Learning to embrace ambiguity
Secretary Bunch thanks staff for their continued resilience.
A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to visit the National Zoo. It was a pleasure to be back again, watching the elephants roam, hearing the pandas make their goofy barking noises, even getting a little too close to the lions for comfort.
But I was most thrilled to spend that time with the Zoo staff. In the midst of the Omicron wave, their commitment to the animals, to their work, and to the Smithsonian was deeply heartening. Moments like that visit remind me how special the people of this institution are, reinvigorating my hope in our shared future.
Nearly two years after our buildings closed for the first time, we are still in the thick of it. We have faced altered museum schedules, rapidly changing guidelines, and unforeseen roadblocks. Many of us have gotten sick or are caring for sick loved ones. We continue to balance the needs of our jobs with the needs of our families, our communities, and ourselves.
Learning to embrace ambiguity is one of the hardest tasks we face in trying to navigate modern life. None of us know what challenges await us. But I do know that whatever happens, we will continue to do what we do best: serve our audiences and the American public.
Over the past two years, Smithsonian staff proved that we are the Institution our country needs and deserves. We provided invaluable resources for students, teachers, and parents, helping bridge serious gaps in our education system. We launched Institution-wide collaborations to collect historic moments in real time. We created compelling virtual experiences and digital resources for audiences. Our research helped the world better understand the global impacts of COVID-19. Our frontline colleagues came in to work during building closures to protect our facilities and care for our collections. And when we were able to reopen our buildings to the public, we made available our unparalleled collections, exhibitions, and programming while protecting the safety of staff, volunteers, and visitors.
And even now, I see the light at the end of the tunnel. The Smithsonian community will get through this, as we have weathered every other crisis that this pandemic has thrown at us.
So let me take a moment to express again how appreciative I am and how impressed I am by your fortitude during this time. Thank you for your flexibility, your compassion, and your resilience. Thank you for bringing your creativity and passion to work every day. And thank you for giving some hope to a nation in its time of need. You truly help make America better.
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Posted: 8 February 2022
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