Lillian Gish played a girl haunted by the wind of the western prairies in the 1928 silent film The Wind. On Sunday, see the film set to a live piano concert at the American Art Museum. Photo by Movie-Fan, courtesy of Flickr Creative Commons

Friday May 17: Modern art conservation: palimpsest

What does it take museums to conserve art projects that go beyond a painted picture? Ann Hamilton‘s palimpsest is an installation in the exhibition “Over, Under, Next: Experiments in Mixed Media, 1913-present” that takes up a small room, whose walls are covered in loosely hanging newsprint sheets with handwritten scrawls across them. In the middle is a glass case that contains two heads of cabbage being eaten by 20 snails. This afternoon, Conservator Gwynne Ryan discusses the conservation issues surrounding this challenging artwork. Free. 12:30 p.m. Hirshhorn Museum.

Saturday, May 18: The art of Japanese pouch-books

The Japanese “pouch-book” was a common format used for novels, romances and comedies during the Edo period (1603-1868)—but you can still make one today! Artists from Pyramid Atlantic Art Center are in the Sackler Gallery this afternoon to show you how, with plenty of supplies. You get to take your masterpiece home when you’re done. $15 materials fee. 1 p.m. Sackler Gallery.

Sunday, May 19: The Wind

Two good Sunday afternoon activities: watching movies, listening to music. One great Sunday afternoon activity: both at the same time! This afternoon, in a very special “cineconcert,” composer and pianist Andrew E. Simpson performs a new, original score for The Wind, a silent film classic form 1928. In the movie, Lillian Gish plays an innocent girl who moves to the western prairies and is haunted by the ever-present wind. Free tickets distributed 30 minutes before the film in the G Street Lobby. 3 p.m. American Art Museum.

Also, check out our Visitors Guide App. Get the most out of your trip to Washington, D.C. and the National Mall with this selection of custom-built tours, based on your available time and passions. From the editors of Smithsonian magazine, the app is packed with handy navigational tools, maps, museum floor plans and museum information including ‘Greatest Hits’ for each Smithsonian museum.

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

View of Xu Bing’s Phoneix models in transit. Photo by John Tsantes

When you go to the museum for a show, what you see is the final product: a painting, a photograph, an installation. But now at the Sackler, you can see the process behind the product in the new exhibit “Nine Deaths, Two Births: Xu Bing’s Phoenix Project.” The exhibit explores the two-year effort to complete Chinese contemporary artist Xu Bing’s “Phoenix Project” and offers a look into the ways both creation and destruction can be part of the artistic process.

Now on view at the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art, the final product, two giant phoenix sculptures, were originally commissioned in 2008 and intended for a building in the heart of Beijing’s central business district. But after delays for the Olympics, a global financial crisis and funding issues, the installation found different sponsors and a new home. At 12 tons and nearly 100 feet in length, the sculptures need lots of space. Mass MoCA had the room and desire to display it and the Sackler decided to offer its companion exhibit having worked with Xu in 2001 for his show “Word Play,” when it also acquired the iconic  ”Monkeys Grasping For the Moon” sculpture.

A gold and pearl hair ornament shows the long tradition of the phoenix motif in Chinese culture. China, Qing dynasty, courtesy of the Sackler

The phoenixes reference the traditional Chinese motif but rendered from construction site materials, take on a new and modern meaning in the saga of China’s economic development. “My two phoenixes are quite different,” says Xu. While traditional lacquers, paintings and even hair ornaments from China (some of which are on view as part of the exhibition) draw on the mythical bird as a symbol of wealth, nobility and peace, Xu’s industrial installation is in tension with these qualities.

When Xu went to the site where his sculptures were originally going to be and saw the construction of the new building in Beijing, he says he came in contact with the conditions of the workers there. He saw before him the face of Chinese development–its soaring architectural business buildings–and the hands–the laborers who did not seem to reap the benefits of the country’s boom. “The contrast was the inspiration,” he says.

Because of the scale of his project, he had to rely on the same labor. He relied on their know-how and expertise when designing and modifying his work. He also spoke with engineers and architects to help design the massive birds.

