How much is the Hope Diamond worth? Ask Smithsonian.

Our inquisitive readers are rising to the challenge we gave them last month. The questions are pouring in and we’re ready for more. Do you have any questions for our curators? Submit your questions here.

How much is the Hope Diamond worth? — Marjorie Mathews, Silver Spring, Maryland

That’s the most popular question we get, but we don’t really satisfy people by giving them a number. There are a number of answers, but the best one is that we honestly don’t know. It’s a little bit like Liz Taylor’s jewels being sold in December—all kinds of people guessed at what they would sell for, but everybody I know was way off. Only when those pieces were opened up to bidding at a public auction could you find out what their values were. When they were sold, then at least for that day and that night you could say, well, they were worth that much. The Hope Diamond is kind of the same way, but more so. There’s simply nothing else like it. So how do you put a value on the history, on the fact it’s been here on display for over 50 years and a few hundred million people have seen it, and on that fact it’s a rare blue diamond on top of everything else? You don’t. – Jeffrey E. Post, mineralogist, National Museum of Natural History

What’s the worst impact of ocean acidification so far?- Nancy Schaefer, Virginia Beach, Virginia

The impacts of ocean acidification are really just starting to be felt, but two big reports that came out in 2011 show that it could have very serious effects on coral reefs. These studies did not measure the warming effect of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, but rather its effect of making the ocean more acidic when it dissolves in the ocean. Places where large amounts of carbon dioxide seep into the water from the sea floor provide a natural experiment and show us how ocean waters might look, say, 50 or 100 years from now. Both studies showed branching, lacy, delicate coral forms are likely to disappear, and with them that kind of three-dimensional complexity so many species depend on. Also, other species that build a stony skeleton or shell, such as oysters or mussels, are likely to be affected. This happens because acidification makes carbonate ions, which these species need for their skeletons, less abundant.

Nancy Knowlton, marine biologist
National Museum of Natural History

Art and artifacts from ancient South Pacific and Pacific Northwest tribes have similarities in form and function. Is it possible that early Hawaiians caught part of the Kuroshio Current of the North Pacific Gyre to end up along the northwest coast of America from northern California to Alaska? — April Croan, Maple Valley, Washington

Those similarities have given rise to various theories, including trans-Pacific navigation, independent drifts of floating artifacts, inadvertent crossings by ships that have lost their rudders or rigging, or whales harpooned in one area that died or were captured in a distant place. Some connections are well-known, like feather garment fragments found in an archaeological site in Southeast Alaska that appear to have been brought there by whaling ships that had stopped in the Hawaiian Islands, a regular route for 19th-century whalers. Before the period of European contact, the greatest similarities are with the southwest Pacific, not Hawaii. The Kushiro current would have facilitated Asian coastal contacts with northwestern North America, but would not have helped Hawaiians. The problem of identification is one of context, form and dating. Most of the reported similarities are either out of their original context (which can’t be reconstructed), or their form is not specific enough to relate to another area’s style, or the date of creation cannot be established. To date there is no acceptable proof for South Pacific-Northwest Coast historical connections that predates the European whaling era, except for links that follow the coastal region of the North Pacific into Alaska.

William Fitzhugh, archeologist
Natural History Museum

Giants and patriots come in all forms, as seen in "Giant Demon Attacks a Ship," an Indian watercolor ca. 1775. Photo courtesy of the Freer and Sackler Galleries

Take a look at our photo gallery of giants and patriots in the Smithsonian Institution.

In honor of Super Bowl Sunday, we’ve come up with our own contest of “giants” and “patriots.” A disclaimer, though: it has nothing to do with football. We’ve combed through archives and collections across the Smithsonian Institution to come up with a unique set of patriots and giants for you to check out to get ready for the game.

If you’re a Giants fan, we’ve got everything from giant pandas to giant sequoias to “Elaganeek: the Eskimo Giant.” “Giant’s Thumb,” a 1926 woodcut by Howard Cook in the American Art Museum, depicts one of the artist’s favorite natural spots in New Mexico, his adopted home.

For New England fans, though, the Smithsonian is filled with patriots both real and invented. Uncle Sam, of course, is the country’s iconic patriot, but real-life figures like George Washington and Samuel Adams were the original embodiments of patriotism during the birth of the country. The concept of patriotism is so powerful that the U.S. military has named missiles after it.

“Giant Demon Attacks a Ship,” an Indian watercolor painted by a Jain artist sometime around 1775, is the one piece that Giants fans might interpret as a good omen for the game. In the painting, a large blue demon seems poised to destroy a British ship, filled with sailors dressed not so differently from the Patriots original mascot, Pat Patriot. Watch on Sunday to see how the real life matchups turns out.

Take a guided tour of the universe in the Air and Space Museum's portable planetarium. Image courtesy of Air and Space.

Friday, February 3 Under the Stars

Explore the night sky up close from the Air and Space Museum’s observatory with astronomers and astronomy educators who will guide you through the different planets and constellations of the winter sky. Then zoom out for a view of the universe in the museum’s inflatable planetarium. $25 general admission, $20 for members. 8:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Air and Space Museum.

