Search results for ""Smithsonian""

An indispensable illustratedsource of information for hundreds of species of North American trees

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A richly illustrated, full color survey of the valuable and unusual materials in the Libraries' Special Collections Department.

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Cooper Hewitt possesses one of the most diverse and comprehensive collections of design works in existence and is the only museum in the United States devoted exclusively to historic and contemporary design. Reopening in late 2014, the museum has undergone a transformative renovation. Its landmark home in the Andrew Carnegie Mansion offers an entirely new and interactive visitor experience resulting in 60 percent more gallery space. To mark the occasion, Cooper Hewitt is publishing an expansive book on its unparalleled collection, which consists of more than 210,000 objects from all over the world, spanning 30 centuries. Designed by Irma Boom, and a wonderful design object in itself at over 900 pages, the book expresses the museum's primary goal--to inspire people to see how design impacts their lives. Available in three different colors and printing with glow in the dark ink, the book embodies design process. This user-centered approach is reinforced throughout the pages with 54 narratives and an extensive process glossary that discusses individual objects through a design lens. Featuring more than 1,100 collection objects selected by the curatorial staff, Smithsonian Design Library, and renowned designer Irma Boom, Making Design is organized entirely by Boom's visual sequencing of images; her design and the curators' essays weave parallel narratives throughout the book. This wildly playful and unexpected jaunt through the collection ends with Boom's exploration of her process, "Making Making Design," which embraces the essence design and the new experiences in Cooper Hewitt's galleries.

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Things New and Strange chronicles a research quest undertaken by G. Wayne Clough, the first secretary of the Smithsonian Institution born in the South. Soon after retiring from the Smithsonian, Clough decided to see what the Smithsonian collections could tell him about South Georgia, where he had spent most of his childhood in the 1940s and 1950s. The investigations that followed, which began as something of a quixotic scavenger hunt, expanded as Clough discovered that the collections had many more objects and documents from South Georgia than he had imagined. These objects illustrate important aspects of southern culture and history and also inspire reflections about how South Georgia has changed over time.Clough’s discoveries?animal, plant, fossil, and rock specimens, along with cultural artifacts and works of art?not only serve as a springboard for reflections about the region and its history, they also bring Clough’s own memories of his boyhood in Douglas, Georgia, back to life. Clough interweaves memories of his own experiences, such as hair-raising escapes from poisonous snakes and selling boiled peanuts for a nickel a bag at the annual auction of the tobacco crop, with anecdotes from family lore, which launches an exploration of his forebears and their place in South Georgia history. In following his engaging and personal narrative, we learn how nonspecialists can use museum archives and how family, community, and natural history are intertwined.

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In collaboration with the Smithsonian Institution, a sweeping history of food and culture that summons everyone to the table for a fresh look at the people, ingredients, events, and movements that have shaped how and what we eat in the United StatesThis exploration of the American table presents a fresh look at what and how we've fed ourselves, for sustenance and for pleasure, through the lens of location, immigration, ingenuity, innovation, and culture. Learn about Native Americans growers and chefs who are reclaiming and reinventing Indigenous ingredients and cooking techniques. Meet a Black chef who gained national renown and culinary influence by showcasing her skills on her own television show in segregated New Orleans. And find out how everything from fondue to Jell-O salads to pumpkin spice (even in hummus) became national obsessions.Cook your way through American history with over 40 iconic and notable recipes offered throughout the book. With chapters spanning coast to coast and stretching over centuries, this enlightening enriching, and entertaining collection uncovers the many histories of American food.

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Uncover the Mysteries of the Hawaiian IslandsGiant humpback whales, squishy sea cucumbers, color-changing lizards, and spiders with smiley faces on their backs—they all live in a beautiful place called the Hawaiian Islands, surrounded by the Pacific Ocean. Learn about these amazing creatures and many more in this newly revised version of Ocean Adventures. Find out about God’s fascinating creation and how he made each one for a purpose all its own.

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