Preparatory ink drawing of Xu Bing’s Phoenix Project. Xu Bing, courtesy of the Sackler

Preparatory drawing of Xu Bing’s Phoenix Project. Xu Bing, courtesy of the Sackler

But, in the lead up the Olympics, he, along with everyone else engaged in construction, was ordered to stop. The government wanted to ensure pristine air quality for the international games so as not to draw any criticism. It’s an irony not lost on Xu, who included official government notices in the exhibit at the Sackler. After the financial crisis, he then had to find alternative funding and ended up turning to Taiwanese-based businessman, Barry Lam, founder of Quanta Computer.

Citing the many ups and downs of the artistic process, curator Carol Huh says, “What we’ve tried to do here for the first time is really show the process.” Sketches, clay models, computer-generated renderings as well as a special documentary about the works comprise the exhibit. The title, nine deaths and two births, refers to the many challenges he faced and the two children born to his staff during the process, a symbol of the phoenix-like quality of artistic creation.

On view at Mass MoCA until November, the phoenixes will head next to New York City’s Cathedral of St. John the Divine.

“Nine Deaths, Two Births: Xu Bing’s Phoenix Project” is on view through September 1, 2013.

The Cyrus Cylinder is sometimes called the oldest declaration of human rights. See it on display and hear its story on Tuesday at the Sackler Gallery. Photo courtesy of the Sackler Gallery

Tuesday, April 23: From Babylon to Persepolis: Cyrus the Great and the Legacy of Ancient Iran

The Cyrus Cylinder is one of the most significant archaeological artifacts in history. Inscribed with cuneiform, one of the earliest known scripts, the football-shaped cylinder of baked clay describes Cyrus the Great’s conquest of Babylon in 539 B.C., and describes how the king freed his newly conquered people from religious persecution by restoring their temples and sending prisoners home to worship their own gods. Cyrus’ tolerant approach has inspired philosophers and politicians for centuries. The Cylinder is on display at the Sackler Gallery through April 28, and in preparation of its departure, curators of the exhibition today will discuss its archaeological and historical context and lasting legacy. Free. 12:15 p.m. Sackler Gallery.

Wednesday, April 24: Curator Tour: “Over, Under, Next: Experiments in Mixed Media, 1913-Present”

Since 1912, when painter Georges Braque began to mix swatches of printed paper and cloth into his pictures, collage has redefined the limits of artistic expression by blending everyday materials like car parts, butterfly wings and furniture. “Over, Under, Next: Experiments in New Media,” a new exhibit at the Hirshhorn Museum, displays approximately 100 assemblages from the past century. This evening, associate curator Evelyn Hankins discusses ways in which artists from almost every major art movement have incorporated assemblage into their work. Free. 7 p.m. Hirshhorn Museum.

Thursday, April 25: Smithsonian Craft Show

Furniture! Ceramics! Glass! Wearable art! More than 100 of America’s top artisans are displaying and selling their hand-crafted work this weekend in the institution’s 31st annual craft show. Great chance to pick up an early Mother’s Day gift, or something for yourself to impress your friends. Daily admission $15; two day admission $20 (12 and under free, no strollers permitted). To purchase tickets, call the Craft Show Office at 202-633-5006 or 888-832-9554, or go here.  10:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. today and Friday, 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday. National Building Museum.

Also, check out our Visitors Guide App. Get the most out of your trip to Washington, D.C. and the National Mall with this selection of custom-built tours, based on your available time and passions. From the editors of Smithsonian magazine, the app is packed with handy navigational tools, maps, museum floor plans and museum information including ‘Greatest Hits’ for each Smithsonian museum.

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

Secretary G. Wayne Clough testified before Congress today about the effects of sequestration on the institution. Photo by Ken Rahalm, courtesy of the Smithsonian

On April 16, Smithsonian Institution Secretary G. Wayne Clough testified before the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform about the impending effects of sequestration. Though the Obama administration had sought a $59 million budget increase for the Institution in fiscal 2014, this year Clough has to contend with a $41 million budget reduction due to sequestration. Gallery closings, fewer exhibitions, reduced educational offerings, loss of funding for research and cuts to the planning process of the under-construction National Museum of African American History and Culture were listed among the impacts of the sequestration.

Clough began his testimony: “Each year millions of our fellow citizens come to Washington to visit—for free—our great museums and galleries and the National Zoo, all of which are open every day of the year but one. Our visitors come with high aspirations to learn and be inspired by our exhibitions and programs.”

