Smithsonian Associates

06/05/2026

What a delight to welcome author Katherine Center to the Smithsonian’s Ripley Center this week! Katherine shared insights into her writing process, the inspiration behind her novels, and why she believes love is good for us. Guests enjoyed a lively conversation about her newest novel, "The Shippers," and the way life’s lessons have shaped her work. Thank you to everyone who joined us for this memorable evening of conversation and connection. ❤

06/05/2026

06/03/2026

Join us in July to explore how humor has reflected, challenged, and shaped American culture from vaudeville to viral memes. Featuring coauthors Laura LaPlaca and Ryan Lintelman, this in-person event dives into iconic artifacts, revealing stories of rarely exhibited artifacts and recounting the lives of famous, infamous, and unknown comics and their influence on American culture.

Following the lecture, attendees have the opportunity to see objects from the National Museum of American History’s collection that are not currently on public display.

Learn more and register: https://s.si.edu/Comedy

06/01/2026

The Smithsonian has shaped the character of the National Mall since 1855. Washington’s most beloved museums trace the arc of American architecture. Romanesque to Victorian, Neoclassical to Brutalist, each unique building is an architectural study all its own. Join us June 10 to learn the backstories behind these celebrated structures!

The Smithsonian Institution has shaped the character of the National Mall since 1855. Washington’s most beloved museums trace the arc of American architecture, from James Renwick’s Gothic design of the Smithsonian Castle to the contemporary National Museum of African American History and...

05/29/2026

View our June program guide! Register for lectures, seminars, performances, studio arts classes, and study tours: https://s.si.edu/June2026

The folk-art whirligig on the cover captures 250 years of American imagination. From early crafters to the patriotic songs of George M. Cohan, the spirit of the “red, white, and blue” has inspired generations of makers—including the unknown hand that carved, painted, and set this piece spinning in the mid 20th century. Throughout this guide, you’ll notice the Our Shared Future: 250 icon marking programs that explore the events and individuals who shaped America, as well as those that illuminate the movements and creators who defined its artistic character.

05/27/2026

In 1877, Spencer Baird, the second Secretary of the Smithsonian, dispatched naturalist Edward W. Nelson to the wilds of Alaska for four years, where he became known to Eskimos (now called Inuit) as "the man who collects good-for-nothing things.” Those things are now among the treasures of the Smithsonian’s anthropology collection.

William Fitzhugh, the director of the Smithsonian’s Arctic Studies Center, joins us on June 15 to discuss how Nelson’s research laid the foundation for 150 years of natural history and anthropological studies, as well as exhibits and public programs.

Learn more and register: https://s.si.edu/Arctic

05/26/2026

Join us for an evening walking tour exploring the rich social, civic, and cultural life of D.C.’s iconic U Street corridor! Sites visited include the African American Civil War Memorial, the legendary Howard Theatre, and the locations of one-of-a-kind murals featuring such history makers as Duke Ellington and go-go legend Chuck Brown.

Tour Dates:
Friday, June 5
Sunday, June 7
Wednesday, June 10
🕕 6–8 PM

The U Street NW neighborhood has long been a vibrant corridor for the rich social, civic, and cultural life of Washington's African American community. Join local guide Lynn O’Connell on a walking tour that focuses on the history of the neighborhood. Sites visited include the African American....

05/25/2026

Since 1971, Memorial Day has been observed on the last Monday of May.

However, the roots of Memorial Day, then known as Decoration Day, date back to the Civil War era. Local commemorations, the first of which were organized by women and African Americans, involved laying flowers on the graves of soldiers who perished during the war.

More on the origins of Memorial Day: https://s.si.edu/3RHmNUN

📷: “Decoration Day: They Gave Their All” postcard, Archives Center, Warshaw Collection of Business Americana

05/22/2026

We’re hosting romance novelist Katherine Center at the Smithsonian’s Ripley Center next month! Known for stories about resilience and joy, she’ll discuss why she believes love is good for you. Her new novel "The Shippers" follows JoJo Burton, who boards a cruise for her sister’s wedding hoping to fix her bad luck in love by pursuing an old crush—with help from childhood friend Cooper. Close quarters rekindle unresolved feelings, and they stumble into realizing they might be meant for each other. Center will explore how love, humor, hope, and real-life lessons shape her work.

Register: https://s.si.edu/TheShippers