Image courtesy of Smithsonian Archives

We had to sift through nearly 150 entries for the contest, many of them involving Tom Cruise, foot soldiers or exaggerated German accents, but we’ve finally crowned our winner.

“Stupid mannequins. ‘Nougat filling,’ my a**.”

Kudos to Kevin for his winning submission, which he submitted just a few hours before the deadline.

So what’s actually going on in the picture above? It’s a 1976 photo of an exhibits specialist and a museum curator adjusting mannequins to fit into historic uniforms for display at the National Air and Space Museum. Since the uniforms are historically accurate, they cannot be altered to fit the mannequins; consequently, the mannequins are altered to fit the uniforms.

Out there in reader-land, let us know what you think.

George Washington (ca. 1803) by William Winstanley. Image courtesy of the American Art Museum.

George Washington: He was the first President of the United States and an accomplished military man, serving in both the French and Indian War and the American Revolution. This founding father—and father of our nation—was also an adoptive parent. After marrying the widow Martha Dandridge Custis, he helped her care for her two children, John (“Jacky”) and Martha (“Patsy”), as if they were his own. Unfortunately, both Patsy and Jacky would die young, with Jacky leaving behind a wife and four children. After his wife remarried, their two youngest kids, Eleanor and George, went to live with George and Martha at Mount Vernon. Face it, George Washington has “daddy” written all over him.

Charles Darwin (ca. 1882) by Ernest Edwards. Image courtesy of Smithsonian Libraries.

Charles Darwin: Unlike most Victorian-era fathers, Charles Darwin was very attentive to his children. ”To all of us,” one of his daughters later wrote, “he was the most delightful play-fellow, and the most perfect sympathizer. Indeed, it is impossible adequately to describe how delightful a relation his was to his family, whether as children or in their later life.” He also traveled the world over and championed one of the most revolutionary—and hotly debated—scientific theories: evolution, arguing that all species have a common ancestor and, over time, genetically adapt to their environment. This is the historical pop you want if you love science, adventure and to being tucked in at night.

Frank Lloyd Wright (1931) by Peter A. Juley & Son. Image courtesy of the American Art Museum.

Frank Lloyd Wright: This is the guy who revolutionized our notions of architecture and built some of the most awe-inspiring buildings that dot the American landscape. However, based on his 1932 autobiography, Wright seems to have a perfectly ambivalent attitude toward domestic life, writing, “I hated the sound of the word papa.” John Lloyd Wright, one of Frank’s seven children, has rosier remembrances of dear ol’ dad: “He performed all the functions of fatherhood, only he performed them differently,” John wrote. “He took no personal interest in my religious or academic training. But when it came to luxuries and play, he tenderly took my hand and led the way.” (John would go on to make a landmark contribution to the world of architecture by inventing Lincoln Logs in 1916.) If you think you could get along with a brilliant—albeit spoiled and bratty—father, Wright is the way to go.

Bill Cosby: This man wrote the book on fatherhood. Literally. He also comes with a sensible assortment of sweaters and a lifetime supply of Jell-O pudding. Who could ask for anything more? A standup comedian who later lent his boundless talents to television shows like I Spy, Fat Albert and, of course, The Cosby Show, Cosby also earned a doctorate degree in education and has a host of honorary degrees to his credit. If you want someone smart, funny, talented, dessert-savvy and who has an all-around tender loving way about him, Cosby will be a perfect fit for you. Unfortunately, the collections lack any Cosby artifacts, but we just couldn’t have done this poll without including pop culture’s quintessential father figure. So please, Bill, take the hint and call the Smithsonian!

Image courtesy of Smithsonian Archives

So what is the true identity of that tic tac precariously teetering on stilts? A quick glance at its driver’s license reveals it to be a Van de Graaf accelerator. Not too familiar with those? Any childhood memories of placing your hands on those metal spheres in science museums and then having your hair stand on end? Well, it’s kind of similar to one of those, except on a much larger scale. And this one happened to be installed in Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History’s Atom Smashers: Fifty Years exhibition back in 1977.

We received nearly 250 entries for the contest, with many entries riffing on the old chicken/egg debate and others referencing the television shows “My Favorite Martian” and “Mork and Mindy.” Our favorite, the Editor’s Pick selection for what we thought was the funniest and most clever:

“Here you are, Frank. Now you’re all set for the Digital Television Transition.“

A hearty Smithsonian thanks to David King for submitting the entry.

What do you think was the best entry? Vote now, or forever hold your peace.

Panda at play or new-age birthing method? You decide. Photograph by Jessie Cohen, courtesy of the National Zoo.