“It is my hope,” Clough told the committee, “that our spring visitors will not notice the impact of the sequestration.” Perhaps most noticeable would be the gallery closures, which, while they would not close entire museums, would restrict access to certain floors or spaces in the museums, unable to pay for sufficient security. Those changes would begin May 1, according to Clough.

Clough warned, however, that while these short-term measures will save in the near future, they might also entail long-term consequences. Unforeseen costs may arise in the form of diminished maintenance capabilities, for example. “Any delays in revitalization or construction projects will certainly result in higher future operating and repair costs,” Clough said.

This also threatens the Institution’s role as steward of thousands of historic and valuable artifacts–”Morse’s telegraph; Edison’s light bulb; the Salk vaccine; the 1865 telescope designed by Maria Mitchell, America’s first woman astronomer who discovered a comet; the Wright Flyer; Amelia Earhart’s plane; Louis Armstrong’s trumpet; the jacket of labor leader Cesar Chavez,” to name a few.

Around the Mall will keep the issue updated and tweet significant closures.

Nam June Paik’s “Video Flag” (1985-96). Celebrate the avant-garde artist’s life and work on Sunday with a symposium and performance organized by some of his most prominent contemporaries. Photo by Jill, courtesy of Flickr Creative Commons

Note: If you’re going to be around the Mall this weekend, watch out for a handful of road closures between Saturday and Sunday due to the Japanese Street Festival, the National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade and Race to Stop the Silence. See these events’ websites for details. 

Friday, April 12: Experimental Film from Korea

Instead sitting down to another conventional Friday night popcorn flick, how about tackling some of the past few years’ most inventive short films? Fresh from the Experimental Film and Video Festival in Seoul, North Korea, a selection of unique and groundbreaking works will be introduced in person by Park Donghyun, the festival’s director, this evening at the Freer Gallery. The batch of films explores the experience of time, tensions between North and South Korea and the sibilant character [ ∫ ]. The showing is part of the 2013 Korean Film Festival. Free. 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Freer Gallery.

Saturday, April 13: Super Science Saturday: How Things Fly

Think you’re an expert on flight? Seen everything the Air and Space Museum has to offer? Then take a trip out to the Air and Space Museum’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center near Dulles Airport, where thousands of aviation and space artifacts that take up too much room to be exhibited on the Mall are on display. On the second Saturday of each month (that’s today!), the museum holds demonstrations and hands-on activities that teach visitors about aviation and space exploration. Free. 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Air and Space Museum Udvar-Hazy Center.

Sunday, April 14: Nam June Paik: Art & Process

Nam June Paik (1932-2006) was an avant-garde musician, installation master and the world’s first video artist. The American Art Museum opened a retrospective of his career earlier this year (see some of his work at his website), and today five of the most prominent scholars and artists who studied and worked with him are coming together in a symposium to discuss his legacy. After a subsequent gallery talk and break, prominent composers who knew Paik will premiere a performance of his film and music. Free tickets distributed beginning at 12:30 p.m. for the symposium and concert, and again at 6:30 p.m. for the concert. Symposium: 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Gallery Talk: 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Concert: 7 p.m. American Art Museum.

And all weekend: Cherry Blossoms!

It’s the prettiest time of the year in DC, and there are many around the Mall this weekend to celebrate the city’s favorite flowers as they hit their peak. After you enjoy the National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade and Japanese Street Festival on Saturday, head over to the Sackler Gallery to check out National Cherry Blossom Festival Anime Marathon, a showing of all 26 episodes of Shinichiro Watanabe’s landmark animated television series Samurai Champloo. And if you want a sneak peak at the beautiful scenery down by the water, take a look at our new slideshow of the cherry blossoms in all their glory!

Also, check out our Visitors Guide App. Get the most out of your trip to Washington, D.C. and the National Mall with this selection of custom-built tours, based on your available time and passions. From the editors of Smithsonian magazine, the app is packed with handy navigational tools, maps, museum floor plans and museum information including ‘Greatest Hits’ for each Smithsonian museum.

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

Performers, seen from behind, delight an audience in Katsushika Hokusai’s “Tōto shokei ichiran,” 1800. All images from the Gerhard Pulverer Collection, courtesy of the Sackler Gallery.

