Two new programs opened in che Einstein Planetarium: 

 The New Solar System, a multimedia program about our solar 

 system, and Sky Quest, a family program that follows one 

 astronomer's voyage to the stars. 



The 1996 Mutual Concerns of Air and Space Museums Semi- 

 nar was a four-day seminar with the highest registration in its 

 nine years. Of the 104 registrants, 72 museums/organizations 

 were represented, including nine non-US. The seminar, which is 

 held in Washington, D.C. is co-sponsored by the National Air 

 and Space Museum and the American Association of Museums. 

 The invitational seminar includes museum professionals from 

 aviation and space museums around the world. It included three 

 days of sessions plus an all-day field trip to the Marine Corps Air- 

 Ground Museum at Quantico, Virginia. 



The annual General Electric Aviation Lectures including the 

 Charles Lindbergh Memorial Lecture; Exploring Space Lectures, 

 Smithsonian Astronomy Lectures, and the Wernher von Braun 

 Memorial Lecture all attracted large audiences. Each of the series 

 is cosponsored by the museum and private sector organizations. 

 The 1996 Wernher von Braun Memorial Lecture drew the largest 

 audience in the history of the museum's public programs presen- 

 tations. The Wernher von Braun Memorial Lecture and the Char- 

 les Lindbergh Memorial Lecrure were both published as part of 

 the Museum's Occasional Paper series. 



In conjunction with the new exhibition, "How Things Fly," 

 an invitational symposium was held over 1-1/2 days on Aerospace 

 Technology: The Present and Future of Flight. The symposium 

 focused on the current and future aspects of atmospheric and 

 space flight with a distinguished panel of experts. 



The National Air and Space Society, which began in June 

 1995, has grown to over 6,000 members and is expected to 

 continue to expand substantially. 



The Special Events Office coordinated more than 130 

 events, including celebratory receptions for the openings of 

 Cosmic Voyage and "How Things Fly." 



Publications 



The Aviation and Space Compendium is now on the Museum's 

 World Wide Web site: http:www.nasm.edu under "NASM 

 Departments." 



The Smithsonian History of Aviation Series, edited by the 

 Aeronautics Department, continues to prosper. Additions to 

 the book series this year included: Kenneth P. Werrell, Blanks 

 of Fire: U.S. Bombers Oier Japan During World War II. 



National Museum of African Art 



Patricia Fiske. Act nig Director 



The National Museum of African Art celebrates the rich 

 visual traditions and extraordinarily diverse cultures of Africa 



and fosters an appreciation of African art and civilizations 

 through its collections, exhibitions, research and public 

 programs. The extensive permanent collection reflects the 

 museum's new interest in modern African art and is a tribute 

 to the legacy of Sylvia H. Williams, who served as the 

 museum's director from 1983 until her death in February 1996. 



Acquisitions 



With the acquisition this year of 70 works of art by modern 

 African artists, the museum expanded the scope of its acquisi- 

 tion and research focus. These modern works — including 

 paintings, drawings, ceramics and mixed media — will be dis- 

 played in a new gallery to be established and named for Sylvia 

 H. Williams. 



Among the most significant art works acquired by the 

 museum in the past year was an important carved bowl with 

 figures, considered to be one of the finest works by Nigerian 

 sculptor Olowe of Ise (c 1875-1938). Other noteworthy acquisi- 

 tions were a sculpture of a female figure of the Bamana 

 peoples, Mali; a sculpture of a female figure of the Lwena 

 peoples, Zaire; and two modern works: the painting "Con- 

 tradictions of Joy," by Libyan artist All Omar Ermes (b. 1945) 

 and the painting "Untitled" (from the series "Zulu") by South 

 African artist Gavin Jantjes (b. 1948). 



Exhibitions 



The first level of the National Museum of African Art houses 

 several permanent exhibitions drawing on the museum's col- 

 lection: "The Art of the Personal Object," "Purpose and Per- 

 fection: Pottery as a Woman's Art in Central Africa," "Images 

 of Power and Identity" and "The Ancient West African City 

 of Benin, A.D. 1300— 1897." In addition, in collaboration with 

 the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, the museum offers "The 

 Ancient Nubian City of Kerma, 2500—1500 B.C.," a three-year 

 loan exhibition ot works from the permanent collection of the 

 Museum of Fine Arts, featuring ob|ects from Kerma, an an- 

 cient Nubian city that was located on the Nile River. The ex- 

 hibition was organized by the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, 

 and its Department of Ancient Egyptian, Nubian and Near 

 Eastern Art; all objects are from the Harvard University- 

 Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, Expedition. 



Also located on the first level is the Point of View Gallery 

 which presents small temporary exhibitions that focus on 

 specific themes or objects. This gallery was the site of two ex- 

 hibitions this year. The critically acclaimed "Seydou Keita, 

 Photographer: Portraits from Bamako, Mali" marked the first 

 time the museum featured the work of an African photog- 

 rapher. The exhibition presented 24 of the artist's evocative 

 portraits and attested to his unique vision and artistic sen- 

 sibilities. The museum also offered "Ceramic Gestures: New 

 Vessels by Magdalene Odundo," featuring 15 recent works by 

 a well-known ceramist from Kenya who brings a contem- 

 porary sensibility to her interpretation of traditional African 

 container forms. 



6. 



