reorganization project began with the U.S. specialized collec- 

 tion and expanded to the U.S. plate proof collection, postal 

 history-related documents, and the U.S. and international 

 map collections. The Museum's three-dimensional objects 

 were relocated to a unified area in storage. 



A finding guide was completed for the anonymous dona- 

 tion of an archival collection of letters (ca. 1845-1851) relevant 

 to the 1847 issuance of the first federal U.S. postage stamps. 

 These forty-four pieces complement two 1847 letters already 

 in the permanent collection and complete our knowledge of 

 the 1847 issue. Further, the research for the finding guide to 

 the Benjamin Lipsner collection of air mail flight documents 

 was nearly completed. Finally, new research was initiated to 

 create a finding guide to the Civil War cover collection that 

 will present the sociopolitical history of the covers, as well as 

 the personal and corporate histories of the printers of patriotic 

 cachet envelopes. 



Chief among the Collection Management Department's 

 preservation activities in Fiscal Year 1997 was the rehousing of 

 premier collections for safe handling, storage, and conserva- 

 tion treatment of Museum and loaned objects for exhibition. 

 The effort to rehouse the U.S. plate proof collection continued 

 in Fiscal Year 1997. Of the total of 17,000 plate proofs, 8,900 

 were completed this year, leaving approximately 8,100 to be 

 rehoused in the next fiscal year. Other collections re-housed in 

 Fiscal Year 1997 included the Internal Revenue Stamp collec- 

 tion of more than 3,000 objects, Chinese die proofs, Henry K. 

 Jarrett's counterfeit collection of Postmaster provisional 

 stamps, U.S. specialized collections, and seven envelope 

 patent models for off-site storage. 



Special Events 



The National Postal Museum provided a distinctive and excit- 

 ing setting for many special events throughout Fiscal Year 

 1997. The elegant entrance to the Museum through the Postal 

 Square's historic lobby and the visual excitement of the 

 Museum's atrium created an extraordinary backdrop for guests 

 to meet fellow associates, colleagues, and Postal Museum 

 supporters. Such special events allow visitors to explore the 

 Museum's exhibitions and collections in an enhanced 

 environment. 



In Fiscal Year 1997 a number of distinguished corporations 

 and organizations celebrated theit special events at the National 

 Postal Museum including the Ptesidential Inaugural Com- 

 mittee, the Sociecy of International Business Fellows, the 

 Envelope Manufacturers Association, the Greater Washington 

 Society of Association Executives, and the Service Employees 

 International Union. The U.S. Postal Service held many 

 special events, including the Helping Children Learn stamp 

 issuance ceremony and the National Dog Bite Prevention Week 

 Kickoff. 



The National Postal Museum's Director and staff were 

 delighted that Vice President and Smithsonian Regent Al 

 Gore attended both the Inaugural Ball and the Service 

 Employees International Union reception. 



National Zoological Park 



Michael H. Robinson, Director 



In its 108th year, the primary missions of the National 

 Zoological Park continue to be the advancement of science, 

 conservation of biodiversity, and the education and recreation 

 of the people. In fulfilling its mission, the Zoo is undergoing 

 a transformation from a zoological park to a biological park 

 that emphasizes the interdependence of plants, animals, and 

 environments. The Zoo's new Amazonia Science Gallery 

 exhibit and award-winning Internet website now introduce 

 zoogoers and online visitors to the many scientific studies 

 undertaken by Zoo and Smithsonian researchers that reveal 

 the intricacies of the living world. The 163-acre Zoo site in 

 Washington, D.C., is complemented by its 3,150-acre Conser- 

 vation and Research Center in Front Royal, Virginia. 



April 16, 1997, marked the twenty-fifth anniversary of the 

 arrival of giant pandas at the National Zoo. The gift of the 

 giant pandas, Hsing-Hsing and Ling-Ling, was made to the 

 people of the United States as a symbol of friendship and 

 goodwill by the people of China following President Richard 

 Nixon's "Trip for Peace" in February 1972. Twenty-seven-year- 

 old Hsing-Hsing is the surviving animal of the original pair 

 and is very likely the most famous zoo resident in the United 

 States. It is estimated that as many as 75 million people (three 

 million annually) have visited the Zoo's giant panda exhibit 

 since 1972. 



The Amazonia Science Gallery, which opened in December 

 1996, showcases biodiversity and the work of Smithsonian 

 scientists. Included in the Gallery are displays about the com- 

 plex variety of life in the Amazon rainforest; a study center 

 that invites visitors to use microscopes to examine insect col- 

 lections; and laboratories where working scientists investigate 

 animal behavior, genetics, and nutrition. A focal point of the 

 new exhibit is the "Earth Situation Room," which incorpor- 

 ates projected satellite images and a computerized database 

 that display geophysical, biological, and human factors that 

 affect life on our planet. 



Zoo efforts to breed the endangered greatet one-horned 

 Asian rhinoceros resulted in a double success. On September 

 18, 1996, Chitwan, a female, was born to eleven-year-old 

 Mechi; and on October 31, Himal, a male, was born to eleven- 

 year-old Kali. These remarkable calves grew quickly and ex- 

 ceeded the 1,000-pound mark within 10 months of birth. The 

 propagation of this species in zoos is critical because only a 

 few thousand of these rhinos still survive. 



The Friends of the National Zoo (FONZ) supported the 

 Zoo with more than $1.5 million generated by concessions, and 

 more than $500,000 from fund-raising efforts such as National 

 ZooFari and Adopt a Species. In addition, FONZ volunteers 

 provided 100,000 hours of service. Much of the work needed 

 to run Zoo education programs is provided by FONZ volun- 

 teers; these programs are supported financially by events such 



62 