Celebrities, the hottest tech-gadgets and a dance craze that swept the globe: these were the top Google searches of 2012. According to Google Zeitgeist, we couldn’t get enough of Kate Middleton, the iPad3 or Gangnam Style. So are we just incredibly shallow or what? The internet gets blamed for a lot these days, a perceived lack of sophistication included. Serious-minded articles query whether the internet is even responsible for making us “dumb.”

But a survey of more than 100 Japanese woodblock-printed books from the Edo period at the Sackler Gallery reveals that our current obsession with what is beautiful and entertaining follows a long tradition.

The museum’s “Hand-Held: Gerhard Pulverer’s Japanese Illustrated Books” documents the “brush to block” revolution that allowed for a flowering of popular culture in the form of widely-available volumes. Where visual narrative had once been the domain of painted hanging scrolls circulated within an elite society, now various social classes could engage with printed media, whether it was poetry, illustration or fiction. Curator of Japanese art Ann Yonemura says, “It was part of the culture to be able to create and read images to tell a story.”

The vibrant works serve as an ode to a widespread visual literacy that could support both academic and instructional texts as well as books full of illustrations of famous courtesans and Kabuki actors and even a healthy pornography industry despite official censorship. Part art, part commercial product, the books bridge that divide between a so-called high and low culture that even today can feel impossible to reconcile: reality TV is rarely elevated above “guilty pleasure” and newspapers still insist they carry “all the news that’s fit to print,” and nothing more.

Yonemura says she wanted the exhibit to feel like browsing in a bookstore, wandering from the action-packed battle scenes to the tranquil nature images and maybe even sneaking a peek at the row of erotic images–many of which include an unexpected element of comedy–tucked away. Perusing the books reveals that the strikingly fresh colors of the illustrations are as vibrant as the subject matter. From epic battle scenes to delicate landscapes and famous beauties, the popular culture of Edo Japan is a gorgeous place to visit; one that might even offer contemporary culture a path from the critic’s wrath to redemption.

Bold outlines create intense movement on the page, which can’t even contain the figure in the upper right. Kawanabe Kyōsai, “Kyōsai gadan,”1887.

Illustrations often accompanied poetry and sometimes even competed with it when the artist demanded a little more room. Suzuki Harunobu, “Ehon seirō bijin awase, vol. 1,” 1770.

Edo Japan had strict travel restrictions for those not involved in commercial activity or religious pilgrimages, meaning travel scenes and landscapes often had to substitute for the actual trip. Kitao masayoshi, “Kyoto meisho Ehon Miyako no nishiki,” circa 1787.

Curator Ann Yonemura says the colors remained so vivid in many of the books because they were protected between closed covers, unlike single prints. Katsushika Hokusai, “Ehon Sumidagawa ryōgan ichiran, vol. 2,” circa 1805.

Hokusai’s incredibly popular volumes of illustrations also reached Western audiences, who admired his vivid depictions of action. Katsushika Hokusai, “Hokusai manga, vol. 4,” 1816.

Printed books also became a way to spread the latest fashions. Katsushika Hokusai, “Ehon kyoka Yama mata yama,” 1804.

Kabuki actors, while not high in social status, were popular icons, whose careers and lives were followed with great interest. Katsukawa Shunshō and Ippitsusai Bunchō, “Ehon butai ogi, vol. 3,” 1770.

Though woodblock printing had been used widely for Buddhist texts, its ability to reproduce more complicated artistic images was doubted initially. But the technology proved itself quickly. Hosoda Eishi, “Onna sanju-rokkasen,” 1801

Hokusai published 15 volumes of his sketches. Though some may have used them as rough instructions, many simply enjoyed the range of illustrations. Katsushika Hokusai, “Odori hitori geiko,” 1815.

“Hand-Held: Gerhard Pulverer’s Japanese Illustrated Books” is on view April 6 through August 11, 2013 at the Sackler.

St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, a National Historic Landmark, was designed in the 1870s by Calvin T.S. Brent, Washington, DC’s first black architect. Learn more about famous black architects and how they shaped the city in “Master Builders”at the Anacostia Community Museum on Sunday.

Friday, April 5: Japanese Design Weekend

Get a taste of Japan’s rich artistic history this weekend with a three-day celebration of the country’s art and design. Exhibits like , tours and a lecture by acclaimed Japanese printmaker Ayomi Yoshida set the stage for numerous hands-on activities, including Japanese bookbinding and chance to help create an audiovisual Japanese lantern installation with students from Virginia Tech. And bonus: The Tokyo in the City food truck and Mr. Miyagi’s Food Truck will be outside the museums from 11 am–3 pm on Saturday. Free. Through Sunday. Freer and Sackler Galleries.

