $000

FY 2017

ENACTED 17 1,909 2 692 15 2,036 0 0

FY 2018

ESTIMATE 17 1,933 3 729 18 2,257 0 16

FY 2019

REQUEST 17 1,933 3 708 19 2,442 0 0

Federal Resource Summary by Performance Objective and Program Category

BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT

Founded in 1954, the Smithsonian’s Archives of American Art (AAA) is the 

world’s pre-eminent and most widely used resource for original papers and other 

primary records documenting the visual arts in the United States. By collecting, 

preserving and making available more than 20 million unique letters, diaries, 

photographs, financial records, sketchbooks, scrapbooks, and the like, AAA 

shares and exemplifies the Smithsonian’s mission for “the increase and diffusion 

of knowledge.” 

Performance Objective/ 

 Program Category FTE $000 FTE $000 FTE $000

Expand Digital Technologies

Digitization and Web Support

Provide improved digitization and Web support 3 343 3 344 0 1

Understand and Impact 21st Century Audiences

Public Programs

Provide relevant reference services and disseminate 

information to the public 1 96 1 97 0 1

Exhibitions

Offer compelling, first-class exhibitions 1 88 1 87 0 -1

Preserve Our Natural and Cultural Heritage

Collections

Improve the stewardship of the national collections 10 1,052 10 1,053 0 1

Enable Cost-Effective and Responsive 

Administration

Management Operations

Enable efficient and responsive administrative 

infrastructure 2 354 2 352 0 -2

Total 17 1,933 17 1,933 0 0

FY 2018 FY 2019 Change
102

To achieve the Institution’s strategic goal of Expanding Digital Technologies, 

AAA continues its ambitious digitization program, begun in 2005, to provide online 

access to a significant portion of its extensive holdings. AAA’s website will continue 

to improve delivery of unprecedented numbers of new digital files, the core of 

which represents AAA’s innovative work to digitize entire archival collections, 

representing hundreds of linear feet of materials, along with descriptive 

information, and provide engaging content, online exhibitions, and robust search 

and reference services. 

In addition, AAA’s Lawrence A. Fleischman Gallery in the Donald W. 

Reynolds Center (DWRC) continues to reach new and diverse audiences, enabling 

the Archives to Understand and Impact 21st Century Audiences, another top 

strategic goal.

The strategic goal of Preserving Our Natural and Cultural Heritage will be 

achieved by continuing to implement preservation actions based upon results 

derived from comprehensive and systematic collection assessment surveys. AAA 

will continue to focus on decreasing the backlog of unprocessed collections and 

audiovisual and born-digital holdings. 

AAA will Enable Cost-Effective and Responsive Administration by regularly

assessing and enhancing staff development and maintaining conscientious 

oversight of internal controls. 

MEANS AND STRATEGY

AAA will achieve the Institution’s goal to Understand and Impact 21st 

Century Audiences by continuing to direct resources to optimize its presence in 

the DWRC and specifically by presenting compelling exhibitions in its Lawrence A. 

Fleischman Gallery. The exhibitions planned for FY 2019 include: The Temple of 

Man Is Within You: Robert Alexander and the California Beats; an exhibition on 

the feminist art moment; and Bloom: Flowers from the Archives of American Art, 

in collaboration with Smithsonian Gardens. 

In addition, through public programs, professional presentations, online 

exhibitions, and loans to other museums and institutions worldwide, AAA will 

continue to widen its audience and provide the public with a greater knowledge of 

the history of visual arts in the United States.

In FY 2019, the Archives will continue to refine the new design of its

website. The website will be enhanced to promote public access and engagement. 

The staff, working with public focus groups, will refine the collections’ search and 

browser interface and social media, incorporating emerging trends and 

technologies as well as responsive design. AAA will continue to encourage public 

visits to its website by adding finding aids for processed collections; tens of 

thousands of images of digitized documents; transcripts and audio excerpts of 
103

interviews conducted for the Archives’ Oral History Program; audio and video 

recordings; and online exhibitions. 

Also, in FY 2019, AAA will continue to develop the Terra Foundation 

Center for Digital Collections with ongoing support from the Terra Foundation for 

American Art, the Walton Family Foundation, and other funding streams in the 

private sector. This effort, in combination with digitization completed for reference 

requests, exhibitions, loans, and special projects, will add an estimated 150,000 

digital image files and continue to bring increased public Web access to AAA 

collections. In addition, AAA will continue developing its internal digitization and 

Collections Information System (CIS) application to ensure proper collections 

documentation and support increasingly complex workflows, including digitization 

on demand and use of the Aeon patron request management software launched 

in FYs 2014 and 2015, as well as to provide proper logging and accessioning of 

materials in born-digital formats. These efforts will enable AAA to track the life 

cycle of all collections and oral histories from pre-acquisition to storage and 

access. AAA will leverage its investment in the digitization of its collections by 

fully participating in the Smithsonian’s Enterprise Digital Asset Network (EDAN)

architecture, the Digital Asset Management System (DAMS), the Smithsonian 

Transcription Center, and other Smithsonian digitization program initiatives. 

In FY 2019, AAA will continue to take a leadership role in developments 

and enhancements of SOVA (Smithsonian Online Virtual Archives), a 

transformative online portal to thousands of archival finding aids and associated 

digital content contributed by archival units across the Smithsonian and 

maintained centrally by the Office of the Chief Information Officer. In support of 

SOVA, the AAA will participate in the implementation of ArchivesSpace — a new

shared software and database collections information and management system 

that will be adopted by all Smithsonian archival units. 

In addition, in FY 2019, the Archives’ goal will be to process at least 10

percent of AAA’s backlog, or about 800 to 900 linear feet of archival collections,

resulting in new, fully searchable finding aids on AAA’s website. Finding aids 

resulting from processing work will provide online access to numerous previously 

hidden collections in the backlog, including audiovisual collections, as well as 

support online digitization of on-demand requests and the online navigation of fully 

digitized collections. Processing workflows will continue to integrate accelerated 

processing and preservation strategies aimed at diminishing the current backlog 

and preventing a new backlog. 

Furthermore, in FY 2019, the Archives will continue focused efforts to 

develop holistic strategies, workflows, and internal policies and guidelines which 

effectively address collecting, preserving, describing, and making available

collections materials created in born-digital formats.
104

AAA will continue to strengthen its collections stewardship through its 

ongoing, comprehensive collections assessment surveys, begun in 2004 for 

manuscript collections, and subsequently expanded to include at-risk audiovisual 

and born-digital holdings. Reports generated from this data provide valuable 

information about AAA’s backlog and holdings, so the Archives’ staff can make 

informed decisions about the best way to prioritize and allocate limited resources. 

AAA will continue to take a leadership role in working with the larger Smithsonian

archival community to initiate and implement Institution-wide comprehensive 

collections assessment strategies and systems, similar to the pan-Institutional

assessment of archival audiovisual materials and born-digital holdings. AAA will 

also continue to initiate and support Institution-wide archival backlog processing 

projects to develop an online shared toolkit of documented methodologies, 

tactics, and efficiencies.

In addition, AAA will continue to support researchers with access to its 

collections and microfilm in its Washington, DC and New York City research 

centers, as well as other U.S. research centers, by providing remote reference 

services through its Web-based “Ask Us” form and interlibrary loan program. 

AAA will Enable Cost-Effective and Responsive Administration by 

continuing to implement the strategic goals of the Smithsonian, and by adopting 

national best practices and standards to safeguard and make the most costeffective use of Smithsonian resources. 

NONAPPROPRIATED RESOURCES — General trust funds support AAA’s 

development office, including salaries and benefits. Donor-designated funds support 

specific programs and projects, including exhibitions, internships, production of oral 

history interviews, collections and media processing, and publication of the Archives of 

American Art Journal. In FY 2019, the Archives will work closely with its advisory 

board to position this publication as the leading scholarly journal in the field of 

American art history. In the past three years, AAA has expanded its board, increased 

the number of outstanding submissions, raised the visibility of the journal, 

strengthened the Archives’ relationship with the University of Chicago Press, and 

established more cost-effective, multi-year contracts for design and printing.

Also in FY 2019, the Archives will continue to develop strategies for sustaining 

its digitization program by building an endowment to support critical staff and

implementing improved rapid-capture technologies and techniques. Funding from the 

Terra Foundation for American Art and the Walton Family Foundation supports AAA’s 

digitization program. AAA will continue to raise money for digitization, oral history

projects, collections management, and general operating expenses.
105

NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AFRICAN AMERICAN 

HISTORY AND CULTURE

APPLICATION OF OPERATING RESOURCES

FEDERAL 

APPROPRIATIONS

GENERAL 

TRUST

DONOR/SPONSOR 

DESIGNATED

GOV’T GRANTS

& CONTRACTS

FTE $000 FTE $000 FTE $000 FTE $000

FY 2017 

ENACTED 165 41,564 1 624 10 9,116 0 0

FY 2018 

ESTIMATE 145 33,079 4 2,683 47 16,044 0 0

FY 2019 

REQUEST 145 33,079 4 1,816 47 16,497 0 0

Federal Resource Summary by Performance Objective and Program Category

Performance Objective/ 

 Program Category FTE $000 FTE $000 FTE $000

Enhanced Interdisciplinary Research 

Research

Engage in vital arts and humanities research 24 5,274 24 4,956 0 -318

Expand Digital Technologies

Digitization and Web Support

Provide improved digitization and Web support 5 1,420 5 1,420 0 0

Understand and Impact 21st Century Audiences

Public Programs

Provide relevant reference services and disseminate 

information to the public 4 398 4 398 0 0

Exhibitions

Offer compelling, first-class exhibitions 11 5,117 11 3,439 0 -1,678

Education

Engage and inspire diverse audiences 26 4,275 26 4,275 0 0

Preserve Our Natural and Cultural Heritage

Collections

Improve the stewardship of the national collections 22 3,598 22 3,484 0 -114

Facilities and Safety

Improve Smithsonian facilities operations and provide 

a safe and healthy environment 6 1,074 6 1,074 0 0

Enable Cost-Effective and Responsive 

Administration

Management Operations

Enable efficient and responsive administrative 

infrastructure 40 6,898 40 9,323 0 2,425

Information Technology

Improve the Institution's information technology 

systems and infrastructure 7 5,025 7 4,710 0 -315

Total 145 33,079 145 33,079 0 0 

FY 2018 FY 2019 Change
106

BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT

The National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) 

was established by Congress to document, collect, conserve, interpret, and 

display the historical and cultural experiences and achievements of Americans of 

African descent. In late 2016, the NMAAHC, the first environmentally sustainable, 

“green” museum on the Mall, opened to the public, providing a national meeting 

place for all people to learn about the history and culture of African Americans 

and their contributions to every aspect of American life. This Museum seeks to 

help all Americans remember these contributions, and in so doing, stimulate a 

dialogue about race and help to foster a spirit of reconciliation and healing. As 

the only national museum devoted exclusively to documenting and exploring 

African American history and culture, the NMAAHC bridges a major gap in our 

national memory by creating exhibitions and programs focusing on a wide arc of 

history and looking deeply into slavery, Reconstruction, the Harlem Renaissance, 

the great migrations during the World Wars, the civil rights movement and other 

issues of the 21st century. The Museum also celebrates African American 

creativity and cultural expressions through art, dance, theater and literature.

FY 2018 is the NMAAHC’s second year of operations as a fully functioning 

museum. The NMAAHC opened to unprecedentedly large crowds in 2016. In 

FY 2017, the building, exhibitions, information technology (IT), and the Sweet 

Home Cafe have all been award-winning entities, creating even more excitement, 

and the shops enjoyed unexpectedly large crowds. FY 2018 marks the 

continuation and expansion of major initiatives which fulfill the mission of looking 

at American history through the lens of African American history and culture. The 

NMAAHC further disseminated information through four major initiatives: the 

establishment of a robust visitor services program; the building of a national 

collection; continued development of IT and digitization programs; and the 

development and implementation of a robust research and education program 

centered on specific subject matter such as the study of the African Diaspora. In

FY 2019, the NMAAHC continues with three of the four major initiatives. Visitor 

Services in FY 2018 will become well-established and operational. The new 

initiative is the establishment of two new centers of scholarly studies which will 

address U.S. Racial History and Equity, and African American Innovation and 

Entrepreneurship. 

MEANS AND STRATEGY

In FY 2019, the Museum’s top priority will be to engage in long-term 

planning for the enhancement of its research and education programs. This 

includes the following activities: continuing to grow domestic and international 

partnerships to further generate support for the Museum; designing and 

developing temporary and traveling exhibitions for display throughout the United 

States; expanding scholarly research in all areas of African American history and 

culture; and developing robust education programs for the public, educators, and 

students. 
107

The NMAAHC’s second priority is to establish centers of scholarly 

research. Three have already been set up: the Center for the Study of Global 

Slavery; the Center for African American Media Arts (CAAMA); and the Center for 

the Study of African American Religious Life. In 2019, the NMAAHC will 

concentrate on the start-up of two new centers of scholarly studies revolving 

around U.S. Racial History and Equity (Center for Diaspora), and the Center for 

African American Innovation and Entrepreneurship. 

The Museum’s third priority is to implement the next phase of its IT and 

digitization programs which have made the NMAAHC the first fully digital 

museum on the Mall. The IT program will broaden the Museum’s reach and impact 

by continuing to adopt a digital-first strategy that includes providing tools, technology 

and platforms to enhance education programs, facilitate research and collaboration, 

and enable external partnerships. The Museum will also develop the technology to 

extend and enhance the visitor experience, promote engagement with visitors before, 

during and after a visit, and provide meaningful interactions that engage a global 

audience.

The NMAAHC will expand its interactive, online, and mobile offerings to 

include innovative and engaging content that further connects visitors to 

collection objects and topics of interest. The Museum-Wide Mobile platform will 

further extend the Museum’s digital presence with applications which enhance 

the gallery experience and allow visitors to engage with the Museum’s content 

and themes anywhere, using a variety of devices. Digital content management 

systems and interfaces continue to be developed in cooperation with the Office of 

the Chief Information Officer (OCIO) as models for the rest of the Smithsonian to 

use in other museums. The NMAAHC’s IT department will work with both internal 

and external partners to develop the next phases of digital offerings for the public 

and staff.

The fourth priority for the NMAAHC is to continue to fulfill its mission of 

collecting and documenting African American history and culture, with a new, 

special emphasis on programs about the African Diaspora, African American 

innovation and entrepreneurship, and faith. In FY 2019, collections and 

digitization departments will put in place full operations procedures, policies and 

guidelines to have the collections fully digitized by FY 2022. 

To achieve the strategic goal of Enhanced Interdisciplinary Research, the 

Museum will use its resources to build on active areas of research.

In FY 2019, curators and museum specialists will continue to conduct in-depth 

studies of the Museum’s historical artifacts, fine art, archival materials, photographs, 

film, and other media collection areas, with the continued goal of helping all 

Americans understand the role of race and racism in the past and in the present. All 

research products will have a digital component to enhance scholarship and help the 

Museum reach one billion people a year with a digital-first strategy. The NMAAHC will 

share this research with scholars and the public through Web-based platforms, public 

and educational programs, and publications. The curatorial team will also focus on 
108

contextualizing crucial contemporary events as they relate to the African American 

experience, with the aim of catalyzing new conversations and addressing complex 

challenges. 

Key initiatives and programs in FY 2019 include the following.

The NMAAHC will advance the work of the Center for the Study of Global 

Slavery (CSGS, founded in 2017).

The Center’s Slave Wrecks Project network will continue research, 

preservation, capacity building, and community engagement (including exhibition 

development, education and public programming) efforts in South Africa, Senegal, 

Mozambique, St. Croix, Cuba and North America. The Center’s participation in the 

Global Curatorial Project will advance into the exhibition-concept phase and the 

Center will inaugurate a Community Collections Program, fostering connections to 

communities affected by slavery and its consequences.

The CSGS will also sponsor the Museum’s participation in a second key 

interdisciplinary collaboration related to slavery: the Global Curatorial Project. In 

FY 2019, this will include an expansion into script generation, design, solidification of 

locations for international exhibitions, and several international workshops and loan 

agreements, as well as arranging travel and shipping for an exhibition tentatively 

planned for 2021–22. This international group includes: Brown University; IFAN 

Museum in Senegal; the National Museum of World Cultures in Amsterdam; the 

International Slavery Museum in Liverpool; Iziko Museums of South Africa; Shackles 

of Memory in Nantes, France; The Royal Museum for Central Africa in Belgium; The 

Legacies of British Slave Ownership; and University College London.

The NMAAHC will expand its research base by creating two additional 

scholarly research centers. The new centers will address U.S. Racial History and 

Equity and African American Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Various publication 

projects under way for FY 2019 will engage and inspire audiences while 

disseminating information to the public. The Sweet Home Café Cookbook will feature 

recipes based on the food served in the Museum’s restaurant, with recipe notes and 

sidebars discussing different regions and types of food. It will be illustrated with 

photographs of food and objects relating to African American foodways in the 

NMAAHC collection.

CHANGE-MAKERS: 50 African American Women will present biographical 

entries with quotes and an object from the NMAAHC collection. The Museum will also 

make contributions to the Institution-wide project, Smithsonian Women. 

To achieve the goal of Expanding Digital Technologies, the NMAAHC will 

direct its resources as follows: 
109

Digitization and Web Support —

In FY 2019, the Web and Emerging Media team within the Museum’s Office of 

Operations, Information Technology, will continue to collaborate with the NMAAHC 

Office of Curatorial Affairs, Education, and Public Affairs to develop educational, 

informative, and engaging digital experiences as part of the Smithsonian’s “digitalfirst” strategy in support of the Institution-wide goal of reaching one billion visitors a 

year across all platforms. The Museum’s website and mobile applications will 

continue to focus on enhancing the visitor experience and increasing the Museum’s 

reach through the digitization of objects from the collections and exhibitions, making 

the Museum more accessible to a more diverse, global audience. New “digital-only”

experiences will also be developed in collaboration with other Smithsonian units, 

which will advance other Institution-wide goals of “being one Smithsonian” and 

“catalyzing new conversations that address complex challenges,” following the model 

set by the Many Lenses initiative.

Also, the NMAAHC’s IT and digitization offices will continue to create 

searchable and accessible digital records for collection objects, object management 

and high-quality digital surrogates, especially for recent acquisitions and for 

undigitized objects, by improving the features and functions of The Museum System

(TMS) database. These will be used with a digital-first strategy to encourage new, 

worldwide conversations and stimulate innovative interdisciplinary research. In

FY 2019, the Robert Frederick Smith Fund for the Digitization and Curation of African 

American History will enter Year 3 of public programming, collection digitizing, 

student professionalization, and visitor engagement through the Explore Your Family 

History Center (EYFHC). The Community Curation Program invites individuals, 

families, civic organizations, and community groups to share their stories of African 

American history and culture through the Community Curation, Web-based platform

developed using a cost-effective, flexible, and secure cloud-computing environment 

and standards-based open-source technologies. Digitized images, video, audio, and 

other media sourced from the Museum’s community, collected through the 

Community Curation platform as well as through the Great Migration program, will all 

be hosted in and delivered from the NMAAHC cloud-computing environment, allowing 

for a more scalable, cost-effective infrastructure solution for digital storage and 

delivery. The result is that the Museum will offer curated and user-generated 

selections of collections via digital portals in the NMAAHC, on the Museum website, 

and through partnerships on the World Wide Web, such as with Google Arts and 

Culture. 

The NMAAHC will continue to make all digitized collection records and images 

for all unrestricted materials freely available via the Digital Public Library of America 

(https://dp.la/) and identify and participate in other platforms to make high-quality 

collection information and images available from many institutions with one-stop 

searching. 

The EYFHC, located at the Museum as part of the Explore More! Interactive 

Gallery, provides genealogical research and public programming opportunities for 

Museum visitors. In FY 2019, the Smith Funds will help support the development, 
110

operation, and management of Web-based applications for genealogical research, 

including the Freedmen's Bureau search application, as well as provide more costeffective and accessible computer workstations for visitors to the Center to begin their 

research on site.

The NMAAHC will complete the documentation of the entire Museum with 

high-quality traditional and 360-degree photography, so that these images can be 

used for virtual Museum visits and other educational uses, and to ensure that the first 

few years of the NMAAHC are well-documented for the historical record.

The NMAAHC will strive to have the collections fully catalogued and 

photographed by the end of FY 2022 by partnering with the OCIO’s Digitization 

Program Office to run a mass-digitization project and scan up to 15,000 objects in the 

collection.

In addition, the Museum will increase access to the Freedmen’s Bureau 

records by continuing a multi-year effort with the Smithsonian Transcription Center to 

provide word-searchable, full-text transcriptions of the records and link them to the 

existing genealogical index. In FY 2019, this effort will include partnering with 

organizations such as the University of Maryland Institute for Technology and the 

Humanities, the University of Delaware’s interdisciplinary Colored Conventions 

Project, and corporations such as DevTech, a technology services firm, to conduct 

Transcribe-a-Thons, where volunteers are brought together en masse to transcribe 

historical material.

FY 2019 funding will also support curatorial work to develop The Virtual James 

Baldwin House, a digital re-creation of the author’s home in St. Paul De Vence, 

France. This virtual experience will offer detailed, media-rich commentary on 

Baldwin’s literary corpus and global impact, as well as insight into Baldwin’s daily life 

as a writer, and serve as a showcase for the NMAAHC’s significant Baldwin 

collections.

To achieve the strategic goal of Understanding and Impacting 21st Century 

Audiences, the NMAAHC will continue its ongoing educational initiatives offered off 

site for students, educators, and the general public. 

The NMAAHC will present an array of lectures, conferences, staged readings, 

film screenings, concerts, and discussions by renowned scholars, musicians, actors, 

artists and filmmakers to serve a diverse and broad community of learners. While 

programs will be presented within the Museum, Web streaming and social media will 

enable audiences to participate across the globe. The Museum will pilot and launch 

signature program series, including: Historically Speaking, featuring in-person 

discussions of published works by America’s most influential scholars and public 

intellectuals; NMAAHC Community Days, presenting learning activities to help 

audiences of all ages take part in heritage month observances and interpret Museum 

collections and exhibitions; and A Seat at the Table, fostering social justice 

conversations and communal activities. Programs also will elevate the themes of 

exhibitions mounted by the Museum, including: The Poor People’s Campaign and 
111

Double Victory: World War I that will be installed at the National Museum of American 

History (NMAH). In the NMAAHC Changing Exhibition Gallery, Watching Oprah will 

enable the Museum to create public programs to elevate reading and its benefits for 

all age groups.

The NMAAHC Office of Strategic Partnerships (OSP) continues to empower, 

connect, and advance the work of national and international professional audiences 

and peer institutions. The OSP accomplishes this by connecting needs to resources 

and by supporting programs and initiatives that build organizational sustainability and 

provide targeted professional development opportunities. Examples of this work 

planned for FY 2019 include ongoing support for the 40th anniversary initiatives of 

the Association of African American Museums (AAAM) and participation in the 

Museums Association of the Caribbean Conference, a key group of African Diaspora 

peer institutions. The OSP will continue research in Senegal to prepare the University 

of Dakar to become a key partner site in the Global Slave Wrecks Project. The OSP 

will also continue to offer regional and national partners opportunities to build 

professional development and institutional sustainability by collaborating with other 

Smithsonian and external organizations and experts. 

The NMAAHC Office of Curatorial Affairs and the Office of Project 

Management will produce several new exhibitions in FY 2019, including a new 

temporary exhibition exploring the history and visual culture of film posters that will 

open in June in the Earl W. and Amanda Stafford Center for African American Media 

Arts (CAAMA).

Also, in September of 2019, the Museum will open the temporary exhibition 

We Return Fighting: The African American World War I Experience, which will be 

shown in the NMAAHC Special Exhibitions Gallery to commemorate the 100th 

anniversary of African American soldiers returning from France. The exhibition will

examine the experiences of African Americans who fought in combat as well as for 

freedom and democracy on the home front, and explore the social, political, and 

cultural impact of World War I on African American history and culture.

FY 2019 funding will also support planning and development for a new 

temporary exhibition on the history and significance of Reconstruction, scheduled to 

open in 2020.

In April of 2019, the NMAAHC will launch a traveling version of City of Hope: 

Resurrection City & the 1968 Poor People’s Campaign, in collaboration with the 

Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES). 

In addition, FY 2019 funding will support planning and development for a 

future traveling exhibition based on the NMAAHC temporary exhibition We Return 

Fighting: The African American World War I Experience, to be developed in 

collaboration with SITES. The traveling exhibition will bring the story of this historic 

national movement for social justice and human rights to venues across the country,

and connect audiences with local histories of community activism. 
112

The NMAAHC will also support the strategic goal of Understanding and 

Impacting 21st Century Audiences by launching traveling versions of the World War I

and City of Hope exhibitions to select venues after those exhibits have closed at their 

respective Smithsonian museums. In addition, the NMAAHC plans to send two small 

traveling exhibitions to sites in various African countries and the U.S. Virgin Islands 

as part of the Museum’s work to support the CSGS Slave Wrecks Project.

In the spring of 2019, in conjunction with educational programming for the 

temporary exhibition Watching Oprah: The Oprah Winfrey Show and American 

Culture (open June 2018–June 2019), the NMAAHC will produce an educational 

poster exhibition that will be available to public libraries, schools, and other 

community venues.

Center for African American Media Arts (CAAMA) 

CAAMA will produce the second NMAAHC Film Festival — A national 

exhibition of new, emerging, and historical cinema and moving-image works that 

explore African American history and culture to strengthen relationships between 

filmmakers, the motion-picture industry, audiences, and scholars. 

Office of Education

The NMAAHC Office of Education will continue ongoing educational initiatives 

for all audiences, locally and nationwide, by incorporating digitally based collections 

and exhibitions, African American curriculum development for classrooms, as well as 

educational programming in exhibitions and the Family Learning Center. The office 

will also revitalize the “Save Our African American Treasures” program and fully 

implement revised and tested visitor services operations in FY 2019.

To achieve the strategic goal to Preserve Our Natural and Cultural Heritage,

the NMAAHC will use its resources to continue to identify, acquire, and process 

collections, and develop and refine its permanent collections. The Museum has 

collected nearly 37,000 objects, and in FY 2019 plans to have implemented numerous 

collection management policies to safely handle, display, and store collections. In 

particular, new Archives Criteria cataloguing standards improve tracking of Museum 

collections to improve access and use by internal and external audiences.

The Museum will continue to develop its collections strategy to replace loaned 

objects in permanent inaugural exhibitions. In FY 2019, the NMAAHC will implement 

a written collection plan to guide its collecting activities and ensure excellence in 

establishing a permanent collection that supports visionary, interdisciplinary research 

and scholarly projects. 

The NMAAHC will also continue to expand its oral history program to capture 

both immediate and in-depth recordings from individuals whose stories and 

reminiscences will enhance the Museum’s collections and research. A selection of 

these recordings will be processed and made available via the NMAAHC website and 

the Smithsonian’s online Collection Search Center. Examples include: interviews for 
113

the Collection Donor Oral History Project, which documents stories of individuals who 

have donated to the NMAAHC’s collection, such as former NASA Administrator 

Charles F. Bolden, Jr., and civil rights activist Joan Mulholland; interviews directly 

associated with exhibitions, such as the recordings of the Meggett family who were 

the last occupants of the Edisto Slave Cabin that is featured in the Slavery and 

Freedom inaugural exhibition; and priority interviews with historically and culturally 

significant African Americans such as William Pickens, III, the grandson of the 

youngest member of the Niagara Movement and member of an iconic family.

In FY 2019, the Museum will make publicly available its rigorous and 

innovative standards and guidelines for cataloguing African American history and 

culture collections, which will benefit other collecting institutions with similar missions. 

At the same time, the cataloguing and curatorial teams will build on existing 

cataloguing standards to create a more inclusive, culturally responsive database. The 

focus in FY 2019 will be on creating vocabularies and cataloguing artifacts related to 

the African Diaspora and the African American-Latino experience.

The NMAAHC will continue to seek funding to complete the fit-out of the 

collections space and comply with Smithsonian Directive 600, Collections 

Management policy. To this end, the NMAAHC submitted a proposal for a Collections 

Care and Preservation Fund project, “Preserve and Organize NMAAHC Collections in 

Storage” that would extend in FY 2019 and aid in implementing new written policies 

to ensure excellence in collections handling. 

Facilities Planning 

The NMAAHC will continue developing requirements that will allow the Museum 

to adapt the NMAAHC infrastructure and create offices, work spaces, collections 

storage, and other storage spaces which meet the Museum’s diverse and wideranging needs.

The Museum will continue identifying and correcting facility deficiencies that 

directly impact facility planning, business, safety, and security programs.

The NMAAHC will continue to review and revise procedures and guidelines on 

how it functions daily in all NMAAHC facilities, and specifically with regard to the 

operations of internal programs and coordination with other offices that support the 

Museum, and management of the security and safety of its visitors and staff.

The safety program will continue to work on the NMAAHC emergency 

operations plan, emergency communication plan, disaster management plan, and 

consolidation plans to include NMAAHC staff in other facilities. 

To achieve the strategic goal of Enabling Cost-Effective and Responsive

Administration, the NMAAHC will use its resources to continue developing its 

operating organizational structure and make organizational and staffing revisions to 

accomplish program goals. This includes the following initiatives in the areas of 

technology and public affairs.
114

Technology

In FY 2019, the Web and Emerging Media team within the NMAAHC will 

continue to build its cloud-based computing environment to create a more costeffective, flexible, scalable, and secure infrastructure that supports technical 

innovation within the Museum. New digital-first or digital-only initiatives, using low-

/no-cost open-source technologies, may be developed in this cloud-based 

environment to allow for increased rapid prototyping while effectively minimizing 

costs.

In addition, the Web and Emerging Media team will continue to expand its use 

of the Museum Interactive Support System (MISS) as a robust system of application 

programming interfaces and content delivery mechanisms that allow sharing of 

content through the NMAAHC website, interactive exhibitions, mobile tours, and other 

digital channels. The Museum will continue to develop virtual reality experiences and 

in-Museum mapping for on-site visitors and more accessibility functions for visually 

and hearing-impaired visitors. 

The NMAAHC will empower Museum staff with technology to improve 

communication and collaboration, including with external partners, and to gain 

efficiencies in business processes through streamlined workflows and updated 

technology. After completing the SharePoint and Windows 365 upgrades, the 

Information Technology team will complete its redesign of Sankofa, the Museum’s 

intranet site, for improved information sharing, business process automation, and 

formalized IT project management and reporting. 

In support of Management Operations, Museum staff will begin to use the 

Dexibit dashboard of operations and visitation data in FY 2019. This dashboard will 

give staff access to information on distributed versus scanned passes, real-time 

visitation, dwell times, and scheduled events, and help staff manage Museum 

facilities and ensure visitor safety. The IT team will implement additional tools, such 

as Sensource and Lascar Temperature and Humidity Dataloggers, to ensure 

compliance with safety and security guidelines and processes, as well as enable 

disaster recovery and continuation of operations.

In FY 2019, the IT team will also complete its procurement of laptops and 

virtual meeting tools for Museum staff to ensure virtual access for a mobile-enabled 

workforce.

Public Affairs 

The NMAAHC public affairs department will continue to educate the public 

about African American history and culture through media, marketing and social 

media channels. Building on the work of the first year, public affairs specialists will 

develop visibility campaigns for the Museum’s exhibitions, collections, educational 

initiatives, advancement activities, and centers of study and public programs. Media 

cultivation and outreach, marketing, communications, and social media are avenues 

the NMAAHC will continue developing to build and maintain a positive brand.
115

NONAPPROPRIATED RESOURCES — General trust funds support salary and benefit

costs for the Museum director and other program-related costs. Donor/sponsordesignated funds support: salaries and benefits for development staff; costs associated 

with fundraising goals; publications and special events for exhibition openings; costs 

related to specific programs and projects, including educational programs, advertising, 

production of fundraising proposals, member- and donor-related special events; and 

outreach activities. 
116

NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AMERICAN HISTORY

KENNETH E. BEHRING CENTER

APPLICATION OF OPERATING RESOURCES

FEDERAL 

APPROPRIATIONS

GENERAL 

TRUST

DONOR/SPONSOR 

DESIGNATED

GOV’T GRANTS

& CONTRACTS

FTE $000 FTE $000 FTE $000 FTE $000

FY 2017

ENACTED 163 24,916 24 4,213 65 19,006 0 47

FY 2018

ESTIMATE 164 25,373 26 4,500 65 19,500 0 75

FY 2019

REQUEST 164 25,373 28 4,750 65 19,500 0 75

Federal Resource Summary by Performance Objective and Program Category

Performance Objective/ 

 Program Category FTE $000 FTE $000 FTE $000

Enhanced Interdisciplinary Research 

Research

Engage in vital arts and humanities research 22 3,450 22 3,450 0 0

Expand Digital Technologies

Digitization and Web Support

Provide improved digitization and Web support 11 1,800 11 1,800 0 0

Understand and Impact 21st Century Audiences

Public Programs

Provide relevant reference services and disseminate 

information to the public 13 2,430 13 2,430 0 0

Exhibitions

Offer compelling, first-class exhibitions 46 6,750 46 6,750 0 0

Education

Engage and inspire diverse audiences 6 930 6 930 0 0

Preserve Our Natural and Cultural Heritage

Collections

Improve the stewardship of the national collections 45 6,848 45 6,848 0 0

Facilities and Safety

Improve Smithsonian facilities operations and provide 

a safe and healthy environment 3 590 3 590 0 0

Enable Cost-Effective and Responsive 

Administration

Management Operations

Enable efficient and responsive administrative 

infrastructure 14 1,735 14 1,735 0 0

Information Technology

Improve the Institution's information technology 

systems and infrastructure 4 840 4 840 0 0

Total 164 25,373 164 25,373 0 0

FY 2018 FY 2019 Change
117

BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT

The National Museum of American History (NMAH), Kenneth E. Behring 

Center, inspires a broader understanding of our nation’s history and its people 

through research, exhibitions, collections activity, education, and public programs. 

