The development of accessible elements in museum exhibitions is an important pursuit that needs a well-defined process. Educators at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, working with accessibility professionals and blind or low-vision user/experts, discovered the value of co-designing tactile models with the people who would eventually…

This year, as every year, was a period of change, innovation and great progress for the Smithsonian. Among many accomplishments, the Smithsonian marked an extraordinary milestone: the opening of the National Museum of African American History and Culture. This breathtaking museum gives proper place, now and forever, to a vital part of America's…

In 2015, the Smithsonian welcomed hundreds of thousands of people to the newly renovated Renwick Gallery (p. 6), their scientists peered to the edge of the black hole at the center of the Milky Way (p. 18), and their anthropologists helped identify the remains of leaders of the Jamestown colony (p. 28). The theme of this year's annual report is…

Two big milestones marked 2014 for the Smithsonian Institution. First, Dr. David Skorton was elected 13th Secretary. Academic leader, cardiologist, and musician, Dr. Skorton and his wife, Professor Robin Davisson, come to the Smithsonian from Cornell University. Dr. Skorton has served as Cornell's president since 2006 and holds academic…

At the Smithsonian, big questions are the common denominators that unite their museums, research centers, and programs. And curiosity is contagious. Today's small child who looks in awe at the big dinosaurs that once roamed the earth and wonders, "What happened?" might just be tomorrow's paleontologist. Among this year's stories is a…

MAJOR ADDRESSES AND SUMMARIES OF GROUP ACTIVITIES FROM FOUR CONFERENCES ON TEACHING SCIENCE IN THE JUNIOR COLLEGE ARE PRESENTED. THE PRESENT STATUS OF JUNIOR COLLEGE SCIENCE IS EXAMINED AND SUGGESTIONS ARE MADE FOR IMPROVEMENT. NEW APPROACHES TO PHYSICAL SCIENCE AND BIOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF THE SPACE PROGRAM ARE CONSIDERED. WORKING GROUP REPORTS…