Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum

Jewel tones for #TextileTuesday. ?? __ 1. Textile, 1750–1800; cotton; France 2. Textile, 1700–50; silk 3. Textile, ca. 1860s; silk; France 4. Textile, 18th century; silk; France 5. Textile, 1880–1900; silk; France 6. Textile, 18th century; silk; France All objects are part of Cooper Hewitt's permanent collection and are not currently on display.

A camera in a box. ?? Walter Dorwin Teague was a well-established industrial designer by 1928, when the Eastman Kodak Company engaged him to modernize their line of cameras. Having no prior experience in camera design, Teague undertook the assignment after Kodak agreed that he could spend one week each month at their facilities in Rochester, New York to work closely with Kodak’s engineers and learn all he could about cameras and their manufacture. Teague started by redesigning carrying cases for existing lines of cameras, and within two years he went on to design a range of modern-styled cameras for the growing amateur market, including the Beau Brownie box-type camera and the 1A Gift Kodak (pictured here). The 1A Gift Kodak used the company’s number 116 roll film that produced 2 1/4 x 4 1/2 inch prints. ??? Kodak produced its gift cameras in limited runs of 10,000, and the 1A Gift Kodak was a special version created expressly for the holiday gift-giving season—and, at a cost of $15, the 1A Gift Kodak was affordable to consumers of the time and would have indicated the sophistication and modernity of both the giver and recipient. ?? Tap the link to learn more about this design: https://s.si.edu/3N1txY3 __ Camera, 1A Gift Kodak Camera and Box, 1930; Designed by Walter Dorwin Teague; Manufactured by Eastman Kodak Company; USA. This object is part of Cooper Hewitt's permanent collection and is not currently on display.

A pop of autumnal color on this dreary New York City day. ?? Knoll Textiles introduced “Cato” (pictured here) in 1961, and it has been in continuous production ever since. It was designed and woven by Paul Maute, a German designer and weaver whose contributions to Knoll were both influential and lasting. __ Color Blanket, Cato, 2014; Produced by Knoll Textiles; 86% wool, 14% rayon; USA

How do we honor the stories of our communities? Cooper Hewitt’s feature-length documentary “Mud Frontier: Architecture at the Borderlands” (2022) focuses on Studio Rael San Fratello’s work to connect contemporary technology with the legacy of pottery making and adobe architecture in the Southwest United States. The film follows the studio’s founders, Ronald Rael and Virginia San Fratello, as they return to Rael’s ancestral land to reconnect with the past and forge new methods of creative production. Motivated by the neglect of traditional adobe houses that once covered the San Luis Valley region and the rise of concrete buildings, the studio is exploring the use of 3D-printing technology to build adobe structures in Rael’s familial village of La Florida in southern Colorado. ?? Click the link to watch the full documentary over on our YouTube channel: https://s.si.edu/4d7vCfI #SmithsonianHHM

Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum today announced the appointment of Elissa Black as deputy director, effective Sept. 9. Deeply experienced in both the non-profit and for-profit sectors, Black brings more than 20 years of executive leadership to the role.

Cooper Hewitt’s galleries are temporarily closed for the installation of “Making Home—Smithsonian Design Triennial,” opening November 2. The Garden, SHOP and Cafe are open through September 2. More info: https://s.si.edu/3xeOSTM

Accompanying the exhibition "Acquired! Shaping the National Design Collection," Cooper Hewitt’s conservators offer a closer look into the process of preparing collection objects for display and long-term preservation. In this iteration, learn about the specific challenges and opportunities of collecting and displaying digital media. This weekend is your last chance to experience "Acquired!" before it closes on August 25!

Ring, ring! ?? We’re calling to let you know that it's the final week to check out “Acquired! Shaping the National Design Collection” before it closes this coming Sunday, August 25. Experience over 150 works from our collection that represent the museum’s collecting legacy, as well as works brought into the collection since 2017 (like the Sculptura telephone pictured here!). ?? Click here to plan your visit: https://s.si.edu/3xeOSTM __ Sculptura Telephone, 1974; Designed by Donald M. Genaro; Manufactured by Western Electric Manufacturing Company and Bell System Division, AT&T; USA

Accompanying the exhibition "Acquired! Shaping the National Design Collection," Cooper Hewitt’s conservators offer a closer look into the process of preparing collection objects for display and long-term preservation. Read more: https://s.si.edu/46ZTobZ This week is your last chance to catch "Acquired!" before it closes on August 25th. Plan your visit to Cooper Hewitt: https://s.si.edu/3xeOSTM

#WorldPhotographyDay is the perfect excuse to highlight some of the Cooper Hewitt collection’s coolest cameras (try saying that five times fast). ?? From an old-school Polaroid, to a sleek 2012 creation by Lytro, it’s amazing to see how advances in technology have propelled the field forward. ?? Read more about the Lytro camera on our blog: https://s.si.edu/4cyEEC0 __ 1. SX-70 Camera And Case; Designed by Henry Dreyfuss, James M. Conner; Project headed by Edwin Land; Manufactured by Polaroid Corporation; USA 2. Lytro camera, 2012; Designed by Lytro, Inc. and NewDealDesign; USA 3. PowerShot 600 Camera, 1996; Manufactured by Canon, Inc.; Japan 4. Big Shot Camera, 1971; Designed by Henry Dreyfuss; Manufactured by Polaroid Corporation; USA 5. Quad-Cam Camera, ca. 1985; Distributed by Accoutrements