The Museum’s primary goal is to tell an overarching American story that is inclusive

of and respectful and compassionate to all the peoples in America who were here, 

who came here, and who were brought here. Through incomparable collections, 

rigorous research, and dynamic public outreach, the Museum explores the infinite 

richness and complexity of American history. The NMAH helps people understand 

the past to make sense of the present and shape a more humane future.

More than four million people visit the Museum every year, in addition to 

more than seven million people who visit the Museum online annually, making the 

NMAH the most visited history museum in the world. We present our history as 

substantial and challenging, inviting and accessible, inspiring and wonderfully 

human. Together with the American people, we wrestle with the difficult issues that 

we have faced, and do so in an inspirational manner, aiming to influence public 

conversations and to make a difference in the life of the nation.

The Museum continues to enrich its presentation of the American experience 

with new exhibits in the West Wing, which is part of an ongoing revitalization of the 

entire Museum. Each of the three exhibit floors in the West Wing is focused on an 

overarching and inclusive theme representing the ideals and ideas of the American 

experience. The first floor opened in 2015 and focused on American enterprise, 

innovation and invention. The second floor opened in 2017 and tells two essential

American stories — the origins of the American people and the evolution of their 

democracy. In 2018, we plan a phased reopening for the third floor, which will focus 

on American entertainment history — music, sports, movies, television and theater 

— and how our culture expresses what it means to be an American.

Through 2019, the Museum will continue fund raising for the third floor West 

Wing exhibitions and programs, which will captivate visitors with compelling stories, 

invaluable objects, state-of-the-art media, public spaces, and new exhibitions to 

make American history vital, fascinating, and central to understanding and 

embracing the American experience. In the past seven years, the Museum has 

raised more than $130 million for the West Wing exhibits, programs, and endowed 

curatorial positions to leverage the federal investment in the building’s renovation.

MEANS AND STRATEGY

The NMAH is most closely aligned with the Smithsonian’s Grand Challenge of 

Understanding the American Experience. Through its research, scholarship, 

educational programs, exhibitions, and collaboration, the Museum shares with the 

public scholarly insights and historical views that illustrate the richness and depth of 

the American Experience. The Museum engages people in the telling of America’s 

story — interweaving multiple stories of perseverance, triumph, and optimism with 

those of challenge and struggle.
118

The Museum’s strategic plan, which establishes a vision and strategic direction 

through 2018, sets four key goals for the NMAH:

1. Lead the nation in Understanding the American Experience

2. Expand, strengthen, and share our collections

3. Engage diverse national and international audiences

4. Strengthen our staff and Board of Directors, and revitalize our facilities

Goal 1: Lead the Nation in Understanding the American Experience

The NMAH places a priority on engaging the public through scholarship and 

quality research in American history. Research is the foundation for our exhibitions 

and all of our programs, which portray significant eras and events from American 

history in the context of social, cultural, economic, political, scientific, and 

technological themes. The Museum experiments with innovative ways to think about 

and present American history as an encompassing, multi-faceted story, drawing on 

many strands, and illuminating many people, ideas, and experiences.

For example, in 2018, the Museum will launch the first phase of reopening the 

third floor of the West Wing with the opening of several new installations to introduce 

visitors to our American entertainment history exhibitions. The first phase involves 

opening two introductory exhibitions on The Art of Sound and installing the iconic 

stained glass image of Nipper, My Master’s Voice, and a rotating display of musical 

instruments from our vast collection, including rare Stradivarius violins, in our 

customized showcases in the Hall of Music. In addition, staff continue to develop our 

larger exhibitions on Entertaining America and a temporary exhibition gallery for a 

2020 opening, and to address the question, what does the nation’s entertainment 

history tell us about being American? All of these installations will explore how the 

entertainment history of the United States reflects American ideals and ideas. The 

exhibitions will examine how entertainment addresses our national values and 

identity, in addition to challenges related to race, gender, class, family, innovation 

and opportunity. The Museum will choose from iconic objects in its large 

entertainment and culture collection, ranging from Archie Bunker’s chair from All in 

the Family, the technicolor camera used to film The Wizard of Oz, the ruby red 

slippers Dorothy wore in the classic movie, Fonzie’s jacket from Happy Days, 

Muhammad Ali’s boxing robe, and one of Babe Ruth’s baseballs.

Also in 2018, the Museum will open the second exhibit in the new changing 

gallery on the second floor of the West Wing. This exhibition, The American 

Revolution: A World War will focus on the American Revolution as not only a 

national occurrence but as an international event, which affected every major 

European power and had worldwide implications. Finally, the Museum will complete 

design of and launch a major women’s history exhibition scheduled to open in 2020 

to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the passage 19th Amendment to the 

Constitution that granted women’s suffrage.

In 2019, the NMAH will open an exhibition on medicine and health that will 

launch the first phase of experimenting with new approaches to topics in medicine,
119

science, and technology. This will be the first of several exhibitions on the second 

floor of the East Wing that will allow staff to highlight collections and research into 

topics not currently covered in depth in the Museum, and will inform the Museum’s 

thinking about how to approach the complete re-imagination of the East Wing as part 

of the fourth phase of the Public Space Renewal Project (PSRP). 

In developing these exhibitions, staff will consider how the East Wing 

renovation can best showcase the Museum’s extensive and unparalleled collection 

of national treasures; feature collections not previously shown or reinterpret them in 

new ways; and explore how exhibitions can address the Museum’s mission, 

complement other exhibitions and programs, contribute to new scholarship, and 

foster the highest quality visitor experience. NMAH staff anticipate that all of these 

gallery spaces will feature increased use of technology to support new and 

innovative ways for visitors to experience and interact with the Museum’s exhibitions 

and other content, and expect that these galleries will require additional and 

enhanced electrical, information technology, audiovisual, and other capacities. The 

East Wing renovation will also return converted public spaces to their original use as 

exhibition galleries instead of using them for storage and other purposes.

In addition to exhibitions, the NMAH contributes to the discussion of the 

American Experience through its ongoing scholarship and research. 

In FY 2018, highlights of scholarly publications will include:

 Kenneth Cohen. They Will Have Their Game: Sporting Culture and the 

Making of the Early American Republic: Cornell University Press.

 Kirsten Frederick-Frost. “Reading Between the Lines: Deconstructing 

Moseley’s Diagram” in For Science, King and Country: The Life and 

Legacy of Henry Moseley, eds. Roy MacLeod and Russell Egdell.

 Faith Davis Ruffins. “Founders, Founding Directors, and Pioneers: The 

Origins of the Association of African American Museums” in The Public 

Historian (special issue on Black Museums) Spring.

In FY 2019, highlights of scholarly publications will include:

 Richard Avedon. Contributions to the Photographic History Collection:

Smithsonian Institution Scholarly Press.

 Kathryn D. Sullivan. Handprints on Hubble: An Astronaut’s Story of 

Invention: MIT Press, Lemelson Center Studies in Invention and 

Innovation.

 Matthew Wisnioski, Eric S. Hintz, and Marie Stettler Kleine (eds.), The 

Innovator Imperative: MIT Press, Lemelson Center Studies in Invention 

and Innovation.
120

The Museum will continue to support the development and dissemination of 

scholarship by encouraging staff to publish individual scholarly research as well as 

the results of research done for NMAH exhibitions and other projects.

Goal 2: Expand, Strengthen, and Share Our Collections

The NMAH is committed to sound collections stewardship through 

preservation, accountability, and increased digital access. While support for Phase 

IV of the PSRP for the Museum’s East Wing’s renovation is a primary goal, the 

NMAH will focus, through FY 2019 and beyond, on enhancing the potential and 

value of its collections through intensive digitization efforts, increased access online, 

collaboration, and innovative uses of technology.

In FY 2017, the Museum continued its inventory projects, looking to improve 

the process and focus its efforts. In order to address the challenge of managing 

collections at scale, with approximately 1.8 million objects in total, the Museum 

continued to develop and test an accelerated, two-phased approach to its inventory 

efforts, with the first phase establishing physical and legal control and the second 

enabling more enhanced intellectual control. This is the foundation for the 

inventories required for the PSRP IV project; with the support of the National 

Collections Program, the Museum hired staff to begin that work, targeting storage 

areas destined for renovation. The actual inventorying will continue through 

FY 2019 and beyond.

The decontamination and re-housing project of some 3,600 objects in Garber

Facility, Building 15 was completed in FY 2017. The decontamination and inventory 

of objects in Garber Facility, Building 18 began, with completion expected in 

FY 2018. Planning is under way for similar work on the collections in Building 16; 

work will begin with funding from the Collections Care and Preservation Fund in 

FY 2019. All of these efforts are planned in the context of looking forward to the 

development of Pod 6 at the Museum Support Center and the implementation of the 

Smithsonian’s master collections storage plans.

Further digitization and transcription projects in FY 2017 included the 

digitization of its accession files, supported by collections, care and preservation 

funds; this work will support the inventory and reconciliation projects, as well as 

improve the content and functionality of XG, the Museum’s collections information 

system. Given the volume of the files, the project will continue for several years. To 

increase the amount of digital content available to the public, the Museum will begin 

a cross-divisional collaboration to digitize images, using infrastructure supported by 

the Digitization Program Office (DPO) that uses the International Image 

Interoperability Framework. Funds donated by a private sponsor will support this 

work. As part of a broader partnership, with the DPO and Google’s Cultural Institute, 

the Museum will digitize approximately 11,000 items in its Princeton Poster

collection. It will also explore opportunities to treat digital content from such projects 

as data, with conversations and possible collaborations planned with the Library of 

Congress, the University of Maryland, and the National Science Foundation.
121

In FY 2018, new protocols for review and inclusion will make it possible to 

add 150,000 more collection records to the Smithsonian Collections Search Center 

and the Enterprise Digital Asset Network (EDAN). During FY 2017, the Museum 

added nearly 30,000 new records to its collections information system and exported 

19,400 records to the EDAN. The NMAH will continue exporting the remaining 

49,000 of 60,000 Numismatics rapid-capture records for transcription. 

In accordance with the overall framework for collections stewardship, in 

FY 2018, the Museum will finish the revision of its collections management policy, as 

required every five years. This will clarify and simplify processes, and address the 

collection, preservation and use of digital and born-digital content. In addition, the 

NMAH will continue to implement recommendations from the Museum’s Collections 

Review Committee report, focusing on systematic assessment of accessioning and 

cataloguing procedures, as well as achieving efficiencies in the review of accessionbased object information. Much of this work focuses on increasing the functionality 

of XG. Loan functions were integrated in FY 2017 and the integration of 

conservation functions is under way. As that work is completed, the focus will turn to 

exhibit functions. Additionally, in FY 2017, the Museum designed and updated

inventories for its national treasures and for collections containing hazardous 

materials. These inventories will now be done annually.

Goal 3: Engage Diverse National and International Audiences

The NMAH engages people of all ages on site and online, encouraging them 

to explore history through objects as well as programs, ideas, facts, and stories. 

In December 2015, the Museum opened Wegmans’ Wonderplace, an early 

learning gallery. The gallery combines age-appropriate activities with Museum 

collections and touchable objects to provide a gateway to history and a place for 

children six and under to exercise their curiosity. Since opening, Wonderplace has 

served more than 200,000 visitors and has hosted special morning programming for 

children on the autism spectrum as well as families from the Homeless Children’s 

Playtime Project. It has been very well received and operates at capacity.

In 2017, the Museum opened the Wallace H. Coulter Unity Square, a program 

and events space that will encourage visitors to explore “The Nation We Build 

Together” through compelling displays and unique hands-on activities. The heart of 

Unity Square is a reinstallation of the Greensboro Lunch Counter, an object that 

reflects the tremendous power of the actions of everyday people. This iconic civil 

rights object is brought to life by a “magic mirror” that connects the actions of the 

four young men who sat down at the lunch counter to the larger history of 

participation, protest, and change in America. Unity Square is also home to 

American Experiments, a suite of five interactive, hands-on activities which will 

inspire visitors to talk to each other about the ideas and ideals that have shaped the 

country. Together, the exhibits, activities, and programs of Unity Square will inspire 

our visitors to think about their own role in creating the nation of tomorrow. 
122

Each year the NMAH trains thousands of K–12 teachers to bring American 

history to life by using interactive teaching methods infused with the Museum’s rich 

collections. Outside evaluation has shown that the Museum’s workshops have had a 

positive, re-energizing effect on history education across the United States. The 

Museum continues to add to its library of thousands of free K–12 interactive 

resources available via History Explorer, the Museum’s acclaimed website for 

teachers. In 2019, the Museum will conduct its eighth National Youth Summit (NYS). 

The NYS is a webcast event that brings middle and high school students together 

with scholars, teachers, policy experts, and activists in a national conversation about 

important events in America’s past which remain relevant to the nation’s present and 

future. 

To encourage conversation and respectful dialogue about the past, the 

Museum expands its activities beyond exhibitions and education through public 

programming and outreach. In 2019, Museum programming will continue to spark

conversations that inspire audiences to examine the role of the humanities in civic 

life. The Museum’s signature programming will explore food history, history on film, 

jazz and chamber music, and innovation, and will bring history to life for audiences 

of all backgrounds and all ages. Also, in FY 2019, the NMAH will explore the theme 

“American Aspirations,” showcasing how Americans have aspired to solve problems 

to make our democracy and our world stronger, and continue the themes of our 

West Wing exhibitions, which highlight innovation, entrepreneurship, democracy, 

and diversity. Activities will include our signature America Now program, the fourth 

annual Smithsonian Food History Weekend, and the History Film Forum.

The NMAH advances the idea of America as a place of creativity and 

ingenuity through the Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation, a 

think-tank that launched Spark!Lab in 2015. Spark!Lab provides hands-on invention 

challenges to 225,000 children and families from across the country during visits to 

Washington, DC. Children aged 6–12 are challenged to invent solutions to real-world 

problems and learn that invention is a sequence that proceeds from problem 

identification to building prototypes to selling ideas to the market. Building on the 

success of Draper Spark!Lab, the Lemelson Center team has established a national 

network of Spark!Lab sites. By the end of FY 2019, the Center expects to operate 

Spark!Labs at 20 museums and science centers across the United States. 

Public programming initiated by the Lemelson Center reaches millions of 

Americans annually. Major initiatives in FY 2019 will include Military Invention Day, 

which draws active and veteran members of the armed forces to the Museum to see 

more than 30 displays of leading-edge military technology alongside historical 

innovations. Visitors also undertake invention challenges and learn about emerging 

opportunities in engineering and computing, as well as subjects of interest.

Connecting with national audiences through social media is a major priority 

for the Museum. The NMAH nurtures lifelong learners by regularly sharing and 

interacting with audiences about American history objects and stories on the “O Say 

Can You See?” blog and the Museum’s accounts on Facebook, Twitter, and 
123

Instagram. Through its various forms of electronic and online outreach, the Museum 

expects to continue sharing its resources with more than eight million people a year.

Goal 4: Strengthen Our Staff, Board of Directors, and Facilities

In 2016, the Museum initiated a multi-phased strategy to rebuild the curatorial 

staff and scholarly foundation after two decades of staff losses that dramatically 

reduced the scholarly talent and capability necessary to research and explain the 

broad sweep of American history to our nation. This strategy successfully

established endowed positions with funding from generous donors, combined with 

new federal funds targeted for the highest priority topical areas. In FY 2017, the 

Museum hired five new curators with federal funds, and is proposing to hire one 

more in FY 2018 to focus on women’s history. In FY 2019, the focus will be on 

planning for a number of retirements, and working to ensure continuity in key areas.

In addition, the Museum has built relationships with other Smithsonian units, and 

partnerships with outside organizations, to increase available resources and 

leverage talents. Furthermore, the NMAH has extremely active internship and 

Fellowship programs, hosting more than 162 interns and 25 Fellows in FY 2017. 

NONAPPROPRIATED RESOURCES — General trust funds support salaries and 

benefits for staff who work in administration, development, public affairs, and special 

events, as well as other program costs. In addition to restricted gifts, grants, and 

endowments, trust revenue sources include donations from special events, revenue 

sharing from business operations, honoraria for speaking engagements, and tuition 

reimbursements. Donor/sponsor-designated funds are used to develop, install and 

promote new exhibitions, fund public programs and educational initiatives, and 

support research, travel, and collection acquisitions. Donor-designated funds are 

vital to continuing the renovation of the public spaces in the Museum, including the 

design and fabrication of new exhibits on all three floors of the Museum’s West

Wing. The final phase of this will be the reopening of new exhibits on the third floor 

of the West Wing in 2020. The Museum’s focus will then turn to the East Wing 

renovation. 
124

NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN INDIAN

APPLICATION OF OPERATING RESOURCES

FEDERAL 

APPROPRIATIONS

GENERAL 

TRUST

DONOR/SPONSOR 

DESIGNATED

GOV’T GRANTS

& CONTRACTS

FTE $000 FTE $000 FTE $000 FTE $000

FY 2017 

ENACTED 216 32,341 3 1,596 22 9,630 0 56

FY 2018 

ESTIMATE 216 32,671 4 1,879 28 10,377 0 48

FY 2019

REQUEST 216 33,242 4 1,553 29 9,253 0 0

Federal Resource Summary by Performance Objective and Program Category

Performance Objective/ 

 Program Category FTE $000 FTE $000 FTE $000

Enhanced Interdisciplinary Research 

Research

Engage in vital arts and humanities research 17 2,781 17 2,781 0 0

Expand Digital Technologies

Digitization and Web Support

Provide improved digitization and Web support 8 1,310 8 1,310 0 0

Understand and Impact 21st Century Audiences

Public Programs

Provide relevant reference services and disseminate 

information to the public 18 2,478 18 2,478 0 0

Exhibitions

Offer compelling, first-class exhibitions 27 5,349 27 5,349 0 0

Education

Engage and inspire diverse audiences 44 5,511 44 5,511 0 0

Preserve Our Natural and Cultural Heritage

Collections

Improve the stewardship of the national collections 31 4,339 31 4,339 0 0

Facilities and Safety

Improve Smithsonian facilities operations and provide 

a safe and healthy environment 14 1,880 14 2,451 0 571

Security

Provide world-class protection for Smithsonian 

facilities, collections, staff, visitors and volunteers 1 134 1 134 0 0

Enable Cost-Effective and Responsive 

Administration

Management Operations

Enable efficient and responsive administrative 

infrastructure 42 6,219 42 6,219 0 0

Information Technology

Improve the Institution's information technology 

systems and infrastructure 14 2,670 14 2,670 0 0

Total 216 32,671 216 33,242 0 571

FY 2018 FY 2019 Change
125

BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT

The National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI) is committed to 

advancing knowledge and understanding of the Native cultures of the Western 

hemisphere — past, present, and future — through partnerships with Native peoples 

and others.

The NMAI administers one Museum in three locations: NMAI-DC on the 

National Mall, NMAI-NY in lower Manhattan, and the Cultural Resources Center in 

Suitland, Maryland. The NMAI will focus its resources to support research and 

exhibits concerning the cultures and histories of Native communities and to present 

contemporary works of art to the public. These exhibits, along with educational and 

cultural arts programming, attracted nearly 1.6 million visitors in FY 2017. The 

offering of diverse exhibitions, cultural demonstrations, tribal festivals, educational 

presentations, and scholarly symposia ensures a meaningful visitor experience. Web 

content based on these programs will continue to reach distant “virtual visitors” to 

the Museum, who may not be able to come to the East Coast but who can still avail 

themselves of content developed at NMAI. Through its exhibitions and public 

programming, the Museum continues to present the contemporary voices of Native 

peoples to educate and inform the public while countering widespread stereotypes.

The NMAI also focuses on the stewardship of more than one million collection 

items entrusted to the Museum’s care — honoring the histories and promoting the 

cultural legacies of hundreds of Native nations throughout the Western hemisphere.

The FY 2019 budget request includes an increase of $571,000 for 

required security protection at the George Gustav Heye Center in the U.S. 

Custom House facility in New York City. This request is a must-fund increase that 

is paid to the Federal Protective Service as a necessary expense because the 

building also houses the United States Bankruptcy Court. This increase is 

included in the Fixed Costs section of this budget submission.

MEANS AND STRATEGY

To achieve the strategic goal to Understand and Impact 21st Century 

Audiences, the NMAI is directing its resources to: 1) activities that will result in 

increased visitation; 2) public programming and exhibits that will encompass 

information about the indigenous peoples of the Western hemisphere and Hawaii 

(as mandated in the NMAI enabling legislation) and that will demonstrate the 

presence and cultural contributions of contemporary Native peoples today; 3) 

outreach to Native communities, tribes, and organizations through programming 

methodologies that include consultations, Web-based technologies, video 

conferences, internships, and publications; and 4) amplify the civic discourse on 

issues facing Native Americans by conducting seminars and symposia on 

matters of public interest. Major exhibitions opening in FY 2019 include:
126

 T.C. Cannon: Remember Me Blues — One of the most influential, 

innovative, and talented modern Native American artists, T.C. Cannon’s 

work brings together popular culture, historical imagery, and critical vision. 

T.C. Cannon: Remember Me Blues is the first major, traveling exhibition of 

his work in the last 25 years. This thematic retrospective will introduce this 

under-recognized artist to a wider audience. It will feature between 45 and 

50 major paintings and works on paper, and will also explore Cannon’s 

poetry and music, an interdisciplinary approach eminently suited to this 

multi-faceted artist. Organized by the Peabody Essex Museum (March–

September 2019, NMAI-NY).

 Section 14: The Other Palm Springs — This exhibition chronicles the story 

of Section 14, a square-mile section of land in downtown Palm Springs, 

California, that forms the heart of the Agua Caliente Reservation. As Palm 

Springs evolved from a remote desert outpost into the playground of the 

rich and famous, Section 14 became more desirable to land developers. 

Between the 1940s and 1960s, competing interests vied for this valuable 

land and Section 14 become a battleground over tribal sovereignty, land 

zoning, leasing, economics, and race. Section 14: The Other Palm 

Springs exposes this land battle at the confluence of indigenous peoples 

and Western expansion. Organized by the Agua Caliente Cultural 

Museum (January–December 2019, NMAI-DC).

 Representation — A total of 13 objects from the NMAI collection will be 

displayed as contemporary art selections to illustrate Native selfrepresentation. The proposed selections include visually striking works by 

10 artists from different parts of North America and one from Latin 

America. From strongly contemplative to humorous, the pieces explicate 

the idea of representation. Interpretive text provides opportunities for 

discussing how artists from different regions and backgrounds represent 

themselves and others (Summer 2019, NMAI-NY).

The Museum will achieve its education goals by continuing to provide daily

exhibit and educational programming about Native peoples of the Western 

hemisphere and Hawaii, thereby providing opportunities to correct stereotyping and 

expand public knowledge. The seven-day-a-week operation will include interpretive 

activities, film and video presentations, cultural arts performances, demonstrations, 

and resource materials about Native American history and cultural heritage. The NMAI 

will continue working with Native educators and cultural experts on the Museum’s 

National Education Initiative, “Native Knowledge 360o,” to create exemplary materials 

that reflect indigenous knowledge, and to develop model materials that schools across 

America can expand upon for their own purposes. To promote learning across

generations, the imagiNATIONS Activity Centers in NMAI-DC and NMAI-NY will 

introduce indigenous knowledge about Native peoples’ understanding of the natural 

world and about American Indian civics to a growing audience of school children and 

Museum visitors. In addition, various tribal educational resources, including curricula 

enhancement materials, will be made available to teachers. 
127

NMAI staff will continue to provide group, school, and general public tour 

programs, directing presentations in galleries and deploying volunteers in all public 

spaces and program areas to ensure maximum use of all the educational resources 

available to enhance the visitor experience.

Public engagement efforts will continue to bring the Museum and its resources 

to audiences through both traditional and Web media, and via innovative outreach and 

training programs. These contacts will link external communities to public audiences 

through technology and involvement in NMAI planning and programming.

The NMAI will continue dedicating resources to expand access to the NMAI 

collections online, as part of the strategic goal to Expand Digital Technologies.

As part of the Enhanced Interdisciplinary Research strategic goal to engage in 

vital arts and humanities research, the NMAI will continue to hire and retain the 

highest quality research staff and collaborate with leading institutions of learning and 

community-based scholars. NMAI staff will make research for film, video, audio, and 

photographic content developed for exhibitions available at the Museum and to Native 

American communities and public audiences through the Web, printed materials, and 

collaborative activities with other groups and organizations. 

Through ongoing dialogue with Native communities and cultural experts, 

NMAI’s collection stewards and scholars will also continue to advance the strategic 

goal to Preserve Our Natural and Cultural Heritage through judicious acquisition, 

documentation, digitization, inventory, preservation, research, security, storage 

renewal and enhancements, as well as increased Web access and loans to 

museums across the United States. This includes enhancing the collections by 

acquiring works that document Native experiences and expressive cultures, 

including the representation of modern and contemporary arts.

The strategic goal to Enable Cost-Effective and Responsive Administration 

will be addressed by efficiently and economically designating resources to meet the 

mission of the Museum, and to achieve the goals of the Smithsonian Institution. 

NONAPPROPRIATED RESOURCES — General trust funds support salary and 

benefit costs for the Museum director and other program-related costs. Donor/

sponsor-designated funds support salaries and benefits for development staff; costs 

associated with reaching NMAI’s fundraising goals; publications and special events 

for exhibition openings; costs related to specific programs and projects, including the 

Native American Veterans’ Memorial Project, educational programs, advertising, 

production of fundraising proposals, and member- and donor-related special events; 

as well as outreach activities.
128

NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY

APPLICATION OF OPERATING RESOURCES

FEDERAL 

APPROPRIATIONS

GENERAL 

TRUST

DONOR/SPONSOR 

DESIGNATED

GOV’T GRANTS

& CONTRACTS

FTE $000 FTE $000 FTE $000 FTE $000

FY 2017

ENACTED 56 6,460 2 1,193 20 3,490 0 0

FY 2018

ESTIMATE 56 6,556 10 2,352 12 2,611 0 0

FY 2019

REQUEST 56 6,556 9 1,771 10 2,650 0 0

Federal Resource Summary by Performance Objective and Program Category

Performance Objective/ 

 Program Category FTE $000 FTE $000 FTE $000

Enhanced Interdisciplinary Research 

Research

Engage in vital arts and humanities research 3 383 3 383 0 0

Expand Digital Technologies

Digitization and Web Support

Provide improved digitization and Web support 2 294 2 294 0 0

Understand and Impact 21st Century Audiences

Public Programs

Provide relevant reference services and disseminate 

information to the public 3 516 3 516 0 0

Exhibitions

Offer compelling, first-class exhibitions 19 1,915 19 1,915 0 0

Education

Engage and inspire diverse audiences 9 868 9 868 0 0

Preserve Our Natural and Cultural Heritage

Collections

Improve the stewardship of the national collections 15 1,904 15 1,904 0 0

Facilities and Safety

Improve Smithsonian facilities operations and provide 

a safe and healthy environment 0 18 0 18 0 0

Enable Cost-Effective and Responsive 

Administration

Management Operations

Enable efficient and responsive administrative 

infrastructure 4 491 4 491 0 0

Information Technology

Improve the Institution's information technology 

systems and infrastructure 1 167 1 167 0 0

Total 56 6,556 56 6,556 0 0

FY 2018 FY 2019 Change
129

BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT

The Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery (NPG) inspires visitors from around 

the world by illuminating the American experience through powerful images that 

connect people and their stories.

The NPG strives to bring visitors face to face, literally and figuratively, with 

exceptional Americans and their remarkable stories across time, place, and 

circumstance. The NPG uses diverse approaches in visual biography to focus on 

changing notions of American identity, and to track evolving ideas about who is 

significant and has an impact on American culture. The NPG aspires to be widely 

known as the place that sparks thought and conversation, one that brings factual 

American biography into discussions of contemporary issues, and as a cultural 

center that includes diverse audiences as active participants in defining American 

identity through portraiture and biography.

The NPG devotes a major portion of its resources to the strategic goal of 

Understanding and Impacting 21st Century Audiences, thereby increasing the 

availability and accessibility of the NPG’s collections through exhibitions, public 

programs, and publications. The exhibitions explore themes in history, biography, 

and art in a way that brings out new meaning and understanding of the American 

experience. Highlights of special exhibitions planned for the remainder of FY 2018

include:

 UnSeen: Our Past in a New Light, Ken Gonzales-Day and Titus Kaphar —

The 2018 iteration of our popular Portraiture Now series will showcase two 

American contemporary artists — Titus Kaphar and Ken Gonzales-Day —

who engage with representation in nation-building and reveal how the 

omission of certain figures and communities from the genre of portraiture has 

effectively pre-empted their recognition in national history. 

 Black Out: Silhouettes Then and Now — Silhouettes have been, and continue 

to be, a powerful form of portraiture. This exhibition will explore the silhouette 

in terms of its forceful contemporary presence and rich historical roots

through NPG’s extensive collection of early 19th-century silhouettes of 

Americans from all walks of life, and as seen through the eyes of four 

contemporary artists, using this artistic medium in bold, imaginative ways 

today. This exhibit will be accompanied by a fully-illustrated catalogue, and a 

two-venue tour is proposed.

 One Year: 1968 — Some years acquire an iconic significance in our collective 

memories. The year 1968 is recalled not because it was notable for a single 

political event, but because it was a rolling cacophony of crisis and tumult, in 

which everything seemed to be changing. As we celebrate our 50th 

anniversary, the Portrait Gallery will reimagine the One Life gallery to 
130

illuminate this impactful year — not only in our own institutional history, but 

also through its political, cultural, scientific and social milestones. 

In FY 2018, the NPG will be traveling The Outwin 2016 American Portraiture 

Today exhibit to its final venue as well as launching the four-venue tour of Yousuf 

Karsh: American Portraits. From May to September 2018, the NPG will accept 

entries for the 2019 Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition. Additional collectionbased traveling shows are in development based on self-portraiture and the Mathew 

Brady/Meserve collection. The NPG is also working with the Smithsonian Institution 

Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES) to develop an exhibit on Dolores Huerta and 

the presidents. The NPG will expand bilingual offerings in the permanent installation 

galleries for The Struggle for Justice, 20th Century Americans, BRAVO! and 

Champions. Planning will also begin to refresh the American Origins galleries.

The first step in Understanding and Impacting 21st Century Audiences is to 

combine communications, new media, and education into the Audience Engagement 

Department. In FY 2018, the combined departments have devised a strategy to 

define overarching goals in ways that support each goal, and provide actionable 

tactics for each strategy and key performance indicators to measure success. One 

of the primary goals within new media and communications includes raising national 

visibility, especially in five key regions: the San Francisco Bay area; Chicago; New 

York/New Jersey; Kansas City; and Dallas/Fort Worth. Other goals include 

highlighting the diversity of the collection to diverse audiences and increasing local 

visitorship and engagement. The NPG will accomplish these goals with targeted 

outreach, Web, and social media campaigns. While the Portrait Gallery is currently 

engaged in making its exhibitions and all printed and digital assets available in both 

English and Spanish, there will be an even greater push (at least in the digital 

sphere) to make content available in Mandarin, Russian, French and Arabic. 

Through this initiative, the NPG will bring our collections and scholarship to a 

worldwide audience.

