120 Weasels and more...

A very nice day yesterday for the flutters. As previewed, we went up the road to join a tour of the Smithsonian Museum Support Center in Suitland as part of the Smithsonian Residents Associate Programs. As an aside (and plug) here, the “associates” offer the opportunity for wonderful tours, lectures, classes, and so forth on a wide range of topics. You should check it out. Anyway, despite my normal apprehensions of “Driving to DC”, the trip up on Rte.4 and Suitland Parkway to the facility on Silver Hill Road was uneventful and even pleasant. The main tour itself launched from the Mayflower hotel in DC, but we were offered the option of just meeting them at the Center instead of boring into downtown. We were able to park inside the facility grounds, which was welcome, given the general conditions of the area outside the gates. Eventually the tour bus struggled to the main entrance and disgorged the complete tour, about 40 folks.

The support center (oddly, i couldn't find a link, sorry) houses archives and serves as the storage facility for most of the non-exhibited collections of the Smithsonian Museums. It has sometimes been dubbed “the Nation’s attic”, a claim they strongly disagree with. The have millions of cataloged and preserved specimens (including the famous 120 Weasels – maybe Jimmy Roberts will eventually join them) of plants, fishes, bones, textiles, fossils, you name it. It consolidated storage from all the various basements, closets, and boxes from the member museums and "the castle". It serves as a major research facility, the collect things on their own, accept donations (Teddy Roosevelt’s stuffed deer heads), and do trading with other institutions around the world.

We were divided into 4 groups (blue, pink, yellow, and green). We were slated to visit four areas, the first of which was the textile area where they are currently working on restoring and preserving a donation of the entire holdings of the (now closed) Black Fashion Museum which will eventually be displayed in the National Museum of African American History and Culture. They had several dresses and hats that they were in the process of conserving. MFO was pleased to see that the first thing they did was don the white gloves. Fascinating stuff.

Next we went to the Photography/Imaging lab and were shown the equipment and how it is used to shoot the specimens, both for preservation and exhibits. Mr. Hurlbert (one of three photographers employed by the Smithsonian) showed us the rudiments of lighting using all sorts of neat shades, reflectors, and general technical photo gear stuff. He did it in what he called “table top” shooting. For my photographer friends, let it be noted that the Feeder held in my hand an over $30,000 Hasselbland "system" (along with Mr. Hurlbert’s). It was a 50 mega pixel unit, and each image was around 280 megabytes! As part of his talk, he said that despite the digital age, the best pictures are still film (which he uses in his personal life). He also stated (with MFO’s agreement) that film images are the best for archival purposes. Properly stored, they will last (almost) forever, and they will always be there. He warned us that pinning your hopes on digital means you have to upgrade the software for “reading” them continuously, store them on at least two dedicated hard drives. He showed us some images he’s doing on Northwest Indian wear that were just beautiful.

We then took a break for a “gourmet” box lunch billed as: ‘Grilled lemon oregano scented chicken wrapped in a whole pita with chopped tomatoes, red onion and Feta Tzatziki yogurt sauce. A side of Broccoli with red pepper salad and a chocolate truffle brownie with nuts for dessert”. Reality was that it was two half pitas that had separated top from bottom, the tomato was sort of whitish slices, and the chicken portion was not large. The Tzatziki was pretty good for dipping. The broccoli at first appeared to be cauliflower, as it was pale white. The structure did in fact appear broccoli like but the taste was no clue, as it was sort of pickled. The red pepper turned out to be one strip.

Thus fortified we started the afternoon half with the fishes. Not swimming with, but observing. You know those bottles of staring fishes you see in museums? Picture thousands of bottles neatly stored in collapsible storage, all labeled as to specie and place of collection. They have several “type” specimens which are sort of the benchmark for a particular species. They are used extensively for research (what’s this fish?). When somebody asked if they could be removed from the bottle, Mr. Williams grabbed one, unscrewed the lid and took little fishy out for us to see. Again, properly stored in alcohol (151 proof Bacardi) they will last almost forever. We then went to what looked like a funeral parlor, a room with many, many stainless steel coffin like boxes which contained the larger specimens (sharks, swordfish, and the like) and showed us a preserved (about) 4 foot Coelacanth (see-la-canth), a fish thought to be extinct but “recently” (~1938) discovered. Again, he reached in and grabbed a pectoral fin and shook hands with the deceased fish.

Our last stop was the Botany lab, with thousands of dried plants in flower presses. We heard the story of collection, drying, categorizing, and distribution of speciments.

Sorry for the length and in retrospect I should probably have lugged the camera, but what a great tour. And what was equally as interesting was the enthusiasm in which these people talk about their “jobs”. It’s obvious that they just love what they do. They probably repeated the same spiel to each of the four groups, but you would have thought you were the first ones they talked to. The overused “passionate” comes to mind. If you ever get a chance to tour the facility – do it.

Nothing to do?

Today (Friday) – Concert in Montgomery Hall, SMCM, 4:30

Saturday: Artfest at Anne Marie Gardens (both weekend days)

Sunday (apparently the big day of the weekend):

Noon to five: Taste of St. Mary’s in Leonardtown sample offerings (for a fee) of many of the local eateries (CD café, Café Des, Corbels, etc.)

Five: “Opening” of the re-constructed chapel of 1667 at Historic St. Mary’s City. “locked” in 1704 by the sheriff when the Anglican Church became the official church of England, it will be ceremoniously re-opened by Sheriff Cameron.

Three: Lecture series at Sotterley Plantation, a panel discussion on the future of archeology at the site.

Pick one and go!

DFD