The traveling exhibit The Way We Work is in full swing at OEC. The exhibit was developed by Museums on Main Street and is based on a photo show done by the National Archives. Five copies will be produced and travel to small towns across the United States telling the story of how, why and …
Uncle Beazley: Time Laps Video
Check out these videos of the work done on Uncle Beazley thus far. -These videos were created and generously donated by Carolyn Thome, OEC model maker and film producer extraordinaire!
Uncle Beazley Has Arrived
Last Wednesday OEC welcomed a life sized fiberglass triceratops to our place of work. This dino, Uncle Beazley, currently resides at the National Zoo but will be our guest for the next few weeks.Uncle Beazley has been in need of periodic upkeep and repairs over the many years he’s belonged to SI, and the OEC …
Old School to New School
Our very own Carolyn Thome will be giving a presentation at the National Museum of Natural History tomorrow. She will be talking about the various techniques used to recreate artifacts including casting and 3D printing. Don't miss it!
About SIE
Smithsonian Exhibits (SIE) is an office of the Smithsonian Institution. SIE collaborates with museums and offices throughout the Institution to help them fulfill their mandates to present powerful and engaging exhibits and public programs in Washington, D.C., and across the nation. Design – SIE’s exhibit designers are responsible for all aspects of visual presentation, from …
Office of the Chief Information Officer wall mural
A computer-rendered image of the Smithsonian Castle is the centerpiece of a coloful new wall mural at the main entrance to OCIO's offices in Herndon, Virginia. A recent collaboration between the Office of Exhibits Central (OEC) and the Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO), the design consists of a 4' x 8' silhouette of …
“Page Turners” in Paper Engineering: Fold, Pull, Pop, and Turn
Pop-Up mechanisms–which allow certain elements to pop up from the surface of a book page–are just some of the paper construction types highlighted in the Smithsonian Institution Libraries' (SIL) exhibit, "Paper Engineering: Fold, Pull, Pop, and Turn," on view in SIL's gallery at the National Museum of American History (NMAH). The exhibit, described on the …
Paper Engineering: Fold, Pull, Pop, and Turn exhibit installation
The fascinating art of paper engineering is the focus of a new exhibit that is on display in the Smithsonian Institution Libraries' (SIL) gallery at the National Museum of American History (NMAH). "Paper Engineering: Fold, Pull, Pop, and Turn" includes 44 books that range in date from the mid-16th to the early 21st centuries, …
Faux Finishing in the Smithsonian’s Great Hall
The Great Hall is one of the most impressive spaces in the Smithsonian's Castle, which was constructed between 1847 and 1855, using architectural elements that are reminiscent of the late Romanesque style. The Great Hall's expansive width and dramatic height serve to make it a striking room, and its massive arcades–comprised of columns painted to …
Bracket-making
A significant percentage of the objects that are selected for inclusion in museum exhibitions require brackets to hold them in place while they are on view. One of the most indispensible steps in the exhibit development process is designing and constructing these often one-of-a-kind support structures, which vary widely in size and complexity. The Office …