Efforts in revitalizing education in FY 2019 include conducting more 

sophisticated analyses of different audiences, and the identification of and outreach 

to underserved audiences. The consideration of the latter will include non-native 

English speakers, and visitors with physical or learning challenges. NPG’s education 

department specialists will establish stronger relationships with visitors from all 

backgrounds and interests in programs to develop events that are highly tailored to 

specific audiences. The NPG will continue to collaborate with its innovative learning 

groups, the Teen Council and the Teacher Advisory Board, and use the perspectives 

and knowledge of these key members to extend the educational value of the NPG’s 

collection both programmatically and digitally. The Portrait Gallery will also initiate an 

Accessibility Task Force to bring NPG staff up to par with accessibility issues and 

demands. Other popular programs, including after-hours events, curator tours, and 

Family Days events, will continue to anchor the NPG’s educational offerings. In

FY 2019, the NPG docent corps will be a vibrant and diverse group well-versed in 

the collection and trained in inquiry techniques to engage audiences. In addition, the 
131

Portrait Gallery will continue testing a new space (Explore!) designed to help young 

people explore portraiture as art and history.

The NPG’s publication projects in FY 2018 include scholarly exhibition 

catalogues for The Sweat of Their Face and Black Out: Silhouettes Then and Now,

an updated book on the reinstalled America’s Presidents exhibition, and a multiauthor volume, Beyond the Face: New Perspectives on Portraiture. The Portrait 

Gallery will also work to publish effective content for programming and outreach. 

While continuing to update the permanent collection labels, NPG will come close to 

completing its bilingual initiative by ensuring that all permanent collection label texts 

are translated into Spanish.

The NPG will continue strengthening collections with several projects to 

produce digital images of its collection items and enhance the study and 

appreciation of its portraits in all media by researchers and the public around the 

world. By partnering with the Smithsonian’s Digitization Program Office to leverage 

its rapid-capture digitization equipment, one to two thousand prints, photographs, 

and works on paper will be digitized and loaded into the Smithsonian Digital Asset 

Management System (DAMS), complete with object condition reports. The NPG will 

also begin pilot digitization programs of its sculptural works. These technologydriven collections care efforts will be supplemented by the annual object 

conservation work, and will include the delicate frames of many painted portraits.

MEANS AND STRATEGY

In FY 2019, the NPG will continue to concentrate its efforts and resources on 

exhibitions, developing and maintaining its collection, expanding public education 

offerings, and pursuing new research directions.

The NPG will pursue the goal of offering compelling, first-class exhibitions by 

making its exhibitions more inclusive in subject and content, more accessible 

through translated, large-print and braille-accessible texts, and more broadly 

available through traveling exhibitions. The NPG’s exhibition schedule in

FY 2019 will feature the following:

 Eye to I: Self-Portraits from 1900 to Today — Drawing on NPG’s vast 

collection of self-portraits, this exhibition will explore how American artists 

have chosen to portray themselves over the past two centuries. Their 

representations — especially when seen together — all raise important 

questions about self-perception and self-reflection. An expanded companion 

publication and derivative touring version of this exhibition are planned. 

 Portraits of the World: Korea — Continuing NPG’s new international portrait 

series, the Portrait Gallery will present the work of featured artist Yun Suk 

Nam. Korea is acknowledged as a world leader in feminist art, and Yun Suk 

Nam was the first artist to investigate this theme through portraiture. Her art 
132

features non-idealized portraits of her mother that comment more generally 

on the experience of women in Korean society. Although her work has been 

exhibited widely in Korea and Japan, it is little known in the United States. 

This exhibition will introduce her art to American audiences.

 Votes for Women: An American Awakening, 1840 to 1920 — As the country 

commemorates the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment, NPG presents

the story of the historic crusade for American women’s rights, using biography 

and material culture to recount the heroic commitment to implementing 

change for women in the United States, and celebrating the many women 

who led the fight for women’s rights in the 19th and early 20th centuries, as 

well as exploring anti-suffrage activism, the state-by-state battle for 

ratification, and the legacy of the suffragists. A scholarly publication will 

accompany the show.

 In Mid-Sentence — Photographs of conversations, speeches, and press 

conferences are replete with words that remain unheard. The works in the 

exhibition depict moments of communication from teaching, protest, or 

confrontation to private moments and public engagements, bringing into relief 

the historical significance of each of these works, and providing the missing 

script that gives sound to the otherwise silent voices from the past. 

 One Life: Marian Anderson — Much of what the public knows about this

singer’s life stems from her 1939 performance at the Lincoln Memorial. This 

exhibition shifts the focus from 1939 to underexplored aspects of Anderson’s 

lifetime, examines the ways others wielded Anderson’s iconic likeness as a 

powerful symbol in the pursuit of civil rights, and provides a more nuanced 

understanding of how Anderson’s many roles, as singer, diplomat, and muse

helped shatter segregationist policies on and off the stage.

In addition to other permanent collection rotations and continuing traveling 

exhibitions, in FY 2019 the NPG will begin the three-venue tour of In the Groove: 

Jazz Portraits by Herman Leonard in Denmark, the two-venue domestic tour of 

Black Out, and preparations to refresh American Origins.

The Portrait Gallery will continue to revitalize education by offering wall text in 

all exhibitions, printed and digital assets, and limited public programs in both English 

and Spanish. The NPG will make progress with additional languages in our digital 

offerings. The audience engagement team will be collaborating with Smithsonian 

Enterprises on Gallery-wide audio components for permanent collection exhibitions. 

This will include an access component (such as verbal descriptions for low-vision 

and blind visitors) for a seamless visitor experience. 

The NPG internship program will better reflect our community and provide 

opportunities for underserved students from diverse parts of the United States. The 

Portrait Gallery will accomplish this by providing a small stipend or travel voucher for 
133

interns, and seeking funding for a broadcasting studio to allow for national outreach 

through podcasts and video production with staff and visiting artists. Students, 

teachers, families, and teens will continue to be served through diverse interactive 

programs related to better understanding who we are and our impact on our society. 

This programming will take place in the building and online. Communications and 

marketing will continue to advance outreach and recognition throughout the 

Washington, DC metropolitan area and nationally with targeted strategies in social 

media and ad placements.

In FY 2019, the NPG’s publication projects include the companion publication 

for Eye to I: Self-Portraits from 1900 to Today, a scholarly exhibition catalogue for 

Votes for Women: An American Awakening, 1840–1920, and the fifth book in the 

series that accompanies the triennial Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition.

The NPG will continue to Preserve Our Natural and Cultural Heritage by 

providing a fuller picture of the early nation with further acquisitions of 18th and 19th 

century portraits of under-represented minorities and women. The NPG will also 

seek to expand its holdings of images of contemporary Americans by acquiring 

portraits of leading figures in the sciences, business, and the arts. 

The NPG is a leader among its sister Smithsonian museums in the collection, 

study, and conservation of artworks created in digital formats — a broad and 

dynamic art form evolving with every development in technology. The NPG will 

continue collaborating with the Digitization Program Office until its entire collection of 

both two- and three-dimensional works has been captured with digital imagery and 

made accessible to the public and researchers via the Web. Moreover, the NPG will 

care for the physical conservation needs of the collection, in all media.

Finally, the Portrait Gallery will continue work on the strategic goal of Enabling 

Cost-Effective and Responsive Administration with vigorous efforts to access diverse 

applicant pools for emerging recruitment needs. The NPG will also team with central 

Smithsonian offices of procurement, finance, and human resources to pilot and 

implement Web-based tools to enhance financial controls and expedite recruitments, 

as well as adapt procedures to improve contracting and purchasing.

NONAPPROPRIATED RESOURCES — General trust funds support critical 

positions and help defray costs of special events for exhibition openings, loan 

exhibition development, outreach, fund raising, management, and research. The 

NPG must support exhibitions, publications, public lectures and gallery programs, 

symposia, and some collection acquisitions with donor/sponsor-designated funds. 

Private donations are thus essential to the NPG’s planning, programming, and ability 

to deliver on its public mission. It is through a public-private partnership that the 

National Portrait Gallery achieves its goals and serves the Smithsonian’s mission.
134

NATIONAL POSTAL MUSEUM

APPLICATION OF OPERATING RESOURCES

FEDERAL 

APPROPRIATIONS

GENERAL 

TRUST

DONOR/SPONSOR 

DESIGNATED

GOV’T GRANTS

& CONTRACTS

FTE $000 FTE $000 FTE $000 FTE $000

FY 2017

ENACTED 6 1,120 3 384 2 2,693 18 3,074

FY 2018 

ESTIMATE 6 1,131 3 550 3 2,495 21 3,110

FY 2019

REQUEST 6 1,331 2 484 2 2,985 23 3,285

Federal Resource Summary by Performance Objective and Program Category

BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT

The National Postal Museum (NPM), with the world’s largest museum 

collection of stamps and postal artifacts, is dedicated to creating visitor experiences 

that educate, excite, entertain and inspire. With more than six million objects, the 

Museum is responsible for the Smithsonian’s second-largest collection. The Museum 

dedicates its resources to developing new and innovative ways to explore the vital 

role of the postal system in American life, and to make its vast philatelic and postal 

collections available to all visitors — both in person and online. The NPM uses its 

collections in exhibitions and public programs which educate visitors on the history of 

America, transportation, communication, economics, and commerce.

In addition to the many activities and programs completed throughout the year, 

the NPM is focused on several major initiatives aimed at increasing visitation to both 

Performance Objective/ 

 Program Category FTE $000 FTE $000 FTE $000

Expand Digital Technologies

Digitization and Web Support

Provide improved digitization and Web support 1 92 1 92 0 0

Understand and Impact 21st Century Audiences

Exhibitions

Offer compelling, first-class exhibitions 1 160 1 160 0 0

Preserve Our Natural and Cultural Heritage

Collections

Improve the stewardship of the national collections 4 536 4 536 0 0

Facilities and Safety

Improve Smithsonian facilities operations and provide 

a safe and healthy environment 0 343 0 543 0 200

Total 6 1,131 6 1,331 0 200

FY 2018 FY 2019 Change
135

the Museum and its website. These initiatives include the design and fabrication of 

new exhibitions; the development of new hands-on educational experiences; and 

planning for the next generation of the Museum’s popular online collections program. 

These initiatives will support the goals outlined in the Smithsonian’s new Strategic 

Plan, One Smithsonian. 

The FY 2019 budget request includes a must-fund increase of $200,000 

that is paid to the Federal Protective Service for required security protection at 

the Postal Square Building in Washington, DC. This building houses several 

federal agencies and is also home to the National Postal Museum. This increase 

is included in the Fixed Costs section of this budget submission.

MEANS AND STRATEGY

The National Postal Museum’s primary activities will contribute to the 

Smithsonian’s vision of building “...on its unique strengths to engage and to inspire 

more people, where they are, with greater impact, while catalyzing critical 

conversations on issues affecting our nation and the world” through the prism of 

postal communications and philately. These challenges will be met by partnering with 

other Smithsonian museums in support of the One Smithsonian Strategic Plan:

serving as a catalyst for conversations about complex issues; extending the digital 

reach of the Museum; understanding and impacting 21st century audiences; 

contributing to large, visionary, interdisciplinary research and scholarly projects; and 

preserving our philatelic and postal heritage while optimizing our assets.

In FY 2019, NPM’s Department of Education and Visitor Services (DEVS) will 

expand K–12 school programs and create new learning opportunities in the Byrne 

Education Center of the William H. Gross Stamp Gallery and in new and existing 

Museum exhibitions. A broad array of new digital resources will be made available for 

use as part of classroom visits and as stand-alone lessons. The Byrne Center will 

provide enhanced learning opportunities which incorporate the newest digital 

pedagogical tools. The Byrne Center will also continue to be used for NPM and 

Institution-wide meetings and programs. A second educational space supports the 

Museum’s on-site school tours, community engagement activities, and family 

programming such as NPM’s traditional programs, including First Class Problem 

Solvers and The Big Draw. 

The Museum is also planning to retrofit five exhibition galleries to incorporate 

new educational hubs which will provide interactive learning opportunities for children 

and their families. The educational hubs will support the Museum’s effort to make its 

exhibitions and educational offerings more accessible to a younger audience and 

provide new hands-on learning opportunities to discover more about NPM’s 

collections and the history of philately in America. FY 2019 will also see the 

continuation of NPM’s dedication to the vision of creating One Smithsonian by 

engaging other SI units in collaborative projects that leverage the resources of 

multiple museums and research centers to produce quality educational products. 
136

FY 2019 will also be the second year of an initiative to improve the Museum’s visitor 

experience by engaging the entire NPM staff in visitor-related activities. 

In FY 2019, the Museum will open a large, pan-Institutional exhibition 

celebrating the 150th anniversary of Major League Baseball. The exhibition will 

feature baseball-themed philatelic and postal history objects from the Museum’s 

collection as well as original artwork from the Postmaster General’s stamp art 

collection and numerous artifacts on loan from other museums, including various 

Smithsonian units. This initiative is being undertaken in support of the Institution’s 

Strategic Plan for creating One Smithsonian. 

The Museum will also open new rotating exhibitions in the William H. Gross 

Stamp Gallery and the Benjamin Franklin Foyer. These exhibitions will focus on 

topics currently in the news, and are intended to reach new audiences. The Museum 

will also continue to promote the exhibition on Alexander Hamilton that is scheduled 

to open in the third quarter of FY 2018. 

In FY 2019, the Museum will develop a new online collections information 

program that will greatly expand the number of collection objects that are available 

online. The new program will replace the existing online collections program that is 

now 11 years old and technologically obsolete. 

 

The NPM’s federal resources are primarily dedicated to improving the 

stewardship of the national collections for present and future generations. In 

FY 2019, the Museum will continue to process new acquisitions, which includes

digitizing and cataloguing collection items using the automated collections information 

system (CIS). Enhanced cataloguing and digital records will be created for all new 

exhibitions and will be posted online for broader access by the general public. 

A major initiative to improve accessibility to off-site collections will remain a 

Museum priority. In both FYs 2018 and 2019, the Museum will continue to coordinate 

with the staff of the National Museum of American History (NMAH) on the 

decontamination of NPM collection objects stored in Garber building number 15 and 

16 in Suitland, Maryland. This project will remove hazardous lead and asbestos from 

NPM collections that have been inaccessible for many years. The project will

eliminate a potential safety hazard for staff and make previously inaccessible 

collection items available for cataloguing and imaging. These collection items will 

then be made available to the public in exhibitions and online through the Museum’s 

collections website. 

The Museum will continue to catalogue, image, and conserve the Postmaster 

General’s (PMG) collection of original stamp art in FY 2019. The Postmaster 

General’s collection, transferred to the Museum from the United States Postal 

Service in FY 2012, represents one of the Museum’s most important collections. It 

includes the original artwork, as well as rejected designs and preliminary sketches, 

commissioned for more than 3,000 U.S. postage stamps between 1942 and the 
137

present. The NPM will also continue to permanently re-house the Postmaster 

General’s collection of original stamp art as well as implement a comprehensive 

conservation treatment plan. In addition, the Museum will continue to process new 

archival collections related to the PMG art collection.

Finally, the Museum will continue to refine the national philatelic collection. 

Collections frequently requested by researchers will continue to be reorganized and 

re-housed to improve public access and long-term preservation. Collections items 

previously deaccessioned from the national philatelic collection will be donated to 

other museums or sold for the benefit of the national collection. Deaccessioned 

collections items include duplicate revenue stamps and various postal items, which

either fall outside the scope of the collection or have deteriorated beyond use. 

NONAPPROPRIATED RESOURCES — The United States Postal Service provides 

the NPM with an annual grant, which supports nearly 75 percent of the Museum’s 

core functions and operational costs. These costs include salaries and benefits, 

utilities, facility maintenance, exhibitions, education, and collection management 

programs. Fundraising initiatives continue to generate increased support from the 

private sector to develop and support new exhibitions, research opportunities, 

educational initiatives, and special events. 
138

SMITHSONIAN AMERICAN ART MUSEUM

APPLICATION OF OPERATING RESOURCES

FEDERAL 

APPROPRIATIONS

GENERAL 

TRUST

DONOR/SPONSOR 

DESIGNATED

GOV’T GRANTS

& CONTRACTS

FTE $000 FTE $000 FTE $000 FTE $000

FY 2017

ENACTED 89 10,115 9 1,482 39 8,806 1 114

FY 2018

ESTIMATE 89 10,239 5 1,231 45 10,467 2 125

FY 2019

REQUEST 89 10,239 5 1,320 46 10.659 2 125

Federal Resource Summary by Performance Objective and Program Category

Performance Objective/ 

 Program Category FTE $000 FTE $000 FTE $000

Enhanced Interdisciplinary Research 

Research

Engage in vital arts and humanities research 6 680 6 680 0 0

Expand Digital Technologies

Digitization and Web Support

Provide improved digitization and Web support 8 936 8 936 0 0

Understand and Impact 21st Century Audiences

Public Programs

Provide relevant reference services and disseminate 

information to the public 12 1,432 12 1,432 0 0

Exhibitions

Offer compelling, first-class exhibitions 23 2,797 23 2,797 0 0

Education

Engage and inspire diverse audiences 3 306 3 306 0 0

Preserve Our Natural and Cultural Heritage

Collections

Improve the stewardship of the national collections 19 2,187 19 2,187 0 0

Facilities and Safety

Improve Smithsonian facilities operations and provide 

a safe and healthy environment 1 102 1 102 0 0

Enable Cost-Effective and Responsive 

Administration

Management Operations

Enable efficient and responsive administrative 

infrastructure 14 1,535 14 1,535 0 0

Information Technology

Improve the Institution's information technology 

systems and infrastructure 3 264 3 264 0 0

Total 89 10,239 89 10,239 0 0

FY 2018 FY 2019 Change
139

BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT

The Smithsonian American Art Museum (SAAM) is the nation’s Museum 

dedicated to the art and artists of the United States from colonial times to the present. It 

is the home of the largest and most inclusive collection of American art in the world, and 

its holdings of more than 43,400 works, spanning three centuries of the nation’s cultural 

development, tell the story of America through the visual arts. The Museum’s programs 

make the collection available to national audiences and beyond, as well as to those who 

visit its two historic landmark buildings in Washington, DC: the Donald W. Reynolds 

Center (DWRC) for American Art and Portraiture (shared by SAAM and the National 

Portrait Gallery) and the Renwick Gallery, dedicated to American crafts and decorative 

arts.

To achieve the strategic goal of Enhanced Interdisciplinary Research, SAAM 

curators and research Fellows-in-residence use the collection and other resources to 

develop new insights into America’s cultural and artistic legacy as well as current 

themes and explorations. The resulting knowledge informs collections development and

serves as the basis for exhibitions, associated award-winning catalogues and scholarly 

publications, and educational programs. The Fellowship program, which celebrates its 

20th anniversary in 2020, cultivates the next generation of professors and curators. 

SAAM has hosted more than 660 scholars who now work at academic and cultural 

institutions across the United States, Australia, Asia, the Caribbean, Europe, the Middle 

East and South America. The Museum’s peer-reviewed journal, American Art, serves as 

a primary venue for groundbreaking scholarship in the field. The Museum also hosts 

international symposia and seminars on topics of relevance in the field of American art

and encourages a deeper understanding of American art’s global connections.

SAAM will Expand Digital Technologies by offering a constellation of activities to 

engage users both online and in the galleries. The Museum takes full advantage of the 

latest technologies, with a focus on mobile-optimized websites and applications, video 

production, and social media engagement. SAAM is also undertaking significant 

experiments and pilot projects using new platforms such as virtual reality. Three

videoconference centers deliver the Museum’s education programs to classrooms 

around the world. The digitization of SAAM’s collections continues apace, allowing the 

Museum to add new assets and media to support its online resources.

The Museum will Understand and Impact 21st Century Audiences through 

exhibitions, education, and public programs. An ambitious schedule of exhibitions 

developed in-house and complemented by shows obtained from other organizations 

attracts new visitors and encourages repeat visits. At the DWRC, large exhibition 

spaces, shops, and a restaurant greet visitors with a broad range of activities to 

maintain their interest. The Lunder Conservation Center provides a window on 

preservation of the nation collections, and the Luce Foundation Center for American Art 

displays 3,500 collection objects in an inviting, visible storage center. The Renwick 

Gallery has additional space for exhibitions, public programs, and rotating displays of its 

permanent collection of American crafts. Multiple traveling exhibitions organized by the 

Museum are shared with other museums throughout the United States, enriching 

people’s lives by giving them direct access to their nation’s artistic and cultural heritage.
140

National education programs directly reach K–12 teachers and students. These 

include adoption of the latest technologies where most effective, as well as

incorporation of art into social studies, history, and language arts. Resident teacher 

institutes are supplemented by online/on-demand courses for the K–12 community. The 

Museum regularly collaborates with private and public organizations to provide teachers

with new tools and resources. In addition, students are brought into the Museum as 

often as possible to provide that unique, direct experience with great art. The MacMillan 

Education Center, located in the galleries, serves students in classrooms across the 

nation and U.S. military bases worldwide, as well as school groups touring the Museum, 

conservators, research Fellows, and educators.

Public programs complement Museum exhibitions and collections with

lectures, tours and gallery talks, and craft and sketching workshops. The McEvoy 

Auditorium is the venue for four of SAAM’s five lecture series as well as two of five 

music series. The others are either at the Renwick Gallery or the Kogod Courtyard. 

The latter space also hosts programs such as family days, heritage months, and artthemed movies. In FY 2017, SAAM hosted 365 programs and events.

The strategic goal of Preserving Our Natural and Cultural Heritage is achieved 

through multiple activities. Scholarship and research help set acquisition objectives. 

Gifts of art and private funds raised through development activities pay for additions to 

the national collection. Conservators research methods and tools to preserve the 

artwork. The Lunder Conservation Center is an important locus for conservation 

training and colloquia of interest to the conservation community and the public.

Conservation Fellowships ensure that experience and knowledge are shared with the 

larger community of conservation practitioners.

SAAM also has a pro-active safety program to ensure a safe and healthy 

environment for Museum staff and visitors.

Cost-Effective and Responsive Administration encompasses many activities. 

Information Technology (IT) staff implement and maintain the information framework on 

which so many other efforts depend. This includes exhibition space screens and kiosks 

that provide access to information available anywhere, on any device. Managers 

carefully plan, promote, protect, and conserve the Museum’s resources. 

MEANS AND STRATEGY

Research on the collections and related American art topics by curatorial staff 

continues in support of exhibitions and the permanent collection, including three new 

exhibition catalogues scheduled for publication in FY 2019. Endowments and multiyear private support have allowed the Museum to hire a full slate of curators with 

specialties ranging from sculpture, photography and contemporary crafts to Media 

Arts. The Museum’s award-winning, peer-reviewed journal, American Art, will publish 

three issues of new scholarship. The Museum hosts approximately 20 research 

Fellows every year from throughout the country and internationally, thereby

increasing the number of scholars using the collections. The resulting discoveries and 

interpretations by staff and Fellows help Americans understand and appreciate their 
141

rich cultural heritage as well as advance scholarship in American art. Research also

feeds into educational programs and provides content for the Web and new media.

The Museum embraces the Web by making as much of its artwork and 

related data as possible freely available online to the public. Ninety percent of 

SAAM’s collection now is online. The Museum hosts dynamic websites for visitors, 

researchers, and educators, most notably through the popular website at 

AmericanArt.si.edu. SAAM participates in collaborative digital initiatives with other 

organizations, exploring cutting-edge topics such as Linked Open Data (LOD). The 

publication of SAAM’s collections data as LOD has established the Museum as a 

leader in promoting semantic Web standards in the museum community. SAAM 

maintains an active social media presence across numerous platforms — including 

Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and our blog, Eye Level — which focuses on 

engaging the public in conversations about art-related topics. The Museum produces 

dozens of educational videos and live streams each year, which are added to its 

non-profit YouTube channel. These assets are fully accessible and responsive, 

regardless of the type of device used. Custom-built interactive exhibition 

components, apps, and videos are used whenever appropriate to provide a richer 

and more varied learning experience for visitors.

SAAM is planning seven exhibitions for FY 2019. Major exhibitions include 

Artists Respond: American Art and the Vietnam War: 1965–1975; David Levinthal; 

and two shows from our graphic art collection. Between Worlds: The Art of Bill 

Traylor will continue after opening at the very end of 2018. The Renwick Gallery

hosts the 2018 Renwick Invitational (a biennial favorite) while No Spectators: The Art 

of Burning Man continues for much of the year. As Burning Man comes down, part of 

the permanent collection will be reinstalled in its usual galleries. 

As part of its ongoing efforts to make as much material as possible accessible 

to the public, the Museum regularly rotates artworks in the permanent collection 

galleries to show the many facets of American art and culture, as well as to 

encourage return visits. The Luce Foundation Center for American Art displays an 

additional 3,500 collection objects in densely installed glass cases.

National outreach includes the touring exhibitions Irving Penn: Beyond 

Beauty; Pop Art Prints; The Art of Romaine Brooks; Down these Mean Streets: 

Community and Place in Urban Photography; and Harlem Heroes: Photographs by 

Carl Van Vechten. Interactive exhibition components continue evolving to keep pace 

with proliferating information streams. In addition, whenever possible, SAAM honors

requests by other museums for loans from the national collection. 

SAAM engages diverse audiences through a range of public programs and 

online resources. The Museum staff and 200 trained volunteers will continue popular 

tours, gallery talks, demonstrations and workshops, as well as signed tours for the 

hearing impaired and America InSight for visually impaired visitors. In addition, 

individuals bring in objects and talk with conservators about the proper care and 

handling of family heirlooms. Family Days and heritage month programs continue to

create and sustain new relationships between the public and their cultural history. The
142

Chinese New Year celebration, held in conjunction with the Chinese Embassy, remains 

a visitor favorite. Public programs in the galleries, McEvoy Auditorium, and Kogod 

Courtyard occur nearly every day. These are supplemented by new Web content, as 

well as by making all content accessible regardless of the media platform used.

Education initiatives continue to expand as the Museum takes advantage of new 

online tools and assets. SAAM continues to develop its highly successful distancelearning program with staff and 25 volunteers who create content that reaches 

classrooms worldwide. Three videoconference centers, including the MacMillan 

Education Center, enable the Museum to serve more students than ever before. 

Contracts and partnerships with Government agencies such as the Department of 

Defense, National Park Service, National Archives and Records Administration, and the 

U.S. Patent Office expand the Museum’s reach to more diverse audiences. The intern 

program, hosting 35 students in FY 2017 (from 22 states, Washington, DC, Canada, the 

Netherlands, and England), helps to prepare the next generation of museum 

professionals. In addition, the Museum continues to host two teacher training institutes,

each lasting a week; in FY 2017, 62 teachers from 28 states attended. Another 21

returning teachers participated in the advanced institute for alumni.

The safe storage and display of collection objects remain a top priority. SAAM

continues to develop public interest in and awareness of preservation issues through 

the Luce Foundation Center and the Lunder Conservation Center and their many 

public and professional programs. The acquisition of new tools and instrumentation will 

allow more complete monitoring of the collection and application of leading-edge 

conservation techniques to preserve the collection. Leased cool-storage space ensures 

that photographic material is preserved in ideal conditions. Artworks will be acquired to 

fill gaps in the collection identified through the Museum’s collections plan. Time-based 

media (i.e., works that exhibit a changing observable state, such as film, videos or 

lights) will continue to receive special attention in our Time-based Media Lab. Galleries 

in the DWRC continue to be converted to light-emitting diode (LED) lighting, which is

less damaging to the collection and more economical in reducing the costs of

maintenance and utilities.

Information technology and administrative procedures closely monitor 

resources and processes, resulting in Cost-Effective and Responsive Administration. 

Strong partnerships with Smithsonian central offices enable SAAM to provide an enduser perspective on policy changes. Use of the Museum’s intranet site keeps staff 

current on the ever-changing procedural and regulatory environment. Continual review 

of work processes and conditions result in implementation of safer techniques and 

materials for both staff and the environment.

NONAPPROPRIATED RESOURCES — Nearly all of SAAM’s non-personnel costs, 

including those for exhibitions, educational and public programs, and purchases for

the national collection, are paid with funds provided by individuals, foundations, and 

corporations. Donor/sponsor-designated funds support specific programs and 

projects. Additionally, trust funds support salaries and benefits for one-third of staff, as 

well as all fundraising activities and related costs.
143

OUTREACH

APPLICATION OF OPERATING RESOURCES

FEDERAL 

APPROPRIATIONS

GENERAL 

TRUST

DONOR/SPONSOR 

DESIGNATED

GOV’T GRANTS

& CONTRACTS

FTE $000 FTE $000 FTE $000 FTE $000

FY 2017 

ENACTED 64 9,214 39 6,668 6 5,995 1 502

FY 2018 

ESTIMATE 64 9,333 33 6,217 20 7,248 1 351

FY 2019

REQUEST 64 9,333 33 6,783 20 5,501 1 115

Federal Resource Summary by Performance Objective and Program Category

BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT

All of the Institution’s outreach activities link the Smithsonian’s national 

collections, research, and educational resources with Americans from coast to coast. 

These programs aim to: 1) broaden the audiences who share in the nation’s rich cultural 

heritage; 2) enhance widespread research-based knowledge of science, history, and 

Performance Objective/ 

 Program Category FTE $000 FTE $000 FTE $000

Enhanced Interdisciplinary Research 

Research

Engage in impactful scientific research and discovery 3 1,385 3 1,385 0 0

Engage in vital arts and humanities research 1 845 1 845 0 0

Expand Digital Technologies

Digitization and Web Support

Provide improved digitization and Web support 3 352 3 352 0 0

Understand and Impact 21st Century Audiences

Public Programs

Provide relevant reference services and disseminate 

information to the public 2 209 2 209 0 0

Exhibitions

Offer compelling, first-class exhibitions 39 4,672 39 4,672 0 0

Education

Engage and inspire diverse audiences 11 1,428 11 1,428 0 0

Enable Cost-Effective and Responsive 

Administration

Management Operations

Enable efficient and responsive administrative 

infrastructure 5 442 5 442 0 0

Total 64 9,333 64 9,333 0 0

FY 2018 FY 2019 Change
144

art; and 3) provide opportunities for educators and scholars to further increase and 

diffuse knowledge.

Smithsonian outreach programs serve millions of Americans, thousands of 

communities, and hundreds of institutions in all 50 states, through loans of objects, 

traveling exhibitions, and sharing of educational resources via publications, lectures 

and presentations, training programs, and websites. Smithsonian outreach programs 

work in close cooperation with Smithsonian museums and cultural and research 

centers, as well as with 216 affiliated institutions and others across the nation.

This line item includes the programs which provide the critical mass of 

Smithsonian Across America outreach activity: the Smithsonian Institution Traveling 

Exhibition Service (SITES); Smithsonian Affiliations; the Smithsonian Center for 

Learning and Digital Access (SCLDA); the Office of Fellowships and Internships 

(OFI); and the Smithsonian Institution Scholarly Press (SISP). Smithsonian 

Associates and the Smithsonian Science Education Center (SSEC), which receive no 

direct federal funding, are also part of this national outreach effort. 

MEANS AND STRATEGY

Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service (39 FTEs and 

$4,672,000) — For more than 67 years, SITES has shared Smithsonian exhibitions 

and educational resources with people and places all across the country. More than 

500 communities in all 50 states host SITES shows in formats ranging from largescale interactive exhibits for mainstream art, history, and natural history museums to 

exhibitions for mid-size museums and cultural centers, and from small exhibitions for 

rural America to poster exhibitions tailored to school classrooms. Encompassing 

subjects that parlay the Smithsonian’s vast collections and research, SITES’ 

FY 2019 offerings will address such topics as artistic creativity, scientific exploration, 

and the mosaic of diverse cultures that have made America the great nation it is 

today. 

SITES is a national leader in exhibitions that honor and celebrate the diversity 

of cultural heritage in America — African Americans, Latinos, Asian Pacific 

Americans, Native Americans, and the many other peoples who give our nation its 

unique vitality. SITES strives to tell the complete American story, in person and 

online, in all its exhibitions. FY 2019 resources will support and broaden our 

outreach to these communities, in addition to generating public engagement through 

exhibition topics related to the Grand Challenges of the American experience, space 

exploration, world cultures, our biodiverse planet, and the transformative power of 

the visual arts. In particular, SITES will continue its national tour of the Apollo 11 

command module, a national treasure, in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the 

first moon landing. 

FY 2019 resources will also continue to support SITES’ landmark Museum on 

Main Street (MoMS) initiative, enriching rural America where access to national 
145

cultural programs is limited. The MoMS team was recently awarded the Smithsonian 

Education Innovation Award in recognition of its outstanding accomplishments 

exemplifying the Smithsonian’s commitment to innovation in education. Also in 

FY 2019, MoMS will continue to travel exhibitions examining the cultural and 

scientific relationships between people and water, and how hometown sports teams 

energize communities and instill pride. In addition, MoMS will launch Crossroads:

Change in Rural America, looking at profound transformations in 20th century small 

towns and how they are reinventing themselves by creatively focusing on new 

opportunities for growth and economic development.