Saturday, February 4 Black History Month Family Day

Celebrate the start of Black History Month with performances including the blues stylings of “Guitar Man” Warner Williams and a puppet show, Can You Spell Harlem? Plus, learn the art of step in a workshop by the Taratibu Youth Association step performers. After the festivities end, head over to the McEvoy Auditorium for a screening of Chris Rock’s documentary, Good Hair. Free. 11:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Film screening at 3:30 p.m. National Portrait Gallery and American Art Museum.

Sunday, February 5 The Big Sleep

Classic film noir The Big Sleep is breaking in the American History Museum’s brand new Warner Brothers Theater on Sunday. First, join NPR film commentator Murray Horwitz for a pre-screening discussion of historical tidbits and elements to pay attention to in the film. Afterward, let private eye Phillip Marlowe (Humphrey Bogart) lead you through a whirlwind of blackmail, murder and love in this 1946 masterpiece. Free. Pre-film talk at 1:00 p.m. Screening starts at 2:00 p.m. Warner Brothers Theater, American History Museum.

For a complete listing of Smithsonian events and exhibitions visit the goSmithsonian Visitors Guide. Additional reporting by Michelle Strange.

A still life from Annie Leibovitz's Pilgrimage, on view at the American Art Museum. Image courtesy of Annie Leibovitz/Contact Press Images.

Tuesday, January 24 Annie Leibovitz’s Pilgrimage

Renowned portrait photographer Annie Leibovitz comes to the American Art Museum to discuss her latest project, Pilgrimage, currently on view. Called an “icon-maker” by the New York Times, Leibovitz departs from her usual celebrity portraits to a deeply personal, largely unpeopled study of places and objects that have moved her over the years. Free. This event is sold out, but a stand-by line will be formed at 5:30 p.m. Talk starts at 7:00 p.m. McEvoy Auditorium, American Art Museum.

Wednesday, January 25 Profile America Forum on American Indian and Alaska Native Populations

At this forum, the U.S. Census Bureau will release a 2010 Census brief on the status of American Indian and Alaska Native populations across the country. Following the presentation, museum director Kevin Gover will moderate the discussion with an expert panel on the current social and economic impact of the American Indian and Alaska Native populations. Free. 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. Museum of the American Indian.

Thursday, January 26 Flights of Fancy

In the latest program of the Air and Space Museum’s Flights of Fancy story series, kids of all ages will learn about the historic 1969 flight of Apollo 11 in a story-telling of Moonshot: The Flight of Apollo 11 by Brian Floca. Free. 11 a.m., repeating Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Air and Space Museum.

For a complete listing of Smithsonian events and exhibitions visit the goSmithsonian Visitors Guide. Additional reporting by Michelle Strange.

Now that you’ve probably burned through the lists of historians, innovators, and food-writers to follow this year, we’re bringing it back home to the Smithsonian. As always, the Mall is cooking up some fascinating, crazy, and sometimes grotesque stuff for 2012. Bookmark these people and projects to keep up with this year:

Nicholas Pyenson: Pyenson studies and curates fossils of marine mammals. Get a feel for what is going on inside his lab and follow his team into the field—fresh from an expedition in Chile—at his blog, Pyenson Lab.

Postal Museum: Time for a pop quiz: A “hamper dumper” is:

a) machine in postal processing

b) bin of misprint stamps

c) failed mail vehicle

d) philatelic tool.

If you know the answer, you should be following the Postal Museum (@postalmuseum) for their daily #PostalQuiz and other philatelic factoids.

Biodiversity Heritage Library: As part of the Biodiversity Heritage Library consortium, the Smithsonian Libraries collects and digitizes biodiversity research for open online access—essentially, a bio-wiki. Check out @biodivlibrary for the species of the day: plants that eat worms, albino penguins and other bizarre creatures you never knew existed.

Archives of American Art Pinterest: The American Art Pinterest lets you browse the archives and “pin” the images you like to your virtual board. Mix and match from collections like “facial hair of note” and “ain’t no party like an artist’s party.”

Book Dragon: The Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Program’s Book Dragon is the pet project of former APA Media Arts Consultant Terry Hong, featuring reviews of “books for the multi-cultural reader.” Hong highlights literature for kids and adults alike that speaks to the Asian American experience. Follow her at @SIBookDragon.

Smithsonian Vids: For a moving view of the Institution, follow @SmithsonianVids. Meet a scientist studying frog-eating bats, or get a video tour of Smithsonian Folkways Recordings from Grateful Dead drummer Mickey Hart.

Smithsonian Marine Station: This Natural History Museum field station, located in Fort Pierce, Florida, tweets news updates and photos from the field (er, coral reef) @SmithsonianSMS. Plus, there’s #followfriday trivia every week.