Saturday, April 6: Poetry Month Family Day

Celebrate today:
National Poetry Month.
Tours and open mics!

That’s our haiku for National Poetry Month, which the National Portrait Gallery kicks off today with poetry workshops, a DC Youth Slam Team performance, tours of  Poetic Likeness: Modern American Poets and a short open mic session for children. Stop by to see if you can be a better poet than we are! Free. 10:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. National Portrait Gallery.

Sunday, April 7: Master Builders: A Documentary Featuring African American Architects in the Nation’s Capital

St. Luke’s Episcopal Church at 15th and Church streets, Sterling Brown’s house, Rock Creek Baptist Church—many prominent and historical buildings in Washington, DC were built by African-American architects, who helped to shape the city as we know it today. Master Builders, by filmmaker Michelle Jones, tells the untold story of past and present African-American masters’ contributions to the city. A panel discussion will follow the film with Jones, NoMa historian Patsy Fletcher, former dean of Howard University’s School of Architecture Harry G. Robinson III and others. Free. 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Anacostia Community Museum.

Also, check out our Visitors Guide App. Get the most out of your trip to Washington, D.C. and the National Mall with this selection of custom-built tours, based on your available time and passions. From the editors of Smithsonian magazine, the app is packed with handy navigational tools, maps, museum floor plans and museum information including ‘Greatest Hits’ for each Smithsonian museum.

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

Chahārshanbe-Sūri, Iran’s Festival of Fire, falls on the Wednesday before the Persian New Year. Join in celebrating Iran’s unique New Year traditions this Saturday at the Freer and Sackler Galleries.

Friday, March 15: Movie Night!

Tired of $10 movie tickets? Smithsonian has three free films on tap tonight. Rebels with a Cause (2012, 72 min, USA, directed/produced by Nancy Kelly and Kenji Yamamoto; trailer here) tells the story of pioneer environmental activists who saved California’s coastline from suburban development in the 1950s. Market Imaginary (2012, 54 min, USA, directed by Joanna Grabski; trailer here) investigates Dakar’s Colobane Market, a major market in the West African city that is deeply embedded in the local economy and culture. Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance (2002, 129 min, Korea, directed by Park Chan-wook, Korean with English subtitles; trailer here), follows a hearing-impaired factory worker who turns to an illegal organ-trafficking ring to get a new kidney for his dying sister, then goes on a quest for vengeance when he is cheated. All films free. In respective order: 6:30 p.m., 7 p.m. and 7 p.m. at Anacostia Community Museum, African Art Museum and Freer Gallery.

Saturday, March 16: Persian New Year Celebration

When Americans celebrate their new year, they watch a ball drop. Persians jump over fire. Chahārshanbe-Sūri, the Festival of Fire, preludes Nowrūz, the Persian New Year, which welcomes the beginning of spring. Today, learn about Iran’s exciting new year traditions while enjoying Persian songs, dances, games and food. You can even practice some (fake) fire jumping of your own! Fun for the whole family. Free. 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Freer and Sackler Galleries.

Sunday, March 17: Hok-Noth-Da Story Time for Families

Hok-Noth-Da–Did you hear? People often remember stories their parents told them for their entire lives. Because they make such an impression, stories are ways for families and cultures to pass down important lessons for generations. Today, a Native museum staff member passes down lessons from different Native communities throughout the Western Hemisphere by reading children’s stories by or about Native people. Open to children ages 4 to 8. Free. 11:15 a.m. to 12 p.m. American Indian Museum.

Also, check out our Visitors Guide App. Get the most out of your trip to Washington, D.C. and the National Mall with this selection of custom-built tours, based on your available time and passions. From the editors of Smithsonian magazine, the app is packed with handy navigational tools, maps, museum floor plans and museum information including ‘Greatest Hits’ for each Smithsonian museum.

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

Smithsonian in snow, circa 1977. Photo by Smithsonian Institution

Looking for something to do today, while the snowy weather conditions persist? The Smithsonian museums will be open for business today. But the National Zoo will be closed Wednesday, March 6, 2013.