With every exhibition, SITES supports host venues so they can develop 

customized opportunities to engage and inspire people in their communities to learn 

about the subject of the exhibition. Exhibitions and related education materials are 

tailored to share local stories and the creativity, innovation and expertise of local 

residents — whether through school field trips, family festivals, lectures involving 

academics from local colleges and universities, or programs targeted for 

underserved youth and adults, such as teen-produced, multi-media community 

histories. 

While most Americans may know the Smithsonian from one-time school trips 

or family visits, the presence of the Institution’s resources in their hometowns has a 

deeper resonance. SITES exhibitions represent the valuable public impact of the 

federal dollar. They are a source of immense local pride, bringing together people 

from diverse ethnic, age, and socio-economic groups to celebrate a shared national 

heritage at the local level — in communities across the nation. 

Smithsonian Affiliations (2 FTEs and $371,000) — Now in its 22nd year, 

Smithsonian Affiliations continues to build a strong, national network of affiliated 

museums, educational, and cultural organizations that facilitate the display of 

Smithsonian artifacts and the dissemination of the Institution’s expertise in

communities across America. By working with both emerging and well-established 

museums of varying sizes, subject areas, diverse audiences, and scholarly 

disciplines, Smithsonian Affiliations creates the framework through which visitors 

unable to visit the Institution’s facilities can still experience the Smithsonian in their 

own communities. In addition, the Smithsonian works closely with affiliated 

organizations to increase their audiences, expand their professional capabilities, and 

gain greater recognition in their local communities. There are currently 216 Affiliate 

organizations in 46 states, Puerto Rico, and Panama.

These strategies have resulted in the display of more than 9,000 Smithsonian 

artifacts in Affiliate locations, including such historic and topical items as U.S. 

spacecraft, First Ladies’ gowns, Civil War arms and uniforms, outdoor sculptures, 

scientifically significant collections, and many more. Smithsonian scholars have 

participated in science literacy, American history, cultural diversity, and art education 

programs at Affiliate locations. Professional development workshops, internships, 

and visiting professional residencies have given Affiliate staff the opportunity to 
146

increase their knowledge and skills in areas such as collections management, 

exhibition planning, and museum administration. In addition, the Smithsonian 

Affiliations’ annual conference creates a forum for networking, information sharing, 

and future planning. New videoconferencing capabilities have also extended the 

reach of Smithsonian Affiliations. Current Affiliate projects build on and amplify the 

core objectives outlined in the Smithsonian’s Strategic Plan.

Smithsonian Center for Learning and Digital Access (SCLDA) (13 FTEs 

and $1,524,000) — Smithsonian educators work with Smithsonian content experts to 

develop products and services that strengthen American education and enhance our 

ability to compete globally. SCLDA focuses on digital products and services that are 

based on learning research, testing, and evaluation. Its Smithsonian Learning Lab 

brings together an ever-growing number of digital resources from all of the museums 

to provide unlimited learning opportunities to anyone who has internet access. The 

free online Lab enables everyone to find and customize resources for educational 

use and share them with a Smithsonian learning community. Many site features, such 

as the tools to create lessons and activities, specifically address the needs of 

teachers and students in K–12 classrooms and higher education. To demonstrate the 

benefits to teaching and learning, and to measure its impact, SCLDA is partnering 

with major universities to study the use of digital museum content in education.

Office of Fellowships and Internships (OFI) (6 FTEs and $1,970,000) —

The OFI has the central management and administrative responsibility for the 

Institution’s programs of research, Fellowships, and other scholarly appointments. 

One of its primary objectives is to facilitate the Smithsonian’s academic interactions 

with students and scholars at universities, museums, and other research institutions 

around the world. The Office administers Institution-wide research support 

programs, and encourages and assists other Smithsonian museums, research 

centers, and offices with diversifying and developing additional Fellowships and 

visiting appointments.

The Smithsonian Institution offers Fellowships to provide opportunities for 

graduate students, pre-doctoral students, and postdoctoral and senior investigators 

to conduct independent research in association with members of the Smithsonian 

professional research staff, and to more effectively use the resources of the 

Institution. 

To achieve the strategic goal of Enhanced Interdisciplinary Research and 

maintain the Smithsonian’s level of expertise in the research community, the 

Institution must continue attracting the best scholars. The OFI has increased

Fellowship stipends to provide awards comparable to other prestigious programs so 

the Smithsonian can maintain a competitive edge. Since funding for stipends has 

remained flat, the Smithsonian has increased the value of each award, but has 

decreased the number of Fellowships awarded. The Smithsonian is trying to raise 

private funding for the Institution’s Fellowships and Scholarly Studies Program to 

help today’s young scientists become the next generation’s top researchers. In 
147

addition, the OFI continues to provide current staff with the financial support needed 

to develop new research initiatives, collaborate with other scholars, and determine 

the scope and feasibility of projects.

Smithsonian Institution Scholarly Press (SISP) (4 FTEs and $796,000) —

Through the Smithsonian Contributions Series program, continually published since 

1875, SISP publishes and disseminates research conducted by Smithsonian staff 

and collaborators. The federal funds support the production of first-class research 

results in science, art, culture, and history, with widespread distribution to the public 

and to libraries, universities, and other education and research organizations. SISP 

publishes open-access series, in digital and print formats, in core subject areas of 

anthropology, art, botany, history, marine sciences, museum conservation, 

paleobiology, and zoology, as well as interdisciplinary research and conference 

proceedings. 

Furthermore, federal resources underwrite the publication of scholarly books 

closely related to the national collections and SISP administration of the 

Smithsonian’s initiative to increase public access to peer-reviewed scholarly articles 

and papers authored by Smithsonian staff. The performance objectives advanced by 

SISP’s scholarly publications and its program to increase public access to 

Smithsonian research results are Enhanced Interdisciplinary Research and support 

the strategic goal to Understand and Impact 21st Century Audiences.

NONAPPROPRIATED RESOURCES — General trust funds defray the costs of staff 

salaries and benefits, fund raising, exhibition design and production, publications, 

materials, outside specialists, and contractual services. Donor/sponsor-designated 

funds cover costs related to specific projects and programs.
148

COMMUNICATIONS

APPLICATION OF OPERATING RESOURCES

FEDERAL 

APPROPRIATIONS

GENERAL 

TRUST

DONOR/SPONSOR 

DESIGNATED

GOV’T GRANTS

& CONTRACTS

FTE $000 FTE $000 FTE $000 FTE $000

FY 2017

ENACTED 22 2,632 27 3,948 0 214 0 0

FY 2018 

ESTIMATE 23 2,839 32 4,068 0 20 0 0

FY 2019

REQUEST 23 2,839 32 4,327 0 20 0 0

Federal Resource Summary by Performance Objective and Program Category

BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT

The Office of Communications and External Affairs (OCEA) consists of 

four departments: the Office of Public Affairs (OPA), the Office of Government 

Relations (OGR), the Office of Visitor Services (OVS), and the Office of Special 

Events and Protocol (OSEP).

The OCEA manages the Smithsonian brand strategy, coordinates brand 

marketing and oversees internal communications. Office resources support the 

Strategic Plan by training staff about the Institution’s priorities and objectives, and 

informing them about important initiatives, thereby enabling the Institution to 

better execute its mission. Accordingly, OCEA is responsible for implementing 

the Smithsonian brand strategy, both internally and externally, so that the 

Institution reaches and engages more people with its mission. By improving 

internal communications to more effectively and efficiently inform staff of 

Institution-wide policies, initiatives, and events, OCEA encourages cross-unit 

Performance Objective/ 

 Program Category FTE $000 FTE $000 FTE $000

Understand and Impact 21st Century Audiences

Public Programs

Provide relevant reference services and disseminate 

information to the public 16 1,867 16 1,867 0 0

Enable Cost-Effective and Responsive 

Administration

Management Operations

Enable efficient and responsive administrative 

infrastructure 7 972 7 972 0 0

Total 23 2,839 23 2,839 0 0

FY 2018 FY 2019 Change
149

collaboration to help the Smithsonian better achieve its strategic goals and core 

mission. 

The OPA coordinates public relations and communications with museums, 

research centers, cultural resource centers, and offices to present a consistent 

and positive image of the Institution. The Office supports the Strategic Plan by 

advancing the Institution’s objectives, connecting people with Smithsonian 

experts, research, exhibitions, and public programs, and by working with 

conventional media outlets and social media. The OPA connects to online 

audiences by overseeing content such as Visitor Information, Events, Exhibits, 

and Encyclopedia Smithsonian on the Institution’s central website. The Office 

also administers content on Newsdesk, the Smithsonian’s online newsroom, and 

on central Smithsonian social media accounts. In addition, the OPA works with 

units throughout the Institution to establish and maintain professional 

communications guidelines and standards.

The OGR is the liaison between the Smithsonian Institution and the 

federal Government. This includes members and staff of the U.S. House of 

Representatives and Senate appropriations and oversight committees and other 

congressional offices, the White House, the Office of Management and Budget,

and various federal agencies. The Office supports the Institution’s overall 

Strategic Plan by explaining the accomplishments, relevance, and wealth of the 

Smithsonian’s offerings to the Congress and the Administration. The OGR also 

works with other Smithsonian offices, informing them of federal-sector activities, 

tracking legislation pertinent to them, showcasing their exhibits, programs and 

discoveries for interested congressional offices, and managing their requests for 

high-ranking Government officials to participate in official Institution events.

The OVS is the main Office dedicated to designing, orchestrating, and 

improving visitors’ experiences with the Smithsonian. The Office enables the 

Smithsonian’s mission through its activities as the primary point of contact for 

Smithsonian visitors and volunteers. Office resources support the Strategic Plan 

by administering products and services that broaden visitor access to 

Smithsonian public programs and services.

The OSEP participates in strategic decision making for advancing the

Institution’s goals by identifying event opportunities which will help the 

Smithsonian achieve its objectives, and also helps plan special events to extend 

the reach of the Institution and energize its representation.

MEANS AND STRATEGY

The OPA allocates resources for national and international media publicity 

and to expand minority relationships through targeted media outlets. As the 

Smithsonian Office with primary responsibility for extending the Institution’s 

communications message to online audiences, the OPA manages content on the 
150

central website, Newsdesk, and on the central Smithsonian social media 

accounts. The OPA works with units throughout the Institution to establish and 

maintain professional communications guidelines and standards. The OPA also 

produces Smithsonian Science, an online blog devoted to scientific research.

In addition, the OPA initiates and responds to all media inquiries in a 

timely manner with accurate, concise information, and generates story ideas for 

the media, featuring Smithsonian experts, exhibitions, research, and programs. 

In terms of new initiatives, the OPA also has a leading role in coordinating the 

rollout of the Institution’s One Smithsonian: Greater Reach, Greater Relevance, 

Profound Impact Strategic Plan and many programs, as well as appeals for 

private support.

The OVS designs and administers systems that visitors use regularly to 

plan and enjoy their visits, as well as systems that enable Smithsonian staff to 

better aid on-site visitors. The OVS administers the Smithsonian Information 

Center at the Castle Building, the outdoor visitor information kiosks adjacent to all 

museums and galleries, Web applications, and selected publications. In addition, 

the OVS oversees a comprehensive visitor feedback system that includes the 

general Smithsonian email address, a telephone call center, comment cards, and 

surveys. 

The OVS also works with relevant units to deliver products and services 

which help their staff understand and meet the needs of their specific audiences. 

The OVS systematically analyzes visitor behavior, trends and insights, and 

delivers pertinent findings to museum and research center teams whose projects 

will affect how visitors experience the Smithsonian and get the most out of their 

time in our facilities. The OVS recruits and trains highly qualified, motivated and 

diverse volunteers to engage with visitors and help Smithsonian staff conduct

research projects. The OVS also increases retention of volunteers by offering 

personal enrichment, award and recognition opportunities. 

NONAPPROPRIATED RESOURCES — General trust funds support salaries and 

benefits of personnel and other related costs. In addition, these funds support 

information dissemination, outreach, publications, and general operations.
151

INSTITUTION-WIDE PROGRAMS

APPLICATION OF OPERATING RESOURCES

FEDERAL 

APPROPRIATIONS

GENERAL 

TRUST

DONOR/SPONSOR 

DESIGNATED

GOV’T GRANTS

& CONTRACTS

FTE $000 FTE $000 FTE $000 FTE $000

FY 2017 

ENACTED 0 14,784 0 0 0 0 0 0

FY 2018

ESTIMATE 0 14,784 0 0 0 0 0 0

FY 2019

REQUEST 0 14,784 0 0 0 0 0 0

Federal Resource Summary by Performance Objective and Program Category

Performance Objective/ 

 Program Category FTE $000 FTE $000 FTE $000

Enhanced Interdisciplinary Research 

Research

Engage in impactful scientific research and discovery 0 1,200 0 1,200 0 0

Expand Digital Technologies

Digitization and Web Support

Provide improved digitization and Web support 0 766 0 766 0 0

Understand and Impact 21st Century Audiences

Public Programs

Provide relevant reference services and disseminate 

information to the public 0 2,400 0 2,400 0 0

Preserve Our Natural and Cultural Heritage

Collections

Improve the stewardship of the national collections 0 8,197 0 8,197 0 0

Enable Cost-Effective and Responsive 

Administration

Information Technology

Improve the Institution's information technology 

systems and infrastructure 0 2,221 0 2,221 0 0

Total 0 14,784 0 14,784 0 0

FY 2018 FY 2019 Change
152

BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT

Beginning in 1993, Congress has approved the creation of the following Institutionwide funding programs:

 Research Equipment Pool

 Latino Initiatives Pool 

 Asian Pacific American Initiatives Pool

 Collections Care and Preservation Fund

 Information Resources Management Pool

In 1993, Congress approved the Smithsonian’s reallocation of funds to create 

two Institution-wide funding programs: the Research Equipment Pool (REP) to support 

the units’ needs for state-of-the-art research equipment, and the Information Resources 

Management (IRM) Pool to systematically address information technology needs 

throughout the Institution. The Institution first received funds in FY 1995 to support the 

development of a third Institution-wide program, this one for Latino initiatives, including 

research, exhibitions, and educational programming. In FY 1998, Congress approved a 

$960,000 increase to the IRM Pool specifically dedicated to collections information 

systems’ needs. The FY 2006 appropriation included an increase of $1 million to 

establish the Collections Care and Preservation Fund (CCPF). The CCPF provides 

resources for the highest priority collections management needs throughout the 

Institution to improve the overall stewardship of Smithsonian collections. The FY 2016

appropriation included an increase of $879,000 for the Latino Initiatives Pool (LIP) and 

$400,000 to establish the Asian Pacific American Initiatives Pool to explore and share 

the contributions of Asian Pacific Americans to the American Experience. 

ADDITIONAL BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT — COLLECTIONS CARE 

Collections stewardship is a key component and core priority of the Smithsonian’s 

new Strategic Plan. Assembled over 172 years, Smithsonian collections are fundamental 

to carrying out the Institution’s mission and Strategic Plan, serving as the intellectual 

base for scholarship, discovery, exhibition, and education. As recognized by the America 

COMPETES Act reauthorization, the proper management, documentation, preservation, 

and accessibility of collections are important to the nation’s research and education 

infrastructure. Smithsonian collections have a unique and important role in addressing 

scientific and societal issues of the 21st century, enabling researchers to address such 

significant challenges as the effects of global change, the spread of invasive species, and 

the loss of biological and cultural diversity and its impact on global ecosystems and 

cultures.

As a result, the Institution must substantially improve collections care to ensure 

that Smithsonian collections are properly preserved and made accessible for current and 

future generations to study and enjoy. The volume, characteristics, complexity, and age 

of Smithsonian collections, as well as the variety of discipline-specific standards that 
153

apply to their care, make their management, preservation, and digitization as 

unprecedented, challenging, and complex as the collections themselves.

Currently, Smithsonian collections total 155 million objects and specimens; 

157,300 cubic feet of archives; and 2.1 million library volumes that include irreplaceable 

national icons, examples of everyday life, and scientific material vital to the study of the 

world’s natural and cultural heritage, covering subjects from art to zoology. Through its 

collections, the Smithsonian presents the astonishing record of American and 

international artistic, historical, cultural, and scientific achievement, with a scope and 

depth that no other institution in the world can match. As the steward of the national 

collections, the Smithsonian has the unique responsibility and historic tradition of 

preserving and making accessible its collections that are held in trust for the public.

Collections stewardship — the systematic development, documentation, 

management, preservation, and use of collections — is not a single process or 

procedure, but a series of components which are interwoven, interdependent, and 

ongoing. The condition of facilities housing collections, the quality of storage equipment 

and preservation tools, and the ability to document collections in manual and digital 

formats directly affect the Smithsonian’s ability to make collections available to scholars 

and the general public worldwide. Collections care, storage, and digitization represent a 

continuum of activities which support the Smithsonian’s strategic goals to preserve our 

natural and cultural heritage, expand the impact of Smithsonian digital collections assets, 

support interdisciplinary research, and foster a strategic, integrated and sustainable

approach to improved stewardship of collections. 

MEANS AND STRATEGY — RESEARCH EQUIPMENT POOL ($1,200,000)

The Smithsonian’s ambitious research agenda requires appropriate equipment to 

achieve its goal of Enhanced Interdisciplinary Research. This basic equipment 

infrastructure requires regular maintenance, upgrades, and routine replacement. With the 

current allocation, the Institution will continue striving to prioritize and address the many 

research needs throughout the Smithsonian community. Research Equipment Pool funds 

have enabled Smithsonian museums and research centers to undertake groundbreaking 

research in numerous areas. For example, genomics is offering new opportunities for 

exploring biodiversity. To be successful, biodiversity genomics requires a set of cuttingedge genetic technologies such as next-generation sequencing. Similarly, the Institution’s 

efforts in materials conservation have been greatly enhanced by using highly specialized 

equipment that has enabled conservators to better identify the age and provenance of 

artifacts as well as improve the preservation of fragile materials. Investing in equipment 

and maintenance contracts will allow the Smithsonian to leverage its collections and 

expertise in these important areas of research.

MEANS AND STRATEGY — LATINO INITIATIVES POOL ($2,000,000)

To achieve the strategic goals of Enhancing Interdisciplinary Research and 

Understanding and Impacting 21st Century Audiences, the LIP provides funding for 
154

projects that support Latino programs and focus on U.S. Latino contributions to science, 

history, and culture. Pool funds have been used to support exhibition and collections 

development, public and educational programs, research and publications, digital 

content, and Fellowships and internships.

Projects are selected on a competitive basis as recommended by a peer review 

panel from proposals that demonstrate cost-effective deployment of pool funds, as well 

as coordination with other Smithsonian resources and external funding. Since its creation 

in 1995, the LIP has provided more than $25.5 million in funding to more than 500

Smithsonian programs and projects.

In addition to a Latino Curatorial Initiative, launched in 2010 and designed to 

increase Latino representation and scholarship at the Smithsonian, the expanded 

funding of the LIP has broadened the Smithsonian’s outreach efforts throughout the 

country. This includes an increased number of traveling exhibitions, public and 

educational programs, and institutional partnerships. These funds ensure that 

Smithsonian content is available to more visitors throughout the country and the world, 

including audiences using digital platforms. 

The LIP funding will continue to be directed to Smithsonian leadership and 

professional development programs as well. An example of this is the Smithsonian 

Latino Center’s Latino Museum Studies Program (LMSP), which now boasts a national 

alumni network of more than 300 professionals and scholars, some of whom are 

currently employed at the Smithsonian. Programs such as the LMSP play an important 

role in creating an extensive pool of qualified museum professionals and cultural 

specialists who are represented in universities, museums, and cultural centers which 

also collaborate with the Smithsonian. 

MEANS AND STRATEGY — ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICAN INITIATIVES POOL

($400,000)

To achieve the strategic goals of Enhancing Interdisciplinary Research and 

Understanding and Impacting 21st Century Audiences, and documenting the full 

spectrum of the American Experience, the Asian Pacific American Initiatives Pool

(APAIP) provides funding to support research, exhibitions, educational programs,

collections, digital and media projects, and partnerships with local and regional cultural 

organizations. 

Projects are selected on a competitive basis from proposals that demonstrate 

effective deployment of the pool funds, coordination with other Smithsonian resources, 

and successful external fund raising from the private sector. Since its inception in 

FY 2016, the APAIP has provided funding to 25 Smithsonian programs and projects, 

and increased the Asian Pacific American presence in the Smithsonian’s presentation of 

and research into the American Experience.
155

MEANS AND STRATEGY — COLLECTIONS CARE AND PRESERVATION FUND

($8,197,000)

To achieve the strategic goal of Preserving Our Natural and Cultural Resources, 

the CCPF provides critical resources to make targeted improvements in the 

accountability, documentation, preservation, storage, and accessibility of the 

Smithsonian’s vast and diverse collections. With this funding, the Smithsonian has 

raised the level of collections stewardship in a pragmatic, strategic, and integrated 

manner by prioritizing and systematically addressing collections care needs. The 

Institution has succeeded with an approach that is based on sound collections 

assessment data, innovative collections care methodologies, economies of scale, and 

project-driven activities, including collections moves and digitization. Holistic collectionslevel management has enabled comprehensive improvements which benefit the 

greatest number of collection items and collecting units in an efficient, practical, and 

cost-effective way.

The Smithsonian’s senior leadership acknowledges that an effective strategy for 

addressing collections challenges depends on a coordinated, Institution-wide approach. 

Therefore, the following initiatives inform our strategies, budget request, and allocation 

of resources throughout the Smithsonian community.

Collections Physical and Digitization Assessments

In FY 2010, the Smithsonian conducted an Institution-wide collections physical 

condition assessment. As part of the assessment, Smithsonian collecting units grouped 

and evaluated their collections holdings based on their management and use, and 

characterized the quality of collections’ physical condition, housing materials, storage 

equipment, physical accessibility, and collections space. In FY 2012, the National 

Collections Program (NCP) and the Digitization Program Office (DPO) developed and 

implemented an Institution-wide assessment tool — the Collections and Digitization and 

Reporting System (CDRS) — to annually assess the state of collections’ physical 

condition and their digitization, establish priorities, identify areas where improvements 

are needed, measure progress, and provide a practical framework for the allocation of 

resources. Based on the collections’ physical assessment results, the Smithsonian has 

used the centralized CCPF to achieve targeted improvements in the preservation and 

accessibility of collections, ranging from national icons such as the Jefferson Bible to 

the preservation and management of biomaterials, in the most efficient and costeffective manner possible.

The NCP has strategically directed central collections care resources to specific 

collections across the Institution to improve substandard aspects of collections care to 

an acceptable level and meet professional standards. In addition, these funds have 

enabled staff to correct specific collections management deficiencies identified in the 

Smithsonian’s Inspector General audit recommendations; facilitate collections moves

from substandard facilities; and address the Institution’s highest priority collections 

management needs.
156

Collections Space Planning

In FY 2015, the Smithsonian completed a multi-year, Institution-wide collections 

space planning initiative, co-chaired by the NCP and Smithsonian Facilities, culminating 

in the Collections Space Framework Plan (CSFP). As part of this interdisciplinary 

planning initiative, the Smithsonian completed a first-of-its-kind survey of existing 

collections space conditions, representing more than 2.1 million square feet of space, or 

18 percent of total Smithsonian building space. The survey provided a snapshot of 

collections space conditions and rated the quality of collections space construction, 

equipment, accessibility, environmental conditions, security, and fire safety. The CSFP 

includes recommendations and a 30-year implementation plan for addressing current 

and projected pan-Institutional collections space requirements in a strategic, integrated, 

and collaborative manner. The plan now serves as a road map to guide short- and longterm facilities, real estate, and collections care project decisions, providing renovation 

and new construction strategies that address unacceptable collections space 

conditions, allow for decompression of overcrowded collections to make them more 

physically accessible, anticipate future collections growth, and reduce or eliminate 

reliance on leased space for collections storage.

To address near-term space requirements, the CSFP and the Smithsonian’s 

Facilities Capital request support the planning and design of Pod 6 at the Museum 

Support Center (MSC); continued mitigation of collections currently stored in hazardous

conditions at, and their removal, from failing facilities in Garber Buildings 15, 16, and 18; 

and various museum revitalization projects which will vastly improve collections storage, 

preservation, accessibility, and space efficiency. Construction of Pod 6 will complete the 

intent of the original 1994 MSC Master Plan and initiate the implementation of the CSFP

for relocation of at-risk collections from the Garber Facility and several Mall museums. 

Completion of Pod 6 is also necessary to maintain the critical path for the National 

Museum of American History’s (NMAH) East Wing public renewal project, which 

requires both temporary and permanent relocation of a significant volume of collections

from the Mall building to complete the renovation. 

In addition, near-term projects include the construction of two new storage 

modules adjacent to the Udvar-Hazy Center. The first of the modules will serve as 

temporary collections swing space during the National Air and Space Museum (NASM)

Mall Building revitalization. Once completed, the space will receive at-risk collections 

from the Garber Facility, further reducing the amount of unacceptable collections space. 

The construction of the NASM storage module and Pod 6 will provide essential 

temporary swing space required during the NASM and NMAH building renovations,

reducing lease costs and permanent storage expenses for the relocation of at-risk 

collections from unacceptable storage spaces at the Garber Facility and on the Mall, as 

well as enable the phased redevelopment of the Garber campus.

The Smithsonian now has robust Institution-wide data on the national collections, 

their physical condition, state of digitization, and current collections space conditions as 

a result of three important pan-Institutional initiatives. When combined, this information
157

provides key tools and direction for improving the management, care, and accessibility 

of the national collections. In FY 2019, the Smithsonian will continue to build on these 

collections initiatives and establish action plans for strategically addressing the 

preservation and storage space needs of collections, based on the results of the 

Institution-wide physical and digitization collections, assessments and collections space 

survey. 

MEANS AND STRATEGY — INFORMATION RESOURCES MANAGEMENT POOL

($2,987,000)

Digitization funding directly supports the Smithsonian’s ambition to serve a 

national and international audience online, offering access to important collections that 

are not currently on exhibit, and fulfilling the need to document collections for improved 

inventory control. Creating a portfolio of rapid-capture prototypes to address some of 

the Institution’s most commonly held collection materials will help establish an 

infrastructure for standardized high-throughput digitization that brings the Smithsonian 

one step closer to sharing its vast collections with the world. Therefore, this funding 

supports the Smithsonian’s mission for the “diffusion of knowledge.”

The IRM Pool supports network operations and server administration. 

Specifically, the requested funds are used for:

 upgrades and enhancements to the Smithsonian’s information technology 

infrastructure;

 contractor support in the Network Operations Center;

 services of Active Directory and desktop migration technicians;

 network hardware/software maintenance; and

 delivery of Smithsonian digital assets to the public.
158

SMITHSONIAN EXHIBITS

APPLICATION OF OPERATING RESOURCES

FEDERAL 

APPROPRIATIONS

GENERAL 

TRUST

DONOR/SPONSOR

DESIGNATED

GOV’T GRANTS

& CONTRACTS

FTE $000 FTE $000 FTE $000 FTE $000

FY 2017

ENACTED 28 3,057 14 -788 0 0 0 0

FY 2018

ESTIMATE 28 3,169 15 -788 0 0 0 0

FY 2019

REQUEST 28 3,169 15 -788 0 0 0 0

Federal Resource Summary by Performance Objective and Program Category

BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT

The Smithsonian Exhibits (SIE) office is a full-service exhibit planning, design, 

and production shop supporting Smithsonian public exhibitions that connect the 

American people and international audiences with the richness of Smithsonian content 

and collections. SIE is the Smithsonian-wide exhibit resource available to all 

Smithsonian museums, research centers and Affiliates and, in partnership with 

colleagues throughout the Institution, delivers the highest quality exhibit design, 

interpretive writing, editing, project management, graphic production, fabrication, 

installation, and 3D services.

To achieve the strategic goal to Understand and Impact 21st Century 

Audiences, the SIE will continue to focus on its core mission of planning, designing,

and producing exhibitions for the Institution. Clients with full, limited or no design or 

production capabilities can use the SIE for complete or partial exhibition services, 

including design, refurbishing, signage, acrylic casing, cabinetry, model making, 

crating, and artifact mounting.

Performance Objective/ 

 Program Category FTE $000 FTE $000 FTE $000

Understand and Impact 21st Century Audiences

Exhibitions

Offer compelling, first-class exhibitions 24 2,579 24 2,579 0 0

Enable Cost-Effective and Responsive 

Administration

Management Operations

Enable efficient and responsive administrative 

infrastructure 4 590 4 590 0 0

Total 28 3,169 28 3,169 0 0

FY 2018 FY 2019 Change
159

The SIE fosters collaboration among units by providing expert consultation, 

especially in the early stages of exhibition planning. With a broad array of skills, the 

SIE exhibit specialists network across the Smithsonian, enabling the creation of more 

compelling exhibits that connect the American people to their history as well as their

cultural and scientific heritages.

For clients who seek specialized exhibition-related services, the SIE will 

continue to develop digital interactive and multi-media services, and expand its 

expertise in computer-controlled production and automated modeling technologies

such as 3D scanning and printing. In addition, the SIE will provide opportunities for 

Smithsonian colleagues to take advantage of its state-of-the-art facility, allowing 

trained staff to work with the specialized equipment.

SIE’s Object Storage Facility (OSF) offers secure, climate-controlled storage for 

artifacts during production. The SIE, in its work to advance the strategic goal to

Understand and Impact 21st Century Audiences, and the Smithsonian’s expansive 

collections, will continue to support exhibitions in the S. Dillon Ripley Center 

concourse, as well as in the Commons, Schermer, and Great Hall galleries in the 

Smithsonian Castle.

The SIE also conducts forums for exhibit staff throughout the Smithsonian to 

inspire creativity, innovation, and collaborations which result in cutting-edge 

exhibitions and technological advances. The SIE is expanding its skills in interpretive 

master planning and exhibition development services to include prototyping and 

interactive development for diverse design projects.

MEANS AND STRATEGY

As the Institution’s most comprehensive producer of exhibits, the SIE is 

dedicated to providing its Smithsonian clients with first-class exhibition design, editing, 

production, and installation services. Each year, the SIE designs and produces 

approximately 100 projects, large and small, for almost every office and museum in 

the Smithsonian. 

In FY 2019, most SIE resources will stay focused on achieving strategic goals 

to Understand and Impact 21st Century Audiences and Enable Cost-Effective and 

Responsive Administration by:

 improving the quality of exhibition design, consultation, production, and 

installation services;

 increasing and maintaining staff knowledge and expertise in state-of-the-art 

technology, techniques, and advances in the exhibition field, and upgrading 

equipment to support emerging trends;

 cross-training staff within SIE to share their expertise and maximize 

efficiencies;

 demonstrating new exhibition design technologies to Smithsonian units; and
160

 promoting exhibition excellence, unit sharing of resources, and advancement of 

exhibitions as an interpretive medium throughout the Smithsonian Institution.

The SIE will accomplish these objectives by focusing exclusively on exhibitrelated work, freeing up SIE staff with specialized experience to concentrate on the 

SIE’s core mission: the planning, design, and production of exhibits. Building on wellestablished, collaborative relationships with other Smithsonian design and production 

staff, the SIE will continue to play a strong role in sharing its expertise with other 

Smithsonian units. These initiatives will result in a more informed and expert staff that 

can do more to maintain the Smithsonian’s leadership role in the field of exhibition 

design and production.

NONAPPROPRIATED RESOURCES — General trust funds support SIE salaries and 

benefits for project management, design, and exhibit specialists, as well as general 

operational, equipment service, and maintenance requirements.
161

MUSEUM SUPPORT CENTER

APPLICATION OF OPERATING RESOURCES

FEDERAL 

APPROPRIATIONS

GENERAL 

TRUST

DONOR/SPONSOR

DESIGNATED

GOV’T GRANTS

& CONTRACTS

FTE $000 FTE $000 FTE $000 FTE $000

FY 2017

ENACTED 18 1,890 0 0 0 0 0 0

FY 2018

ESTIMATE 18 1,906 0 0 0 0 0 0

FY 2019

REQUEST 18 1,906 0 0 0 0 0 0

Federal Resource Summary by Performance Objective and Program Category

BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT

The Museum Support Center (MSC) is the Smithsonian’s principal off-site 

collections preservation and research facility. Located in Suitland, Maryland, the

facility houses more than 77 million objects, or 55 percent of the Institution’s 

irreplaceable national collections, primarily from the National Museum of Natural 

History (NMNH). Other Smithsonian museums using the facility include the 

National Museum of American History, the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture 

Garden, the Freer and Sackler Galleries, the National Museum of African Art, the 

National Postal Museum, the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, and 

the National Zoological Park. 

