The hat worn by Abraham Lincoln on the night he died found its way to the OEC Model Shop. Given to the Smithsonian in 1867, just two years after Lincoln’s death, the hat was not exhibited until 1893. The hat was scanned and 3D-printed in nylon. Next, the printed hat was handed over to the Model Shop for …
Hometown Teams and Visualizing Exhibits
Hometown Teams: How Sports Shape America explores the ways in which sports affect American culture. The exhibit was curated by Museum on Main Street and designed, edited and fabricated by the Office of Exhibits Central. OEC prepared five copies of Hometown Teams, which will tour the United States and territories over the next five years. …
Coming Attractions: Beyond Bollywood
Beyond Bollywood: Indian Americans Shape the Nation opens February 27 at the National Museum of Natural History. Organized by the Asian Pacific American Center, this exhibit hightlights the histories and contributions of Indian Americans. Beyond Bollywood is not only the largest exhibit on this subject, but it also inagurates a new gallery space at the Natural …
Unwrapping the Cosmic Buddha
The intricate images that cover this monumental standing Buddha are very difficult to see. Traditionally, scholars have made rubbings with black ink on white paper to study such low-relief carvings. But digital scanning and CNC milling make another approach possible. Curator Keith Wilson asked OEC to create a touchable model of the details on this …
In/finite Earth
A Juried Exhibition of 15 Emerging Artists with Disabilities OEC once again worked with VSA (formerly Very Special Arts) and the Volkswagen Group of America to install the twelfth exhibition of the Emerging Arts Program, which opened on October 24 in the S. Dillon Ripley Center. This longtime collaboration provides artists who are living with …
New Date for OEC Open House!
Wednesday, December 48:30-10:30 am | 12:30-2:30 pm The Federal shutdown forced us to postpone the second OEC Open House, but we’ve found a new date. Join us for a behind-the-scenes look at the Smithsonian’s largest, most comprehensive exhibit producer in our state-of-the art building. All Smithsonian staff, interns, and volunteers are welcome! Light refreshments will …
Open House at OEC!
Join us for a tour of the Office of Exhibits Central Choose the day and time that works best for you: Tuesday, September 24 Thursday October 3 8:30 am to 10:30 am 12:30 pm to 2:30 pm This tour is open to all Smithsonian staff, interns, and volunteers. Please rsvp to Peggy Abel at x82095 …
Building a Better Exhibit Case
The Office of Exhibits Central and the Museum Conservation Institute develop affordable and sustainable conservation-grade casework. OEC collaborated with MCI to design and test exhibit cases that meet the stringent requirements of object conservators to keep Smithsonian artifacts safe from environmental damage and material degradation. Previously, Smithsonian museums had to contract this kind of specialized …
Intern Summer at OEC, 2013
By Ariel Rolfe, Design Intern The Office of Exhibits Central takes on interns throughout the year to assist in a variety of projects. Interns gain valuable professional experience while learning about what the Smithsonian does behind the scenes. Internships are ten weeks long, and (as of now, mid-July) the eager interns are already halfway through …
OEC at the Staff Picnic in Rain and Shine
Undeterred by intermittent showers, OEC staff shared their work with the greater Smithsonian community. It was a chance to connect with other exhibit and museum professionals. Even the Secretary stopped by to say hi. The OEC Model Shop showcased the ability of its 3D scanning and printing technology with a range of3D-printed models. …