Plan your visit, using our convenient Tours app, a free download is available here.

Paul Singer’s apartment in Summit, New Jersey, 1997. Photo by John Tsantes

Meticulously arranged by material and date, thousands of pieces of Chinese art filled every nook and cranny of Paul Singer’s two-bedroom apartment in New Jersey, a home that he kept until his death in 1997. A psychiatrist by profession, Singer earned the nickname “Mr. Miniature” for his dedication to collecting material culture big and small, from swords to ancient hairpieces.

Once Singer met Dr. Arthur M. Sackler, his passion found a home and a sponsor. Sackler, who is one of the founders of the Smithsonian’s vast Asian art collection and who is the namesake for one of its museums, gave the collector an annual allowance so that he could continue his collecting passion. With the understanding that his collection would eventually make its way to the Sackler Gallery, Singer was able to expand his treasure trove.

Now, the collection of porcelain, lacquer, bronze and more, gets a bit more elbow-room outside its former Summit, New Jersey, residence. From the some 5,000 objects Singer acquired, 63 works representing thousands of years of history have been selected for the exhibit, “One Man’s Search for Ancient China: The Paul Singer Collection,” which opened recently at the Sackler.

Curator J. Keith Wilson says that after the collection arrived following Singer’s death, a new scholarship was realized, filling out gaps in the understanding of Chinese art history. “In addition to the scores of recognized monuments—what many would consider ‘beautiful objects’—the Singer collection includes hundreds and hundreds of things that are more ‘archaeological’ in character,” Wilson says. A lacquer cosmetic box filled with combs and human hair pieces represents a common item found in elite burial sites, but something often left out of institutional collections.

Paul Singer in his apartment in Summit, New Jersey, 1990s. Courtesy of the Sackler

Miniature cockscomb ewer from the Liao dynasty, 11th century BCE. Courtesy of the Sackler

Contents of a lidded cosmetic box from the Eastern Zhou dynasty-Western Han dynasty, 3rd-2nd century BCE. Courtesy of the Sackler

Another view of Singer’s studiously organized apartment. Courtesy of the Sackler

Miniature female attendants from the Northern Song dynasty, 11th-12th century BCE. Porcelain miniatures liked these earned Singer the nickname, Mr. Miniature. Courtesy of the Sackler

Bronze with gold foil plaque of mirror-image dragons from the Eastern Zhou dynasty, 6th-5th century BCE. Courtesy of the Sackler

Objects in Early Chinese Miniatures, an exhibition Singer organized for China Institute in America, New York City, 1977. Many of the objects from his personal collection have never been exhibited before. Courtesy of the Sackler

“One Man’s Search for Ancient China: The Paul Singer Collection” will be on view at the Sackler Gallery through July 7, 2013.

If you can name these dashing gentlemen, you’re off to a good start for Thursday’s rock-and-roll trivia night at the National Portrait Gallery. Photo by Michael Conen, courtesy of Flickr Creative Commons.

Tuesday, January 29: One Man’s Search for Ancient China: The Paul Singer Collection

Some collectors have mansions or basements to store their collections. Paul Singer had a two bedroom apartment in New Jersey. The psychiatrist-by-day, collector of ancient Chinese artifacts-by-night accumulated around 5,000 objects by his death in 1997, and once displayed all of them in his modest home. Smithsonian gives 63 of the objects a bit more room in this exhibit to reflect the vast range of things produced by various ancient Chinese cultures—from artistic masterworks to ceramics to weaponry—as well as the breadth of Singer’s collection. Free. Open until July 7. Sackler Gallery.

Wednesday, January 30: Verdi and Wagner at 200: A Double Celebration of Genius

Italian Giuseppe Verdi and German Richard Wagner rocked the world’s opera stages so hard in the 19th-century that the genre has not been the same since. The two genius composers, born just months apart, embodied disparate national cultures and styles, but were united in developing the techniques that ushered opera into modern times. Music historian Saul Lilienstein begins a course this evening that uses recorded performances of the masters’ most iconic pieces to explore their lives and influence. $200 for six monthly sessions (members discounted; tickets here). 6:45 p.m. to 9 p.m. on selected Wednesdays from January 30 to June 19. Ripley Center.

Thursday, January 31: Rock and Roll is Here to Stay!

