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Annals of the Smithsonian Institution 2000 



was sponsored in cooperation with the Embassy of the Re- 

 public of Poland, Maison Francaise, the Embassy of France, 

 and The Chopin Foundation of the United States, Inc. Once 

 again racing for the best, TSA presented a program "Cele- 

 brating the 125th Running of the Preakness Stakes," in 

 cooperation with the Maryland Jockey Club and the Mary- 

 land Tourism Development Board. 



For people living in the greater Washington, D.C., area, 

 TSA offered 200 day and overnight tours on subjects rang- 

 ing from local history and natutal history to the arts. For 

 example, participants enjoyed a new overnight tour to 

 Altoona, Pennsylvania, a center for American railroading 

 for more than 150 years. They toured rail yards, visited the 

 Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historical Site, and 

 took a journey on Amtrak around Horseshoe Curve, a Na- 

 tional Historic Landmark. 



Young Benefactors 



The Smithsonian Young Benefactors entered its eleventh 

 year, continuing its mission of raising unrestricted funds for 

 the Smithsonian Institution and increasing awareness among 

 young professionals of the goals and objectives of the Institu- 

 tion. Among activities this year were a private showing at 

 the National Museum of Natural History's Johnson IMAX 

 Theater of Mysteries of Egypt followed by a reception in the 

 Atrium Cafe, an outdoor reception with music at the Hirsh- 

 horn Museum and Sculpture Garden, and the Eleventh 

 Annual Black-Tie Gala at the National Building Museum, 

 which raised more than $125,000. 



Masters Program in the History of Decorative Arts: 

 Nineteenth- and Twentieth-Century American 

 Decorative Arts 



The masters program, in its fifth year, welcomed Cynthia 

 Williams as the new assistant chair and a faculty member. 

 Ms. Williams came ro the Smithsonian from "Olana," the 

 Frederic Church Estate in Hudson, New York. She is a grad- 

 uate of the Masters Program in the History of Decorative 

 Arts at Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum in New 

 York and is a specialist in ceramics. 



In spring 2000, the program hosted a committee of evalu- 

 ators from the District of Columbia's Board of Education. 

 After a weeklong review of the program in Washington and 

 the university in New York, the program received its perma- 

 nent license and several commendations for excellence. 



To prepare graduates for the workplace, the program 

 hosted a "Panel of Professionals." Curators, museum direc- 

 tors, collections managers, and educators shared information 

 on their work and career paths. At a post-program reception, 

 students spoke with the discussants about their own ambi- 

 tions and received helpful guidance and advice. 



The "Art Nouveau" exhibition at the National Gallery of 

 Art provided the centerpiece for several events. Curator 

 Wendy Kaplan led a lively tour for the graduate students. 

 Elizabeth DeRosa, a specialist on the modern period, took 

 faculty and students through the exhibition, offering an al- 

 ternative viewpoint. 



The masters program welcomed a variety of speakers, in- 

 cluding White House curator Betty Monkman, and Selma 

 Schwartz, curatot of ceramics at Waddesdon Manor, the 

 Rothchild Collection. 



Programs Across America and Around the World 



Smithsonian Signature Experiences 



In mid-year, TSA redesigned the Smithsonian Professional 

 Institutes to be more relevant and appealing to a corporate 

 audience, renaming it Smithsonian Signature Experiences. A 

 vigorous marketing strategy was implemented that resulted 

 in incteased client interest and expanded programming for 

 the future. 



In April, TSA presented its 10th World Affairs Institute 

 for Indiana University, with a focus on the OPEC nations. 

 Forty-six participants were introduced to the economic, po- 

 litical, and social issues pertinent to OPEC countries, the 

 importance of their oil and gas industries, and their interna- 

 tional impact. Notable international experts presenting 

 lectures included ambassadors, former congressmen, a State 

 Department division chief, and managers from The World 

 Bank and the American Petroleum Institute. Embassies 

 hosting events included Saudi Arabia, Venezuela, Norway, 

 and Kuwait. 



In June, TSA presented a program, "The Smithsonian: 

 Amenca's Home," to 20 high school students who had been 

 selected for the Aaron Price Fellows Program. This daylong 

 event, intended to offer a sampling of the Smithsonian's 

 many activities, included discussions with curators, behind- 

 the-scenes tours of research and collection storage areas, and 

 private curator-led tours of exhibitions. 



As part of a newly initiated agreement with the Lockheed 

 Martin Leadership Institute to present quarterly creativity 

 institutes to its senior management, TSA developed and im- 

 plemented three such programs in November, March, and 

 May. Lockheed Martin executives delved into topics such 

 as forensic anthropology, entomology, and art restoration/ 

 conservation. 



Smithsonian Voices of Discovery 



TSA's Voices of Discovery program continued with presenta- 

 tions around the country. A highlight was "Smithsonian 

 Week in Long Beach," presented in cooperation with the 

 Public Corporation for the Arts and the City of Long Beach, 

 California, as part of its affiliation agreement. The weeklong 

 program comprised four components: (1) visits by three 

 Smithsonian scholars to Long Beach middle and high schools, 

 where they presented lectures, classroom workshops, and 

 teacher training programs, (2) three evening parties for the 

 public to meet and hear from the Smithsonian scholars in in- 

 formal settings, (3) the creation of Smithsonian In-School 

 Museums in nine elementary schools, and (4) a widely publi- 

 cized quiz emphasizing Smithsonian connections to Long 

 Beach. 



A new program, Mini-Med School, was presented in 

 Boston in collaboration with the National Institutes of 



