The National Conference on Cultural Property Protection 

 was held in Alexandria, Virginia, from February 9—12, 1998. 

 The theme for the conference was Optimizing Security with 

 Minimum Resources." More than 150 people from museums, 

 libraries, and cultural property institutions attended the 

 conference. 



tions by individuals, corporations and countries toward fur- 

 thering the goals of environmental conservation. 



The Smithsonian Associates 



Smithsonian Magazine 



Ronald C. Walker, Publisher 

 Don Moser, Editor 



Since its founding in 1970, Smithsonian Magazine has ex- 

 tended the Institution's message, expanded its influence, and 

 increased its public visibility throughout the United States 

 and abroad. Considered one of the greatest success stories in 

 magazine publishing history, Smithsonian is now the twenty- 

 thitd largest magazine in the country with a circulation of 2 

 million. It continues to generate revenue for the Institution. 



Editorial subjects extend beyond the scope of the 

 Institution's museums. Leading authors contribute articles 

 about the arts, history, the environment, conservation, and the 

 sciences, always written with the layperson in mind. Monthly 

 fearures include "Phenomena, Comment & Notes," a commen- 

 tary on nature and the natural world; "Smithsonian Perspec- 

 tives," a column by the Smithsonian secretary; and reviews of 

 recently released nonfiction books. Smithsonian Institution ac- 

 tivities are covered in three regular departments: "Around the 

 Mall & Beyond," "Smithsonian Highlights," and "The Object 

 at Hand." 



The awards won by Smithsonian this year include the 

 Clarion Award for Best Overall External Magazine, sponsored 

 by The Association for Women in Communications. Writer 

 Scott Weidensaul won the Outdoor Writers Association of 

 America, Inc. President's Choice awatd ("best of the best" of 

 all winning magazine entries) for "The Belled Viper" 

 (Smithsonian, December 1997). 



Also this year, Smithsonian's site on the Worldwide Web 

 introduced a new home page design, creating opportunities 

 for more editorial ptomotion and greater functionality than 

 before. This year also saw the debut of Kids' Castle, a new 

 educational area of the Web site featuring content and 

 photographs drawn from Smithsonian editorial and geared 

 toward kids ages 8—14. 



In partnership with the American Sociery of Travel Agents 

 (ASTA), Smithsonian awarded the eighth annual ASTA/ 

 Smithsonian Magazine Environmental Award to Sustrans' Sea 

 to Sea Cycle Roure for the development of a cycling/hiking 

 route in northern England, and to Monique Rodriquez and 

 George Strand, Cortez Travel and Expeditions, fot pioneering 

 responsible environmental tourism practices in Madagascar. 

 The award recognizes outstanding achievements and contribu- 



Mara Mayor, Director 



The Smithsonian Associates (TSA) reached out in 1998 to 

 Smithsonian members and the general public, offering a 

 broad array of educational and culrural programs crafted to 

 highlight and complement the work of the Institution. 



Resident Associate Program 



TSA's Resident Associate Ptogtam provided audiences in the 

 greatet Washington area with a "Campus on the Mall" that is 

 truly unlike any other campus in the world. Participants 

 selected from a dazzling array of courses and seminars chat fea- 

 tured the wotld's leading scholars and experts. The "Distin- 

 guished Women" series fearured Dr. Bernadine Healy, the 

 first woman ditectot of the National Institutes of Health, and 

 Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, the first woman appointed to 

 the U.S. Supreme Court. "The Outsidet in Shakespeare" spot- 

 lighted actot Patrick Stewart, Shakespeare Theatre artistic 

 ditector Michael Kahn, and designer Ming Cho Lee in a 

 course devoted to two of the Bard's masterpieces. The Tempest 

 and Othello. "Timeless Tuscany," cosponsored with the 

 Embassy of Italy and the Italian Cultural Institute, gathered 

 together leading experts who traced Tuscany 's rich artistic and 

 cultural heritage. In a continuing cosponsorship with the 

 National Science Foundation, "Polar Connections: The Arctic 

 and the Antarctic" assembled distinguished scientists to dis- 

 cuss the isolated polar regions and their tremendous influence 

 on the rest of the globe. 



TSA continued to collaborate with Smithsonian museums 

 on cultural and educational ptograms. In January, TSA 

 salured the opening of the National Gem Hall when National 

 Museum of Natural History (NMNH) curator Jeffrey Post 

 spoke to a sellout audience about the spectacular, expanded 

 Janet Annenberg Hooker Hall of Geology, Gems, and 

 Minerals, after which participants wete rreated to a tout of the 

 hall. In "A Farewell Tribute to the Star-Spangled Banner," 

 TSA offered a patriotic salute in the Flag Hall of the National 

 Museum of American History (NMAH) to mark the renova- 

 tion of our treasured national icon. 



Music again played an important part in TSA's Resident 

 Associate programming. In collaboration with NMAH's 

 Program in African American Culture and its exhibition 

 "Wade in the Watet," TSA presented a concerr and master 

 classes taught by extraordinary teachers of three sacred music 

 genres: gospel hymns, congregational spirituals and hymns, 

 and concert spirituals. TSA also ptoduced its annual series of 

 chamber conceits by the Emetson Stting Quartet, the 20th 



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