ICYMI: Highlights from the week that was Dec. 2 – Dec. 8, 2018
No one can keep up with everything, so let us do it for you. We’ll gather the top Smithsonian stories from across the country and around the world each week so you’ll never be at a loss for conversation around the water cooler.
In addition to news of a new gallery, a crumbling castle and the rewards of ingenuity, Moko offers a timely reminder to get your flu shot.
Gorilla, susceptible like us, to flu, gets his shot at National Zoo
The Washington Post, December 3
2018Infant gorilla has 15 teeth and a flu shot. (Smithsonian National Zoo photo)It’s widely accepted that apes are relatives of ours, so a little reflection might suggest that now’s the time for the National Zoo’s infant gorilla to get his flu shot.
And in fact, the zoo’s seven-month-old western lowland gorilla did got his first flu shot last month, according to the zoo. Read more from Martin Weil for the Washington Post.
D.C. readies for memorial events honoring late president George H.W. Bush
The Washington Post, December 1
A flock of geese flies past an American flag at half-staff over the White House on Dec. 1, a day after former president George H.W. Bush’s death. (Jacquelyn Martin/AP)
This story has been updated.
The casket bearing the late president George H.W. Bush will arrive at the U.S. Capitol Monday evening and will be on public display as the 41st president lies in state in the Rotunda until Wednesday morning, congressional leaders said.
Meanwhile, President Trump declared Wednesday a national day of mourning and ordered flags on all public buildings to be lowered to half-staff for the next 30 days. Executive departments and federal agencies will be closed Wednesday “as a mark of respect” for Bush, according to an executive order. Read more from Arelis R. Hernandez for The Washington Post.
‘Apollo to the Moon’ No More: Air and Space Museum Closes Gallery
Space.com, December 4
The one and a quarter F-1 engine display at the entrance to the “Apollo to the Moon” gallery at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC used mirrors to create the appearance of there being five engines as was at the base of a Saturn V rocket.
Credit: collectSPACE.com
For more than 40 years, the “Apollo to the Moon” gallery at the National Air and Space Museum has provided millions of visitors a close-up look at some of the key artifacts from humanity’s first visit to another world.
On Monday (Dec. 3), the gallery will close forever.
“This was one of the original galleries built for the museum in 1976,” explained curator Michael Neufeld, during a tour of “Apollo to the Moon” streamed live on Facebook from the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C. on Friday (Nov. 30). “It has many key artifacts that are great to look at and will be coming back, eventually.” [America’s Space Treasures: The Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in Pictures] Read more from Robert Z. Pearlman for Space.com.
Smithsonian’s 2018 Ingenuity Awards: Stevie Wonder surprises everyone and more highlights
USA Today, December 6
Stevie Wonder performs live at the “House Full of Toys 22nd Annual Benefit Concert. (Photo: Willy Sanjuan, Willy Sanjuan/Invision/AP)
The Smithsonian magazine’s 2018 American Ingenuity Awards held at the National Portrait Gallery in Washington D.C. Wednesday night were filled with nothing but exciting moments, hopeful energy and most of all surprises. The biggest one:Stevie Wonder.
The annual awards show honors individuals across a variety of categories who are making dramatic changes in American culture. Honorees are recognized in nine different fields: performing arts, technology, life science, social progress, visual arts, youth, education, physical science and history.
The theme for the evening was hopefulness says David Skorton, the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institute. He hoped that the night would bring individuals from all different backgrounds like the sciences, literature and performing arts to convene in one setting and have conversations to bridge gaps during the nation’s fragmented times. Read more from Rasha Ali for USA Today.
The Smithsonian Castle needs a major renovation, but the popular museums keep getting the cash
The Washington Post, December 5
The Smithsonian building known as the Castle for its ornate stonework and towers was designed by James Renwick. (Salwan Georges/The Washington Post)
When it was completed in 1855, the Smithsonian Institution’s Castle represented the grand ambitions of a revolutionary education organization. With its library, lecture halls, laboratories and exhibition spaces, the James Renwick-designed building on the southern side of the Mall welcomed both ordinary Americans and educated researchers.
The red sandstone Castle — known as such for its ornate stonework and towers — was not only the Smithsonian’s first building, but also a physical representation of the broad range of its activities: hands-on learning, museum conservation, art and science exhibits and educational seminars. Read more from Peggy McGlone for The Washington Post.
The Best of Art 2018
The New York Times, December 5
The art critics of The New York Times tell you what rocked their worlds this year: notable art events, works in museums and galleries, emerging artists and how they found beauty in unexpected places. Read the full article by Roberta Smith, Holland Cotter and Jason Farago: The Best Art of 2018 – The New York Times
The 10 Best Art Shows of 2018
Including an abstract pioneer and presidential portraiture.
Vulture (New York Magazine), December 6
Photo-Illustration: Maya Robinson/Vulture and Photos by Fredrik Nilsen/ © Robert Gober, Courtesy of Matthew Marks Gallery (Gober); Object Studies, Courtesy of 56 Henry (Talmadge); © 2018 Kehinde Wiley, Courtesy of National Portrait Gallery (Wiley); Courtesy of the Artist and Gavin Brown’s enterprise, New York/Rome (Frazier); Albin Dahlström, the Moderna Museet, Stockholm (af Klint).
This list of the year’s best art achievements is a story of artists rising to the occasion, from the emerging talents coming out of Chinatown art spaces to the artists behind the Obamas’ official portraits to a significant (and once unsung) Swedish visionary. Read more from Jerry Saltz for Vulture.
A California family’s donation leads to the Smithsonian’s first permanent Latino gallery
“Latino history is American history,” said Eduardo Díaz, director of the Smithsonian Latino Center.
NBC News, December 6
Rotating exhibitions will feature multimedia activities, objects and first-person narratives.Museum Environments / Branded Environments
In a first for the country, a permanent gallery dedicated to the Latino experience will open in the Smithsonian National Museum of American history, Smithsonian officials announced Thursday.
The Molina Family Gallery will open in 2021, thanks to a $10 million gift from the California family whose name the gallery will carry.
The space will be dedicated to celebrating the experiences and history of U.S. Latinos and feature 4,500 square feet of bilingual stories for all audiences.
“We’re thrilled to finally be realizing the dream of having a Latino gallery at the Smithsonian,” said Eduardo Díaz, director of the Smithsonian Latino Center. Read more from Gwen Aviles for NBC News.
Stevie Wonder steals the show at the 2018 American Ingenuity Awards
The Washington Post, December 6
Singer-actress Janelle Monae performs on a banquet table during her three-song set at the National Portrait Gallery. (Daniel Swartz)
Wonder was the unofficial theme of Smithsonian magazine’s 2018 American Ingenuity Awards. The crowd at the National Portrait Gallery, buzzing Wednesday with conversations sparked by the night’s featured guests of honor, could be overheard discussing everything from space travel and Afrofuturism to self-driving cars. Even music legend Stevie Wonder made a surprise appearance. Read more from Megan McDonough for The Washington Post.
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Posted: 9 December 2018
