About the Author:

David J. Skorton is the 13th Secretary of the Smithsonian. A board-certified cardiologist whose specialty is congenital heart disease and cardiac imaging, Skorton is also an avid jazz musician and a passionate supporter of the arts and humanities.

Oct
11

“The Art of the Qur’an”: Opening the door to understanding

Visitors to the Sackler Gallery of Art this month will have a rare opportunity to see some of the most beautiful and precious religious manuscripts ever created. At a time when cultural differences can provoke division and conflict, “The Art of the Qu’ran” opens the door to understanding. I urge you to see this stunning exhibition–the culmination of years of research, diplomacy and serendipity–and recommend it to others. Continue reading “The Art of the Qur’an”: Opening the door to understanding

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Aug
31

Our History, Our Culture

With the opening of the National Museum of African American History and Culture this month, the Smithsonian gains a valuable and vital asset, essential to discovering, understanding and sharing the past, present, and future of America. Creating the museum was a huge undertaking, and no one knows this better than Lonnie Bunch, noted scholar and founding director. I spoke with Lonnie to learn about the achievements and ambitions of the newest member of our museum family. Continue reading Our History, Our Culture

May
02

A museum to celebrate

In 1897, a wealthy oil heir acquired a deerskin shirt from the Navajo foreman of a railroad construction project in Arizona. That single acquisition led to a lifetime dedicated to collecting and documenting American Indian culture as the “sources of vistas and dreams.” Dr. Skorton shows us those vistas and shares those dreams as the American Indian Museum celebrates its first century.
Continue reading A museum to celebrate

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