Field Book Project: Also, from the Natural History Museum and the Smithsonian Institution Archives check out this blog, where researchers post updates on their initiative to compile an online database of field books and journals documenting biodiversity research. Besides progress updates, you’ll also find excerpts of century-old field notes from explorers, birdwatchers and scientists (including lots of fun, old-timey sketches) and learn a lot more than you ever thought there was to know about indices.

Encyclopedia of Life: Take your best shot and enter the picture in the Smithsonian’s Encyclopedia of Life Flickr photo contest. The bi-weekly contest could be (and has been) any theme from “backyard life” to “sexual dimorphism.” Even if you don’t enter, be sure to browse the entries for gems like this.

And of course, if you’re not following them already, the museums are always Tweeting up a storm. Here’s the checklist:

American Indian Museum: @SmithsonianNMAI

National Portrait Gallery: @npg

American Art Museum: @americanart

Anacostia Community Museum: @anacostiamuseum

American History Museum: @amhistorymuseum

Air and Space Museum: @airandspace

Museum of Natural History: @NMNH

Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden: @hirshhorn

Freer and Sackler Galleries: @FreerSackler

Museum of African Art: @NMAfA

National Zoo: @NationalZoo

Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum: @cooperhewitt

Smithsonian: @Smithsonian

Come see the ZooLights holiday festival on January 1st. Photo courtesy of the National Zoo.

Friday, December 30 Treasures at the Museum

Treasures at the Museum, by Deborra Richardson, chief archivist of the American History Museum, is a chapter book that introduces children to archives through the imaginative journey of young characters Robbie and Brittany. On Friday, come meet the author and have a copy of the book autographed. A terrific gift idea for children in grades K-4, this book is sure entice young readers to the preservation of history. Free. 2 to 4 p.m. American History Museum, Archives Center, 1st Floor West

Saturday, December 31 Flights of Fancy

Bring children of all ages to the Air and Space Museum‘s Flights of Fancy story series. Museum staff read tales of legendary aviators, hot-air balloons and space exploration, and each session also includes a hands-on art activity. This week, the book is Comets, Stars, the Moon and Mars, a collection of space poetry and paintings by Douglas Florian. Free, with sessions at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Air and Space Museum.

Sunday, January 1 Last Day of ZooLights

This New Year’s Day, visit the Zoo for your last chance to see Zoo Lights until the next holiday season. The nighttime holiday festival features light displays, special animal exhibits, entertainment and the Zoo’s new “iceless” skating rink featuring a high-tech acrylic material. Come to the area’s only free holiday light show and enjoy an extensive LED display illuminating the trees, walkways and buildings, along with life-size animal light silhouettes. 5 to 9 p.m. National Zoo.

For a complete listing of Smithsonian events and exhibitions visit the goSmithsonian Visitors Guide. Additional reporting by Michelle Strange.

The cover and record "The Sounds of Earth," included aboard the Voyager 1 and 2 probes. Photos courtesy of the Air and Space Museum.

If, billions of years from now, extraterrestrials were to come across one of our far-flung interstellar space probes, what could they learn of us? In the 1970s, as NASA prepared to send its first probes beyond the distant reaches of the solar system, this was the question that worried renowned scientist and author Carl Sagan.

Sagan, who died 15 years ago on this day, was enormously influential in a number of ways—he was a prolific researcher and publisher of articles on planetary science, and his books and popular PBS series Cosmos inspired a generation with the remarkable discoveries of astronomy and astrophysics. But his most long-lasting and significant impact might indeed be the time capsule he placed on the NASA probes: a gold-plated record titled “The Sounds of Earth.”

“From the beginning, Sagan was a strong believer in the probability that there is intelligent life out there,” says Jim Zimbelman, a geologist at the Air and Space Museum, which holds a replica of the gold record in its collection. “And because of that, he said, ‘Look, these are the first man-made objects to leave the solar system. What if someone finds them?’”

Sagan was instrumental in having small metal plaques attached to Pioneers 10 and 11, the first probes to leave the solar system, that would theoretically indicate to extraterrestrials the origin of the probe if ever discovered. But for Voyagers 1 and 2—a pair of spacecraft designed to survey Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune—he and others wanted something more comprehensive: a record of images and sounds that would represent the diversity of the human experience.

Sagan initiated the decision to put a time capsule of humanity aboard the Voyager space probes. Photo courtesy of NASA.

“How do you do that—how do you capture the world in the a few pictures? That was the challenge,” says Zimbelman. ”On the selection panel, they included historians, artists and people specializing in literature. They just wanted to get a smattering of human culture preserved on the record.” Sagan chaired the committee and presided over the selection process.

Ultimately, 116 images and sounds made it through the selection process and were included on “The Sounds of Earth.” “There are hundreds of digitized images on there, of everything from tribal peoples in Africa to a modern city,” Zimbelman says. Greetings were recorded in 55 different languages, and accompanied by a diverse musical selection with everything from Bach to traditional Peruvian music to Chuck Berry.

Perhaps even more difficult than selecting content for the record was devising a way to help distant, unimaginable life forms figure out how to play it. “The scientists all agreed that they needed to use some timing feature that was not only here on earth, or even in the solar system,” Zimbelman says.

