August 13th, 2008
Join members of the Victorian Dance Ensemble, dressed in period costumes and familiar with the customs of the times as they recreate the style, grace and grandeur of Abraham Lincoln’s 1865 Inaugural Ball. Learn a few steps and join in the party.
The ball was held at a large hall at the US Patent […]
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August 12th, 2008
This week in Washington, DC, the Smithsonian turned 162 years old.
The Smithsonian Institution was based on a gift of James Smithson, a British scientist, who left his entire estate to the United States of America in 1827. His gift of over 100,000 gold sovereigns, or $500,000, (just under $9.5 million in today’s dollars) required […]
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July 20th, 2008
Today marks the the 39th anniversary of Apollo 11, the first manned space mission to land, walk on and safely return from the moon.
About a month before the historic moon landing, I met the three Apollo 10 astronauts, John Young, Thomas Stafford and Eugene Cernan on their national tour. They had just completed the […]
By Jon -- 3 comments
July 18th, 2008
Muppets and Sesame Street creator Jim Henson was a visionary in creating puppets and entertainment for children.
In a new exhibit at the Smithsonian in Washington, DC, get a rare look at over 100 original pieces of art, including drawings, cartoons and storyboards from different productions.
Along with the collection are movie and television props, photos […]
By Jon -- 1 comment
June 22nd, 2008
By definition, the word ballyhoo means flamboyant or sensational advertising or promotion. Today’s infomercial might fall into that category, or perhaps anything promoted by Donald Trump.
Around the same time as the word was coined, in the late 1800s, the walls of Paris streets began to be plastered with colorful art nouveau advertising posters. […]
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March 21st, 2008
It’s again time for the annual Smithsonian Kite Festival on the grounds of the Washington Monument in Washington, DC.
This year’s theme is Brushstrokes in the Sky, featuring the history and craftsmanship of Asian kites.
The first kites were invented by the Chinese around 800 BC. Early kitemakers used them for all types of purposes, including […]
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February 15th, 2008
Discover the beautiful world of butterflies as they flutter around your head at the new Butterfly Pavilion oasis at the National Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC.
The new pavilion will open today, with over 300 live butterflies.
In the adjacent gallery, Partners in Evolution teaches how animals and plants co-exist through depending […]
By Jon -- 3 comments
June 25th, 2007
The Smithsonian’s Discovery Theater, is just for kids. For 25 years it has been presenting fun, innovative, educational, and entertaining live performances for kids and their parents. Staging thirty productions each year, the shows feature dancers, actors, musicians, puppets and storytellers in performances that present tales from around the globe.
Their July schedule includes:
Under the Sea […]
By Jon -- 2 comments
February 21st, 2007
Every Friday evening you can enjoy live jazz, cocktails, a bite to eat and even a movie at the Museum of Natural History.
The current movie is the comedy, Night at the Museum staring Ben Stiller. In this fantasy pic, Stiller takes a job as a night watchman at New York’s Museum of Natural History…and things […]
By Jon -- 0 comments
January 22nd, 2007
Camera…Scanner.
Last week, I wrote about a great photographic exhibit of award-winning nature photographs on display at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History.
In the gallery next door, is a rather unique exhibit of stunning photographic(?) images of flowers. The reason for the question mark is that these images are not taken with a camera, but with […]
By Jon -- 0 comments
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