UPDATED, MAY 20: The zoo announced today that unfortunately, Mei Xiang, experienced a pseudo or false pregnancy. On the plus side, this means the indoor part of the Panda Habitat will re-open as of today, so get yourself to the zoo!

What will it take for Mei Xiang, the National Zoo’s celebrity panda, to get a visit from Mr. Stork. Logistically speaking, the Zoo’s birdhouse is less than a quarter mile hike to the panda habitat, so why the resident storks are holding out on dropping off a bundle of joy at Mei’s humble home is beyond comprehension. Is there an avian conspiracy afoot?

So, with non-traditional means of getting a baby off the table, we must rely on science—and at the moment, the Zoo’s veterinarians are keeping a close watch on Mei’s hormone levels. Progestin levels began to drop in early May, and when they baseline, we’ll either see a new cub or we won’t. Until then, Mei is playing it cool. No baby showers, no shopping sprees for binkies and onesies. However, her habitat has been closed off until further notice, which does nothing but make her adoring public wonder if they’ll hear the pitter patter of panda paws once again. So, what do you think? Take our poll below!

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Sunday marks the day when we show our appreciation to the mother (or mother-like entity) who has impacted our lives in a million and one wonderful ways. (We’re not in the habit of celebrating familial dysfunction—so keep whatever mommie issues you have tucked away in the closet for a day.) With our minds focused on all things maternal, we here at ATM started thinking: what awesome moms are hanging out at the Smithsonian? Here is a short list of notable women whose presence graces the halls and walls of the museums. Who is your favorite mother in the bunch? Is there one you’d like to have tucking you in at night? Take our poll and let’s chat in the comments area below! Here are our four historical mothers competing for your affection:

Abigail Smith Adams (1804) by Raphaelle Peale. Image courtesy of the National Portrait Gallery.

Abigail Adams: A first-rate First Lady, Adams was a self-educated avid reader with a razor wit. Her husband, John Adams, was away for extended periods of time (forming a nation, after all, isn’t the simplest thing in the world to do), which left her at home alone to tend to a farm and raise and educate her four children—including future president John Quincy Adams. A consummate entertainer, patriot and a proponent of women’s rights (her entreaties to the continental Congress to “remember the ladies” and provide women more legal rights went unheeded), Abigail Adams is one hardcore mamma.

Portrait of Marie Curie (1934). Image courtesy of the Smithsonian Institution Libraries.

Marie Curie: The two-time Nobel Prize-winning Mother of Modern Physics was also the only person to mother another Nobel Prize winner (Irene Curie). Together with her husband, Pierre, the Curies isolated polonium and radium and spent their lives studying the properties of these radioactive elements—namely for their therapeutic properties. She was held in high esteem by the scientific community and received numerous awards and accolades. If you have a deep-rooted love of science—or if you happen to enjoy someone with a glowing personality—this may be the hypothetical mother for you.

Josephine Baker (1926). Image courtesy of the National Portrait Gallery.

Josephine Baker: Born in America, Baker made her mark in France as an entertainer and a participant in the French Underground during World War II (for which she earned the Croix de Guerre and Legion of Honor service medals) and was a lifelong civil rights activist. She also adopted 12 multi-ethnic children who lived with her in her 15th-century castle. Dubbed “The Rainbow Tribe,” it was Baker’s way of showing the world that people of all ethnic backgrounds could live together in peace and love. If you’re a wild child with a hardcore sense of self, you two would be like two peas in a pod.

Joan Crawford (1932) by Joseph Grant. Image courtesy of the National Portrait Gallery.

Joan Crawford: The Hollywood icon who starred in classic films such as Mildred Pierce and What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? is perhaps best remembered for playing glamorous, fiery characters. And there’s just no imitating her style: those drastically arched eyebrows, wide mouth and shoulder pads. Crawford later became the subject of the book Mommie Dearest, a scathing portrait written by her adopted daughter Christina. If you’re a glamour puss who hates hanging your $300 clothes on wire hangers, you two will get along swimmingly.

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Image courtesy of Smithsonian Archives

The votes have been counted and the winner is:

“He couldn’t hide all the skeletons in his closet.”

Thank you T. Faundo for submitting the top entry.

Besides our admiration, the winner receives a free subscription to Smithsonian.com. Log on anytime, along with all the rest of you.

Think the closets in the photo makes the winning caption just so-so? Vote for your favorite entry below:

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In case you were curious, the man in the photo is T. Dale Stewart. He was captured on October 3, 1950, attending to his day to day duties as a physical anthropology curator at the National Museum of Natural History.

Stewart was a familiar face at the Smithsonian Institution from 1924 until his death at 96-years-old in 1997. According to his obituary in the New York Times, in 1960, Stewart “reported that evidence had been found that early modern man had lived side by side with Neanderthals in the Middle East.” A point that has not been solidly proven, but is generally accepted in the scientific community.