The panel decided to base the speed at which the record should be rotated upon a characteristic of the hydrogen atom. “The atom can be in two different states, and when it transitions from one to the other, it happens in a characteristic time period—its a very small fraction of a billionth of a second,” Zimbelman says. Inscribed upon the metal cover of the record is a series of diagrams that attempt to communicate playing instructions based on this timing. Although critics have argued that extraterrestrials would find these pictures utterly mystifying, they represent the best attempts by scientists to convey information without using any language or conventions of human culture.

At the Air and Space Museum, a full-scale replica of the two Voyager spacecrafts is on view in the Exploring the Planets gallery, and an interactive display allows visitors to see some of the images and hear some of the sounds included on the golden record. Parts of the replica were used in pre-engineering tests before the probes were launched.

Meanwhile, more than 34 years after their 1977 launches, the Voyagers are still in the early stages of their journeys, hurtling through limitless space with the gold records safely aboard. After flying by the outer planets of the solar system, they are now traveling beyond its outer reaches—Voyager 1 is 120 times further from the sun than Earth is, and Voyager 2 is about 98 times further.

Given enough time, they just might reach other star systems and perhaps even other planets. And if extraterrestrial life forms happen upon them, thanks to Sagan, they just might be able to learn a little bit about life on earth. But, Zimbelman cautions, we need not hold our breath—nothing is happening anytime soon. ”Voyager 1 will get within a light year of a star about 400,000 40,000 years from now,” says Zimbelman. “It’s very, very long-term.”

Join curators to learn about "Pair of Prickly Pairs" as part of a gallery talk. Photo courtesy of the Renwick Gallery

Monday, December 19 Fly Me To Mars

Author and illustrator Catherine Weitz’ award-winning children’s book Fly Me To Mars tells the story of wayward planet on a fantasy journey. Weitz, a senior scientist at the Planetary Science Institute, focuses on Mars geology in her research. Come meet Dr. Weitz and have your copy of the book signed in time for the holidays. Free. 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Air and Space Museum, at the entrance to the museum store.

Tuesday, December 20 Holiday Arts and Crafts

Join museum staff for a morning of arts and craft making with a holiday theme. Participants will have their own chance to create memorable ornaments with materials provided by the museum. Free; please call 202 633 4844 to make reservations. 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Anacostia Community Museum, program room.

Wednesday, December 21 American Craft Masterpieces

As part of the Renwick’s monthly gallery talks series, experts discuss the masterpieces in small, intimate groups. This month, join Rebecca Robinson as she provides insight into Jon Eric Riis’ Pair of Prickly Pairs. Riis is an internationally-known tapestry artist whose intricate works often incorporate precious materials such as metallic and silk threads. Pair of Prickly Pairs was acquired by the museum in 2001 and features an unusual cactus-like roughness on the surface of the fruits that was produced with the incorporation of glass seed beads into the work. Free. 12 p.m. Renwick Gallery, first floor lobby.

Thursday, December 22 Butterfly Pavilion

Come out of the chill of winter and discover a tropical oasis in the middle of the Mall. Located next to the “Butterflies + Plants: Partners in Evolution” exhibit at the Natural History Museum, the Butterfly Pavilion is home to hundreds of rare butterflies and exotic plants from all over the world. Tickets are required, and can be purchased in person at the Butterfly Pavilion Box Office or online. $6 for adults, $5.50 for seniors (60+), $5 for children (2 to 12), and $5 for members. Natural History Museum, 2nd Floor West, open 10:15 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily.

For a complete listing of Smithsonian events and exhibitions visit the goSmithsonian Visitors Guide. Additional reporting by Michelle Strange.

See the 2010 Thai hit "Eternity" at the Freer Gallery. Photo courtesy of the Freer Gallery.

Friday, December 9 Eternity

See the 2010 Thai film Eternity, a critically lauded love story that won the Tiger Award at the 2011 International Film Festival Rotterdam. The organizers of the festival call the film “atmospheric, but also poetic and philosophical, or maybe better: spiritual…past and present go hand-in-hand like passionate lovers.” The screening will be introduced by professor Justin T. McDaniel of the University of Pennsylvania. Free. 7 p.m. Freer Gallery, Meyer Auditorium.

Saturday, December 10 Super Science Saturday

Come for a family-friendly day with hands-on activities in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Today’s event is themed around the Wright Brothers’ pioneering experiments in aviation. Demonstrations will offer the chance for visitors to participate and learn about the science behind these groundbreaking flights. Free, with a $15 parking fee per vehicle. 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Air and Space Museum Udvar-Hazy Center.

Sunday, December 11 Sara Daneshpour

Attend a live performance by Sara Daneshpour, the world-renowned concert pianist. Daneshpour, a DC native, studied at the Curtis Institute of Music as a protégé of Leon Fisher and is now pursuing her master’s at the Julliard School. As part of the museum’s Steinway Series, hear her perform the compositions of Franck, Scriabin and Prokofiev on the museum’s own Steinway Concert Grand model D piano. Free. 3 to 5 p.m. American Art Museum, McEvoy Auditorium.