Can’t brush your teeth without reciting every line to “Blue Suede Shoes“? Do you actually have moves like Jagger because you spend your free time watching clips of the Stones? Well, here’s a chance to impress rather than annoy your co-workers with your encyclopedic knowledge, rock nerds: rock-and-roll trivia happy hour. Prizes for the winners, good music for all. Free. 6:30 p.m. National Portrait Gallery.

Also check out our specially created Visitors Guide App. Get the most out of your trip to Washington, D.C. and the National Mall with this selection of custom-built tours, based on your available time and passions. From the editors of Smithsonian magazine, the app is also packed with handy navigational tools, maps, museum floor plans and museum information including ‘Greatest Hits’ for each Smithsonian museum.

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

Let your horse sleep in today. Smithsonian museums don’t open until noon due to weather. Courtesy of Smithsonian Institution

Smithsonian museums in the Washington, D.C. area as well as the National Zoo will open at noon Monday, due to inclement weather.

An early morning round of freezing rain left roads slick with ice as federal workers and schools around the area got off to a slow start. Canada would like to remind us, via Huffington Post, that cold weather has some perks too, eh? Like making it more difficult for some viruses and bacteria to live. Plus you can effectively “wash” your bed linens by hanging them out in the cold. We’d recommend waiting for the rain to stop, though, before you give that a try.

Be in the know with our free visitors app, specially made for the inauguration.

The votes have been cast and counted, the campaign offices have been packed up. But things are just getting started in D.C. as the city prepares for a rush of excitement for Barack Obama’s second inauguration, January 21. More than a million people sought a spot near the Capitol to witness his first inauguration in 2009. For his second, Obama is sure to bring out the crowds again and all of D.C. is gearing up for inauguration day, from hotels to restaurants, including Ben’s Chili, which expects to serve 1,000 gallons of its famous chili the week of Obama’s swearing in, according to NBC.

You might not be running for office any time soon, but you can still win big this weekend with the help of our editors.

Conveniently situated around the Mall, the Smithsonian offers a wealth of presidential pomp and history to help get you up to speed for the big day, from Bill Clinton’s saxophone to Thomas Jefferson’s desk. Since this is the land of the free after all, we’ll be offering our custom inauguration-themed app for most smartphones for free with step-by-step tours to the best of the collections and exhibits. The tour includes stately highlights at the American History Museum, Natural History Museum, American Indian Museum, National Portrait Gallery and American Art Museum. From the gowns of inaugural balls past to the hall of presidential portraits, the tour will get you geared up for the festivities.

Info, tours and artifacts, all at your fingertips.

Try on some truly presidential duds with our digital postcard featuring George Washington’s uniform.

Museum by museum, step by step, you can’t take a wrong turn here.

A must-see stop on the tour: Shepard Fairey’s iconic portrait of Barack Obama at the National Portrait Gallery.

On Jan. 21, all Smithsonian museums will operate on their normal schedules, with the following exceptions:
•             The Renwick will be closed.
•             The National Museum of the American Indian will be closed because of its proximity to the swearing-in ceremony.
•             The Castle will open at 7:30 a.m.
•             The Hirshhorn, the Ripley Center, the National Museum of African Art, and the Freer and Sackler Galleries will open at 8 a.m.

The museums on the south side of the National Mall will be accessible from Independence Avenue only. The museums on the north side of the National Mall will be accessible from both Madison Drive and Constitution Avenue.

More good news, the bathrooms will be available. And if you’re feeling peckish, you can get food at the Air and Space Museum (McDonald’s McCafe, Boston Market and Donato’s Pizza), Natural History Museum (Atrium Cafe, Cafe Natural and Fossil Cafe), American History (Stars and Stripes Cafe and Constitution Cafe) and the Smithsonian Castle’s Cafe and Coffee Bar.

For more information on the when, where and how to get there, view our inauguration at the Smithsonian page.

And if the inauguration tour leaves you curious about what else the Smithsonian has to offer, upgrade to our full visitors guide for just 99 cents. The app includes interactive postcards (starring you wearing the Hope Diamond or Dorothy’s Ruby Slippers, or other fun items from the collections) as well as custom tours for history buffs, art lovers and even a three-hour tour for the brave of heart and swift of feet. One of our own former interns tried to conquer the tall task:

The “Greensboro Four,” above immortalized on their North Carolina A&T State University campus, fought racial segregation by refusing to leave a local retail store when the staff would not serve them coffee. Learn to protest like a pro this weekend at the American History Museum. Photo by Jim Dollar, courtesy of Flickr Creative Commons.