The cabinets in the photograph still remain in the Smithsonian, containing thousands of skeletons collected by Stewart and his successors.

Current AFV host, Tom Bergeron, and donated artifacts

It was a perfect site to host a donation ceremony. In a grand room with burgundy wallpaper, wood paneling and gold chandeliers, men and women dressed to the nines milled about and quietly chattered, ignoring the camera crew and rapid-fire photography flash, in anticipation of the morning’s big event at the National Museum of American History. After a few opening remarks from Melinda Machado, associate director of the museum, the lights dimmed for a brief screening of movie clips to introduce the objects about to join America’s reliquary.

A woman stuck in a dishwasher. A wiener dog running around a back yard with a live firecracker in its mouth. A nun catching a wedding bouquet. And then there were a number of clips involving unfortunate incidents with a piñata stick hitting some poor guy in the groin.

That’s right kids. The Smithsonian now lends its gravitas to America’s Funniest Home Videos, which is currently enjoying its 20th season on the air.

Perhaps not the stuff of high art (although Homer Simpson will challenge you on that score), the series offers a very unique perspective on the human condition. “Humor and the ability to laugh at ourselves is an essential part of the American character,” said Dwight Blocker Bowers, curator of popular culture at the museum.

If you somehow have managed to never see the show, home videos are screened before a live studio audience who then votes to decide which is the funniest, which in turn scores the winning videographer $10,000. The artifacts donated to the Smithsonian include the first ever video to win from the very first episode, as well as the camcorder used to film it, and one of the audience voting machines.

Producer Vin Di Bona saw home videos as small documentaries of American life that tap into the foibles and pratfalls that everyone has experienced. After the ABC network decided to pursue the idea, ads were placed in magazines and on Good Morning America, asking people to send in their tapes. Di Bona received about 150 to 200 tapes a day after that, which was plenty for a pilot.

America’s Funniest Home Videos premiered Thanksgiving weekend 1989, while the East Coast was in the throes of a snowstorm—which meant that plenty of people were bundled up at home to tune in.

After the airing, Di Bona began receiving about 36 mail bags of videotapes a day. “We’re about capturing America in a funny vein,” Di Bona said. “And I still don’t know why people buy trampolines after watching our show.”

So, as I’m sure avid watchers of the show know, there have been various incarnations of the program over the years. And by various, I mean three.

After you’re through with our poll, what are your favorite AFV clips?

Concept design submitted by Diller Scofidio + Renfro in association with Kling Stubbins.

The Smithsonian Institution has revealed the six architectural designs vying to become the National Museum of African American History and Culture. The concepts—from boxy to spiral-shaped (like the inside of a conch shell, really), geometric to organic—certainly run the gamut. And there’s no shortage of special features, like outdoor amphitheaters, panoramic windows showcasing views of other monuments and roof gardens. (See photo gallery) The designs, photographs and models are on display at the Smithsonian Castle until April 16.

A jury, headed by the museum’s director Lonnie Bunch, will be selecting the winning design in mid-April. Construction of the museum, which will be located on a five-acre plot near the National Museum of American History and the Washington Monument, is scheduled to begin in 2012 and be completed by 2015.

In the meantime, we want to hear what you think. View the designs and let us know your favorite in the poll below.

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Okay, so we’re a little late in announcing the winner of our caption writing contest. (Sorry! Even we get a little sidetracked from time to time.) To refresh our heads, here is the photo:

The subject of our second caption writing contest

And here is the winning caption: “After the success of the Horse, the Greeks decided to try the Trojan Hippo,” by Christine. Congratulations Christine! You have won water cooler bragging rights!

So, what is really going on in this picture?

Old Mom was a 5,000 pound hippo who lived at the National Zoo and departed this world on February 4, 1930. Taxidermist William L. Brown (above, far right) had been observing and sketching Old Mom for a period of twenty years before he was faced with the daunting task of tanning and preparing a hippo for museum exhibition. Old Mom went on display in 1934 and this buxom beauty can still be seen at the Natural History Museum—not to mention the January 2003 issue of Smithsonian.

What did you think of our contestants for this caption writing contest? Here are our top four picks. Vote for which one you think should have nabbed the top spot.

Got pipes? The National Museum of American History, with USA Weekend magazine as a cohort, is hosting a Star-Spangled Banner singing contest. Entering is easy. All you have to do is visit the contest Web site, join the YouTube Group and submit a video of your performance by April 13. (Videos have to be less than two minutes, so I guess you have to keep the Mariah Carey runs to a minimum, people.)