For a complete listing of Smithsonian events and exhibitions visit the goSmithsonian Visitors Guide. Additional reporting by Michelle Strange.

Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-400 D. Photo by Jeffrey Milstein. Courtesy of the National Air and Space Museum.

As a kid growing up in California, Jeffrey Milstein loved to go to the Los Angeles International Airport to watch the planes come in. He quickly became obsessed with aircraft, building model airplanes and sweeping out hangars in exchange for flying lessons from a former Navy pilot. As a teenager, he earned his wings—a private pilot’s license.

Flying is a hobby for Milstein, not a profession, however. He studied art and architecture at the University of California at Berkeley and had a successful career as an architect and graphic designer. In the last decade, though, Milstein has concentrated his efforts on photography and, in doing so, has been able to work his love for aviation back into the fold.

“Returning to the airport approaches, this time behind a camera instead of a control column, he photographed aircraft at the precise moment when they passed overhead, inbound to land,” writes Walter J. Boyne, former director of the National Air and Space Museum in the foreword to Milstein’s 2007 book AirCraft: The Jet as Art.

Now, borrowing the same name as Milstein’s book, a new exhibition at the National Air and Space Museum through November 25, 2012, features 33 of Milstein’s formal portraits of the underbellies of airplanes. The images measure up to 50 by 50 inches.

“Milstein’s photographs of frozen moments evoke speed, technology and the excitement of flight,” said Carolyn Russo, curator of the exhibition, in a press release. “The enormity of the images seem to pull you into the air, as though you are going along for the ride.”

Capturing a plane traveling at up to 175 miles per hour at just the right moment and angle is no easy task. ”It’s like shooting a moving duck,” Milstein told msnbc.com. “The planes are moving so fast, and I have only a hundredth of a second to get my shot. I have to keep the camera moving with the plane and then fire the shot exactly at the top dead center. It took a lot of practice.” The photographer’s favorite place to shoot from is runway 24R at LAX. ”You have to find the right spot underneath the flight path. Not too far away and not too close. The plane can’t be coming in too high or too low, and if the wing dips a little bit to correct for wind, the symmetry will be unequal. It is just a matter of finding the ‘sweet spot’ so that the aircraft is lined up exactly in the camera’s frame,” he told Russo.

Then, in Photoshop, Milstein strips away the backgrounds of his photographs, replacing them with stark white backdrops as to not detract from the seams and detailing on the planes undersides. He blows them up in size and creates bold, photographic archival-pigment prints to sell and display in galleries.

“My first career was architecture, and if you think about it the way I am presenting the aircraft is really like architectural drawings,” said Milstein in a 2007 interview. Some describe the photographs as “clinical.” Russo has compared them to a collection of pinned butterflies. But, as Boyne puts it, Milstein allows the planes “to stand alone in all their stark, efficient, minimalist beauty.” Keyword: beauty. The way that Milstein presents the airplanes, they are eye candy for both aviation fanatics and art aficionados. His photographs cast airplanes as both marvels of engineering and masterpieces of art.

* For more of Milstein’s photographs, see Air & Space magazine’s story, “The Jet as Art.”

Learn about the entrepreneurs who operated the Mir Space Station in "Orphans of Apollo." Photo courtesy NASA

Friday, November 18 Moving Beyond Earth

Get updated on the potential for commercial space exploration. First, film director Michael Potter will present his groundbreaking 2008 documentary Orphans of Apollo, which tells the remarkable story of MirCorp, the entrepreneurs who briefly operated the Russian space station Mir as a business venture, launching the commercial space industry. A panel discussion will follow, featuring space venture capitalists, manufacturers of space equipment and Jeffrey Manber, former CEO of MirCorp. Free, but tickets required. 8 p.m. Air and Space Museum, Lockheed Martin IMAX Theater.

Saturday, November 19 Chile Festival

Celebrate Chile’s unique Mapuche culture at the American Indian Museum’s Chile Festival. The family-friendly weekend-long event features weaving demonstrations, roundtable discussions, traditional dancing and more. The festival will use ancient crafts and teachings to help visitors understand Mapuche culture and the concept of rakizuam, the traditional knowledge passed from generation to generation. Free. The festival takes place 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 pm. Thursday, November 17 through Sunday, November 20. American Indian Museum, Potomac Atrium.

Sunday, November 20 Exploring Colors

Gain a deeper understanding of the colors we see everyday at this fascinating workshop. Artist and scientist Peter Krsko of Albus Cavus, an innovative design group, will lead an examination of the meaning of color. The topic will be approached from biological, physical and artistic perspectives. Free, reservations requested at 202-633-4844. Anacostia Community Museum.

For a complete listing of Smithsonian events and exhibitions visit the goSmithsonian Visitors Guide. Additional reporting by Michelle Strange.

