Museum libraries have a way of adding a little extra context — and in this case, a very striking one.
A new exhibition case installation near the Warren M. Robbins Library at the National Museum of African Art features Malcolm Payne’s artist’s book "Face Value: Old Heads in Modern Masks", held in the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives collections.
Published in Cape Town by Axeage Private Press in 1993, this limited-edition work examines the Lydenburg heads through visual, archaeological, and historical perspectives, pairing scholarly essays with original hand-printed etchings by Payne.
The installation highlights how museum libraries support exhibitions, research, and interpretation by connecting visitors with the books, artists, histories, and ideas that deepen the museum experience.
A little proof, right outside the library, that sometimes the story continues beyond the gallery walls.
Inspired by @nastasianart 's special exhibition, “Of the Hills: Pahari Paintings from India’s Himalayan Kingdoms”?
Discover two new additions to the library collections, "A Dubious Place" and "Pahari Paintings"! Part of @smithsonian_librariesarchives .
Reserve the Reading Room at the bio link.
"Today a Bluebird flew from the nest box to the fence and ate some of the nightshade berries, now mostly quite dried up. Song Sparrows are at my feeding spots frequently, as are Juncos, English Sparrows and Starlings. The male Cardinal came twice to feed."
James W. Eike made these observations on Saturday, March 6, 1954.
Today, on #WorldMigratoryBirdDay, communities are working together to make flyways safer for and collect new data on migratory birds. If you’re not planning to participate in a bird count this weekend, you can make historic bird count data more accessible from home.
We’re transcribing the field notes of James W. Eike, a prolific birder in Northern Virginia for over 50 years. His detailed #birdwatching observations fill over a hundred field notebooks. Gain insight into the dedication, enthusiasm, and outstanding service that prompted the Virginia Society of Ornithology to dedicate the James W. Eike Service Award in his honor. Transcribing Eike's field notes makes the life and work of this remarkable birder and the bird count data he captured more accessible and discoverable.
New transcribers with a passion for bird watching are extremely welcome! See our stories for the link to get started.
📷: Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 7342, James W. Eike Papers. Explore the full page and transcript.
Judge a book by its cover? Here are some of our favorite eye-catching reads at the National Museum of African Art’s Warren M. Robbins Library, the leading library for the research and study of African visual arts.
The collection covers African art, history and culture. Delve into archaeology, religion, ethnography, oral tradition, musicology, performing arts, cinema and creative literature—plus special collections like artists’ books, illustrated children’s books and maps of Africa.
The library is open for research by appointment only.
Follow the link in our bio to find the library’s webpage and contact information for scheduling. We hope you're inspired to learn more about our offerings in honor of #NationalLibraryWeek this week and all year round!
We're celebrating and thanking librarians across our 21 branches. Their work powers discovery every day — answering questions, supporting research, connecting people with trusted information, and helping make knowledge accessible to all. Their impact is felt across our organization and far beyond it.
“Mother Monument” is both a sculpture and a book! Through this obelisk-shaped artist’s book, painter Holly Trostle Brigham memorializes the women who have shaped her own art history.
What’s an artist’s book, you might ask? It’s a work of art, like a painting or a sculpture, that takes the form or function of a book as inspiration. This one is in the collections of our @Smithsonian_LibrariesArchives Smithsonian American Art and Portrait Gallery Library.
#NationalLibraryWeek #Books #Bookstagram
We’re celebrating and thanking the librarians across our 21 branches. Their work powers discovery every day — answering questions, supporting research, connecting people with trusted information, and helping make knowledge accessible to all. Their impact is felt across our organization and far beyond it.
Big news at SLA: Tricia Edwards is now Director of Smithsonian Libraries and Archives! We’re thrilled to celebrate this exciting moment and all that’s ahead under her leadership.
DC, this is your last chance!
Join us this Thursday at 6PM for the final City of Knowledge Series #3 program right here in DC at the DC History Center.
Three incredible scholars. One conversation on how knowledge is built, shared, and shaped in this city.
Come curious. Leave smarter.
🔗 Register now: Link in Bio!!
Did you hear? Next week is #NationalLibraryWeek!
These images come from the 1899 volume of "Black & White Illustrated Budget", a British illustrated periodical that documented popular culture, art, literature, and technology at the turn of the twentieth century. Together, they offer a glimpse into the visual language and editorial style of the era—dramatic, theatrical, and just a little extra.
Swipe to see the lounging girl, who is very much giving “the digital books have been here.”
You can explore the entire book online through Smithsonian Libraries and Archives.
Florals? Yes.
Just… not where you think.
This #FloralFriday, we’re taking a cue from "The dining room and its appointments" (1896) and reminding everyone that in the 19th century, florals weren’t just the centerpiece—they were the entire tablescape.
From printed linens and doilies to decorative menu cards and elaborately folded napkins designed to mimic blooms, floral motifs were woven (literally) into every layer of the dining experience.
Because why stop at a bouquet when your entire table can participate?
These details weren’t just aesthetic—they reflected broader domestic design trends of the late 1800s, where coordinated table settings signaled taste, refinement, and attention to social ritual.
So yes, the florals are here… just embroidered, printed, and folded into place.
Be honest—how many of you still have doilies like these at home?
Curious about those napkin folds? The full book—including detailed guidance on table settings and decorative techniques—is available online if you want to dive deeper.
This #FloralFriday, we’re making a trade. With opening weekend for baseball here, it feels like the right moment to switch florals for fields.
From "Spalding's base ball guide, and official league book for 1885", these images offer a late 19th-century view of the game—complete with field diagrams, player imagery, and early statistical records that helped standardize how baseball was played and understood.
Long before modern analytics, these guides shaped the language, structure, and culture of the sport.
No florals, just fields.
Take a look at the 1884 scores—can you find your team? Let us know if they won or lost.
The full guide—including batting averages, additional scores, and more—is available online for you to explore.
