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Annals of the Smithsonian Institution 2000 



since 1994 and as veterinary advisor on the Giant Panda 

 Species Survival Plan for the American Zoo and Aquarium 

 Association since 1998. During the past eight years, Spel- 

 man has written 15 scientific articles and two book chapters. 

 She was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut, and grew up in 

 West Redding, Connecticut. She received her bachelor's 

 degree in biology from Brown University in Providence, 

 Rhode Island, in 1985 and her doctorate in veterinary medi- 

 cine from the University of California, Davis, in 1990. 



How Do You Zoo? Opens 



Children who love to ask questions about zoo animals and 

 zoo work now can find answers for themselves at a new edu- 

 cational, interactive exhibit, How Do You Zoo? The room 

 opened on June 27 in the Visitor Center. How Do You Zoo? 

 is a collaborative effort between the National Zoo and 

 Ftiends of the National Zoo. 



As visitors enter the room, they step into the world of ex- 

 otic-animal caretaking. Colorful signs direct visitors to four 

 learning areas: Small Mammal House, Commissary, Keeper 

 Office, and Animal Hospital, where children can role play in 

 typical day-to-day activities. 



Popular Evening Lecture Series 



The highlights of the Zoo lecture series included a symposia 

 series entitled "Conservation Research: The National Zoo 

 Prepares for a New Millennium." The three programs in the 

 series, cosponsored by the Zoo's Department of Zoological 

 Research and the Conservation Research Center at Front 

 Royal, focused on 25 years of scientific study at the Zoo. 

 The programs brought back a total of nine researchers, who 

 began their careers here, to update their findings and assess 

 the contributions that National Zoo research has made to 

 understanding the animal world. The programs explored 

 conservation biology, using genetics and DNA study to un- 

 derstand nature, and studying hormones to shed light on 

 behavior of wild animals. Other programs featured National 

 Museum of Natural History senior scientist Don Wilson and 

 a symposia based on the Smithsonian Book of North American 

 Mammals; Michael Brett-Surman, museum specialist at 

 National Museum of Natural History, who presented a pro- 

 gram on dinosaurs, a subject that has lured countless 

 children into natural science careers; Jo Gayle Howard, a 

 reproductive physiologist at the Zoo's Conservation and Re- 

 search Center, who spoke about the reintroduction of black 

 footed ferrets; and Irene Pepperberg, who described her lin- 

 guistic studies with African grey parrots. 



Smithsonian American Art Museum 



Elizabeth Broun, Director 



The 2000 fiscal year saw the closing of the museum for a 

 four-year renovation, the official approval of its new name, 

 and the launch of the most extensive art tour ever — Treaures 



to Go, in order to share its masterpieces with the American 

 public over the next three years. A focus on planning for the 

 temporary relocation of the entire collection and permanent 

 relocation of the entire office staff was central throughout 

 the year. Yet, despite its closure, the museum maintained a 

 significant tecord of achievement in national media cover- 

 age, research, education, fund-raising, restoration at the 

 Renwick Gallery, and new media initiatives. 



A decision from the Secretary's office was made allocating 

 space in the Patent Office Building, providing for 22,870 

 square feet of new gallery space for American Art, as well as 

 for expanded visitor service areas to be shared by both Amer- 

 ican Art and the National Portrait Gallery. Interior space 

 planning for the Victor Building, to house the majority of 

 the office staff in a petmanent relocation, proceeded. Discus- 

 sions continue regarding the temporary alternatives for 

 housing the permanent collection. 



Secretary Lawrence Small was inaugurated on January 24 

 and reorganized the Smithsonian. SAAM joins NPG, AAA, 

 and NMAH in a group headed by Sheila Burke, named 

 Under Secretary for American Museums and National Pro- 

 grams. Sheila Burke was honored at a teception unveiling 

 the newly refurbished Grand Salon at SAAM's Renwick 

 Gallery in June. More than 170 paintings and sculptures 

 were installed, with the paintings hung "salon style," one 

 atop another and side by side, to recreate the effect of a nine- 

 teenth-century collector's picture gallery. Highlights include 

 new custom-loomed draperies from France, repainting, gild- 

 ing, and the installation of an innovative lighting system 

 that re-creates natural light through the historic skylight 

 completing the dramatic and beautiful refurbishment. 



The Renwick closed "Glass! Glorious Glass!" to rave re- 

 views from the press and public, wirh record attendance 

 highlighting the exhibition. The first biennial invitational 

 for craft artists at the Renwick, titled "The Renwick Invita- 

 tional: Five Women in Craft," opened in March, concurrent 

 with the exhibition of John Cederquist's delightful trompe 

 l'oeil sculptural wood furniture. In the fall, two quilt exhibi- 

 tions opened: "Spirits of the Cloth: Contemporary Quilts 

 by African American Artists" and "Amish Quilts from the 

 Collection of Faith and Stephen Brown." And the Smithson- 

 ian Women's Committee endowed an annual fall lecture 

 series ar the Renwick for $100,000, which will begin in the 

 fall of 2000. 



"Edward Hopper: The Watercolors" was extremely popu- 

 lar until closing on January 3, 2000, with unusually high 

 attendance and a record number of out-of-town tout groups. 

 The new evening hours attracred a variety of new visitors, 

 and the publication accompanying the exhibition had to be 

 reordered several times. 



The framing initiative for the Treasures to Go exhibitions 

 received support from Commissioners Jim Dicke, Henry 

 Luce, Ruth Holmberg, and Rita Fraad, as well as Art Forum 

 members Tom and Tania Evans. Thirteen paintings were 

 given period frames and one painting received a cusrom-made 

 reproduction of an artist's frame as a part of this initiative. 



Treasures to Go, three years in the planning, launched to 

 great acclaim in January of 2000. Registration secured 62 



