Reports of the Museums and Research Institutes 



49 



the Freer, and the Quad; and affiliated concerts and activities 

 at the Kennedy Center and Freer Gallery, and gallery talks. 

 On view at the Smithsonian International Gallery through 

 June 3, 200 1, "Piano 300" has been setting attendance 

 records. It was made possible by NAMM — International 

 Music Products Association with additional donor support. 



"Fast Attacks and Boomers: Submarines in the Cold War" 

 tells the story of American submarines during the Cold War, 

 from 1945— 1991. It opened in April 2000, to coincide with 

 the centennial of the U.S. Navy's submarine force. The ex- 

 hibir starts by explaining the Cold War context of the 

 nuclear submarine, a photographic timeline, and a video nar- 

 rated by Walter Cronkite that introduces the Cold War 

 years. Video dramatizations demonstrate some of the mis- 

 sions of the U.S. submarine force during the Cold War, such 

 as firing a missile including tracking enemy submarines and 

 observing missile launches. Taking advantage of equipment 

 from decommissioned submarines, the exhibition lets visi- 

 tors see a sub's attack center, its nuclear power room, and 

 crew dining and bunking areas. The exhibition features 

 material declassified by the Navy for the Smithsonian and 

 reveals aspects of submarines never before seen by the public. 

 The exhibition not only explains the role of subs in the Cold 

 War, and the work and life of sailors on board, but also 

 touches upon the lives of submariners' families. An interac- 

 tive kiosk helps visitors learn about underwater acoustics. 

 The NMAH Web site features a virtual version of the exhi- 

 bition. The endeavor was made possible through generous 

 support from the National Commemorative Committee for 

 the Submarine Centennial and its corporate members, the 

 assistance of the U.S. Navy and other donors. 



Since July 2000, a ground-breaking exhibition has been 

 changing the way museum visitors view the subject of dis- 

 abilities. "The Disability Rights Movement," located next to 

 the Greensboro lunch counter on the museum's second floor, 

 communicates the civil rights struggle that persons with 

 disabilities have faced. Handmade keys show the struggle for 

 individuals to escape the confinement and loss of control in a 

 mental health institution. T-shirts, buttons, and news head- 

 lines advocate equality and autonomy. 



In December 1999, the museum opened "Digilab" in the 

 Printing and Graphics Hall. Digilab offers a unique behind- 

 the-scenes view into the applications of modern technology, 

 allowing visitors to view the scanning of objects and photo- 

 graphs to create 3-D digital images, Web sites, and other 

 digital archives. Its companion exhibit focuses on the Super- 

 man collection, which is in the process of being digitized; 

 visitors can view the digital images of an object on the inter- 

 active screen and compare it to its physical form. 



"Lighting a Revolution 2," an extension to the exhibition 

 "Edison: Lighting a Revolution," opened in March 2000. It 

 brings the story of electric lighting into the modern era by 

 examining the history of several latter twentieth-century 

 lamp inventions, explores similarities and differences between 

 inventing in Edison's era and today. 



"This Land Is Your Land: The Life and Legacy of Woodie 

 Guthrie" a temporary SITES exhibition, ran from May 

 through September 2000. It offered viewers a rare perspec- 



tive into the nation's history as seen through Woody 's eyes, 

 by using observations and commentary left by Guthrie in 

 his manuscripts, notebooks, lyrics, illustrations, and photo- 

 graphs. The exhibition is Guthrie's self-portrait and a 

 portrait of America. 



Another temporary exhibition, "An American Diary and 

 Memories of Childhood: Paintings and Prints by Roger 

 Shimomura," ran from June to September 2000. "An 

 American Diary" is an installation of painting illustrating 

 Shimomura's grandmother's diary entries remembering her 

 Japanese American internment camp experiences between 

 1941 and 1943. "Memories of Childhood" is a series of 

 prints that depict the artist's memories of his own intern- 

 ment experiences from ages three to five. 



Showcases opened in 2000 include "History in a Vacuum," 

 which focuses on housework with an emphasis on the chang- 

 ing practices of cleaning carpets and floors; "Exhibiting 

 George Washington," highlights commemorative objects 

 and personal belongings of the country's first president; 

 "Census 2000: Counting America, 1790—2000," a History 

 in the News showcase about the history of the census that 

 compares items used in the i960 census with those being 

 used for the 2000 census; "Artificial Anatomy: Paper-Mache 

 Anatomical Models," on the history and the educational use 

 of papier-mache anatomical models for the medical and lay 

 person, as well as the conservation and preservation of the 

 models; and "Rube Goldberg: Comic Art and Invention," 

 looking at twentieth-century America's (and Rube Gold- 

 berg's) playful yet guarded enthusiasm for people's 

 inventiveness, that was linked to the Lemelson Center's 

 theme of "Invention at Play." 



American History public programs also shared the 

 spotlight in 2000. The year began with a series of 

 Encuentros programs on the play, "The Last Angry Brown 

 Hat." In this play by Alfredo Ramos, four ex-Brown Beret 

 members revisit their political fight for Chicano equality. It 

 was presented in partnership with the Mexican Cultural In- 

 stitute, and Georgetown University's Center for Latin 

 American Studies, with performances at The George Wash- 

 ington University's Lisner Auditorium, GALA Hispanic 

 Theatre, and Carmichael Auditorium. Other Encuentros 

 programs included "Art in Progress with Ping Chong," a 

 behind-the-scenes glimpse of his oral history project; and 

 "Undesirable Elements," an exploration of the effects of his- 

 tory, culture, and ethnicity on the lives of individuals who 

 share the common experience of having been born in one 

 culture and now are part of another. 



The second season of OurStory: History through Chil- 

 dren's Literature began with several collaborations with 

 other NMAH programs: in October and in collaboration 

 with the Lemelson Center, visitors got to meet Ann and 

 Mike Moore, inventors of the Snugli and wete able to create 

 their own inventions. On NMAH Family Day in November. 

 OurStory, in collaboration with Encuentros presented "Tales 

 from the Land — Cuentos de la Tierra." Renowned Mexican 

 American artist Lomas Garza shared her family's story about 

 the land — from Native American hunting and gathering to 

 migrant farm labor today, working the land has been an im- 