The difficult part is the singing. With a sprawling range of one and a half octaves, the Star-Spangled Banner isn’t the easiest national anthem to sing. But if you’re up for the challenge, it may be worth the booty. Videos will be judged based on vocal performance, originality, accuracy and popularity on YouTube, and the Grand Prize winner will be flown, with a guest, to Washington, D.C., to perform the anthem at the museum and a Baltimore Orioles game on Flag Day, June 14. Two nights’ hotel accommodations, tickets and transportation to the baseball game and $400 spending money are also part of the deal.

Who knows, the contest could reveal the next (truly) American idol. Or, at the very least, it will make for some hilarious flops to email around the office.

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National Parks Service employee James Hudson swabs at the ear of the statue at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. -- but surely you can come up with a better caption? -- Bettmann / Corbis

We loved your responses. Very funny. A couple of your captions made us laugh out loud. And in a couple cases, we liked it a lot, but it just wasn’t enough.

So if we may suggest, give yourselves all a pat on the back. And get yourselves to the bookstore to buy your own copy of Smithsonian‘s collector’s edition Lincoln magazine. The winner gets a free copy. Keep an eye out for future caption contests in the coming weeks.

The runners up are. Drum roll please.

1. This was not on my federally mandated performance plan. Neither was cleaning his nose. — Stephanie

2. Can you hear me NOW!! — winekey

3. How much is this going to cost me? I only have a penny. — Stacey Guidry

And the winner is:

They named a WHAT after me!? And you say it seats six?

Way to go to Dave Youel. Let’s just hope the Lincoln Town Car doesn’t go the way of the dinosaur in this economy.

Which was your favorite?

Barack Obama by Shepard Fairey, copyright Shepard Fairey/ObeyGiant.com

So just when we thought our favorite bad boy street artist was settling down a bit, playing nice in support of a political candidate for the first time and going mainstream with his work now in the National Portrait Gallery and the Institute of Contemporary Art in Boston, Shepard Fairey, the artist behind the “Hope” image of President Obama, finds himself in trouble again.

An update: On February 4, the Associated Press claimed that he infringed copyright by cribbing a photograph of Obama taken by AP photographer Mannie Garcia in 2006. Fairey argues that the photo was merely a jumping off point for his piece, and that his work is protected by the Fair Use statute, which condones limited use of copyrighted material to make original art. (My question is if the AP feels this way, what took them so long to file the claim? The image has been plastered everywhere. They’re a little slow to the punch.)

Now, Fairey has sued the AP for the accusation. Oh, and to stoke the fires, the artist was arrested last Friday night in Boston for tagging his images on buildings. He left some 750 in waiting for a lecture he was scheduled to give that night at the ICA.

It’s been a topic of discussion here. I checked in with our photo editor Bonnie Stutski to hear her take on whether Fairey used the AP photo fairly.

“Copyright law has a lot of gray areas, and they can be resolved by negotiations between the parties or by a court case,” she says. “To me, it does seem like he should have gotten some permission from the AP or the photographer.”

Thomas Edison...with a fluorescent bulb? Photo Illustration: William Duke; Component Images: (Edison) Bettmann / Corbis; (Bulb) Thom Lang / Corbis

She pointed me to an article from a 2004 issue of The Picture Professional, a publication of the American Society of Picture Professionals (ASPP), in which Joel Hecker, a respected attorney in photography law, and Jane Kinne ASPP’s legal chair addressed the question of whether an artist’s rendering another’s image in a different medium is grounds for infringement. Hecker said that it is largely up to the lay observer and whether he or she considers the images too similar when compared side to side, and notes that altering say a black and white photo to color isn’t usually enough to deem the latter an original. But what about when the second work is only based on a portion cropped from the original image, as Fairey claims (and bloggers at Photo District News doubt)? Does that present a striking enough difference? There are so many questions. In the article, Kinne warns that “Skirting too close to the line in copyright is dangerous”—something Fairey is learning the hard way.

We here at Smithsonian like to play it safe. For a photo-illustration of Thomas Edison holding an energy-saving light bulb that accompanied Richard Conniff’s story “Let There be Light” in Smithsonian‘s May 2007 issue, for example, Stutski provided the illustrator with two stock images (one of Edison and one of the compact fluorescent lamp, or CFL) to combine, but first got permission and paid the stock agency to use the images as art reference.

We want to hear what you think.

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National Museum of American History

Visitors over the Thanksgiving holiday rocked the house over at the newly re-opened National Museum of American History. At one point on Friday, Nov. 28, access to the building had to be “pulsed,” in other words, you couldn’t get in, unless someone came out. Visitors gamely lined up on the National Mall to wait their turn.