Friday, January 11: Join the Student Sit-Ins at the Greensboro Lunch Counter

Four black students sat at a Woolworth’s lunch counter in 1960 and helped to change the course of American history. By refusing to leave when the staff declined to serve them, the students inspired “sit-ins” around the South in protest of racial segregation. This weekend, travel back in time to join the Civil Rights movement with a historical reenactment of a civil disobedience training session, delivered from a 1960s manual and alongside a section of the lunch counter from the Greensboro, NC store. (Just be sure to return to 2013 before the museum staff kicks you out.) Free. 11:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m., 3:00 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. on most Fridays-Sundays in January. American History Museum.

Saturday, January 12: Farm-to-Table Family Day

Ditch the greasy food trucks this afternoon and bring the kids to a celebration of the city’s “slow food” movement. Through live music, hands-on activities and a fruit and veggie artwork scavenger hunt, the celebration aims to teach participants the value of farm-fresh foods and to encourage local buying. Recipes will be available to take home so that you can ditch the greasy food trucks again tomorrow. Free. 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Kogod Courtyard, American Art Museum, Portrait Gallery.

Sunday, January 13: Learn Arabic Calligraphy

A billion people today read and write in Arabic – here is your chance to join them. View the elegant script on ancient objects like tombstones from a cemetery north of Mecca in a guided tour of “Roads of Arabia: Archaeology and the History of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” an exhibit that traces disparate trade routes that met at the holy city, then try your hand at mastering Arabic calligraphy with a demonstration of the ornate art and a writing lesson. Yallah! Free. 2 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday. Sackler Gallery.

Also check out our specially created Visitors Guide App. Get the most out of your trip to Washington, D.C. and the National Mall with this selection of custom-built tours, based on your available time and passions. From the editors of Smithsonian magazine, the app is also packed with handy navigational tools, maps, museum floor plans and museum information including ‘Greatest Hits’ for each Smithsonian museum.

From the Seattle-based artist, Louie Gong, these “mockups” are ready for your custom design. Courtesy the American Indian Museum

Friday, December 7: Caves of the Thousand Buddhas in 3-D

It’s hard to overhype this one. A 3-D recreation of the one of the Caves of Thousand Buddhas, replete with colorful and ornate paintings, is now as simple as visiting the Sackler. The digital exhibition Pure Land: Inside the Mogao Grottes at Dunhuang got rave reviews, not least of which were Around the Mall’s own: “It really feels as though, if you reached out, you’d feel weathered millennial aged stone, rather than a smooth plastic screen. The digital cave, in short, is unnervingly lifelike.” Made possible by a whole host of institutions, including the City University of Hong Kong and Dunhuang Academy. Sadly, the exhibit closes on Sunday, so you’re going to want to go now, Friday, Saturday and maybe Sunday too. Free, but timed-tickets required. Through Sunday, December 9. Sackler Gallery.

Saturday, December 8: Design Yourself: IAMNMAI Art Jam

A sharpie and a pair of shoes. That’s all it took to launch Seattle-based artist Louie Gong’s Eighth Generation. The Nooksack/Chinese/Scottish/French artist is all about DIY expressions of identity that transform everyday items into a customized piece of material culture. He’ll be debuting his newest art object/toy “mockups,” which visitors can purchase and make their own at the American Indian Museum’s Art Jam. The museum has also invited local artists, including Lee Newman, Chris Pappan, Lisa Schumaier and Debra Yepa-Pappan to join the jam, as well as DJ Will Eastman. Part show, part event, part party, the Art Jam has a little something for everyone. Free. 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. American Indian Museum.

Sunday, December 9: Luce Unplugged with Fire and the Wheel

First a talk, then some rock. The Luce Unplugged series combines curator’s talks with local live music and this week’s installment brings indie rockers Fire and the Wheel to the American Art Museum. Compared to everyone from Joy Division, Pink Floyd and Jesus and Mary Chain but with influences from Neil Young to Belle and Sebastian, the foursome just formed earlier this year. Coffee and tea will be available, just to make sure your Sunday afternoon spent rocking is also still dignified and museum-worthy. Free. 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. American Art Museum.