Museum and Sculpture Garden with Thames and Hud- 

 son was announced by the museum. The 96-page, 

 copiously illustrated guide, researched and written by 

 Valerie J. Fletcher, Curator of Sculpture, provides a 

 clear, in-depth overview of the subjects, styles, 

 materials, and conservation issues presented by rhe 

 museum's comprehensive collection of modern and con- 

 temporary sculpture, with particular emphasis on foster- 

 ing understanding and appreciation of each work. The 

 book was made possible by a generous gift from Board 

 Chairman Robert Lehrman and supported by a grant 

 from the Smithsonian Women's Committee. 



July 18-23 and July 25-30 



■ Institutes The National Science Resources Center 

 conducted two K-8 Science Education Leadership Insti- 

 tutes for 29 teams from school systems in 18 states, and 

 Sweden. Most teams included a school superintendent 

 or assistant superintendent, a science coordinator or 

 director of curriculum and instruction, an experienced 

 teacher, and a senior scientist representing a company or 

 academic institution. The teams worked with nationally- 

 recognized experts to develop strategic plans to improve 

 the teaching of science in their elementary and middle 

 schools. 



July 20-24 



■ Courses Three courses, "Humidity," "Mold and Mil- 

 dew," and "Pests," held at the Smithsonian Center for 

 Materials Research and Education, were grouped 

 around the theme of "Preservation Fundamentals." Each 

 course dealt in depth with a particular environmental 

 issue that has been highlighted by recent conservation 

 developments in North America. "Humidity" reviewed 

 the measurement of moisture in the air, psychrometric 

 values, and the control of moisrure in buildings with and 

 without HVAC units. With the instructor, the class 

 toured Smithsonian facilities containing recently installed 

 humidity controls. "Mold and Mildew" divided fungal 

 damage between organic materials and inorganic sub- 

 strates so that participants could gain a broader under- 

 standing of the issues and so that the speakers could focus 

 attention on the particular test methods and research 

 associated with specific museum materials. In addition, 

 the susceptibility for museum staff to potential pathogenic 

 microorganisms was discussed. The third course was 

 devoted to pest control in museums, including changes in 

 the regulations of pesticides and of fumigants, as well as 

 the development of alternative treatments. 



July 23 



■ Publication The Smithsonian Accessibility Program 

 wrote and delivered to the Provost the annual report on 

 the Institution's progress in improving access to people 

 with disabilities in the areas of programs, publications, 

 and exhibitions. 



July 26-30 



■ Scientific Meeting The National Museum of Natural 

 History hosted the first world conference on mollusks — 

 squids, oysters, and snails. The two largest mollusk- 

 studying societies in the world — the American 

 Malacological Union and Unitas Malacologica — met 

 together for the first time and discussed their findings 

 on biodiversity and conservation issues. The museum 

 houses the world's largest collection of mollusks, more 

 than 10 million specimens, and the preeminent collec- 

 tion of North American mollusk species. 



July 30-Present 



■ Exhibition "A Collector's Vision of Puerto Rico" — 

 This National Museum of American History exhibit 

 contained art, photographs, and other artifacts that offer 

 insight into Puerto Rico's distinctive history and cul- 

 ture from the 1700s to the present. The artifacts are part 

 of a vast collection created over 40 years by Puerto 

 Rican philanthropist and businessman Teodoro Vidal 

 Santoni. 



July 30 



■ Special Event The National Postal Museum cele- 

 brated its fifth anniversary with a party that included 

 more than 2,400 well-wishers. 



July 30 



■ Exhibition The creativity of everyday Americans was 

 celebrated at the National Postal Museum with the 

 opening of "Rural Routes: Folk Art Mailboxes of Amer- 

 ica." This exhibition featured 11 unusual and whimsical 

 mailboxes chosen through a nationwide contest. 



August 



■ Symposium SERC organized a special symposium at 

 the annual meeting of the Ecological Society of America 

 and the American Institute of Biological Sciences in Bal- 



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