Past Events

Annual Art, History, & Biography Book Sale will return for 2023

Celebrate Dr. Sally K. Ride’s birthday and get excited for the 40th anniversary of her momentous space mission with our next AVMPI Presents program!  

As part of the Radio Preservation Task Force 2023 Conference, a special day will be sponsored by the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives’ Audiovisual Media Preservation Initiative (AVMPI) will be held at the Baird Auditorium at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History to showcase highlights from Smithsonian radio programs and the work of radio artists Anna Friz and Jeff Kolar.

We’re celebrating women’s stories in our second AVMPI Presents program. Join us for a screening of audiovisual materials from across the Smithsonian that represent both the spectrum of American women’s history and the diversity of our film and video collections. 

Zines are vibrant celebrations of self-expression using simple materials. Join us to learn how to make your own!

Join us as we explore the history of zines as a grassroots medium, the impact of the riot grrl movement on modern zine creators, and the role libraries and archives play in preserving this material.

Join us for a premiere of the Audiovisual Media Preservation Initiative! 

Nature of the Book will open on November 11, 2022 in the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC.  To celebrate, we’re taking you on a virtual tour with the curators!

To celebrate the publication of Wild Flowers of North America: Botanical Illustrations by Mary Vaux Walcott , Smithsonian Libraries and Archives is pleased to host a virtual panel discussion about the life and work of Mary Vaux Walcott on Friday, October 28th, 2022.

Join us as we highlight Smithsonian staff who are working to restore, highlight, and amplify cultural heritage from historically marginalized communities.

https://youtu.be/-XnRq_NZzacTo celebrate the launch of our 175th-anniversary online exhibition, Smithson to Smithsonian, we’ll explore the life and legacy of founder James Smithson with a panel of experts. 

In honor of our newest exhibition, Music HerStory: Women and Music of Social Change , Smithsonian Libraries and Archives is co-presenting an evening concert with Alice Gerrard and Leyla McCalla. 

We're welcoming attendees of American Libraries Association Annual Conference to Washington with tours of four of our locations and our new exhibition! 

Whether you are a job seeker or just curious, join us to explore career opportunities at the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives. 

Please join the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives for virtual Adopt-a-Book Salons!