Smithsonian

With some 700 fossils on display showcasing millions of years of Earth’s history, a visit to our Deep Time fossil hall is sure to spark some questions. One of the most common - how can I tell what on display is real? Most of the fossils you see are real, but some are casts. Museum-quality casts and scanned replicas are exact copies of real fossils that capture minute detail. Some fossils are too fragile for exhibition and must be stored to protect them for further scientific study. The casts put on display in their place are so that you can learn about these fossils, too. Hear more from Curator of Dinosauria Matthew Carrano about how to tell real from replica!

Happy 10th anniversary to our @NMAAHC. 💜 The museum’s opening dedication ceremony was unforgettable. The program, co-produced by musician Quincy Jones, featured speeches by then President Barack Obama, former President George W. Bush, and Representative John Lewis as well as performances by Stevie Wonder and Patti LaBelle. On that opening day, the museum’s founding director Lonnie G. Bunch III, now Secretary of the Smithsonian, welcomed the world to the newest Smithsonian museum, referring to the journey as “the time of my life.”

Ranging from asbestos newspaper used for insulation to photos on glass broken into a gazillion little pieces, photograph and paper conservator Shannon Brogdon-Grantham fields some strange and unusual questions. Along with her fellow colleagues at the Smithsonian’s Museum Conservation Institute, Brogdon-Grantham helps Smithsonian museums and research centers figure out the best ways to store, protect, and display their collections. From relying on the naked eye to performing microscopic analysis, Brogdon-Grantham identifies types of photography to situate the image, and its subject, in time and to determine the best ways to preserve them for future generations. ​​

Design is everywhere. From handmade nails reimagined as a necklace to a chandelier made of broken porcelain plates, curator Emily Orr points out some of the extraordinary objects in @CooperHewitt’s exhibition, “Design Across Time: Exploring the Smithsonian’s Design Collection.” Featured artworks: 🔨 Tone Vigeland, “Necklace made from hammered nails,” 1983. ♻️ nendo, “The Cabbage Chair,” 2008. 💊 Verena Sieber-Fuchs, “Vitamin Store necklace made from pill capsules,” ca. 1990. 🧡 Toots Zynsky, “Auifero II vessel,” 2023. 🍽️ Ingo Maurer, “Porca Miseria! hanging lamp made from broken dishes and flatware,” 2000.