The collections at MSC are used to support scientific and cultural research 

for essential Government functions such as food and transportation safety, 

border security, criminal investigations, forensics, national defense, the 

evaluation of environmental disasters, cancer research, and much more.

The MSC accommodates collections with a variety of state-of-the-art 

equipment: collections in cabinets; mobile shelving for biological specimens 

preserved in alcohol; meteorites in nitrogen atmosphere; tissues and film in 

mechanical and nitrogen-vapor freezers; high-bay storage for very large objects 

such as totem poles, boats, and large mounted mammals; and large mobile 

racks for storing art works.

Performance Objective/ 

 Program Category FTE $000 FTE $000 FTE $000

Preserve Our Natural and Cultural Heritage

Collections

Improve the stewardship of the national collections 18 1,906 18 1,906 0 0

Total 18 1,906 18 1,906 0 0

FY 2018 FY 2019 Change
162

The facility also houses laboratories for Smithsonian scientists and other 

federal agencies, such as the Walter Reed Biological Unit (WRBU). These 

laboratories focus on molecular systematics, ancient DNA, conservation, and 

other specialized research. The MSC supports contracted maintenance services 

and required calibration for much of the specialty collections preservation and 

laboratory equipment, such as environmental chambers, freezers, nitrogen 

systems, reverse osmosis water systems, and oxygen-detection systems. The 

MSC staff provides project planning and construction coordination, collections 

care, safety and disaster response, access and logistical support, as well as 

administrative and shipping services.

MEANS AND STRATEGY

To support the Smithsonian strategic goal of Preserving Our Natural and 

Cultural Heritage, the MSC will work to improve the stewardship of the national 

collections. The FY 2019 funding will be used to further enhance pest 

management, improve storage of hazardous collection materials, and assist 

museum staff in improving storage of collections at MSC.

In FY 2019, MSC staff will continue to support maintenance of the national 

collections and the research equipment needed to protect staff and collections. In 

addition, the MSC will further prepare for the multi-phased master plan 

renovations at the Center, which will improve and update support systems and 

laboratory spaces at the facility. Staff will also assist in laying the groundwork to 

prepare for Pod 6, including planning the relocation of the Botany greenhouse,

and will conduct a comprehensive review of the Suitland Collection Center 

master plan.
163

MUSEUM CONSERVATION INSTITUTE

APPLICATION OF OPERATING RESOURCES

FEDERAL 

APPROPRIATIONS

GENERAL 

TRUST

DONOR/SPONSOR 

DESIGNATED

GOV’T GRANTS

& CONTRACTS

FTE $000 FTE $000 FTE $000 FTE $000

FY 2017

ENACTED 22 3,320 0 -6 1 205 0 0

FY 2018

ESTIMATE 22 3,359 0 5 2 423 0 0

FY 2019

REQUEST 22 3,359 0 5 2 371 0 0

Federal Resource Summary by Performance Objective and Program Category

BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT

The Smithsonian’s Museum Conservation Institute (MCI), located in Suitland, 

Maryland, is the center for specialized technical collections research and conservation 

Performance Objective/ 

 Program Category FTE $000 FTE $000 FTE $000

Enhanced Interdisciplinary Research 

Research

Engage in impactful scientific research and discovery 7 1,143 7 1,138 0 -5

Expand Digital Technologies

Digitization and Web Support

Provide improved digitization and Web support 1 106 1 109 0 3

Understand and Impact 21st Century Audiences

Public Programs

Provide relevant reference services and disseminate 

information to the public 1 154 1 145 0 -9

Education

Engage and inspire diverse audiences 1 104 1 106 0 2

Preserve Our Natural and Cultural Heritage

Collections

Improve the stewardship of the national collections 8 1,068 8 1,069 0 1

Enable Cost-Effective and Responsive 

Administration

Management Operations

Enable efficient and responsive administrative 

infrastructure 4 784 4 792 0 8

Total 22 3,359 22 3,359 0 0 

FY 2018 FY 2019 Change
164

for all Smithsonian museums and collections. The MCI combines knowledge of 

materials and the history of technology with state-of-the-art instrumentation and 

scientific techniques to provide technical research studies and interpretation of artistic, 

anthropological, biological, and historical objects. Through its Protecting Cultural 

Heritage and Preventive Conservation Programs, and by participating in the 

Smithsonian’s signature Preparedness and Response in Collections Emergencies 

(PRICE) program, the MCI responds to the threats facing cultural heritage in multiple 

and complex ways. This includes: analyzing and consulting on preservation 

environments; developing less invasive and damaging storage, display, and 

conservation techniques; and supporting U.S. agencies and the museum community in 

identifying illicitly trafficked cultural heritage artifacts and objects. For example, the MCI 

works with the U.S. Department of State on a highly successful training program at the 

Iraqi Institute for the Conservation of Antiquities and Heritage in Erbil, which supports 

the rescue and recovery of Iraqi and regional cultural heritage artifacts.

The MCI, as the only Smithsonian resource for technical studies and scientific 

analyses for most of the Smithsonian’s collections, brings unique analytical capabilities 

to Smithsonian researchers, including a central mass-spectrometry instrument core and 

advanced technological capabilities for analyzing biomolecules. These services are 

available to Smithsonian units at no charge. In addition to responding to requests for 

consultations from within the Smithsonian, the MCI handles requests from affiliates and 

outside organizations, such as the White House, U.S. Congress, U.S. Department of 

Homeland Security — Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Department of State, and 

many other federal, museum, and academic organizations.

MEANS AND STRATEGY

To achieve the strategic goal of Enhanced Interdisciplinary Research, the MCI 

will collaborate with the Smithsonian’s scientific researchers and research centers and 

provide increased technical and research assistance to Smithsonian arts and 

humanities researchers, collections, and museums. The MCI will initiate, facilitate, and 

support technology transfer for the Smithsonian’s collaborative research projects by

using biomolecular mass-spectroscopy, including biological isotopes and proteomics 

(i.e., the large-scale study of proteins; particularly, their structures and functions). The 

MCI will also conduct fundamental research into mechanisms of degradation and 

biodeterioration, preserve cultural heritage and harness new technologies. The MCI’s 

research programs will cross boundaries between Smithsonian units as well as support 

all of the Institution’s signature programs and Institution-wide stakeholders. The MCI will 

also support the conservation and heritage science fields through publications, hosted 

symposia, presentations, invitation-only seminars, lectures, and its website, to 

disseminate the results of its research programs.

In FY 2019, the MCI will continue to develop its biomolecular mass-spectrometry 

and proteomics capabilities as a part of the Smithsonian’s central research 

infrastructure. Proteomics is an area of rapid growth in biological and medical research 

that is being driven by advances in molecular separation and mass-spectrometry 
165

technology. Along with genomics, the field has a potential for rapid acquisition of data 

that speeds the discovery and identification of organisms, the linking of genotypes and 

phenotypes, and the development of novel biomolecular markers. Proteomics, in 

tandem with genomics, is expanding our understanding of biological and ecological 

functions. These capabilities will allow the MCI to gather more information from 

Smithsonian collections, cultural objects, and biological specimens, and to learn more 

about their materials, their origins, and the causes of their deterioration.

To achieve the strategic goal of Expanding Digital Technologies, the MCI will 

provide improved digitization support for making Smithsonian research and collections 

accessible in ways that broaden public access to collections, exhibitions, and outreach 

programs. The MCI will conduct advanced research and development into effective and 

economical digital imaging technologies that are appropriate for Facebook, Twitter, 

YouTube, Flickr, blogs, mobile applications, and virtual reality. The MCI will respond to 

the Smithsonian’s goal of reaching one billion people by revitalizing the MCI webpages 

to engage 21st-century audiences and to highlight the Institute’s large, visionary, 

interdisciplinary research and scholarly projects. The MCI will make its own research 

products and records secure and accessible through network SharePoint workflows and 

Smithsonian digital research repositories, such as SIdora and Smithsonian Research 

Online.

To achieve the strategic goal of Understanding and Impacting 21st Century 

Audiences, the MCI will provide reference services and disseminate information to 

professionals and the public. The MCI’s technical information office will continue serving 

the museum and cultural heritage management communities, museum studies 

students, and the public. The technical information office answers direct inquiries and 

distributes general guidelines in printed and electronic formats, handling more than 800 

information requests annually. The MCI will continue to enhance its digital and social 

media to increase the impact of the Institute’s research and outreach programs. The 

MCI, in collaboration with Smithsonian museums and Affiliates, will offer public 

programs to present the results of MCI research, heighten awareness of the problems 

of preserving cultural heritage, and gain information about the nature and scope of 

problems that the Institute’s clients encounter. The MCI will also collaborate with 

Smithsonian museums and Affiliates to offer media events, printed and Internet 

materials, presentations, workshops, and demonstrations to reach new audiences, 

especially those that will be targeted by the Institution’s newest museums.

In addition, to achieve the goal of education, the MCI will engage and inspire 

diverse audiences, focusing on training higher-education students and professionals. 

The MCI will continue to promote career development for Smithsonian conservators and 

other collections care providers through colloquia, symposia, and workshops, as well as 

distance-learning opportunities. The MCI will continue to offer internships and 

Fellowships for students pursuing careers in conservation and conservation science, as 

well as support diversity programs inside and outside of the Smithsonian, which are 

seeking to attract students from a wider variety of backgrounds to pursue conservation 

and conservation science careers.
166

In particular, the MCI will participate in initiatives with Historically Black Colleges and 

Universities (HBCUs) and other local and national partners to highlight cultural heritage 

and conservation as possible career paths. Through its partnership in Science and 

Engineering in Arts, Heritage, and Archaeology (SEAHA), housed at the University 

College, London, the University of Oxford, and the University of Brighton, the MCI is 

supporting advanced training for museum professionals who want to learn new methods 

of digital documentation for cultural heritage collections and obtain new tools for 

evaluating museum storage environments.

In keeping with this goal, the MCI is providing in-kind support and leading a 

partnership with the Iraqi Institute for the Conservation of Antiquities and Heritage 

program to train local communities in the rescue and recovery of regional cultural 

heritage. The crisis caused by ISIS has endangered irreplaceable world cultural 

heritage, and efforts to recover from the destruction wrought by ISIS have diverted 

funding previously supplied by Iraqi and Kurdish regional governments, creating a 

desperate need for outside support until the situation stabilizes. Currently, an 

interagency agreement with the Department of State and other grants are supporting 

salvage and recovery at the important archaeological site of Nimrud and other important 

cultural heritage sites in Iraq. The Smithsonian continues raising additional funds for 

operations and expanded programs at the Iraqi Institute. Given adequate support, the 

Institute can become a regional center to educate the local population in the 

preservation of cultural heritage.

To achieve the strategic goal to preserve Our National and Cultural Heritage, the 

MCI will support Smithsonian museums and research centers in their efforts to improve 

stewardship and scholarship of the national collections and will disseminate collections

information to the larger museum community and the public. The MCI will pursue 

collaborative conservation treatment projects with other Smithsonian units to provide 

conservation guidance and analytical technical consultations to the art and history 

museums for their more challenging and unique objects. The MCI has a proven track 

record of establishing scientifically-based environmental standards for museum 

collections, detecting unsafe conditions and materials for museum exhibition and 

storage, and solving biodeterioration problems — including those that involve buildings 

and monuments. The MCI is expanding its research in preventive conservation by 

developing new tools and partnerships that aid in understanding and avoiding 

deterioration caused by environmental factors. By participating in the PRICE team, the 

MCI supports the development of best practices in collections care across the 

Institution. Through development of a new photograph and paper conservation lab, the 

MCI will support conservation and research for the Smithsonian’s fragile and at-risk 

photographic collections. The MCI will continue its study of the assessment and 

remediation of collection hazards. In addition, the MCI will focus on using less invasive 

and damaging materials and procedures for collections conservation, reflecting the 

importance of incorporating energy-efficient and “green” materials and practices into the 

Institute’s work. Through continuing communication and interaction with museum 

conservators, the MCI will identify special training needs and research projects, and will 

develop research and symposia to address the most urgent collections preservation 
167

needs, such as preventive conservation in museum environments (involving light, 

temperature, humidity, and pollutants), and museum hazards (such as pests and 

pesticides).

To achieve the strategic goal of Enabling Cost-Effective and Responsive 

Administration, the MCI will support an efficient management infrastructure. The MCI 

will use the Smithsonian’s Strategic Plan and its own strategic plan to properly allocate 

its budgetary and human resources, and to secure additional financial resources for its 

high-priority programs. Resource allocations will be tracked against performance 

metrics in each of the strategic areas, and against the needs and goals of the 

Smithsonian’s museums and research centers. The MCI will encourage staff to 

participate in budget-performance integration, succession management, and leadership 

development programs. In addition, the MCI will continue to implement and 

communicate efficient, rational, and creative operational and administrative practices 

which enable staff to advance the Smithsonian mission in a manner that reflects 

transparency and the Smithsonian’s status as a public trust.

Finally, the MCI will maintain an efficient, collaborative, committed, innovative, 

and accountable workforce through leadership development, evaluation, and support of 

staff, and the recruitment, selection, and development of diverse, highly skilled 

employees. The MCI will promote diversity in all aspects of working with the Institution’s 

employees, Fellows, interns, volunteers, and vendors. In addition, the MCI will continue 

to improve communications with internal and external stakeholders in both the public 

and private sectors.

NONAPPROPRIATED RESOURCES — Annually, the MCI receives nonappropriated 

resources from gifts and endowments, grants and contracts, discretionary income, and 

business ventures. These sources provide funds for specific programs and projects in 

research, education, and outreach designated by the donor/sponsor, and for general 

activities at the discretion of the director of the MCI. The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation 

challenge grant provides a restricted endowment of $5 million, with an annual payout of 

approximately $250,000. The funds generated by the endowment will remain in the MCI 

budget to strengthen conservation science research.
168

SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION ARCHIVES

APPLICATION OF OPERATING RESOURCES

FEDERAL 

APPROPRIATIONS

GENERAL 

TRUST

DONOR/SPONSOR

DESIGNATED

GOV’T GRANTS

& CONTRACTS

FTE $000 FTE $000 FTE $000 FTE $000

FY 2017

ENACTED 20 2,316 5 508 2 2 0 0

FY 2018

ESTIMATE 20 2,423 5 510 1 1 0 0

FY 2019

REQUEST 20 2,423 5 530 0 0 0 0

Federal Resource Summary by Performance Objective and Program Category

BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT

The Smithsonian Institution Archives (SIA) serves as the institutional 

memory of a unique cultural organization. The history of the Smithsonian, in 

many ways, is the history of scientific enterprise in America, particularly in the 

19th century. SIA supports the Smithsonian community, scholars, and the public 

by acquiring, evaluating, and preserving the records of the Institution and related 

Performance Objective/ 

 Program Category FTE $000 FTE $000 FTE $000

Enhanced Interdisciplinary Research 

Research

Engage in vital arts and humanities research 1 220 1 220 0 0

Expand Digital Technologies

Digitization and Web Support

Provide improved digitization and Web support 5 406 5 406 0 0

Understand and Impact 21st Century Audiences

Public Programs

Provide relevant reference services and disseminate 

information to the public 5 431 5 431 0 0

Preserve Our Natural and Cultural Heritage

Collections

Improve the stewardship of the national collections 7 981 7 981 0 0

Enable Cost-Effective and Responsive 

Administration

Management Operations

Enable efficient and responsive administrative 

infrastructure 2 385 2 385 0 0

Total 20 2,423 20 2,423 0 0

FY 2018 FY 2019 Change
169

documentary materials, as well as by making them accessible online and on site. 

SIA manages the care, storage, packing, and retrieval services for most of the 

Institution’s records. The permanent records are safeguarded and preserved in 

leased facilities in Washington, DC and Iron Mountain in Boyers, Pennsylvania. 

Electronic records are supported on SIA-owned computer servers and at the 

Institution’s data center in Herndon, Virginia. In addition, SIA develops policies 

and provides guidance for managing and preserving the Institution’s vast archival 

collections, offers a range of reference, research, and record-keeping services, 

and creates products that promote understanding of the Smithsonian and its 

history and mission.

MEANS AND STRATEGY 

In FY 2019, SIA will continue to focus on capturing, preserving, and 

providing access to research materials on the Smithsonian’s history. SIA will 

continue to support the needs of thousands of researchers seeking information 

from the Archives; provide online access to ever more information from or about 

the holdings via its robust website; continue to collaborate fully with Smithsonian 

units serving broad external audiences (such as Smithsonian Associates and the 

Smithsonian Affiliations Program); set archival collections-management standards; 

and assist all Smithsonian units with the proper disposition of their records. 

SIA’s major challenge is to balance existing resources with the increased 

costs associated with archiving in a digital world. The costs of maintaining basic 

operations, such as acquiring up-to-date software, properly running servers, and 

renewing mass-Web-capture contracting services, have increased significantly in 

recent years. As the Institution’s reach into this ever-expanding realm continues 

to grow, it is essential that the Archives be equipped with the necessary tools and 

technologies to continue capturing, preserving, and ensuring access to these 

digital materials, which are a vital part of the Institution’s continuing history. 

NONAPPROPRIATED RESOURCES — General trust funds support SIA’s basic 

operational costs, such as office, archival, and conservation supplies; software 

licenses; and maintenance of high-end equipment. Trust funds also support the 

salaries and benefits of archivists and conservators, their work to manage and 

preserve the collections of the Institution, and their efforts to provide professional 

conservation expertise throughout the Smithsonian, to other institutions, and to the 

public. Additionally, general trust funds support SIA’s Web and new media 

outreach program that seeks to expand the awareness, use, and accessibility of 

the SIA’s collections and resources. Greater knowledge about these collections 

and other resources will support the Smithsonian’s catalytic role in preserving 

American history, world cultures, scientific research, and the arts.
170

SMITHSONIAN LIBRARIES

APPLICATION OF OPERATING RESOURCES

FEDERAL 

APPROPRIATIONS

GENERAL 

TRUST

DONOR/SPONSOR 

DESIGNATED

GOV’T GRANTS

& CONTRACTS

FTE $000 FTE $000 FTE $000 FTE $000

FY 2017

ENACTED 86 11,146 10 1,808 8 1,860 0 0

FY 2018

ESTIMATE 86 11,273 9 1,825 9 1,702 0 0

FY 2019 

REQUEST 86 11,373 10 1,937 9 1,787 0 0

Federal Resource Summary by Performance Objective and Program Category

BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT

The Smithsonian Libraries (SIL) promotes new ideas through knowledge 

sharing and plays a dynamic role in both advancing scientific and cultural 

understanding and preserving America’s heritage. Its expert staff and extensive 

Performance Objective/ 

 Program Category FTE $000 FTE $000 FTE $000

Enhanced Interdisciplinary Research 

Research

Engage in impactful scientific research and discovery 19 2,819 19 2,919 0 100

Engage in vital arts and humanities research 21 2,925 21 2,925 0 0

Expand Digital Technologies

Digitization and Web Support

Provide improved digitization and Web support 14 1,729 14 1,729 0 0

Understand and Impact 21st Century Audiences

Exhibitions

Offer compelling, first-class exhibitions 1 102 1 102 0 0

Education

Engage and inspire diverse audiences 1 95 1 95 0 0

Preserve Our Natural and Cultural Heritage

Collections

Improve the stewardship of the national collections 22 2,350 22 2,350 0 0

Enable Cost-Effective and Responsive 

Administration

Management Operations

Enable efficient and responsive administrative 

infrastructure 8 1,253 8 1,253 0 0

Total 86 11,273 86 11,373 0 100

FY 2018 FY 2019 Change
171

collections are a crucial resource for research and education communities at the 

Smithsonian, within the United States, and around the world.

The FY 2019 budget request includes an increase of $100,000 for 

inflationary increases in library subscriptions, which appears in the Fixed Costs 

section of this budget submission.

MEANS AND STRATEGY

The Smithsonian Libraries’ strategic plan demonstrates the Libraries’ 

dedication to providing information and creating innovative services and 

programs for the Institution and the public. SIL offers a variety of information 

resources, unique collections, research support services, and discovery tools to 

establish the Smithsonian as a national leader in each of the Grand Challenges. 

In FY 2019, SIL will continue to broaden interactive engagement with users by 

expanding projects that include digital transcription of manuscripts and working 

with Web-based communities — thereby making SIL collections and other Web 

content available for use by scholars, students, teachers, researchers, and 

interested users worldwide. In addition, SIL will continue to grow its use of social 

media by making more information and collections available on mobile and tablet 

devices. The Libraries will use blogs, Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Instagram, 

Wikimedia platforms and other emerging social media tools to promote services 

and expand access to its collections. SIL will continue to expose its collections to 

a wider educational audience through the educational I See Wonder program on 

various platforms, including the Smithsonian’s Learning Lab.

SIL will achieve the strategic goal of Expanding Digital Technologies by 

offering valuable collections information on networked resources, which now 

include SOVA (Smithsonian Online Virtual Archives). These initiatives include

Web-based and hosted management and access tools for electronic collections 

and resources, and the continuing expansion of collections information and data 

on the Smithsonian Institution Research and Information System (SIRIS). In 

addition, through the Smithsonian Collections Search Center, SIL provides

access to research collections covering more than 467,000 pieces of trade 

literature and commercial catalogues, representing more than 35,000 

manufacturers, corporations, and companies, and more than 150,000 files of art 

ephemera. SIL provides metadata guidance and incorporates, as appropriate, 

emerging national metadata standards on an Institution-wide basis for SIL and 

Smithsonian digital publications and products.

SIL collaborates with other Smithsonian units and external organizations 

in many ways. The Libraries creates and publishes digital research products to 

give scholars in all fields the documentation they need for their research. These 

products include republication of significant out-of-print books and articles, 

original diaries and manuscripts, collections of archival literature, illustrations, 

topical exhibitions, and bibliographic guides and databases. With private funding, 
172

SIL hosts the Secretariat for the Biodiversity Heritage Library, an international 

project to improve the research process by digitizing and making easily available 

the literature of biodiversity, working with partners in the United States, United 

Kingdom, China, Egypt, the European Union, Australia, Brazil, Singapore, subSaharan Africa, and Mexico. SIL supports these efforts by continuing to digitize

its own biodiversity literature to contribute to this global digital library. In FY 2019, 

SIL will continue to increase digitization projects in history, arts, and culture as 

part of the Smithsonian Libraries initiative — the Cultural Heritage Library. 

Through these projects, SIL participates with similar institutions such as the 

Consortium for the History of Science, Technology, and Medicine and the Global 

Philatelic Library. SIL’s contribution of rare/special collections records to the 

Consortium’s search hub led to wider visibility, and three new Fellows came to 

the Smithsonian Institution as a result. SIL plans to expand its research audience 

through similar projects in the fields of arts and history.

In addition, SIL collaborates with the Smithsonian Scholarly Press to 

produce the electronic SI Contributions series and other publications (including 

conference proceedings) and assists the Scholarly Press in meeting the public 

access mandate for federally funded research. SIL constantly expands and 

maintains the Smithsonian Research Online (SRO) database 

(http://research.si.edu/), which includes the Smithsonian Digital Repository 

(SDR), and the Smithsonian Research Bibliography (SRB), to preserve and 

provide permanent access to the published results of the Institution’s scholarly 

research. Data from SRO serve as one of the Smithsonian’s key performance 

indicators; accordingly, SIL continues to develop additional tools that will provide 

metrics on the impact, both scholarly and social, of Smithsonian research. As 

part of its collaborative operations, SIL will continue working with the Institution’s 

art and history museums to expand the content of the SRO system, with the goal 

of eventually providing a complete record of Smithsonian research productivity.

Also, in 2018, to give Smithsonian authors, researchers, and scientists more 

visibility, SIL launched Smithsonian Profiles, a system that links users to

additional work related to Smithsonian scholarly output.

SIL continues to provide scholarly, often rare, material in both physical 

and digital forms. This involves acquiring, preserving, cataloguing, and managing 

both print and digital collections, with particular attention to Smithsonian research

centers and areas of interdisciplinary research. The staff of SIL’s Book 

Conservation Laboratory preserve and stabilize damaged volumes to ensure

their availability for exhibition and future research. Through the Libraries’ expert 

resource-sharing services, SIL shares and provides materials and information 

directly to individual researchers and members of the public nationwide and in 

many foreign countries.

As a resource for learners everywhere, SIL responds to staff and on-site 

visitor needs through reference services, by integrating librarians into the 

research cycle and redesigning facilities to retain tightly focused, local collections 
173

in collaborative, congenial spaces. At the same time, SIL relieves overcrowded 

libraries by providing environmentally sound off-site shelving and housing at the 

Institution’s Pennsy Drive facility in suburban Maryland.

In FY 2019, planning will continue for the new Information Commons at

the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC) and for the relocation 

of the National Air and Space Museum’s Library to the Udvar-Hazy Center in 

Chantilly, Virginia. 

By helping to advance the strategic goal of Enhanced Interdisciplinary

Research, the SIL Resident Scholar Program builds collaborative partnerships 

worldwide with scholarly programs and individuals who find the Libraries’ 

collections vital to their research. An active internship program amplifies work 

experiences for emerging library science professionals, and undergraduates in 

other fields of study, including computer science, and exposes them to the 

research library environment. 

In FY 2019, to achieve the strategic goal of Understanding and Impacting

21st Century Audiences, SIL will open an exhibition in the National Museum of 

Natural History focused on the ivory trade and the growing movement to protect 

critically endangered species from extinction. In the SIL Gallery in the National 

Museum of American History, our 50th anniversary exhibition will open in 

November of 2018. Magnificent Obsessions will feature treasures from the 

Smithsonian Libraries and combine them with stories of book collectors to show

how they influenced the Libraries development over 170 years and how SIL will

move into the future. All of the Libraries’ exhibitions have an online component to 

reach a larger audience and allow staff to keep the exhibitions updated for future 

learning. Exhibitions will have new educational content created by SIL’s 

education and outreach office, and will include a unique docent component for 

teenagers.

NONAPPROPRIATED RESOURCES — General trust funds help defray the 

costs of providing information services to Smithsonian units, and support 

publications, public programs, and fundraising efforts. In FY 2019, SIL will 

continue to raise funds through its own advancement efforts anchored to the

occasion of the Libraries’ 50th anniversary. SIL continues to build upon its 

education program, with special emphasis on creating content for K–12 learners, 

and includes education among its established priorities of acquisitions, 

conservation, digitization, internships, Fellowships, and exhibitions. 
174

OFFICE OF THE CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER

APPLICATION OF OPERATING RESOURCES

FEDERAL 

APPROPRIATIONS

GENERAL 

TRUST

DONOR/SPONSOR

DESIGNATED

GOV’T GRANTS

& CONTRACTS

FTE $000 FTE $000 FTE $000 FTE $000

FY 2017

ENACTED 95 51,371 17 3,426 0 225 0 0

FY 2018

ESTIMATE 95 52,009 18 3,608 1 330 0 0

FY 2019

REQUEST 95 52,509 18 3,608 1 430 0 0

Federal Resource Summary by Performance Objective and Program Category

BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT

The Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO) provides vision, leadership, policy, 

applications, services, and oversight associated with managing and operating leading-edge

Performance Objective/ 

 Program Category FTE $000 FTE $000 FTE $000

Enhanced Interdisciplinary Research 

Research

Engage in impactful scientific research and discovery 4 1,648 4 1,648 0 0

Expand Digital Technologies

Digitization and Web Support

Provide improved digitization and Web support 11 4,320 11 4,320 0 0

Preserve Our Natural and Cultural Heritage

Collections

Improve the stewardship of the national collections 10 2,653 10 2,653 0 0

Facilities and Safety

Improve Smithsonian facilities operations and provide 

a safe and healthy environment 9 1,917 9 1,917 0 0

Enable Cost-Effective and Responsive 

Administration

Management Operations

Enable efficient and responsive administrative 

infrastructure 21 12,606 21 12,606 0 0

Information Technology

Improve the Institution's information technology 

systems and infrastructure 40 28,865 40 29,365 0 500

Total 95 52,009 95 52,509 0 500

FY 2018 FY 2019 Change
175

information technology (IT) solutions for the Institution’s strategic priorities, as well as for

the Smithsonian’s many museums and research and cultural centers.

The FY 2019 budget request includes an increase of $500,000 to cover increased 

communication costs, which is further justified in the Fixed Costs section of this budget 

submission. 

MEANS AND STRATEGY

The OCIO will use best practices in the implementation, management, and 

operations of information technology to enhance the “increase and diffusion of 

knowledge” and achieve the Institution’s strategic goals for Enhanced Interdisciplinary 

Research, Expanding Digital Technologies, Understanding and Impacting 21st Century 

Audiences, and Enabling Cost-Effective and Responsive Administration. The OCIO 

collaborates with industry partners, cultural organizations, academia, and the public to 

develop innovative solutions for research and digitization challenges, and to make the 

Institution’s digital collections available to the world.

The following strategies are cross-cutting and central to the Smithsonian’s 

mission of connecting Americans to their history and heritage, as well as to promote

innovation, research, and discovery in science:

 Leverage commercially available and open-source technologies to provide 

platforms for the Institution to increase public access to digitized collections and 

research data;

 Use state-of-the-art, secure information systems to modernize financial, human 

resources, facilities management, collections, education, and research 

processes;

 Replace network equipment, servers, desktop computers, and scientific 

workstations on an industry best practice life cycle to increase reliability and 

improve the security of information systems and the data that they contain;

 Maintain and enhance the Institution’s telecommunications infrastructure to 

provide reliable, secure, and cost-effective voice and data communications 

systems that support Smithsonian missions;

 Meet federal requirements for providing timely and accurate financial information; 

and

 Increase the use of data science to drive innovation in research in a costeffective manner.

Digitization Assessment and Planning

The Smithsonian continues to implement a framework of digitization policies; 

conduct assessments to account for the state and progress of digitization; and clarify

digitization priorities to guide resource allocation and planning. Analysis of our FY 2017 

Digitization Assessment is now under way but data from our FY 2016 assessment 

showed that the Smithsonian has prioritized 15 million museum objects/specimens for 

digitization and has successfully digitized 2.9 million objects/ specimens (or 19 percent) 
176

to date. In accordance with Smithsonian Directive (SD) 610, Digitization and Digital 

Asset Management Policy, Smithsonian units have articulated their implementation of 

Institution-wide priorities in unit digitization plans (UDPs) and created foundational data

management plans (DMPs) to ensure that the Smithsonian can effectively manage the 

digital content created as part of digitization activities as well as for scientific studies.

In addition, the Smithsonian has strategically invested in creating a standard 

mass-digitization process that enables replicable, cost-effective, high throughput, and 

high-quality digitization for all Smithsonian priority collections. Digitization efforts to 

implement this process have resulted in digital images for 800,000 collection objects in 

2016 alone, thereby doubling the rate of digitization at the Smithsonian. This budget 

request will accelerate the Institution’s digitization progress by allowing us to complete 

the entire collections of three more of our museums, and make continued progress in 

the digitization of other large, important collections in our other museums. 

The continued addition of 3D models of our collection on our renowned 

Smithsonian 3D website continues to showcase the Smithsonian as an international 

leader in 3D digitization of museum collections. In 2016 we added the 3D model of the 

Apollo 11 lunar module, the most sophisticated 3D effort undertaken in any museum to 

date. We also 3D-digitized the exterior of the space shuttle Discovery, and began 

developing automation processes that help us to scale up our 3D digitization efforts 

while ensuring that our 3D data models remain durable over time. Our 3D digitization 

effort provides compelling evidence that 3D data enhances the effectiveness of 

curators, educators, scientists, and conservators in fulfilling the Smithsonian’s mission. 

As a result, the Smithsonian’s initiative has captured the imagination of educators, 

learners, and policy makers around the nation by providing access to 3D printable data 

on priceless national collection objects.

