planned the museum's initial exhibitions, as well as the staff 

 of the National Philatelic Collection, a group that was 

 merged into the museum in 1992 and provided the essential 

 conservation and collections management services necessary to 

 open on time. The competitive program, which included nom- 

 inations from the Smithsonian's 16 museums, galleries and re- 

 search facilities, acknowledges excellence at the Institution in 

 a broad array of specialties related to exhibitions. The awards 

 are also intended to stimulate creativity and increase aware- 

 ness of unique solutions to common challenges. The awards 

 are sponsored by the Office of the Assistant Provost for the 

 Arts and Humanities. 



"Why Stamps Were Invented," one of the museum's 18 

 video presentations won an International Teleproduction Soci- 

 ety "Monitor Award." 



The museum's "Eager Dogs" poster, prepared under the di- 

 rection of Daisy Ridgway, the museum's Public Affairs Spe- 

 cialist, was awarded a 1994 "Addy Award." 



The museum's "Advisory Commission," chaired by former 

 postmaster general Winton Blount, conducted its third an- 

 nual meeting in 1994. This 15 member commission, which in- 

 cludes historians, educators, civic leaders, philatelists and 

 government officials, furnishes outside advice, recommenda- 

 tions, and support, in connection with the programs and oper- 

 ations of the museum. 



Another group composed of more than two dozen business 

 leaders from the mailing industry was established in 1994 to 

 advise the museum on exhibitions and public programs. 

 Known as the "Director's Council," this group is headed by 

 former postmaster general Paul Carlin. The group, which 

 meets twice a year, includes, among others, representatives 

 from Pitney Bowes, Avery Dennison, Book-of-the-Month, 

 Readers Digest, Rodale Printing, DynCorp, Westinghouse, 

 Weigh-Tronix, Meredith Publishing, Franklin Mint, ADVO, 

 Inc., Mail Advertising Services Association International, En- 

 velope Manufacturers Association of America, and the Na- 

 tional Postal Forum. 



Currently, three members of the staff, including Nancy 

 Pope and Joseph Geraci, are involved with the preparation of 

 six manuscripts for future publication. Forthcoming publica- 

 tions will focus on airmail service, horse-drawn postal vehi- 

 cles, postal inspector John Clum, postal architecture. Rural 

 Free Deliver)', and philately, as well as a book about the 

 museum. 



Staff also are involved in the creation of several upcoming 

 exhibits, including "Best Wishes: Holiday Greetings from the 

 White House," which highlights official Presidential greeting 

 cards from the Eisenhower to the Clinton Administration 

 This exhibit, which opens in November 1994, was made possi- 

 ble by a grant from Hallmark Cards, Inc. Another exhibit 

 that are being planned include "Codes and Computers." 

 which will examine the importance of postal automation and 

 is slated to open in 1997. Additional forthcoming exhibit that 

 are being planned includes "You've Never Looked Smarter." 

 an examination of the ways greeting cards reflect changing 



attitudes of women's roles in society, and "Are We There 

 Yet?" a whimsical look at the American summer vacation ex- 

 perience as seen through post cards. 



National Museum of the American Indian 



W. Richard West Jr., Director 



The National Museum of the American Indian is an institu- 

 tion of living culture dedicated to the preservation, study, and 

 exhibition of the life, languages, literature, history, and arts of 

 the Native peoples of the Western Hemisphere. Its formal 

 mission statement is to recognize and affirm to Native com- 

 munities and che non-native public the historical and contem- 

 porary culture and cultural achievements of the natives of the 

 Western Hemisphere by advancing — in consultation, collabo- 

 ration, and cooperation with natives — knowledge and under- 

 standing of native cultures. The museum has a special 

 responsibility, through innovative public programming, re- 

 search, and collections, to protect, support, and enhance the 

 development, maintenance, and perpetuation of native cul- 

 tures and communities. 



Activities during the year were directed toward fulfilling 

 that mission with primary focus on the development and prep- 

 aration of exhibitions and public programming for the open- 

 ing of the permanent site of National Museum of the 

 American Indian in New York City on Oct. 30. Three ma|or 

 exhibitions will mark the opening of the museum's George 

 Gustav Heye Center in lower Manhattan. 



"Creation's Journey: Masterworks of Native American Iden- 

 tity and Belief will feature 165 objects selected for their 

 beauty, rarity and historical significance, and representation of 

 diverse cultures. With objects from tribal groups from North, 

 Central and South America, and dates ranging from 3200 B.C. 

 to the 20th century, the exhibition is an artistic statement in 

 itself, but with a multivoiced perspective that includes anthro- 

 pologists, curators, historians, scholars and native peoples. 



"All Roads Are Good: Native Voices on Life and Culture" 

 features more than 300 objects chosen by 23 Native American 

 selectors, who were asked to select items from the museum's 

 collection that were of artistic, cultural and person signifi- 

 cance. Responses to the process and the objects were recorded 

 on more than 140 hours of audio and videotape that are the 

 sources of the labels that accompany the objects. "All Roads 

 Are Good" exemplifies the museum's mandate for interpreta- 

 tion by indigenous peoples with first person insights and sen- 

 sitivities to a worldview that places the objects along a 

 continuum of living culture. 



"This Path We Travel: Celebrations of Contemporary Na- 

 tive American Creativity" is a unique collaborative exhibition 

 featuring the collective and individual talents of 1$ contempo- 

 rary Native American artists. In an exhibition combining in- 



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