By Melissa Rayner
Happy Birthday, America! To honor the soldiers who gave so much in order to defend the American flag, I’d like to take a look back at the history of our stars and stripes, using Smithsonian Collections Online as our guide.
Smithsonian Collections Online
The 19th Century Nitty-Gritty: An Entirely New Blog Series
By Melissa Rayner
Does dealing with modern technology give you a headache? Have you ever felt like maybe you were born in the wrong century? Do you long for the days of Austen, Bronte, and Dickens?
Welcome home.
That’s right! This is the first in an entirely new blog series, a series that celebrates everybody’s–Right? Everybody’s!–favorite century, the 19th. But, alas, there is a catch…
We’ll be using modern technology to facilitate our journey back in time. Worry not, though. That part is easy, thanks to our favorite digital resources, Nineteenth Century Collections Online, Smithsonian Collections Online, and even a few special guest resources you’ll meet later down the road.
What’s more, we’ll do all the heavy lifting for you and deliver our findings in a neat and pretty blog post, along with a fancy list of references in case you’d like to check them out for yourself.
The best news? We’ll be hosting this journey back through time each and every Wednesday, right here on the Gale Blog. So put on your petticoat or hitch up your britches, this incredible time travel opportunity starts right now.
Read moreThe 19th Century Nitty-Gritty: An Entirely New Blog Series
Behind the Screen: At the Dibner Library
By Jennifer Albers-Smith
I’ve been to the Smithsonian a couple times before, and I’ve always thought of it as just a museum (and a glorious one at that) – giant covered wagon, old-fashioned cars, sewing machines, etc. I had absolutely no idea what lay behind the exhibits until my recent trip to do some filming for our latest Behind the Screen video at the National Museum of American History.
We lugged our film equipment through the side entrance and took a long walk through a dimly-lit maze to get to a wooden door – the entrance to the Dibner Library. I had never noticed the sign for the Dibner Library before. It’s right off the main entrance to the museum, and open to the public, but it’s tucked away, and most visitors have no idea it exists… What’s inside is an absolute treasure trove.
Behind the Scenes of Smithsonian Collections Online
By Jennifer Albers-Smith
We couldn’t be more excited about the products we’re launching through our partnership with Smithsonian.
When I first heard that we were going to partner with Smithsonian, I was ecstatic. Who wouldn’t be excited about getting to work with the largest museum and research complex in the world?
Everyone thinks of their childhood visit to the Museum of American History or the Air and Space Museum when they think of Smithsonian, but it’s really so much more.
Read moreBehind the Scenes of Smithsonian Collections Online