NONAPPROPRIATED RESOURCES — General trust funds support salaries and 

benefits costs of personnel and other related costs of the OCIO.
177

ADMINISTRATION

APPLICATION OF OPERATING RESOURCES

FEDERAL 

APPROPRIATIONS

GENERAL 

TRUST

DONOR/SPONSOR

DESIGNATED

GOV’T GRANTS

& CONTRACTS

FTE $000 FTE $000 FTE $000 FTE $000

FY 2017 

ENACTED 181 35,756 210 44,720 4 10,965 2 797

FY 2018

ESTIMATE 182 36,234 217 44,782 6 7,560 2 610

FY 2019 

REQUEST 182 36,405 219 44,670 6 7,504 2 665

Federal Resource Summary by Performance Objective and Program Category

BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT

The Smithsonian Institution Administration program provides vision, leadership, 

policy, and oversight associated with managing and operating the Institution’s

Performance Objective/ 

 Program Category FTE $000 FTE $000 FTE $000

Enhanced Interdisciplinary Research 

Research

Engage in vital arts and humanities research 1 174 1 174 0 0

Expand Digital Technologies

Digitization and Web Support

Provide improved digitization and Web support 1 196 1 196 0 0

Understand and Impact 21st Century Audiences

Public Programs

Provide relevant reference services and disseminate 

information to the public 2 413 2 413 0 0

Education

Engage and inspire diverse audiences 0 71 0 71 0 0

Preserve Our Natural and Cultural Heritage

Collections

Improve the stewardship of the national collections 3 494 3 494 0 0

Security

Provide world-class protection for Smithsonian 

facilities, collections, staff, visitors and volunteers 1 205 1 205 0 0

Enable Cost-Effective and Responsive 

Administration

Management Operations

Enable efficient and responsive administrative 

infrastructure 174 34,681 174 34,852 0 171

Total 182 36,234 182 36,405 0 171

FY 2018 FY 2019 Change
178

museums and research centers. Administration includes executive leadership 

provided by the offices of the Secretary and Board of Regents; the Provost and Under 

Secretary for Museums, Education, and Research; and the Chief Operating Officer 

and Under Secretary for Finance and Administration. Administration also includes the 

central activities of human resources, diversity, financial and contract management, 

and legal services.

The FY 2019 budget request includes an increase of $171,000 for Workers’ 

Compensation, which is justified in the Fixed Costs section of this budget 

submission.

MEANS AND STRATEGY

The Smithsonian will continue to use best practices in management to enhance 

its mission for the “increase and diffusion of knowledge” and to achieve the Institution’s 

goals while translating James Smithson’s 19th century vision into a modern 21st century 

reality. The following strategies are cross-cutting and central to performing the 

Smithsonian’s mission and also help promote innovation, research, and discovery:

 Ensure the financial strength of the Smithsonian and provide the Institution with 

effective and efficient financial, contracting, and management support services, 

including reliable financial evaluation, auditing, and reporting.

 Provide oversight of the Smithsonian budget process as it is developed and 

executed to support the operating and facilities capital programs of the Institution, 

establish and enforce budgetary policies and procedures, and ensure that sufficient 

resources enable the Institution to achieve its goals.

 Conduct a comprehensive enterprise risk-management program to identify, monitor, 

and mitigate risk at all levels.

 Provide leadership and guidance for Institution-wide collections initiatives, policies, 

and programs to ensure the proper stewardship of the national collections.

 Support the Institution’s Board of Regents and its committees.

 Develop and implement necessary internal controls as recommended by the Board 

of Regents’ Governance Committee, which involves strengthening non-collections

property management and meeting increased demands for acquisition of goods and 

services.

 Provide legal counsel to the Board of Regents and the Institution on issues such as

museum administration, intellectual and real property, collections management, 

contracts, privacy and cyber security, finance, employment, ethics, conflicts of 

interest, international agreements, and requests for information.

 Manage human resources, foster diversity, hire a skilled workforce in a timely 

manner, and align human capital with the Institution’s goals and performance 

objectives. Conduct ongoing workforce and performance gap analyses, strengthen 

training and leadership policies and programs, develop succession planning, and 

evaluate and improve assessment tools for human resources performance.
179

 Provide leadership and oversight for all policies, programs, and activities of the 

Institution’s museums and research centers by attracting, recruiting, and retaining 

leaders with superior talent.

 Provide leadership, support, and resources to enable educators across the 

Smithsonian to share the depth and breadth of the Smithsonian’s collections and 

research; connect with diverse audiences; invite dialogue and exchange; and build 

on and contribute to best practices in teaching and learning. 

 Increase the Latino Center’s public and educational outreach in collaboration with 

Smithsonian units and affiliated institutions by developing exhibitions and programs 

on Latino history, art, culture, and scientific achievement; support Latino research, 

collections, exhibitions, publications, online content, and related projects; promote 

professional development opportunities for Latino youth leaders, emerging scholars,

and museum professionals; continue innovation in new media, including the Latino 

Virtual Museum, social media, mobile applications, and educational games; and 

continue developing a Smithsonian Latino Gallery at the Arts and Industries Building.

 Support the Smithsonian’s commitment to teaching Americans about their rich 

heritage by increasing the capacity and resources of the Asian Pacific American 

Center (APAC) to produce exhibitions and programs on Asian Pacific American 

history, art, and culture; continue innovative online initiatives that provide 

educational, programmatic, and outreach materials nationwide; and form national 

partnerships with museums and research centers to enrich the Smithsonian’s 

collections, research, and activities relating to Asian Pacific Americans.

 Establish and maintain partnerships with the various Administration agencies and 

initiatives related to under-represented groups, such as Asian Americans and Pacific 

Islanders, Hispanic Serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities, 

the American Association of University Women, and Tribal Colleges and 

Universities, and perform the necessary public outreach to enhance the Smithsonian 

presence in these communities.

 Coordinate efforts among the Secretary’s executive diversity committee, Office of 

Human Resources, and Office of Equal Employment and Minority Affairs to ensure 

compliance with federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission mandates, 

promote the Smithsonian’s Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) and workforce 

diversity policies, and advocate for the use of small, disadvantaged, woman- and 

veteran-owned businesses throughout Smithsonian procurement operations.

NONAPPROPRIATED RESOURCES — General trust funds support salaries and 

benefits of personnel and other related costs. General trust funds are also used to 

support administrative activities, information dissemination, outreach, publications, and 

fund raising. Donor/sponsor-designated funds support costs related to programs and 

projects such as scientific research, family days, and leadership development.
180

OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL

APPLICATION OF OPERATING RESOURCES

FEDERAL

APPROPRIATIONS

GENERAL

TRUST

DONOR/SPONSOR

DESIGNATED

GOV’T GRANTS

& CONTRACTS

FTE $000 FTE $000 FTE $000 FTE $000

FY 2017

ENACTED 24 3,499 0 0 0 0 0 0

FY 2018

ESTIMATE 24 3,538 0 0 0 0 0 0

FY 2019

REQUEST 24 3,538 0 0 0 0 0 0

Federal Resource Summary by Performance Objective and Program Category

BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT

The Inspector General Act of 1978, as amended, requires the Office of the

Inspector General (OIG) to conduct and supervise audits and investigations relating

to programs and operations of the Smithsonian Institution (SI) that are, in the

judgment of the Inspector General, necessary or desirable.

MEANS AND STRATEGY

The resources requested will be used to fund salaries, benefits, and support

costs for staff engaged in audits, investigations, and other activities necessary to

accomplish the OIG’s mission.

The Office of Audits conducts audits of the Smithsonian’s existing and

proposed programs and operations to help improve their efficiency and

effectiveness. To align its oversight responsibility with available resources, the office

develops an annual audit plan by conducting a comprehensive risk assessment of

the Smithsonian’s programs and operations and seeking input from its stakeholders

at the Smithsonian and in the Congress. The audit plan also includes mandatory

audits, such as the annual financial statements audits that the OIG oversees.

The Office of Investigations pursues allegations of waste, fraud, abuse, gross

mismanagement, employee and contractor misconduct, and criminal violations of Performance Objective/ 

 Program Category FTE $000 FTE $000 FTE $000

Enable Cost-Effective and Responsive 

Administration

Management Operations

Enable efficient and responsive administrative 

infrastructure 24 3,538 24 3,538 0 0

Total 24 3,538 24 3,538 0 0

FY 2018 FY 2019 Change
181

law that have an impact on the Smithsonian’s programs and operations. It refers

matters to federal, state, and local prosecutors for action whenever the OIG has

reasonable grounds to believe there has been a violation of criminal law. The Office

of Investigations also presents to Smithsonian senior management any evidence of

administrative misconduct for possible disciplinary action.

NONAPPROPRIATED RESOURCES — The OIG does not receive any nonappropriated funds.
182

FACILITIES MAINTENANCE

APPLICATION OF OPERATING RESOURCES

FEDERAL 

APPROPRIATIONS

GENERAL 

TRUST

DONOR/SPONSOR

DESIGNATED

GOV’T GRANTS

& CONTRACTS

FTE $000 FTE $000 FTE $000 FTE $000

FY 2017

ENACTED 395 76,327 0 0 0 0 0 0

FY 2018

ESTIMATE 401 77,045 0 0 0 0 0 0

FY 2019

REQUEST 409 82,045 0 0 0 0 0 0

Federal Resource Summary by Performance Objective and Program Category

BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT

The Facilities Maintenance program is responsible for the maintenance and 

repair of the infrastructure of more than 13 million square feet of owned and 

leased buildings and structures, and 43,000 acres. This includes 19 museums, 

nine research centers, three cultural centers, and the National Zoological Park. 

The buildings and structures range from the well-known museums to supporting 

structures such as guard booths, animal shelters, and hay barns. Facilities 

Maintenance focuses on facility preservation activities and encompasses the 

upkeep of property and equipment. This work is necessary to realize the originally 

anticipated useful life of facility assets.

The Facilities Maintenance program maintains systems related to 

electronic security, screening equipment, radio systems, and perimeter barrier 

equipment. The program also maintains all building systems (including HVAC, 

elevators/escalators, electrical, plumbing, roofing, interiors, exteriors and the 

building structure), as well as the grounds maintenance associated with upkeep 

of Smithsonian sites. The mission of Smithsonian Facilities (SF) is to provide 

world-class services and stewardship by building, operating, maintaining, and 

ensuring a safe, secure, and healthy environment to enhance the Smithsonian 

Performance Objective/ 

 Program Category FTE $000 FTE $000 FTE $000

Preserve Our Natural and Cultural Heritage

Facilities and Safety

Deliver an aggressive and professional maintenance 

program 395 72,268 402 76,768 7 4,500 

Security

Provide world-class protection for Smithsonian 

facilities, collections, staff, visitors and volunteers 6 4,777 7 5,277 1 500 

Total 401 77,045 409 82,045 8 5,000 

FY 2018 FY 2019 Change
183

experience for all visitors. More than 30 million people visit the Smithsonian 

annually.

As new and renovated museum and research center spaces open, 

maintenance requirements rise due to increased square footage, technological 

advances, and the growing number of infrastructure-supporting systems. For

example, with the opening of the National Museum of African American History 

and Culture and the full renovation of the Renwick Gallery of Art, the total 

number of assets requiring periodic maintenance increased to more than 22,000. 

These new assets added new functionality, new technology, and a new, more 

complex level of maintenance requirements.

SF continues to take a number of initiatives to increase maintenance

efficiencies, including auditing services. SF benchmarks its maintenance staffing 

levels with other museums and professional organizations to ensure that 

resources are being effectively deployed. These include meeting standards set 

by the Leadership in Educational Facilities (referred to as APPA), the 

International Association of Museum Facility Administrators, and the International 

Facility Management Association. The Smithsonian is a past recipient of the

prestigious Award of Excellence from the APPA in recognition of the Institution’s 

excellence in facilities management and its efforts to establish measurable 

maintenance performance standards and staffing levels. The well-documented 

goal is to maintain Smithsonian facilities at APPA’s Level 1 standard for building 

maintenance, which is referred to as “Showpiece Facility.”

To do this, the National Research Council (NRC) recommends an annual 

maintenance budget in the range of 2 to 4 percent of a physical plant’s aggregate 

current replacement value (CRV) to avoid adding to a deferred maintenance 

backlog. The CRV for the Smithsonian at the end of FY 2016 was $8.1 billion. 

This includes the new National Museum of African American History and Culture.

However, our current maintenance budget is less than 1 percent of the CRV;

therefore, a major increase in the deferred maintenance backlog will continue. 

The Smithsonian’s maintenance requirements have been validated through the 

Facility Condition Assessment process and Reliability Centered Maintenance

(RCM) analysis, which are the industry standards for evaluating physical plant 

infrastructure requirements. 

The FY 2019 budget request includes increases of 7 FTEs and 

$4,500,000 to help the maintenance program maintain APPA Level 3 services

(out of 5) and 1 FTE and $500,000 for security maintenance requirements.
184

MEANS AND STRATEGY

To support the Institution’s strategic goal to Preserve Our Natural and 

Cultural Heritage, SF continues an aggressive, long-range facilities maintenance 

and minor repair program, using the RCM approach, which is a widely accepted 

industry philosophy that incorporates a cost-effective mix of predictive, proactive, 

preventive, and reactive maintenance practices. With existing resources, the 

Smithsonian will operate at the lower end of APPA’s maintenance Level 3 

“Managed Care,” which provides a minimal level of preventive maintenance and 

building system reliability to ensure that proper environmental conditions are 

maintained for collections and public expectations are met.

The Smithsonian’s goal is to reduce its maintenance backlog, currently 

estimated at $898 million, through the coordinated efforts of its maintenance and 

Facilities Capital programs. Proper maintenance funding prevents the

accelerated degradation of building systems and components that would 

increase the number and cost of major repairs. Through proper preventive 

maintenance and by addressing deficiencies in a timely manner, the Institution 

can realize the originally anticipated useful life of facilities systems and avoid the 

accelerated degradation of its infrastructure, and the associated costs,

mentioned above. 

Smithsonian Facilities will continue to identify efficiencies in managing its

existing resources to improve its current level of maintenance service in the most 

cost-effective manner possible. In addition, SF will continue to improve electronic 

security systems and physical security measures which protect the Institution’s 

facilities, collections, staff, visitors, and volunteers.

EXPLANATION OF CHANGE

The FY 2019 budget request includes programmatic increases of 8 FTEs 

and $5,000,000. The increase includes 7 FTEs and $4,500,000 for the facilities 

maintenance program and 1 FTE and $500,000 for security maintenance 

requirements.

 Facilities Maintenance (+$4,500,000, +7 FTEs) — The Smithsonian 

requests $4,500,000 and 7 FTEs to support maintenance of existing 

facilities and systems. The Institution’s facility footprint has increased by 

three million square feet during the past 15 years, which included the 

addition of several modern new systems. As mentioned above, modern 

replacement systems installed during building renovations are more 

sophisticated and complex, and require highly skilled maintenance staff. 

More specifically, this budget request includes funding 4 FTEs for utility 

systems repair operators, 2 FTEs for engineering technicians and 1 FTE 

for a maintenance project supervisor. The new staff will help improve the 

preventive maintenance program and slow the increase in deferred 
185

maintenance. The request also includes funding to support the roofing 

repair program. Collectively, the Institution’s roofs remain in the worst 

condition of the eight building systems tracked by Facility Condition 

Assessments, which generate Facility Condition Index ratings. The state 

of the roofs poses a risk to staff and visitor safety, as well as the 

preservation of collections. The funding will allow the maintenance 

program to continue fixing those roofs in the greatest need of repair. The 

facilities with the lowest rated roofs include the Udvar-Hazy Center, 

Natural History Museum, National Zoological Park (including the 

Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute), the Smithsonian Tropical 

Research Institute, and Museum Support Center. The Facilities Capital 

portion of the FY 2019 budget request includes funding to replace the 

Udvar-Hazy Center roof. The roofing repair program also advances the 

Institution’s efforts to comply with federal initiatives on energy efficiency 

and sustainable buildings. 

 Security Maintenance (+$500,000, +1 FTE) — For FY 2019, the 

Smithsonian requests an increase of $500,000 and 1 FTE to support 

security system maintenance of facilities. As the physical footprint of the 

Smithsonian Institution has increased and as facilities are revitalized, the 

maintenance requirements of their security systems and elements have 

also increased. This funding will allow for deferred life-cycle replacement 

of security equipment, and enable SF to improve barrier and bollard 

systems, anti-terrorism mitigation systems, as well as other deferred

maintenance activities. 

Through diligent maintenance of the Institution’s facilities and systems, the 

Smithsonian can prolong the operational life of the equipment while maintaining 

reliable output to protect the national collections and the federal investment 

already made to support our infrastructure. Additionally, the proper maintenance 

of the equipment reduces the potential for unplanned equipment shutdowns 

which negatively affect the Institution’s visitors, staff, and collections.
186

FACILITIES OPERATIONS, SECURITY, AND SUPPORT

APPLICATION OF OPERATING RESOURCES

FEDERAL 

APPROPRIATIONS

GENERAL 

TRUST

DONOR/SPONSOR

DESIGNATED

GOV’T GRANTS

& CONTRACTS

FTE $000 FTE $000 FTE $000 FTE $000

FY 2017

ENACTED 1,325 223,496 22 2,441 3 343 0 0

FY 2018

ESTIMATE 1,361 226,581 20 2,874 4 450 0 0

FY 2019

REQUEST 1,361 228,404 27 3,475 4 425 0 0

Federal Resource Summary by Performance Objective and Program Category

BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT

The mission of Smithsonian Facilities (SF) is to provide world-class

services and stewardship by building, operating, maintaining, and ensuring a 

safe, secure, and healthy environment to enhance the Smithsonian experience 

for all visitors. The Smithsonian receives more than 30 million visits annually. 

The Facilities Operations, Security, and Support (OSS) program operates, 

secures, and supports the Smithsonian’s physical infrastructure in partnership 

with Smithsonian program staff. It provides operational security and support

services for approximately 13 million square feet of owned and leased facilities, 

including 19 museums, nine research centers, three cultural centers, and the 

National Zoological Park.

Resources within OSS support facilities operations, including activities 

such as custodial work; fire protection; building system operations; grounds care 

and landscaping; snow removal; pest control; refuse collection and disposal; 

Performance Objective/ 

 Program Category FTE $000 FTE $000 FTE $000

Understand and Impact 21st Century Audiences

Exhibitions

Offer compelling, first-class exhibitions 4 474 4 474 0 0

Preserve Our Natural and Cultural Heritage

Facilities and Safety

Improve Smithsonian facilities operations and provide 

a safe and healthy environment 635 149,605 635 151,428 0 1,823

Security

Provide world-class protection for Smithsonian 

facilities, collections, staff, visitors and volunteers 722 76,502 722 76,502 0 0

Total 1,361 226,581 1,361 228,404 0 1,823

FY 2018 FY 2019 Change
187

motor vehicle fleet operations and maintenance; security services; and safety, 

environmental, and health services. Resources also support facilities planning, 

architectural and engineering design, as well as postage, utilities, and central 

rent costs.

The FY 2019 budget request includes an increase of $1,823,000 for

utilities, postage, and rent, all of which are justified in the Fixed Costs section of 

this budget submission. 

MEANS AND STRATEGY

SF will pursue the Institution’s strategic goal to Understand and Impact 

21st Century Audiences by continuing to develop exhibits and public programs 

for horticulture, architectural history, and historic preservation.

To support the Institution’s strategic goal to Preserve Our Natural and 

Cultural Heritage, OSS base resources will focus on meeting the growing 

operational requirements of the Institution’s facilities. SF will continue to 

effectively and efficiently use resources to operate and secure facilities and 

grounds, and to provide safe, attractive, and appealing spaces to meet program 

needs and public expectations. In addition, SF will continue benchmarking the 

Institution’s custodial staffing and service levels with other museums and 

professional organizations, including Leadership in Educational Facilities 

(referred to as APPA). SF is committed to measuring performance and staffing 

levels to ensure that the highest affordable levels of cleanliness, as well as 

efficient operations, are maintained. 

The Institution is committed to achieving APPA’s appearance Level 2 (out 

of 5) cleaning standard, referred to as “Ordinary Tidiness.” This level of 

appearance will provide an acceptable level of cleanliness that meets public 

expectations. With current resources, on average, SF achieves appearance 

Level 3, “Casual Inattention.” This level of appearance ensures a generally clean 

and odorless environment. 

In addition to providing the highest level of facilities care, the Smithsonian 

is equally committed to maintaining the highest levels of security. In support of 

that goal, the Institution is continuing a strategic security staffing analysis to 

determine exactly how many security and law-enforcement staff are needed at 

each of the Smithsonian’s major facilities. The analysis includes pay levels, 

training/skill requirements, armed versus unarmed coverage, and the appropriate 

mix of Smithsonian officers versus contract security guards.

SF continues its commitment to ensure that Smithsonian employees have 

a safe and healthy workplace by creating a culture that embraces and promotes 

zero injuries; provides professional services promoting a culture of health and 
188

wellness; and ensures that all Smithsonian facilities comply with local building 

codes, environmental regulations, and management best practices. 

NONAPPROPRIATED RESOURCES — General trust funds support salaries

and benefits, and other related costs. Donor/sponsor-designated funds cover 

costs related to Smithsonian programs, such as horticulture operations,

architectural history and historic preservation projects.
189

FACILITIES CAPITAL

FY 2017 Enacted $133,903,000

FY 2018 Continuing Resolution Level $132,994,000

FY 2019 Request $219,500,000

Federal Resource Summary by Performance Objective and Program Category

Performance Objective/ FY 2018 FY 2019 Change

Program Category FTE $000 FTE $000 FTE $000

Facilities and Safety

Improve Smithsonian facilities 

operations and provide a safe 

and healthy environment

48 115,194 48 211,000 0 95,806

Security 

Provide world-class protection 

for Smithsonian facilities, 

collections, staff, visitors, and 

volunteers

0 7,800 0 8,500 0 700

Subtotal 48 122,994 48 219,500 0 96,506

National Air and Space 

Museum — Udvar-Hazy 

Center Collections Storage 

Module

0 10,000 0 0 0 -10,000

Total 48 132,994 48 219,500 0 86,506

BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT

The Facilities Capital Program underpins the Smithsonian’s mission and 

represents an investment in the long-term interest of the nation. It is intended to help the 

Smithsonian provide modern facilities, often within our country’s national historic and 

culturally iconic buildings, which satisfy public programming needs, facilitate worldrenowned research efforts, and house our priceless national collections. 

In the Facilities Capital Program, revitalization involves making major repairs or 

replacing declining or failed infrastructure to address the problems of advanced 

deterioration. Once completed, these projects will enable the Smithsonian to avoid the 

failures in building systems that can create hazardous conditions for visitors and staff, 

harm animals, damage collections, and cause the loss of precious scientific data. 
190

The Institution uses the National Research Council (NRC) Facility Condition 

Assessments (FCAs) to calculate a Facilities Condition Index (FCI) rating. The FCI is 

the industry standard for the analysis of the condition of a facility or group of facilities 

that may vary in terms of age, design, construction methods, and materials. The FCI is 

calculated by dividing the sum of the deferred maintenance (based on the assessed 

condition ratings) of eight building systems (roofs, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, 

conveyance — elevators and escalators, interior, exterior, and structure) by the 

Current Replacement Value (CRV) of the facilities. FCI values of less than 90 percent 

are considered “poor.” The most recent overall FCI rating for Smithsonian facilities is 

89.0 percent, a slight improvement from FY 2015, due to the completion of the 

Renwick Gallery of Art revitalization and the construction of the National Museum of 

African American History and Culture. This percentage is based on an estimated 

overall CRV of $8.126 billion and an estimated $898.2 million value of the 

Smithsonian’s backlog of deferred maintenance and repair. The dollar value of the 

backlog does NOT equate to a total project estimate for the work and the soft costs 

required to accomplish the repairs/replacements and eliminate the backlog. 

Alarmingly, the individual FCI of at least nine Smithsonian facilities declined, 

two of which fell from fair to poor in value. The NRC’s recommended goal is a rating of 

95 percent or greater. Accordingly, to reverse a continuing downward trend in the FCI 

of many critical facilities, reduce the growing backlog of deferred maintenance and 

capital repairs, and achieve an FCI equal to or greater than 95 percent, so that our 

national treasures and cultural properties are preserved and enhanced for generations 

to come, the Smithsonian requests $219.5 million for its Facilities Capital Program in 

FY 2019.

Funding for facilities’ routine maintenance and minor repairs is included in the 

Institution’s Salaries and Expenses request. These resources are used to realize the 

intended design life and full economic value of Smithsonian facilities and to protect the 

Institution’s investment in revitalization. 

EXPLANATION OF CHANGE

The Institution requests $219,500,000 and 48 FTEs for the Facilities Capital 

Program in FY 2019. The requested funds will enable the Institution to continue the 

major renovation project at the National Air and Space Museum (NASM). In addition, 

major revitalization efforts will continue at the National Zoological Park and other priority 

areas, including projects for the National Museum of Natural History, the National 

Museum of American History, and facilities at the Suitland Collections Center. This 

request also funds stabilization of failing infrastructure and façade components of the 

Smithsonian Castle, as well as other priorities such as security and mechanical upgrades

at the National Museum of the American Indian in New York City and Washington, DC; 

infrastructure upgrades at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute; infrastructure and 

safety upgrades at the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory; and mitigation of safety 

and security hazards throughout the Institution.
191

The following chart summarizes the Institution’s request for the highest priority

FY 2019 Facilities Capital projects. 

Federal Trust* Federal Trust* Congress Trust*

Received Estimate CR Level Estimate Request Estimate

$Millions

REVITALIZATION 

Major Projects

Anacostia Community Museum 1.2

Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum 1.7 5.8

Donald W. Reynolds Center

Freer Gallery of Art

Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden 1.0 0.7

National Air and Space Museum (NASM) 7.0 50.0 127.0 50.0

NASM Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center 1.1 10.0

National Museum of American History 4.0 4.0

National Museum of the American Indian 3.0 4.0

National Museum of Natural History 13.9 8.2 3.5

National Zoological Park 16.7 5.1 1.6 18.5 5.0

Quadrangle

Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory 1.4 0.9

Smithsonian Environmental Research Center 1.5 2.0 2.0

Smithsonian Institution Building (Castle) 2.0 4.0 1.5 5.0

Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute 2.6 0.8 1.5

Collections Space & Support Program (Multiple Locations) 4.3 0.5 1.0 4.0 0.5

Fire-Alarm Panel Replacement 4.0

Multiple Site Projects and General Capital Support 12.2 15.9

Facilities Planning and Design 20.3 17.0

SUBTOTAL 93.9 5.6 123.0 65.6 219.5 63.2

NASM Udvar-Hazy Collections Storage Module 40.0 10.0

National Zoological Park 70.0

SUBTOTAL 40.0 0.0 10.0 70.0 0.0 0.0

TOTAL PROGRAM 133.9 133.0 219.5 63.2

CATEGORY

SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION

Federal Facilities Capital Program Summary

FY 2017 − FY 2019

FY 2017 FY 2018 FY 2019

CONSTRUCTION
192

SUMMARY TABLES 

REVITALIZATION

Investment in revitalization projects provides for the replacement of failing or failed 

major building systems and equipment, and for major renovation projects to sustain existing 

buildings and sites. The Revitalization Program addresses critical deficiencies in the 

exterior envelope, heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC), electrical, and other 

utility systems at the Smithsonian’s older buildings. Projects also ensure compliance with 

life-safety regulations, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other codecompliance requirements, restoration, preservation and repair of historic features, and 

modernization of the buildings to support current program needs and sustain the viability of 

the Institution’s physical plant. Items listed on the Multiple Locations line are projects that 

cover multiple facilities or where the total cost of the museum and/or research center 

projects is less than $1.0 million. These projects usually involve capital repair or 

replacement of individual systems or components. 

Facility Project $000

National Air and Space Museum (NASM) Revitalize Building Envelope and 

Infrastructure

127,000

NASM Udvar-Hazy Center (UHC) Repair Leaks of Building Envelope and Roof 10,000

National Zoological Park (NZP) Renew Bird House and Great Flight Cage

Security — Install Permanent Visitor 

Screening

Upgrade Life-Safety and Infrastructure

15,000

1,000

2,500

Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum 

(CHSDM)

Replace Mansion Chillers and Cooling 

System

5,800

National Museum of American History 

(NMAH)

Improve Objects Processing Facility (OPF) 

and Swing Space

4,000

National Museum of Natural History (NMNH) Upgrade Electrical System and Components 3,500

National Museum of the American Indian

(NMAI)

Replace and Modernize Electronic Security

(NMAI-NY)

Upgrade Mass-Notification and Fire Panel 

Systems (NMAI-NY)

3,000

1,000
193

Facility Project $000

Smithsonian Institution Building (Castle) Façade Repair and Stabilization 

Implementation

MEP Systems Repairs for Failure Risk 

Mitigation 

1,000

500

Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute 

(STRI)

Replace and Improve Facilities at Galeta 

(Phase 1)

1,500

Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory 

(SAO)

Repair Roads at Fred L. Whipple 

Observatory (SAO-AZ)

850

Smithsonian Environmental Research Center 

(SERC)

Construct Site Infrastructure/Renovate 

Homestead House

2,000

Suitland Collections Center (multiple 

facilities)

Decontaminate Collections in Building 16 

(Garber)

Upgrade Emergency Generator/Switchgear 

(NMAI-CRC)

2,000

2,000 

Multiple Facilities Fire-Alarm Panel Replacements and 

Upgrade Security Mass-Notification Systems

4,000

Multiple Locations Building projects less than $1,000,000

Construction Supervision Administration

8,850

7,000

TOTAL, REVITALIZATION PROJECTS $202,500

FACILITIES PLANNING AND DESIGN $17,000

FY 2019 TOTAL REQUEST $219,500
194

REVITALIZATION PROJECTS

PROJECT TITLE: Revitalize Building Envelope and Infrastructure 

INSTALLATION: National Air and Space Museum (NASM) — National Mall Building

LOCATION: Washington, DC

FY 2019 COST ESTIMATE (Thousands of Dollars): $127,000*

PRIOR-YEAR FUNDING $96,953*

FUTURE-YEAR FUNDING $381,047*

Total $605,000*

* Does not include funding in Facilities Planning and Design

BUILDING BACKGROUND: 

NASM was built in 1976 to commemorate the national development of aviation and 

space flight. The 747,877-gross-square-foot building (including approximately 161,145 

square feet of exhibit galleries) preserves and displays artifacts, aeronautical and space 

flight equipment, significant historical data, and related technologies. The exhibit galleries 

hold the largest collection of historic air and spacecraft in the world and, in recent years, 

the Museum has received an average of more than seven million visitors annually.

PROJECT JUSTIFICATION:

The exterior Tennessee Pink Marble façade of the NASM building is a feature of 

the original construction and forms the primary exterior weather seal for the envelope on 

all surfaces other than at the roofs, terraces, skylights, and window walls. The panels are 

porous, show signs of aging and, in some cases, damage in the form of visible warping 

and cracks. The current marble primary weather seal does not provide a continuous 

vapor barrier across the entire façade and the insulation is not consistent with current 

sustainable best practices and energy conservation. There is no secondary weather seal 

on the marble walls. This has created additional condensation and energy conservation 

problems.

NASM’s mechanical systems are original to the 1976 building and designed to

support only two million visitors annually. Within six months of opening, five million 

visitors were recorded. Today, it remains the most visited museum in the United States 

(and second in the world), with between seven and eight million visitors annually. As a 

result, decades of strain on these systems have led to frequent breakdowns and failures, 

increasing costs to repair. They have exceeded their useful lifespans. The mechanical

systems are further burdened by the deteriorated condition of the exterior façade, which 

allows moisture into the building. 

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:

The multi-year, multi-phase building systems and envelope renovation project will 

replace the building’s marble façade, improve blast and earthquake resistance, upgrade the 

energy efficiency of the exterior envelope, replace the mechanical systems, and provide 

more secure access and egress. A primary goal for the planned HVAC replacement portion 

of the project is to provide the collections area and all occupied spaces with appropriate 
195

temperature and humidity controls. The Smithsonian requests $127.0 million in FY 2019 to 

fund construction activities and award contract(s) for continued design-assist work, 

constructability reviews, estimating, and for early procurement of long lead items, such as 

stone cladding, artifact protection, and preparation of swing space for staff.

PROGRESS TO DATE: 

Design work began in June of 2014 with the award of the concept/schematic design

contract. The design contract was awarded in March of 2016. Design reached 100 percent 

completion in August 2017 and final completion is projected for January of 2018. The 

Construction Manager as Constructor (CMc) pre-construction services began in January of 

2017 with award of contract. Formal value engineering exercises with the CMc were

conducted in July of 2017 (at 65 percent design) and November of 2017 (at 100 percent

design). Final design documents will help establish the CMc guaranteed maximum price 

(GMP). The budget, scope of work, and implementation schedule will be further refined as 

the Smithsonian establishes GMP with the CMc. Construction award at GMP is scheduled 

by the fourth quarter of FY 2018. To protect against the possibility that the exterior stone 

panels may fail, the Smithsonian erected a temporary covered walkway around vulnerable 

portions of the building in January of 2015. The covered walkway will remain in place until 

the façade replacement work is complete. 

IMPACT OF DELAY: 

If funding is delayed, the pace of revitalization work begun in FY 2018 will be 

affected. NASM’s stone façade and building systems will continue to deteriorate and the 

environmental conditions needed to safeguard the Museum’s collections and the visiting 

public will not be maintained. Existing building systems in future work zones must remain 

operational as the revitalization work progresses until their ultimate replacement is 

accomplished. Building system breakdowns will become more frequent and unpredictable, 

likely resulting in emergency building closures.

