Smithsonian Institution

Bringing the Smithsonian American Art Museum to educators in rural communities is work that makes a difference. #SmithsonianEdu

We’re really holding space with...space. ???? Don’t worry, we’ll see ourselves out. Using our NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration Chandra X-ray Observatory, astronomers recently found some of the most treacherous places for planets in a nearby star cluster—Cygnus OB2—the nearest large cluster of stars to our Sun in the Milky Way. X-rays and intense ultraviolet light produced by giant stars can have a devastating impact on the formation of planets. Scientists studying Cygnus OB2 have found that the most dangerous place for a would-be planet is within roughly 1.6 light-years of the most massive stars in the cluster. #CosmicJourney #Chandra25

Dancing the mambo, cha cha cha, salsa, and merengue, it’s the United States Postal Service. ?? ?? These four stamps from 2005, now in the collection of our Smithsonian National Postal Museum, were issued to honor the contributions of Latino art to American culture. Also in 2005, the television program “Dancing with the Stars” debuted in the United States. Currently on its 33rd season, professional dancers team up with celebrities to compete in a ballroom dancing competition. Previous winners of this competition include Olympians such as gymnast Laurie Hernandez, performers such as actor and current host of the program Alfonso Ribeiro, and social media stars such as entertainer Charli D’Amelio. Maybe next season we can add a museum professional to the list of mirror ball trophy winners. ?? : Copyright United States Postal Service. All rights reserved.

Nashville, join the Smithsonian and local leaders to discuss how access to critical resources can shape communities across the nation. This free #OurSharedFutureConversations discussion takes place at the Frist Art Museum on Monday, Dec. 2. Reception at 6 p.m., panel at 7 p.m. Reserve your seat: https://bit.ly/4fI4J48

Add this exhibition to your NYC bucket list! "Making Home—Smithsonian Design Triennial” at our Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, located in the former New York City home of industrialist Andrew Carnegie, features 25 site-specific installations. Artists and architects explore design’s role in shaping the physical and emotional realities of home across the U.S., U.S. Territories and Tribal Nations. “Making Home" is presented in collaboration with our Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture. See it now at Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum through summer 2025. Credit: Nikola Bradonjic Photography ? The Smithsonian Institution and Elliot Goldstein ? The Smithsonian Institution

John K. Lapiana has been named director of our National Museum of African Art and Heran Sereke-Brhan has been named deputy director. Lapiana has served as interim director of the National Museum of African Art for the past two years, guiding the museum through a transition phase, hiring staff and leading plans for the museum’s 60th anniversary this year. Sereke-Brhan is the author of many publications on Ethiopian social and political history, arts and material culture. She was most recently vice president of the Washington, D.C.-based Arts Consulting Group. "The National Museum of African Art is one of the Smithsonian's little-known gems," said Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie G. Bunch III. "In a year celebrating its storied past, bringing in a strong new leadership team combining John’s deep knowledge of the museum and the Smithsonian with Heran’s fresh ideas and perspective rooted in African artistic tradition will help ensure the museum’s brilliant future."

Your niece and nephew asked us to mention that the kid section of the Smithsonian Store has the best gifts that will make you The Cool Aunt this holiday season. https://bit.ly/40VJdV3 (Free shipping through Dec. 14 with code SMITHSONIAN.)

Join the Smithsonian and six collaborating organizations in San Antonio for the fourth National Conversation on Race. Events across the city will showcase how cultural institutions play a crucial role in working toward a more equitable future with panel discussions, film screenings, educator workshops, and interactive history tours. #NCORSanAntonio will kick off Tuesday, Dec. 3 at 5 p.m. at the Carver Community Cultural Center with a light reception. Afterwards, leaders from the Smithsonian and each collaborator will discuss creating a positive future for San Antonio in a panel discussion, and attendees can also view cultural performances and enjoy light refreshments at the free event. Register here for free: https://s.si.edu/4fIgWWC

"...I do have a responsibility to continue what we started. Young girls need to know. At Sisters of the Skies, we talk about my career. If they can see it, they can be it." - Theresa Claiborne

Stream some of the year's best in Indigenous film from the comfort of home, all for FREE with National Museum of the American Indian's Native Cinema Showcase: https://s.si.edu/3ANAzx1 #NativeCinemaShowcase #IndigenousFilm #SmithsonianNAHM