Come to Wednesday's panel discussion of works from "Multiplicity," such as Robert Bechtle's "Sunset Intersection." Photo courtesy American Art Museum

Monday, November 14 Tell Jemmeh: Ancient Cultures on the Negev

Noted Israeli archaeologist David Ben-Shlomo presents the findings of the Natural History Museum‘s archeological dig in the Negev Desert. The ancient settlement of Tell Jemmeh, located on the historical border between Canaan and Egypt, has yielded treasures such as a late Bronze Age building complex and a vaulted building from the Assyrian period. Shlomo will discuss the progress of the ongoing excavation. Tickets are $30 for Residents Associates members, $27 for senior members, and $40 for the general public. 6:45 to 8:30 p.m. Ripley Center

Tuesday, November 15 The Man Who Sailed Away

Come see Steve Johnson, a Native from Alaska’s Tlingit community, use imagery, drum and voice to tell a traditional story from his ancient culture. Tlingit legend holds that Kaaxachgook and two of his friends were once swept away by fierce winds to the waters of Polynesia, and landed on an island that may have been Hawaii. Bring the whole family for this engaging window into Tlingit culture. Tickets are $5 for Residents Associates members, $6 for children, and $8 for the general public. 10:15 a.m. American Indian Museum, Rasmuson Theater.

Wednesday, November 16 Multiplicity

DC-area print makers Linn Meyers, Michael Platt, Lou Stovall and Andrea Way are all featured in “Multiplicity,” a new exhibition of contemporary art. Join a panel discussion featuring these artists and moderated by senior curator Joann Moser to learn about their printmaking techniques and the influence on Washington’s art scene on their work. Free. 6 to 7 p.m. American Art Museum, McEvoy Auditorium.

Thursday, November 17 National Geography Awareness Week

Participate in National Geography Awareness Week to sharpen your own knowledge and promote geographic literacy in others. The Air and Space Museum celebrates with its annual “Geography From Space” competition, where participants are challenged to identify photos taken from satellites and the space shuttle. Take the test in person, or take the online version from Wednesday, November 16 through Friday, November 18. The winner will receive a copy of the museum’s fascinating book “Earth from Space.” In-person test will be held 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Air and Space Museum, “Looking at Earth” exhibition.

Join the opening festivities of the newly opened "A Song for the Horse Nation" exhibition. Photo by Ernest Amoroso, NMAI

Friday, October 28 Human Origins

As part of the HOT (Human Origins Today) Topics series, graduate students Jibril Hirbo and Felicia Gomez from the University of Pennsylvania will lead an informal discussion on the science behind human variation and its role in our species’ evolution. The talk will address disease, race and natural selection, and will be followed by a Q&A session with the experts. Free. 3 to 4 p.m. Natural History Museum, within the “Let’s Talk About RACE” exhibition, 1st floor.

Saturday, October 29 Air and Scare

Bring the whole family to go trick-or-treating in a Smithsonian museum. Arrive in costume ready to make crafts, see spooky science experiments and participate in other interactive Halloween activities. The Tot Zone is perfect for small children to play dress up and hear a story. Free, with $15 for parking. 2 to 8 p.m. Air and Space Museum, Udvar-Hazy Center, near Dulles International Airport.

Sunday, October 30 “A Song for the Horse Nation” Opening Festivities

The American Indian Museum celebrates the arrival of its newest exhibition, “A Song for the Horse Nation,” which examines the dynamic relationship between Native Americans and the horse. As part of the celebration, events will be held at both the museum and the Washington International Horse Show, outside the Verizon Center, with free shuttles running between the two locations. Activities start at 10 a.m. on both Saturday and Sunday, and will include war-pony painting demonstrations, storytelling, exhibition tours, pony rides, art lessons and more. The opening ceremony, at 3 p.m. on the 29th, will feature Crow equestrian Kennard Real Bird, as well as the D.C. Mounted Police. All activities are free. American Indian Museum‘s outdoor plaza and Verizon Center.

For a complete listing of Smithsonian events and exhibitions visit the goSmithsonian Online Visitors Guide. Additional reporting by Michelle Strange.

What if we could make masks to look like these models in the Natural History Museum's Hall of Human Origins? Artist: John Gurche. Photo by Chip Clark, NMNH.

In past years, our ATM team of bloggers has collectively pored over the Smithsonian’s collections to bring you museum-inspired costume ideas. Last year was a banner year for us, as we ginned up ideas for dressing as Carol Burnett in her curtain rod dress, from when she spoofed Gone With the Wind on her comedy show, and Abel the Monkey, who paved the way for human space flight. For a group costume, we went conceptual, suggesting you and six friends each wear a white t-shirt inscribed with one of the seven words in artist Lawrence Weiner’s “A RUBBER BALL THROWN ON THE SEA,” on display at the Hirshhorn.