The following diagram provides a high-level view of the incremental sequence 

approach the Smithsonian will undertake throughout the renovation. The Smithsonian 

intends to keep approximately half of the Museum open during the project, working on 

the exterior and interior projects in parallel by zone, as outlined below.
196
197

PROJECT TITLE: Repair Leaks of Building Envelope and Roof 

INSTALLATION: National Air and Space Museum (NASM) — Udvar-Hazy Center

LOCATION: Chantilly, Virginia

FY 2019 COST ESTIMATE (Thousands of Dollars): $10,000*

PRIOR-YEAR FUNDING: $0*

FUTURE-YEAR FUNDING: $8,800*

Total $18,800*

* Does not include funding in Facilities Planning and Design

BUILDING BACKGROUND: 

The Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia is the companion facility to the 

National Air and Space Museum on the National Mall in Washington, DC. Opened in 

2003, the 760,000-square-foot building consists of two large hangers — the Boeing 

Aviation Hangar and the James S. McDonnell Space Hangar. The facility displays 

thousands of aviation and space artifacts, including a Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird and the 

space shuttle Discovery, and hosts more than one million visitors a year.

PROJECT JUSTIFICATION:

The Udvar-Hazy Center has experienced water and air infiltration issues since its 

opening in 2003. Attempts to repair these leaks have taken place but have not addressed 

the underlying cause.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:

The multi-year project will remove and replace select areas of the existing roof 

experiencing leaks, and overlay the roof with an applied membrane; replace the existing 

Kalwall glazing; and repair select areas of the exterior metal wall system, terrace and 

foundation walls experiencing air and water infiltration. The Smithsonian requests 

$10.0 million in FY 2019 to begin repairing the leaks. 

PROGRESS TO DATE: 

A planning study was completed in July of 2015 and design work began in March 

of 2016 with award of design contract. A formal value engineering exercise completed in 

October of 2016 recommended several project scope approaches and associated budget 

costs. Design reached 35 percent completion in May of 2017, with 65 percent completion 

projected for February of 2018, with the final design completion expected by the first

quarter of FY 2019.
198

PROJECT TITLE: Renew Bird House and Great Flight Cage 

INSTALLATION: National Zoological Park (NZP)

LOCATION: Washington, DC

FY 2019 COST ESTIMATE (Thousands of Dollars): $15,000*

PRIOR-YEAR FUNDING: $4,000*

FUTURE-YEAR FUNDING: $37,300*

Total $56,300*

* Does not include funding in Facilities Planning and Design

BUILDING BACKGROUND:

The NZP’s Bird House was designed by architect Albert Harris and opened in 

1928, with an addition completed in 1938. In 1965, Daniel, Mann, Johnson & Mendenhall 

renovated and modernized the Bird House by removing the roof, ornate entries and 

elaborate brick decorative details and replacing them with simple concrete and glass. The 

flight cage addition was connected to the building with a sleek, modern concrete bridge, 

in sharp contrast to the Harris design. In the 1970s and beyond, the bird plateau site 

received multiple exterior animal exhibits, holding facilities, ponds, boardwalks, and 

asphalt sidewalks. 

PROJECT JUSTIFICATION:

With the exception of relatively recent upgrades to fire-suppression systems, the 

infrastructure is well beyond its useful lifespan and most of the failed and failing 

equipment and systems date back to the 1960s and 1970s. The 2016 Facilities Condition 

Index (FCI) for the Bird House is 66.1 percent (FCIs below 90 percent are considered 

poor), one of the poorest in the Smithsonian facility portfolio. This project renews the Bird 

House and Great Flight Cage, with a new Marvelous Migrations exhibit that emphasizes 

the global importance of migration to species survival by using innovative, conservationbased education. Using $10 million in leveraged donor funds, along with federal 

appropriations, and following the approved master plan, facility improvements will include 

new site utilities, as well as total replacement of failed chillers, beyond-lifespan HVAC 

equipment, obsolete storm and wastewater management systems, and upgraded 

animal/human life-safety, life-support, electrical, plumbing, security and data systems. 

Additionally, the Bird House needs upgrades to its primary and secondary bird 

containment systems, due to recent increases in animal escapes. 

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:

The project will renew the deteriorating and failing building systems, equipment, 

and bird-holding and habitat spaces of the Bird House with a complete, phased building 

renovation that includes total demolition of the non-historic fabric, a new roof, new lifesupport systems for the living collections, new HVAC, plumbing, electrical, lighting, lifesafety and animal life-support systems, and significant improvements to the Great Flight 

Cage. During the first phase, interim outdoor and indoor bird-holding swing space is 

being erected, and highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI)-resistant netting is being 
199

provided over the Flamingo Exhibit Yard. Additionally, this project will renew the 

congressionally established Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center to educate the public and 

encourage visitors to help save wildlife and habitats worldwide. The Smithsonian 

requests $15.0 million in FY 2019 to continue this project. 

PROGRESS TO DATE: 

Executed with the $4.0 million appropriated in FY 2017, construction of the bird 

collections swing space is 98 percent complete, with completion expected in March of 

2018. Relocation of animals is under way. The Bird House (BH) closed to the public in 

January of 2017. Request for construction proposals (RFP) for the revitalization of the 

Bird House and Great Flight Cage Aviary project is planned for 2018, with a construction 

contract award projected for the fall of 2018.

 

IMPACT OF DELAY: 

Delaying this project will result in continued increased costs of maintaining and 

operating the failed and failing systems, excessive energy consumption and costs for 

water and power, and increased risk to the living collection’s captive habitat. Failure to 

revitalize this facility will require that the building remain closed indefinitely, preventing 

public access to our nation’s living collection of significant birds and hindering the 

important work of the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center and the National Zoo’s mission of 

saving endangered species. 
200

PROJECT TITLE: Security — Install Permanent Visitor Screening 

INSTALLATION: National Zoological Park (NZP)

LOCATION: Washington, DC

FY 2019 COST ESTIMATE (Thousands of Dollars): $1,000*

 

FUTURE-YEAR FUNDING: $6,000*

Total $7,000*

* Does not include funding in Facilities Planning and Design

BUILDING BACKGROUND: 

Presently, the 163-acre National Zoological Park receives approximately 

2.5 million visitors per year. It consistently ranks as one of the region’s top family 

attractions, and is a popular tourist attraction for people from within the United States and 

around the world. It is open to the general public 364 days per year, weather permitting. 

All Smithsonian public venues have security screening in place except the NZP. For the 

last several years, the Smithsonian Office of Protection Services (OPS) and the National 

Zoological Park Police (NZPP) have funded and installed temporary screening measures 

during peak visitation periods to protect the visitors, staff, volunteers and living collections 

at the Zoo. 

PROJECT JUSTIFICATION:

Temporary and rent-based solutions are no longer feasible and do not meet 

Smithsonian security standards. The goal for this project is to create a permanent visitor 

screening solution 364 days per year in a way that minimizes the impact on the visitor 

experience while also managing the flow and quantity of visitors. This project will improve 

overall security every day and at all visitor entrances, as well as accommodate entry 

capacity and flow during peak hours of visitation and events without excessive wait times; 

create operational flexibility based on events and needs with both temporary/moveable 

measurements and permanent resources; implement security measures and solutions 

which will not adversely impact visitor experiences or the beauty of the Park; incorporate, 

not preclude, future projects identified in the 2008 Comprehensive Master Plan; and 

validate visitor counts and crowd flow assumptions. 

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:

The project includes permanent access control fencing and visitor-screening

checkpoints at the Connecticut Avenue entrance, the Bus Lot entrance, and a new Lower Zoo 

entrance, complete with pedestrian and vehicular traffic safety improvements in accordance 

with the adopted 2008 Comprehensive Facilities Master Plan. The Smithsonian requests 

$1.0 million in FY 2019 to install the first phase of work for the permanent access control 

fencing.

PROGRESS TO DATE: 

The Program of Owners’ Requirements (POR) was completed in 2016, followed by 

a data collection and site survey phase. Schematic design was completed in 2017 with 

final design completion projected for late 2018.
201

IMPACT OF DELAY: 

Concerns about large crowds and ongoing threats of terrorism as well as active 

shooter security risks, and lack of standardization of security screening compared to 

other Smithsonian venues, expose NZP’s visitors and staff to unacceptable risk. The 

impact of a delay could be catastrophic, resulting in needless severe injury or death to 

visitors, staff, volunteers and dignitaries from all over the globe, not to mention the living 

collections of rare and endangered species that the NZP is committed to protect and 

preserve from extinction.
202

PROJECT TITLE: Upgrade Life-Safety System Infrastructure 

INSTALLATION: National Zoological Park (NZP), Rock Creek Park and Front Royal

LOCATION: Washington, DC and Front Royal, Virginia

FY 2019 COST ESTIMATE (Thousands of Dollars): $2,500*

FUTURE-YEAR FUNDING: $49,900*

Total $52,400*

* Does not include funding in Facilities Planning and Design

BUILDING BACKGROUND: 

Multiple buildings, at both the Rock Creek and Front Royal locations, have major 

capital systems renewal needs due to failed and failing infrastructure. The facilities also 

do not meet current building and life-safety codes. To date, all buildings and animal 

holding areas have received fire-sprinkler suppression systems, but many buildings still 

require upgrades to fire-alarm detection systems that will soon be phased out by the 

systems manufacturers and parts suppliers. In addition, smoke control and 

smoke-evacuation systems need to be provided in the Panda House, Bird House, Think 

Tank, Small Mammal House and Lion/Tiger House. With previous appropriations, the 

smoke control system at the Great Apes House is under construction and will be 

completed in early 2018. Additionally, infrastructure projects not already completed per 

the master plan include: storm-water management; upgrading living collections 

infrastructure at animal habitats and yards; continuing the refurbishment of the NZP’s 

elevators; upgrades to building HVAC and site utilities such as sewer, power, data and 

water systems throughout both campuses; site security and safety systems replacement;

failed and failing faux rock replacement throughout the Rock Creek campus; and 

perimeter gates, fencing, animal containment, and utility infrastructure repairs and 

upgrades at Front Royal.

PROJECT JUSTIFICATION:

This project will provide continued funding for major capital renewal and 

replacement of failed and/or failing life-safety and infrastructure systems throughout both 

the Rock Creek and Front Royal campuses.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:

The Smithsonian requests $2.5 million in FY 2019 to continue the NZP’s major capital 

renewal program, per the adopted comprehensive facilities master plan, to replace failed and 

failing life-safety and infrastructure systems at both the Rock Creek and Front Royal

campuses. 

PROGRESS TO DATE: 

At Rock Creek, the failed steam lines have been replaced from under the boiler 

plant to the Think Tank and from the Think Tank to the Police Station, Mane Café and 

Amazonia building. A new electrical substation was installed across from the bus lot on 

North Road, and another electrical substation replacement is complete behind the Police 

Station, serving the Lower Zoo. The North Road retaining wall and structural/life-safety 

systems were provided at the adjacent General Services Building. Visitor safety and 
203

animal containment improvement projects have been completed at the Lion/Tiger and 

Great Apes Houses and at the Zebra/Cheetah exhibit areas. Design for visitor safety 

improvements at the Panda House is complete, as is the design work for the smokeevacuation system. More than 15 projects are in the planning and design stages for the 

current Five-Year Capital Plan, and designs for the FY 2019 appropriation cycle will be 

completed in FY 2018.

 

IMPACT OF DELAY: 

Failure to upgrade NZP life-safety systems and infrastructure will result in 

operational emergency responses that are costly, disruptive and preventable. The 

potential impact of delaying such system replacements and upgrades could result in 

serious harm to visitors and staff, as well as to the animals in our care, along with the 

loss of research that is essential to the survival of rare and endangered species.
204

PROJECT TITLE: Replace Mansion Chillers and Cooling System

INSTALLATION: Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum (CHSDM)

LOCATION: New York, New York

FY 2019 COST ESTIMATE (Thousands of Dollars): $5,800*

* Does not include funding in Facilities Planning and Design

BUILDING BACKGROUND: 

The 64-room Carnegie Mansion, designed by the architectural firm of Babb, Cook & 

Willard, was built between 1899 and 1902. It was the first private residence in the United 

States to have a structural steel frame and one of the first in New York to have a 

residential Otis passenger elevator (now in the collection of the Smithsonian’s National 

Museum of American History). The Mansion was transferred to the Smithsonian in 1972 

and the Museum opened there in 1976. 

PROJECT JUSTIFICATION:

The two primary chillers are currently more than 20 years old and approaching the 

end of their useful service lives. Additionally, they use R22 refrigerants, which are being 

phased out. The rooftop cooling towers are also at the end of their life cycle and require 

frequent emergency maintenance. Since the Museum’s 2014 reopening and the ensuing 

expanded visitation, demands have increased on these vital environmental system 

components. Increased demand has accelerated the frequency of service calls and the 

rate of component deterioration.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:

The Smithsonian requests $5.8 million in FY 2019 to replace two primary chillers, two 

cooling towers, and associated pumps with new, energy-efficient equipment, and to 

upgrade the building automation system and eliminate pneumatic controls and operators.

PROGRESS TO DATE: 

Design is substantially complete and acquisition planning is in process to award a 

construction project in the fall of 2018.

IMPACT OF DELAY: 

A delay in completing this project will result in continued degradation of the HVAC 

system efficiency and reliability, thereby degrading the collections environment, as well 

as increasing utility costs.
205

PROJECT TITLE: Improve Objects Processing Facility (OPF) and Swing Space

INSTALLATION: National Museum of American History (NMAH)

LOCATION: Washington, DC

FY 2019 COST ESTIMATE (Thousands of Dollars): $4,000*

PRIOR-YEAR FUNDING: $1,000*

Total $5,000*

* Does not include funding in Facilities Planning and Design

BUILDING BACKGROUND: 

The National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center (NMAH) is 

one of the Smithsonian’s most visited museums. This modern, classical building (752,000 

gross square feet) contains a variety of exhibitions that explore America’s technological, 

scientific, cultural, and political history. The revitalization of the Museum’s public spaces 

continues with the renovation of the West Wing. The second-floor exhibits in this wing, 

based on the theme of democracy, re-opened in 2017, and the third-floor exhibits, on 

American culture, will re-open in 2018 and 2020.

PROJECT JUSTIFICATION:

The current Objects Processing Facility (OPF), located adjacent to the loading dock 

on the lower level of the building, where all artifacts entering and exiting the Museum are 

processed, does not meet Smithsonian collections care and security standards. Access 

doors are too small to accommodate large crates, making it necessary to open the crates 

in the loading dock area before bringing objects into the facility; the secure storage area is 

too small to accommodate large objects; shelving and storage cabinets are inadequate; 

office, receiving, and processing functions are not separated; size, layout, and circulation 

are inadequate for optimal processing operations; the HVAC system does not maintain 

required temperature and humidity settings for objects; and a room with controlled lighting 

is not available for photographing objects. Since the OPF must remain operational, it will 

be necessary to renovate a nearby area for swing space to house temporary OPF 

operations. This project is also a critical predecessor for the future revitalization of the 

Museum’s East Wing because it supports functions required for temporary and permanent 

relocation of artifacts. 

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:

The Smithsonian requests $4.0 million in FY 2019 for Phase 2 of the project to 

renovate the permanent OPF to meet all Smithsonian collections care and security 

standards. (Phase 1 of the project, funded in FY 2018, consists of renovating a nearby 

former cold-storage room into swing space to house temporary OPF operations while the 

permanent OPF is under renovation.) The permanent OPF improvements will include 

enlarging the doors from the loading dock to the receiving area to accommodate large 

crates; enlarging the secure storage room to accommodate large objects; providing new 

shelving and storage cabinets; separating the office, receiving, and processing functions 

with appropriately sized doors between the spaces; improving the size, layout, circulation 

and sequence for processing by infilling the lower elevation area to be contiguous with 

the main floor plate; improving the HVAC system to maintain appropriate temperature 
206

and humidity settings; and providing a photography room with controlled lighting to 

document objects.

PROGRESS TO DATE: 

Design work began in FY 2015 and was completed in FY 2017. 

IMPACT OF DELAY: 

Delaying the renovation of the single centralized OPF for the entire Museum to bring 

this substandard space up to current Smithsonian collections care and security standards 

will continue to put all of the artifacts entering and exiting the building at great risk. 
207

PROJECT TITLE: Upgrade Electrical Systems and Components 

INSTALLATION: National Museum of Natural History (NMNH)

LOCATION: Washington, DC

FY 2019 COST ESTIMATE (Thousands of Dollars): $3,500

FUTURE-YEAR FUNDING: $6,500

Total $10,000

BUILDING BACKGROUND: 

The NMNH building opened to the public in 1910. The East and West Wings were 

added in the early 1960s. Two infill buildings were constructed in the original building’s East 

and West courtyards in the late 1990s. In addition to its wide array of public exhibits, the 1.5-

million-square-foot-building houses more than 60 million specimen collections (used by both 

resident and visiting researchers), and educational, scientific, and administrative facilities 

serving approximately 1,200 people. The NMNH is one of the most visited museums in the 

world and hosts between seven and eight million visitors annually. 

PROJECT JUSTIFICATION:

Most of the building’s electrical systems were installed in the early 1960s. At more than 

50 years of age, they need major replacement. Breakdowns of the systems are frequent, 

repair parts are often difficult to find, and the systems are not code compliant, presenting a 

safety hazard to visitors and collections. The reliability of the electrical system is 

compromised by the deteriorated condition of the antiquated switchboards, bus ducts, 

network protectors, generators, transfer switches, and distribution and branch circuit panel 

boards.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:

Specific work includes correcting all inadequate short-circuit rating equipment, 

replacing obsolete equipment, installing new, dedicated life-safety panels and abating 

hazardous material encountered during this electrical upgrade. The Smithsonian requests 

$3.5 million in FY 2019 to continue the ongoing renovation process, with a particular focus on 

upgrading the electrical systems. 

PROGRESS TO DATE: 

As part of ongoing renovations, an exhaustive survey and analysis of current electrical 

systems was completed to inform a feasibility study. Based on the findings, the study offered 

preliminary recommendations and cost estimates for addressing building-wide electrical 

problems and shortcomings through phased implementation. For each discreet area of the 

building — Main Building, wings and courts — there is a plan for what needs to be replaced 

and upgraded, including emergency device coordination. Currently, design continues with the 

electrical engineers defining requirements for construction documents. This well-defined 

infrastructure renovation is essential to NMNH’s continued service to the public.

IMPACT OF DELAY: 

If unaddressed, electrical systems will continue to deteriorate and environmental 

conditions and safety features required for the Museum’s collections and the visiting 

public cannot be maintained. Ultimately, a compromised electrical system would also 

impede and delay the Museum’s exhibit re-installation program.
208

PROJECT TITLE: Replace and Modernize Electronic Security 

INSTALLATION: National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI-NY)

LOCATION: New York City, New York

FY 2019 COST ESTIMATE (Thousands of Dollars): $3,000

PRIOR-YEAR FUNDING: $2,650*

FUTURE-YEAR FUNDING: TBD

 Total $5,650

* Does not include funding in Facilities Planning and Design

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:

The collection storage areas, gallery infrastructure, and public/staff separation areas 

of the NMAI-NY facility do not comply with the Smithsonian’s security design criteria. The 

result is a lack of adequate electronic and physical security to protect the staff within the 

facility and the collections located in the galleries and housed in storage areas. Security 

modernization will include access control, collections and library storage and processing 

security, and Museum perimeter protection, as well as modernizing the Office of Protection 

Services (OPS) work spaces and locker rooms located in the basement and on the first 

floor. The Smithsonian requests $3.0 million in FY 2019 to continue this project.

PROGRESS TO DATE: 

Final construction documents to modernize electronic security were completed in 

mid-2017. Final construction documents to modernize the OPS work offices and the 

locker rooms were completed in late 2017.

IMPACT OF DELAY: 

Without the funds requested, both administrative and uniformed OPS personnel 

will continue to operate in substandard spaces. Electronic security functionality is 

impeded with outdated software and physical devices, putting the safety and security of 

staff, visitors, and collections at risk.
209

PROJECT TITLE: Upgrade Mass-Notification System and Fire Panels

INSTALLATION: National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI-NY)

LOCATION: New York City, New York

FY 2019 COST ESTIMATE (Thousands of Dollars) $1,000*

FUTURE-YEAR FUNDING: $1,000

 Total $2,000

* Does not include funding in Facilities Planning and Design

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:

Smithsonian fire panels at the National Museum of the American Indian in New 

York City are a generation out of date and spare parts are becoming scarce. The fire 

panels will soon reach the point where they can no longer be repaired and the fire-alarm 

system will be in jeopardy of non-functionality. The fire panels need to be replaced with 

modern equipment. Additionally, the mass-notification system is essential to Smithsonian 

security to provide instructions to visitors and staff during an emergency. Work needs to 

be coordinated with the General Services Administration (GSA) and the other tenants of 

the building. Accordingly, the Smithsonian requests $1.0 million in FY 2019 to upgrade 

obsolete fire panels and install a mass-notification system.
210

PROJECT TITLE: Façade Repair and Stabilization Implementation 

INSTALLATION: Smithsonian Institution Building (SIB) 

LOCATION: Washington, DC 

FY 2019 COST ESTIMATE (Thousands of Dollars): $1,000

PRIOR-YEAR FUNDING: $5,000

FUTURE-YEAR FUNDING: $1,000

Total $7,000

BUILDING BACKGROUND:

The Smithsonian Institution Building (SIB), commonly referred to as the Castle, 

was the first building of the Smithsonian, completed in 1855. The Castle initially housed 

all of the Smithsonian’s operations, including research and administrative offices, lecture 

and exhibition halls, a library and reading room, chemical laboratories, storage areas for 

specimens, and living quarters for the first Secretary of the Institution, Joseph Henry, and 

his family. The Castle has historic architectural and institutional significance and is the 

public’s doorway to, and the symbol of, the Smithsonian Institution. It is listed by the 

Department of the Interior as a National Historic Landmark. 

PROJECT JUSTIFICATION:

The slow but steadily increasing deterioration of the sandstone façade of the 

Smithsonian Castle has progressed to the point where water intrusion is causing 

significant damage to the integrity of the stone itself as well as to the historic plaster 

finishes inside. The effects of weathering include the loss of mortar between stones, 

cracking and spalling of stone, and, in some areas, detachment of decorative carved 

elements. Localized failures of gutters, flashing, and downspouts expose more areas of 

the façade to soaking rains and resulting freeze-thaw damage. Deferred maintenance of 

wood windows, caulking, and sealants requires that temporary repairs be made to curtail 

damage until the windows can be replaced as part of a full building revitalization.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION: 

 Stones have become detached and/or loose and need to be repaired or removed for 

reinstallation and/or replacement when the full building revitalization is undertaken. The 

Smithsonian requests $1.0 million in FY 2019 to continue the phased close inspection and 

repair of the stone façade and wood windows to mitigate water intrusion and the resulting

interior damage.

PROGRESS TO DATE: 

The façade has been surveyed and approximately one-third has been repaired. 

Work will continue into FY 2020 to complete the interim stabilization.
211

PROJECT TITLE: MEP Systems Repairs for Failure Risk Mitigation 

INSTALLATION: Smithsonian Institution Building (Castle)

LOCATION: Washington, DC

FY 2019 COST ESTIMATE (Thousands of Dollars): $500

PRIOR-YEAR FUNDING: $600

Total $1,100

BUILDING BACKGROUND:

The Smithsonian Institution Building (SIB), commonly referred to as the Castle, 

was the first building of the Smithsonian, completed in 1855. The Castle initially housed 

all of the Smithsonian’s operations, including research and administrative offices, lecture 

and exhibition halls, a library and reading room, chemical laboratories, storage areas for 

specimens, and living quarters for the first Secretary of the Institution, Joseph Henry, and 

his family. The Castle has historic architectural and institutional significance and is the 

public’s doorway to, and the symbol of, the Smithsonian Institution, and is listed by the 

Department of the Interior as a National Historic Landmark. 

PROJECT JUSTIFICATION:

It has been more than 40 years since the last significant comprehensive upgrades 

were made to the mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) systems at the 

Smithsonian Castle, and localized failures are becoming increasingly frequent. Major 

piping failures in recent years have resulted in flooding in public areas, temporary 

closures of office areas, and major damage to historic building elements and finishes. 

Until a full redesign and replacement of these systems is done, the possibility of 

catastrophic systems failure is increasingly likely. A fire in the third-floor Castle Library in 

the summer of 2017 further demonstrated the building’s vulnerability if MEP systems are 

not repaired in a timely manner. 

PROJECT DESCRIPTION: 

In order to reduce the risk of such failures and permit continued occupancy of the 

building prior to full building revitalization, a comprehensive assessment of equipment, 

piping, and cabling has identified interim measures that can be taken, including partial 

replacement and/or localized duplication of the system parts. This funding will be used to 

make the most urgent interim repairs. The Smithsonian requests $500,000 in FY 2019 to 

conduct these essential repairs.

PROGRESS TO DATE: 

With the funding requested, a significant number of the most important system 

repairs and modifications will be made by FY 2020.

IMPACT OF DELAY: 

Delay of this work puts the systems at risk of serious failure, requiring full or partial 

building closure and the relocation of staff from the building in advance of the planned 

administrative space consolidation and building revitalization, thereby unnecessarily 

raising the Smithsonian’s operational and facilities capital costs. 
212

PROJECT TITLE: Replace and Improve Facilities at Galeta (Phase 1)

INSTALLATION: Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI)

LOCATION: Panama

FY 2019 COST ESTIMATE (Thousands of Dollars): $1,500

PRIOR-YEAR FUNDING: (Planning and Design not included) $750

FUTURE-YEAR FUNDING: $4,000

Total $6,250

PROJECT BACKGROUND: 

The Galeta Marine Station is located near the Caribbean terminal of the Panama 

Canal and the city of Colon. It serves as a laboratory, marine and wetland environmental 

monitoring station, as well as an education and outreach center for STRI. The site includes 

several small dormitories, a laboratory building, a small administration structure, and 

support buildings.

PROJECT JUSTIFICATION:

The buildings at Galeta Marine Station are located directly on an eroding shoreline 

and are experiencing seawater infiltration during high tides and windy conditions. In addition, 

the existing laboratory and dormitories are located in old, outdated buildings that are not 

compliant with current building codes. Among many deficiencies, they do not have fireprotection sprinklers and the current sanitary and potable water systems are substandard.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:

As part of STRI’s Facilities Master Plan, the existing dormitories and laboratory will 

be replaced with code-compliant structures to safely host the research, education and 

outreach activities at Galeta. Additionally, a fire-protection system will be designed to 

provide full sprinkler coverage to new and existing buildings. Finally, the project will 

implement additional infrastructure work for a new wastewater system as well as improve

the current potable water and main electric installations at the Galeta Station. For Phase 1 

of this project, the Smithsonian requests $1.5 million in FY 2019 for the installation of a fireprotection system, a water reserve tank for potable water and fire suppression, and 

upgrades to the main electrical system. Future phases will incorporate a new wastewater 

system (Phase 2), a replacement laboratory/administration building (Phase 3), and a 

replacement dormitory building (Phase 4).

PROGRESS TO DATE: 

Concept and schematic design phases are complete. The architect-engineer will 

develop the design through 2018 and complete Phase 1 for contract award in early FY 2019.

IMPACT OF DELAY: 

The Galeta Marine Station requires major renovations at many essential facilities, 

including the laboratory, administration building, and dormitories. Delaying this project will 

increase maintenance costs, impair STRI’s ability to conduct research and educational 

programs at Galeta, and potentially endanger visitors and staff. The sanitary and potable 

water systems are in need of major improvements to reduce the impact of water shortages

and lower maintenance costs for these installations.
213

PROJECT TITLE: Repair Roads at Fred L. Whipple Observatory (FLWO) 

INSTALLATION: Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (SAO)

LOCATION: Tucson, Arizona 

FY 2019 COST ESTIMATE (Thousands of Dollars): $850

PRIOR-YEAR FUNDING: $1,700

FUTURE-YEAR FUNDING: $3,200

Total $5,750

PROJECT BACKGROUND:

The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (SAO) is located at the summit of Mt. 

Hopkins, at an elevation of 8,550 feet, reachable only by Mt. Hopkins Road, a 12-milelong, unimproved single-lane access road. The road was constructed by the Smithsonian 

50 years ago to accommodate traffic by SAO research faculty, staff and students, as well 

as contractors and some members of the public. Telescopes are sited on the summit 

peaks. SAO activities on Mt. Hopkins require access to and from its facilities at the Base 

Camp (located at 4,500 feet) and the summit to conduct basic operations, research, and 

educational activities that form its core mission.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:

The surface of the single-lane road is largely unpaved, outsloped to the canyons 

1,300 feet below, and is uneven with numerous switchbacks. Several sections are sloped 

at a 24-percent grade, which is well outside the anticipated capability of drivers, standard 

vehicles and pedestrians. Severe weather is commonplace, and the road requires 

frequent grading and maintenance to provide a minimum level of safety. Most crucially, in 

addition to ongoing repair and replacement/extension of guardrails, SAO has identified 

six sections of the road that have been stabilized against collapse by 60–70-year-old 

landing mats and steel cables. There has been significant movement and rupture of this 

system that must be corrected immediately. Design is under way and requested funds 

will allow for work to rectify this safety hazard. In addition, the road has numerous exiting 

metal drainage culverts in close proximity to the 13-kilovolt (KV) power line that services 

the summit. These culverts require frequent clean-out operations, during which the power 

to the mountain is shut off because of the proximity of the power line to the conductive 

culverts. The Smithsonian requests $850,000 in FY 2019 to replace these metal culverts 

with concrete culverts to mitigate this life-safety issue.
214

PROJECT TITLE: Construct Site Infrastructure/Renovate Homestead House

INSTALLATION: Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC)

LOCATION: Edgewater, Maryland

FY 2019 COST ESTIMATE (Thousands of Dollars): $2,000*

FUTURE-YEAR FUNDING: $2,000

Total $4,000

* Does not include funding in Facilities Planning and Design

PROJECT BACKGROUND: 

The Homestead House, now part of the SERC property, dates back to the early 

1700s and was the primary residence for the owner of the Contee Farm. Its significance in 

colonial archaeological, local and cultural history is well established. As outlined in SERC’s 

Comprehensive Facility Master Plan, the 5,000-square-foot Homestead House will serve as 

the Center’s “front door.” 

PROJECT DESCRIPTION: 

New exterior infrastructure elements and upgrades will include a rebuilt driveway, 

well and septic system, and accessible parking. Interior renovations will include new 

lighting, HVAC and plumbing, as well as refurbished period finishes and handicappedaccessible facilities for visitors. The Smithsonian requests $2.0 million in FY 2019 for

construction of the exterior and infrastructure upgrades.

IMPACT OF DELAY: 

Delay in implementing the infrastructure improvements will prevent SERC from 

providing a safe and accessible approach to the partially occupied structure as well as

impede progress on essential upgrades needed for safe water and septic systems.
215

PROJECT TITLE: Decontamination of Collections in Building 16 (Garber)

INSTALLATION: Suitland Collections Center 

LOCATION: Suitland, Maryland

FY 2019 COST ESTIMATE (Thousands of Dollars): $2,000

PRIOR-YEAR FUNDING: 0

FUTURE-YEAR FUNDING: $2,000

Total $4,000

BUILDING BACKGROUND:

An evaluation of the Smithsonian’s collections storage space has identified the 

Suitland Collections Center, specifically the Garber collections storage site, as having 

almost half of the Smithsonian’s below-acceptable collections space. Much of the more 

than 230,000 square feet of space, including Building 16, is compromised by hazardous 

materials in and around the collections. 

PROJECT JUSTIFICATION:

Building 16 contains collections that have been contaminated with asbestos from 

the interior building insulation. Encapsulation systems to shield the objects from the 

asbestos have failed and only a few highly trained and qualified Smithsonian staff are 

permitted in the buildings. The collections within the building are not available for 

research, exhibition, display, or loan, and are off limits to academia and the public. Funds 

received in FY 2017 and earlier were used to build temporary collections storage swing 

space and to decontaminate collections in other buildings. Building 16 is the next phase of 

this sequence. This project will decontaminate the collections objects in Building 16, and 

move them to a suitable storage location. The collections will then be accessible for 

inventory, condition assessment, and research and exhibition.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:

The Smithsonian requests $2.0 million in FY 2019 to build a decontamination 

chamber within Building 16, and begin the process of decontaminating the collections. 

This labor-intensive process includes accounting and inventory assessments, stabilizing 

the collection, and moving cleaned collections into temporary swing space at Garber. This 

swing space will serve as the area for emergency conservation and treatment, packing 

and crating. 

PROGRESS TO DATE: 

Scope of work and cost estimates for the Building 16 effort are under development, 

and will be completed in the third quarter of FY 2018.

IMPACT OF DELAY: 

Building 16 was constructed as a 10- to 15-year temporary building in 1959. A 

delay in decontaminating the collections objects and moving them to a suitable storage 

facility will perpetuate the poor care and inaccessibility of important objects, and will slow 

the implementation of the Institution’s Collection Space Framework Plan.
216

PROJECT TITLE: Upgrade Emergency Generator/Switchgear

INSTALLATION: Suitland Collections Center (NMAI-CRC)

LOCATION: Suitland, Maryland

FY 2019 COST ESTIMATE (Thousands of Dollars): $2,000

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:

The existing emergency generator at the National Museum of the American 

Indian’s Cultural Resource Center (NMAI-CRC) is undersized for the building systems, 

which need to be on emergency power during power outages and disasters. This new, 

additional generator with automatic transfer switching adds emergency power for the 

entire HVAC system, including chillers, the cooling tower, dehumidification unit, and airhandling units. Emergency power for security and communications is also included. The 

facility’s original switchgear, emergency gear and distribution panels will also be 

replaced. The new emergency generator will be located outside the building and is sized 

for the anticipated future needs of the collections processing spaces. The Smithsonian 

requests $2.0 million in FY 2019 to complete installation of a new emergency generator 

and replace outdated switchgear at the NMAI-CRC.

PROGRESS TO DATE: 

The final design will be complete by the second quarter of FY 2018, and the 

Maryland Department of Environment permitting is complete.

IMPACT OF DELAY:

The NMAI-CRC is susceptible to power loss from storm events and has an unreliable 

power source. Since the entire HVAC is not supported by the existing generator, a power 

loss results in unacceptable temperature and humidity fluctuations, putting the collections at 

risk. The original switchgear is a safety hazard and is outdated, making maintenance a 

challenge. The increased capacity this new emergency generator will provide is essential to 

serve existing and future needs for collections processing spaces.

PROJECT TITLE: Fire-Alarm Panel Replacements and Upgrades to Mass-Notification 

Systems

INSTALLATION: Multiple Facilities

LOCATION: Institution-wide

FY 2019 COST ESTIMATE (Thousands of Dollars): $4,000

PRIOR-YEAR FUNDING: $2,000

FUTURE-YEAR FUNDING: TBD

 Total $6,000

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:

The Smithsonian requests $4.0 million in FY 2019 to replace the inadequate and 

outdated mass-notification systems, and to continue the phased replacement of MXL firealarm panels with XLS panels in various facilities across the Institution. Current MXL fire-
217

alarm panels will be discontinued in September of 2018 and the parts will cease to be 

available once supplies run out. The old MXL panels will be salvaged and used for parts 

until all panels are upgraded to XLS. As many as 75 panels at various facilities 

throughout the Smithsonian require eventual replacement. Panels at the Freer Gallery of 

Art and Smithsonian Environmental Research Center were replaced with prior-year 

funding. The program will continue with replacements at the Quadrangle Building, the 

National Zoological Park, Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, National Museum of 

American History, National Museum of Natural History, and the Donald W. Reynolds 

Center. Mass-notification systems are linked to fire-alarm panels so there is economy 

and efficiency in combining the upgrades to both systems. Improved mass-notification 

systems will permit emergency notifications about events such as active shooters, fires,

and terror attacks in buildings throughout the Institution.

PROJECT TITLE: Building Projects less than $1,000,000

INSTALLATION: Multiple Locations

LOCATION: Institution-wide

FY 2019 COST ESTIMATE (Thousands of Dollars): $8,850

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:

This request includes smaller individual projects of less than $1 million each, 

which usually involve capital repair or replacement of individual systems or components. 

In addition, this supports other Smithsonian operations, such as copying and library 

services, security guard services, collections upgrades, electronic security system 

modernization and upgrades, conservation studies, and unplanned emergency repairs. 

PROJECT TITLE: Construction Supervision and Administration

INSTALLATION: Multiple Locations

LOCATION: Institution-wide

FY 2019 COST ESTIMATE (Thousands of Dollars): $7,000

PRIOR-YEAR FUNDING: $7,000

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:

This request includes costs for permanent cost-estimating staff, the construction 

management staff required to supervise and administer construction contracts, as well as 

term and temporary staff required to perform specialized work associated with revitalization 

projects. A total of 48 FTEs will be funded from the $7.0 million. The construction managers 

directly supervise construction contractors to ensure quality work is performed safely. In 

addition, they resolve issues that arise during construction, negotiate change orders, 

approve payments, and perform other administrative functions as contracting officers’ 

technical representatives (COTRs). These necessary “owner functions” are essential to 

ensure quality work is completed safely, on time, and within budget. 
218

This request also funds five contract specialists who support the procurement 

process for acquiring the necessary contract services to execute the Facilities Capital 

Program. These five positions provide essential expertise to ensure the timely award of 

planning, design, and construction contracts for the Facilities Capital Program.

FACILITIES PLANNING AND DESIGN 

Feasibility studies, needs assessments, and design for capital projects are 

required before site work can take place. This category includes all costs for contract 

facility master planning, preliminary and final design for all revitalization and construction 

projects, special studies, and a small amount for facility engineering, capital leveraging, 

and research activities, such as those functions performed at the Department of Defense 

and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The funding will enable 

development of project baselines, including costs, scope, and schedules, prior to 

receiving funds to perform the work. 

In order to plan and design ahead of Capital Program execution, funding of 10 to 

15 percent of the following year’s program is required each year. The funding requested 

for FY 2019 will provide necessary planning and design to the 35 percent stage for 

most projects included in the planned FY 2020 program, and will complete design for 

projects planned for FY 2019. This will move the Institution closer to meeting the 

National Academy of Public Administration’s (NAPA) recommendation that firm 

baselines be established before funding requests to provide more accurate cost 

estimates and to enable timely award of construction contracts upon receipt of futureyear funding. 

The Institution requests a total of $17,000,000 for planning and design in

FY 2019. These funds will be used to design several major revitalization projects at the 

Smithsonian Institution Building (SIB) ($2.5 million); National Museum of Natural History 

($1.5 million); National Zoological Park ($2.5 million); Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture 

Garden ($3.3 million); and the National Museum of American History ($1.0 million). The 

request also includes funding to prepare designs for numerous smaller revitalization 

projects, including security upgrades, space utilization studies, and master planning

($6.2 million). This budget request will also enable the Smithsonian to update 

comprehensive master planning studies to guide future facilities decisions, and other 

studies to ensure more effective use of existing space.
Board of Regents

Secretary

General Counsel

Office of the Regents

Inspector General

Provost

and

Under Secretary

Museums, Education and Research

Chief Operating Officer

and

Under Secretary

Finance and Administration

Assistant Secretary

Communications & External

Affairs

Assistant Secretary

Advancement

Director, Equal Emp.

& Minority Affairs

Anacostia Community Museum

Arts and Industries Building

Archives of American Art

Asian Pacific American Center

Center for Folklife & Cultural Heritage

Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum

Freer|Sackler Galleries of Art

Hirshhorn Museum & Sculpture Garden

Museum Conservation Institute

National Air & Space Museum

National Museum of African Art

National Museum of African American History and Culture

National Museum of American History

National Museum of Natural History

National Museum of the American Indian

National Portrait Gallery

National Postal Museum

National Zoological Park

Smithsonian American Art Museum

Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory

Smithsonian Environmental Research Center

Smithsonian Institution Archives

Smithsonian Latino Center

Smithsonian Libraries

Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute

Contracting & Personal Property Management

Finance & Accounting

Human Resources

Information Technology

Investments

Planning, Management, & Budget

Smithsonian Enterprises

Smithsonian Exhibits

Smithsonian Facilities

Smithsonian Organization Audience & Research

Smithsonian Security

Sponsored Projects

SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION

DIGIQFIV

Associate Provost for

Education and Access

219
220

VISITS TO THE SMITHSONIAN

FYs 2013–2017

MUSEUM FY 2013 FY 2014 FY 2015 FY 2016 FY 2017

MALL

SI Castle 1,405,651 1,158,617 1,103,499 1,094,311 1,131,280

A&I Building1 0 0 0 56,427 64,343

Natural History 8,281,983 7,047,560 7,049,730 6,942,276 6,103,289

Air and Space 7,167,075 6,377,840 6,902,206 7,354,352 7,120,722

American Indian 1,444,279 1,260,756 1,307,568 1,120,359 1,157,460

Freer Gallery2 401,101 357,282 389,113 88,989 0

Sackler Gallery 225,053 192,132 155,998 187,473 195,051

African Art 227,547 180,608 226,743 209,239 165,343

Ripley Center 226,052 140,701 156,318 155,548 164,853

American History 4,978,559 3,971,987 4,100,718 3,849,115 3,914,493

Hirshhorn 717,663 514,922 658,312 647,915 1,097,847

African American 

History and Culture3

0 0 0 83,802 2,508,403

OFF MALL

DW Reynolds 

Center (AA/PG)

1,063,299 1,075,866 1,265,223 1,224,282 1,242,707

Anacostia 37,611 37,440 32,983 28,458 31,775

Cooper Hewitt

4 0 0 218,840 408,846 355,672

American Indian5

(Heye Center/CRC)

602,056 554,063 514,527 472,124 439,325

Renwick6

National Zoo 

138,951

2,092,824

17,199

2,304,129

0

2,194,194

829,735

2,593,559

371,201

2,025,148

Postal 284,971 363,802 401,124 359,562 470,723

Udvar-Hazy Center 1,366,322 1,214,284 1,529,293 1,592,416 1,570,706

TOTAL 30,660,997 26,769,188 28,206,389 29,298,788 30,130,341

1 The Arts and Industries (A&I) Building closed to the public in January 2004 and hosts special events only.

2 The Freer Gallery closed to the public in January 2016 for major renovations and gallery revitalization.

3 The National Museum of African American History and Culture opened in September 2016.

4 The Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum closed to the public in October 2011 for phase two of the 

Carnegie Mansion renovation project and reopened in December 2014.

5

Includes the George Gustav Heye Center in New York City and the Cultural Resources Center (CRC) in 

Suitland, Maryland.

6 The Renwick Gallery closed to the public in December 2013 and reopened in November 2015.
221

TRUST FUNDS

In addition to support provided by federal appropriations, the Smithsonian

Institution receives and generates trust funds to expand and enrich its programs.

Trust funds are used to leverage the Smithsonian’s research capacity through 

partnerships with federal agencies, universities, non-Governmental 

organizations, industry, and other private organizations, both national and 

international. Trust funds are raised to renovate and modernize exhibits 

throughout the Institution. The following provides an overview of the current 

sources of trust funds.

The Institution’s trust funds include general trust funds with limited or no 

restrictions on their use, funds restricted by the donor or sponsor, and 

Government grants and contracts. Projections are subject to the uncertainty of 

the size of donations, grants, and contracts; to fluctuations in visitor attendance;

and to the volatility of the economy, which together directly affect the return on 

the endowment, short-term interest income, and donor giving, as well as 

restaurant, magazine, catalogue, and museum shop revenues, memberships, 

other business activities, and federal tax policy as it affects charitable donations. 

The Institution’s gross operating revenue, less the expenses of the auxiliary 

activities, represents the net operating revenue available for programmatic and 

related purposes. The following table summarizes the sources of trust operating 

funds.

(Dollars in Millions)

FY 2016

Actuals

FY 2017

Estimates

FY 2018

Estimates

General Trust 82.7 95.1 88.7

Donor/Sponsor-Designated 326.3 233.9 237.0

Government Grants and Contracts 119.6 113.7 119.8

Total Available for Operations $528.6 $442.7 $445.5

SOURCE AND APPLICATION OF TRUST FUNDS — The following sections 

describe the sources of each category of trust funds as well as a general account 

of how they are used.

General Trust Funds — The sources of general trust funds are 

investment income; payout from unrestricted endowments; net proceeds from the 

museum shops, catalogues, and food service concessions; sales of Smithsonian 

books, records, and other products based on designs and objects in the 

collections; theater/planetarium operations at the National Air and Space 

Museum and the Samuel C. Johnson IMAX Theater in the National Museum of 

Natural History (until its closure at the end of FY 2017); licensing fees from the 

Smithsonian Channel and student travel programs; rental of exhibitions of the 

Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service; membership programs 
222

(including subscriptions to Smithsonian and Air and Space magazines); the sale 

of posters, exhibition brochures, catalogues, and other publications; and 

admission fees. Projected sources of FY 2018 general trust funds total 

$88,700,000. These funds are used to support administrative programs such as 

central management, legal counsel, accounting, personnel, contracting, and 

budget, as well as fund raising, education, research and public programs,

scholarly studies, and exhibitions.

Donor/Sponsor-Designated Funds — Designated trust funds include 

gifts, grants, and earnings on endowments from individuals, foundations, 

organizations, and corporations which specify the purpose of the funds. 

Designated funds in FY 2018 are projected to total $237,000,000. Generally, 

these funds support a particular exhibition or program, or are used to manage the 

Smithsonian collections and/or support research projects in accordance with the 

Institution’s mission.

Government Grants and Contracts — Various Government agencies 

and departments provide grants and contracts for specific projects that align with

the Smithsonian’s expertise in a particular area of science, history, art, or 

education. For FY 2018, Government grants and contracts are projected to total 

$119,800,000. Of this amount, $86,472,000 is planned for astrophysical research 

and development programs carried out by the Smithsonian Astrophysical 

Observatory.
223

APPROPRIATION LANGUAGE AND CITATIONS

The Act of August 10, 1846, codified within 20 U.S.C. §§ 41–70, established 

the Smithsonian Institution “for the increase and diffusion of knowledge,” and provided 

the organizational structure for the Institution’s administration. The mission of the 

Smithsonian Institution has remained unchanged throughout its 172-year history, 

although additional authority for many of the Institution’s programs and operations has 

been enacted over the years. Selected provisions of those statutes, along with 

selected provisions of the Smithsonian charter and prior-year appropriations acts, are 

cited below as authority for the Smithsonian Institution’s FY 2017 appropriations

language. 

Appropriation: Salaries and Expenses

1. For necessary expenses of the Smithsonian Institution, as authorized by law, 

including research in the fields of art, science, and history;

20 U.S.C. § 50 provides that “...all objects of art and of foreign and 

curious research, and all objects of natural history, plants, and geological 

and mineralogical specimens...shall be so arranged and classified...as 

best to facilitate the examination and study of them...” 

20 U.S.C. § 53a provides that “Appropriations are hereby authorized 

for...the making of solar observations at high altitudes...” 

20 U.S.C. § 69 provides that “The Secretary of the Smithsonian 

Institution is hereby authorized...to continue independently or in 

cooperation anthropological researches among the American Indians 

and the natives of lands under the jurisdiction or protection of the United 

States...” 

20 U.S.C. § 75b(b) provides that “The [National Portrait] Gallery shall 

function as a free public museum for the exhibition and study of 

portraiture and statuary depicting men and women who have made 

significant contributions to the history, development, and culture of the 

people of the United States and of the artists who created such 

portraiture and statuary.” 

20 U.S.C. § 76bb(c) provides that “The Joseph H. Hirshhorn Museum 

and Sculpture Garden...shall be used for the storage, exhibition, and 

study of works of art...” 

20 U.S.C. § 77a provides that “Said national air and space museum 

shall...provide educational material for the historical study of aviation and 

space flight.” 
224

20 U.S.C. § 78 provides that “The Secretary of the Smithsonian 

Institution is hereby authorized to cooperate with any State, educational 

institution, or scientific organization in the United States, for continuing 

paleontological investigations...” 

20 U.S.C. § 80m(a)(3) provides that “(a)...the Board [of Regents] may--

...(3) conduct programs of research and education [in the Museum of 

African Art]...”

20 U.S.C. §§ 80q-1(b)(1) & (3) provide that “(b)The purposes of the 

National Museum [of the American Indian] are to-- (1) advance the study 

of Native Americans, including the study of language, literature, history, 

art, anthropology, and life;...(3) provide for Native American research 

and study programs...”

20 U.S.C. § 80r-2(b)(1) provides that “(b) The purpose of the [National] 

Museum [of African American History and Culture] shall be to provide 

for-- (1) the collection, study and establishment of programs relating to 

African American life, art, history and culture that encompass [certain 

periods of the African American diaspora]...”

2. development, preservation, and documentation of the National Collections;

20 U.S.C. § 50 provides that “...all objects of art and of foreign and 

curious research, and all objects of natural history, plants, and geological 

and mineralogical specimens...shall be delivered to such persons as 

may be authorized by the Board of Regents to receive them, and shall 

be so arranged and classified...as best to facilitate the examination and 

study of them...” 

20 U.S.C. § 50a provides that “The Smithsonian Institution is . . . 

authorized to include in its estimates of appropriations such sums as 

may be needful for the preservation and maintenance of the [John 

Gellatly art] collection.” 

20 U.S.C. § 59 provides that “All collections of rocks, minerals, soils, 

fossils, and objects of natural history, archaeology, and ethnology...when 

no longer needed for investigations in progress shall be deposited in the 

National Museum.” 

20 U.S.C. § 69 provides that “The Secretary of the Smithsonian 

Institution is hereby authorized...to continue independently or in 

cooperation...the excavation and preservation of archaeological 

remains.” 
225

20 U.S.C. § 75e(1) provides that “...the Board [of Regents] may-- (1) 

purchase, accept, borrow, or otherwise acquire portraiture, statuary, and 

other items for preservation, exhibition, or study.” 

20 U.S.C. § 76c(b) provides that “...the Regents are hereby 

authorized...to acquire (by purchase or otherwise) and sell contemporary 

works of art or copies thereof...” 

20 U.S.C. § 76cc(a) provides that “There is established in the 

Smithsonian Institution a Board of Trustees...which shall have the sole 

authority (i) to purchase or otherwise acquire (whether by gift, exchange, 

or other means) works of art for the Joseph H. Hirshhorn Museum and 

Sculpture Garden...” 

20 U.S.C. § 77a provides that “Said national air and space museum 

shall...collect, preserve, and display aeronautical and space flight 

equipment of historical interest and significance...”

20 U.S.C. § 80a(a) provides that “...the Smithsonian Institution shall 

collect, preserve, and exhibit military objects of historical interest and 

significance.” 

20 U.S.C. §§ 80m(a)(1) & (2) provide that “(a)...the Board [of Regents] 

may-- (1) purchase, accept, borrow or otherwise acquire additional 

works of art or any other real or personal property for the Museum [of 

African Art]; (2) preserve, maintain, restore...or otherwise hold any 

property of whatsoever nature acquired...” 

20 U.S.C. § 80q-1(b)(2) provides that “(b) The purposes of the National 

Museum [of the American Indian] are to--...(2) collect, preserve, and 

exhibit Native American objects of artistic, historical, literary, 

anthropological, and scientific interest...” 

20 U.S.C. § 80r-2(b)(3) provides that “(b) The purpose of the [National] 

Museum [of African American History and Culture] shall be to provide 

for-- ...(3) the collection and study of artifacts and documents relating to 

African American life, art, history, and culture...”

20 U.S.C. § 81 provides that “The National Zoological Park is placed 

under the direction of the Regents of the Smithsonian Institution, who 

are authorized to transfer to it any living specimens, whether of animals 

or plants, in their charge, to accept gifts for the park...[and] to make 

exchanges of specimens...” 
226

3. presentation of public exhibits and performances;

20 U.S.C. § 75b(b) provides that “The [National Portrait] Gallery shall 

function as a free public museum for the exhibition and study of 

portraiture and statuary...” 

20 U.S.C. § 76c(b) provides that “In order to encourage the development 

of contemporary art and to effect the widest distribution and cultivation in 

matters of such art, the Regents are hereby authorized to...conduct 

exhibitions...” 

20 U.S.C. § 76bb(c) provides that “The Joseph H. Hirshhorn Museum 

and Sculpture Garden...shall be used for the storage, exhibition, and 

study of works of art...” 

20 U.S.C. § 77a provides that “Said national air and space museum 

shall...collect, preserve, and display aeronautical and space flight 

equipment of historical interest and significance...” 

20 U.S.C. § 80a(a) provides that “...the Smithsonian Institution shall 

collect, preserve, and exhibit military objects of historical interest and 

significance.” 

20 U.S.C. § 80m(a)(2) provides that “(a)...the Board [of Regents] may--

...(2)...display...any property of whatsoever nature acquired [for the 

Museum of African Art]...” 

20 U.S.C. § 80q-1(b)(2) provides that “(b) The purposes of the National 

Museum [of the American Indian] are to--...(2) collect, preserve, and 

exhibit Native American objects of artistic, historical, literary, 

anthropological, and scientific interest...”

20 U.S.C. § 80r-2(b)(3) provides that “(b) The purpose of the [National] 

Museum [of African American History and Culture] shall be to provide 

for-- ...(3) the collection and study of artifacts and documents relating to 

African American life, art, history, and culture...”

4. collection, preparation, dissemination, and exchange of information and 

publications; 

20 U.S.C. § 53a provides that “Appropriations are hereby authorized 

for...preparation of manuscripts, drawings, and illustrations for 

publications.”
227

5. conduct of education, training, and museum assistance programs;

20 U.S.C. §§ 65a(a)(1),(3) & (4) provide that “(a)The Director of the 

National Museum under the direction of the Secretary of the Smithsonian 

Institution shall-- (1) cooperate with museums and their professional 

organizations in a continuing study of museum problems and 

opportunities, both in the United States and abroad;... (3) prepare and 

distribute significant museum publications; (4) perform research on, and 

otherwise contribute to, the [development of] museum techniques....”

20 U.S.C. § 77a provides that “Said national air and space museum 

shall...provide educational material for the historical study of aviation and 

space flight.”

20 U.S.C. § 79a provides that “The purpose of setting aside such an 

area [Barro Colorado Island] is to preserve and conserve its natural 

features...thus providing a place where duly qualified students can make 

observations and scientific investigations for increase of knowledge, 

under such conditions and regulations as may be prescribed by the 

[Smithsonian Institution].”

20 U.S.C. § 79e provides that “There are authorized to be appropriated 

annually...such sums as are necessary for the administration of [the 

Canal Zone Biological Area] ... and for the maintenance of laboratory or 

other facilities...”

20 U.S.C. § 80m(a)(3) provides that “(a)...the Board [of Regents] may--

...(3) conduct programs of research and education [in the Museum of 

African Art]....”

Section 2 of Public Law 114-151 (May 9, 2016), to protect and preserve 

international cultural property, provides that the Smithson Institution 

should be included in an interagency coordinating committee 

to...”consult with governmental and nongovernmental organizations, 

including... museums, educational institutions, and research institutions, 

and participants in the international art and cultural property market on 

efforts to protect and preserve international cultural property.”

6. maintenance, alteration, operation, lease agreements of no more than 30 

years, and protection of buildings, facilities, and approaches;

20 U.S.C. § 53a provides that “Appropriations are hereby authorized for 

the maintenance of the Astrophysical Observatory and...for repairs and 

alterations of buildings and grounds occupied by the Smithsonian 

Institution in the District of Columbia and elsewhere...” 
228

20 U.S.C. § 76ee provides that “There is authorized to be 

appropriated...such additional sums as may be necessary for the 

maintenance and operation of such [Hirshhorn] museum and sculpture 

garden.” 

20 U.S.C. § 79b(c) provides that “The ...[Smithsonian Institution] 

shall...(c) be responsible for the construction and maintenance of 

laboratory and other facilities on the area provided for the use of 

students authorized to carry on studies within the confines of the area...” 

20 U.S.C. § 80m(a)(2) provides that “(a)...the Board [of Regents] may--

...(2) preserve, maintain...any property of whatsoever nature acquired 

[for the Museum of African Art]...” 

20 U.S.C. § 81 provides that “The National Zoological Park is placed 

under the direction of the Regents of the Smithsonian Institution, who 

are authorized...to administer and improve the said Zoological Park for 

the advancement of science and the instruction and recreation of the 

people.” Public Law 101-512 making appropriations for the Department 

of the Interior and Related Agencies for the fiscal year 1991 extended 

the maximum term for federal leases from ten years to thirty. 

7. not to exceed $ for services as authorized by 5 U.S.C. 3109;

5 U.S.C. § 3109(b) provides that “When authorized by an appropriation 

or other statute, the head of an agency may procure by contract the 

temporary (not in excess of 1 year) or intermittent services of experts or 

consultants or an organization thereof, including stenographic reporting 

services.”

8. and purchase, rental, repair, and cleaning of uniforms for employees,

5 U.S.C. § 5901(a) provides that “There is authorized to be appropriated 

annually to each agency of the Government of the United States...on a 

showing of necessity or desirability, such sums as may be necessary to 

carry out this subchapter. 

40 U.S.C. § 6306(c) provides that “The employees designated as special 

police under subsection (a) [covering the Smithsonian Institution] may be 

provided, without charge, with uniforms and other equipment as may be 

necessary for the proper performance of their duties...”

9. $_______, to remain available until September 30, 20__, except as otherwise 

provided herein;

Wording added by the Congress in Public Law 111-88 making 

appropriations for the Department of the Interior and Related Agencies 
229

for fiscal year 2010 to extend the availability for the Salaries and 

Expenses account from one year to two years unless otherwise 

provided.

10. of which not to exceed $________ for the instrumentation program, collections 

acquisition, exhibition reinstallation, the National Museum of African American 

History and Culture, and the repatriation of skeletal remains program shall 

remain available until expended; 

Wording added by the Congress in Public Law 100-446 making 

appropriations for the Department of the Interior and Related Agencies 

for fiscal year 1989 to permit the Institution to establish no-year funding 

within the Salaries and Expenses account for the development of major 

scientific instrumentation. Public Law 101-512, making appropriations for 

the Department of the Interior and Related Agencies for fiscal year 1991, 

allowed no-year funding to be used for the instrumentation program as 

well as purchases for museum collections; reinstallation of museum 

exhibitions; and the repatriation of skeletal remains. Public Law 108-447 

making appropriations for the Department of the Interior and Related 

Agencies for fiscal year 2005 allowed additional no-year funding for the 

National Museum of African American History and Culture. 

31 U.S.C. § 1301(c)(2) provides that “(c) An appropriation in a regular, 

annual appropriation law may be construed to be permanent or available 

continuously only if the appropriation--... (2) expressly provides that it is 

available after the fiscal year covered by the law in which it appears.” 

11. and including such funds as may be necessary to support American overseas 

research centers:

Wording added by the Congress in Public Law 99-190 making 

appropriations for Other Related Agencies for fiscal year 1986. 

12. Provided, That funds appropriated herein are available for advance payments 

to independent contractors performing research services or participating in 

official Smithsonian presentations.

31 U.S.C. § 3324(b)(1) provides that (b) “An advance of public money 

may be made only if it is authorized by-- (1) a specific appropriation or 

other law...”

Appropriation: Facilities Capital

1. For necessary expenses of repair, revitalization, and alteration of facilities 

owned or occupied by the Smithsonian Institution, by contract or otherwise, as 

authorized by section 2 of the Act of August 22, 1949 (63 Stat. 623),
230

20 U.S.C. § 53a provides that “Appropriations are hereby authorized...for 

repairs and alterations of buildings and grounds occupied by the 

Smithsonian Institution in the District of Columbia and elsewhere...”

20 U.S.C. § 81 provides that “The National Zoological Park is placed 

under the direction of the Regents of the Smithsonian Institution, who 

are authorized...to administer and improve the said Zoological Park for 

the advancement of science and the instruction and recreation of the 

people.”

Public Law 108-108, making appropriations for the Department of the 

Interior and Related Agencies for fiscal year 2004, established the 

Facilities Capital appropriation. The appropriation includes activities 

formerly financed through the Repair, Restoration and Alteration of 

Facilities appropriation and the Construction appropriation.

2. and for construction,

20 U.S.C. § 53a provides that “Appropriations are hereby authorized...for 

repairs and alterations of buildings and grounds occupied by the 

Smithsonian Institution in the District of Columbia and elsewhere...” 

3. including necessary personnel,

Wording added by Congress for clarification in Public Law 108-7 making 

appropriations for the Department of Interior and Related Agencies for 

fiscal year 2003.

4. $ _________ to remain available until expended,

31 U.S.C. § 1301(c)(2) provides that “(c) An appropriation in a regular, 

annual appropriation law may be construed to be permanent or available 

continuously only if the appropriation--... (2) expressly provides that it is 

available after the fiscal year covered by the law in which it appears.”

5. of which not to exceed $ shall be for services as authorized by 5 U.S.C. 

3109.

5 U.S.C. § 3109(b) provides that “When authorized by an appropriation

or other statute, the head of an agency may procure by contract the temporary (not in excess of 1 year) or intermittent services of experts or 

consultants or an organization thereof, including stenographic reporting 

services.”
Adjustments for FY 2018

(Dollars in Thousands)

FY 2018 

Estimate 

Reorganizations 

and 

Reprogrammings

FY 2018 

Revised 

Estimate 

Unit $000s $000s $000s

MUSEUMS AND RESEARCH CENTERS

Unlocking the Mysteries of the Universe

National Air and Space Museum 20,110 0 20,11

Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory 24,593 0 24,59

Major Scientific Instrumentation 4,118 0 4,11

Universe Consortium 184 0 18

Subtotal, Unlocking the Mysteries of the Universe 49,005 0 49,00

Understanding and Sustaining a Biodiverse Planet

National Museum of Natural History 49,789 0 49,78

National Zoological Park 27,566 0 27,56

Smithsonian Environmental Research Center 4,227 0 4,22

Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute 14,486 0 14,48

Biodiversity Consortium 1,543 0 1,54

Subtotal, Understanding and Sustaining a Biodiverse Planet 97,611 0 97,61

Valuing World Cultures

Arthur M. Sackler Gallery/Freer Gallery of Art 6,273 0 6,27

Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage 3,084 0 3,08

Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum 5,061 0 5,06

Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden 4,687 -153 \1 4,53

National Museum of African Art 4,654 0 4,65

World Cultures Consortium 792 0 79

Subtotal, Valuing World Cultures 24,551 -153 24,39

Understanding the American Experience

Anacostia Community Museum 2,355 50 \2 2,40

Archives of American Art 1,933 0 1,93

National Museum of African American History & Culture 33,079 0 33,07

National Museum of American History, Behring Center 25,373 0 25,37

National Museum of the American Indian 32,671 0 32,67

National Portrait Gallery 6,556 0 6,55

National Postal Museum 1,131 0 \7 1,13

Smithsonian American Art Museum 10,239 0 10,23

American Experience Consortium 600 -50 \2 55

Subtotal, Understanding the American Experience 113,937 0 113,93

TOTAL, MUSEUMS AND RESEARCH CENTERS 285,104 -153 284,95

231 
Adjustments for FY 2018

(Dollars in Thousands)

FY 2018 

Estimate 

Reorganizations 

and 

Reprogrammings

FY 2018 

Revised 

Estimate 

Unit $000s $000s $000s

MISSION ENABLING

Program Support and Outreach

Outreach 9,333 0 9,33

Communications 2,663 176 \3 2,83

Institution-wide Programs 14,784 0 14,78

Smithsonian Exhibits 3,154 15 \4,7 3,16

Museum Support Center 1,906 0 1,90

Museum Conservation Institute 3,359 0 3,35

Smithsonian Institution Archives 2,408 15 \5 2,42

Smithsonian Libraries 11,273 0 11,27

Subtotal, Program Support and Outreach 48,880 206 49,08

Office of the Chief Information Officer 51,967 42 \6 52,00

Administration 36,314 -80 \1,3,4,6 36,23

Office of the Inspector General 3,538 0 3,53

Facilities Services

Facilities Maintenance 77,045 0 77,04

Facilities Operations, Security, and Support 226,596 -15 \5 226,58

TOTAL, MISSION ENABLING 444,340 153 444,49

Undistributed Rescission -4,95

GRAND TOTAL, SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION 729,444 0 724,490

Footnotes for FY 2018 Estimate:

\1 Transfer of $153,000 from Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden to Administration to fund budget support functions.

\2 Transfer of $50,000 from American Experience Consortium to Anacostia Community Museum to enhance the study and un

of contemporary urban experiences.

\3 Transfer of $176,000 from Administration to Communications to provide funding for government relations officer.

\4 Transfer of $15,000 from Administration to Smithsonian Exhibits for operational support.

\5 Transfer of $15,000 from Facilities Operations, Security, and Support to Smithsonian Archives to fund expenses for comme

management and retrieval services.

\6 Transfer of $42,000 from Administration to Office of the Chief Information Officer to return balance of funding previously pro

Information Technology (IT) position.

\7 Note Smithsonian Exhibits name change (see page 219) and request change to Appropriations Table G to include Nationa

232