This year, however, I decided to turn to the Institution’s resident experts—curators at the museums—for their insider’s insight. Here is what they suggest:

1. Man Ray’s Nut Girls

Melissa Ho, assistant curator at the Hirshhorn Museum, has had collage on the brain, as she has been busily working on an upcoming show of collage and assemblage works called “Over, Under, Next.” She suggests cobbling together a costume inspired by Man Ray’s 1941 photograph and mixed media collage, Nut Girls. In it, the American artist puts a walnut, in place of a head, on a cutout of one woman, and on another figure, the walnut covers the woman’s head and torso. “Carve a big walnut out of Styrofoam and slip on a romper,” says Ho.

Another idea for a costume party, she says, is to dress as Swiss sculptor Jean Tinguely’s The Sorceress (1961). “This is one of his motorized kinetic sculptures,” says Ho. “When turned on, it shakes and vibrates until its bits and pieces start to fall off—so perfect outfit for dancing!”

2. Dracula

According to Thomas Lera, the Winton M. Blout Chair in Research at the National Postal Museum, Dracula is the Halloween character that postal administrations around the world have depicted the most on stamps. In 1997, the U.S. Postal Service issued a “Classic Movie Monsters” stamp set, featuring five villains from Universal Studio films. Dracula was one. “As a special security feature, a process called ‘scrambled indicia’ was used, which overlaps symbols and images that are not seen by the naked eye when printed,” says Lera. “The Dracula stamp has three vampire bats in the blue background, which can only be seen by a precision optical device using elongated lenses called lenticules.” Lera suggests modeling a Dracula costume after this or the many other portrayals—a Canadian stamp honoring the 100th anniversary of Bram Stoker’s novel Dracula in 1997, a Samoan stamp from 2000 featuring the Sesame Street’s Count von Count and a British stamp from 2008 with actor Christopher Lee as Dracula commemorating the 50th anniversary of Hammer Horror Films.

3. Dr. John Jeffries

Seeking input from Smithsonian curators certainly brought some little-known characters to light. When I asked Tom Crouch, senior curator of aeronautics at the National Air and Space Museum, who or what he might be inspired to dress up as for Halloween, he was quick to answer Dr. John Jeffries. Who, you might ask? Jeffries is not exactly a household name, but his story may be an interesting one to tell at a party. On January 7, 1785, Jeffries flew the English Channel in a balloon with Pierre Blanchard, making him the first American to make a free flight. “He wore a great costume, which included a leopard skin hat to keep his head warm, a cork jacket to keep him afloat in case of a channel landing and a Jerry Seinfeld style ‘puffy shirt,’ complete with frilled cuffs, so that, I suppose, he would look good in the post-flight interviews,” says Crouch. NASM has the large barometer and thermometer that Jeffries carried with him in its collection. As it would have it, some pieces of the outfit are at Harvard’s Houghton Library, where his papers are kept. “Fortunately, some years ago my friend and Smithsonian curator of costume, Claudia Kidwell, studied the Jeffries garments and prepared patterns for them, so sewing up my costume would not be all that difficult,” says Crouch. Over three decades, Crouch has researched the life of Jeffries. “I could step right into the good doctor’s shoes and answer any questions that might arise,” he says.

4. Empress Dowager Cixi

Although he does not think he would make a convincing Empress Dowager, David Hogge, head of the archives at the Freer and Sackler galleries, offers it up as a suggestion to others. Empress Cixi reigned as sovereign of China for 45 years in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Nineteen portraits of her are currently on display in the exhibition “Power | Play: China’s Empress Dowager,” which Hogge curated, at the Arther M. Sackler Gallery, if you are in need of some inspiration. Empress Cixi wore her fingernails about an inch long, and on her third and pinky fingers, notes Hogge, she wore elaborate jeweled, gold filigreed fingernail protectors. “Those seem to give people the creeps,” says Hogge.

5. An Early Human

Rick Potts, curator of anthropology at the National Museum of Natural History, is a self-described Halloween fanatic. “What could be better than to skulk around the neighborhood or delight party-goers on Halloween night by dressing up as a realistic early human?” he says. “I wish I could turn some of the amazing visages in our Hall of Human Origins into masks.”

6. Annie Oakley

In 2007, the National Portrait Gallery purchased a photograph at an auction of sharpshooter Annie Oakley taken in 1885. “She was a cowgirl, known as “little sure shot” for her extraordinary ability to hit a moving target, most famously a small coin, even on horseback, all while maintaining ‘lady-like’ composure and elegance,” says Anne Collins Goodyear, associate curator of prints and drawings at the museum. “Wonderful inspiration for the imagination!” In the photograph, Oakley holds a rifle and is wearing a hat, blouse and fringed skirt with embroidered flowers.

7. Bob Dylan

Gail Davidson, head of the Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum’s department of drawings, prints and graphic design, considers Milton Glaser’s famous 1966 poster of singer Bob Dylan great costume fodder. Glaser, an artist and graphic designer, created the poster early in his career, to be included in the packaging of Dylan’s “Greatest Hits” LP. In terms of the poster’s composition, Glaser was influenced by a 1957 self-portrait by Marcel Duchamp. But, he gave it a psychedelic feel by adding bold colors to Dylan’s tousled hair. “I would dress up by dying my hair in wavelets of the different colors in the poster,” says Davidson.

8. A Zoo Animal…Take Your Pick

Cute baby animals born at the National Zoo are our bread and butter here at the ATM blog. But Craig Saffoe, the Zoo’s curator of Great Cats and Andean Bears, reminds us, “What’s cuter than an infant dressed as a full-maned lion?” Animals make fine costumes for adults too. Dressing as an endangered species gives one the opportunity to have an awesome costume and educate friends, notes Saffoe. There is also great potential for themed family costumes. “A mother and her infant could dress as a kangaroo and her joey, a banana and a monkey or a eucalyptus tree and a koala bear. A family could dress as a pride of lions, a gaggle of geese or a flock of flamingos. Whatever animal costume you choose, don’t forget you’ll need a zookeeper!” says the curator, whose son attended this year’s Boo at the Zoo event at the National Zoo in a zookeeper uniform.

The final landing of NASA's space shuttle program, at the Kennedy Space Center. Photo courtesy NASA

After 14 days in flight, the final mission of NASA’s Space Shuttle program landed at Kennedy Space Center on July 21. Yesterday, the four person crew of STS-135 was in town and stopped by the Air and Space Museum to talk about what it’s like to live in space and discuss the future of the space program. I trailed along and eavesdropped as the four talked to some visiting school groups and museumgoers.

The primary purpose of the flight—the last of 33 missions of the shuttle Atlantis—was to help transfer supplies to and from the International Space Station (ISS), and over the course of the ten days docked at ISS, the crew transferred roughly 10,000 pounds of cargo. “It was really hectic the entire time we were docked, just keeping track of what was going in and out” said Sandy Magnus, mission specialist on the flight.  “If you can imagine something the size of a football field in orbit, that’s the space station.”

Despite their busy schedule, the STS-135 crew made sure to have dinner together with the ISS astronauts every night. During the question and answer session, Chris Ferguson, the mission commander, said that the group ate everything from thermostabilized chicken and seafood gumbo to fresh foods like apples, crackers and peanut butter. “In space, peanut butter keeps everything in one place so you can pop it in your mouth,” he said. “It’s the ultimate space food.”

Even for a short mission, the crew said, finding time to exercise in space was crucial, because the body’s muscles otherwise atrophy in the absence of gravity. “If you stay in space for any long period of time, you have to exercise two hours per day,” said Magnus. They used treadmills, exercise bicycles and a simulated weight training system to stay fit. Even so, upon returning home, Magnus said “my balance was off. You approach a corner, and you’re not good at judging when to turn, so you hit the wall.”

The astronauts also found time to appreciate what a special opportunity they had, simply in being able to look down at the earth from such a great distance. “You have to look out the window when you’re in space,” said Doug Hurley, the mission’s pilot. He showed the audience a time-lapse video of the Aurora Australis, or southern lights, with green ribbons snaking across the globe rapidly, resembling something out of a CGI movie. “They’re just absolutely spectacular,” he said.

The trip marks the end of NASA’s shuttle era, which began 30 years ago with the Columbia, in 1981. Budgetary reasons and plans to design transport systems for missions past low-earth orbit—to the moon, asteroids or mars—meant the retirement of the shuttle was necessary. As the crew prepared to descend back to earth, they took a moment to reflect on being part of the final flight.

The crew of STS-135. Photo courtesy Air and Space Museum

“We couldn’t help but sit down and think about what the shuttle has done for the country,” Magnus said. Its contributions include radar mapping missions, earth observations and countless satellites and telescopes launched and serviced. The shuttle program was essential for constructing the International Space Station, in particular, carrying it up piece by piece on 37 different flights, Ferguson said. “We consider this to be the crowning jewel of the shuttle.”

On the final day of flight, the crew’s wake-up music was “God Bless America,” dedicated by NASA to “all the men and women who put their hearts and souls into the Shuttle program for all these years.” Ferguson reflected on being part of the last crew of this storied space program. “Part of it made me sad, but part of it made me feel extraordinarily proud to be part of the last mission.”

As the shuttle program is retired, NASA is at work planning future missions. Several commercial companies are designing transport systems for NASA to use to get to ISS; in the meantime, Russian rockets will be used to transport American astronauts to the space station. Meanwhile, attempts to reach destinations such as the moon or mars, Ferguson speculated, will be done with capsule-based systems, because trying to return from such distant locales requires speeds greater than a shuttle can safely withstand.

The astronauts encouraged the school children to follow their dreams into space by keeping an eye open for the right opportunities. “Our love, when we were youngsters, for things like science, space and rocketry was cultivated in places life this,” Ferguson said. “If you’re interested in what you see, we’re always looking for fantastic astronauts, mission controllers, engineers and people to build equipment.”

Although the shuttle is entering retirement, Ferguson assured the students that the capsule-based launch systems currently in development would mean that the need for astronauts would continue. Current plans indicate that the system will be ready by 2017 for unmanned missions, and 2020 for the first man missions. “This will be just in time,” he said, “for when you guys will be starting out as astronauts.”