Smithsonian Education

Smithsonian Education Smithsonian Education is the outreach and learning arm of the Smithsonian Institution that develops curricula, teacher resources, and learner-centered programming drawing on the Institution’s museums and research centers. It translates collections and research from institutions such as the National Museum of American History, National Air and Space Museum, National Museum of Natural History, and Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory into classroom-compatible materials. Working with educators linked to entities like the National Science Teachers Association, National Council for the Social Studies, and the American Alliance of Museums, it supports K–12 and informal learning across the United States and internationally.

History

Smithsonian Education emerged from earlier public-engagement efforts at the Smithsonian Institution during the late 20th century, building on initiatives at the Freer Gallery of Art and the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery to broaden audience access to collections. In the 1990s and 2000s it formalized programming in parallel with digital projects at the Cooper-Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum and the National Portrait Gallery (United States), incorporating lessons from partnerships with the U.S. Department of Education, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the National Endowment for the Arts. Major milestones included adoption of web-based curricula influenced by standards set by the Common Core State Standards Initiative and science benchmarks promoted by the Next Generation Science Standards.

Programs and Initiatives

Smithsonian Education administers classroom curricula, professional development, internship pathways, and online courses tied to the collections of institutions such as the National Museum of African American History and Culture, the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, and the National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute. Signature programs have collaborated with organizations such as the Library of Congress, the American Philosophical Society, and the National Archives and Records Administration to create primary-source modules. Teacher workshops have been co-sponsored with the Getty Conservation Institute and the Institute of Museum and Library Services, while youth-facing initiatives have partnered with Boy Scouts of America and Girl Scouts of the USA. Digital offerings have been piloted with technology partners including the Smithsonian Institution Archives and the National Museum of History and Technology’s successors.

Collections and Resources

Smithsonian Education curates lesson plans and multimedia resources derived from holdings at the National Museum of Natural History, the National Museum of American History, the National Air and Space Museum, the Anacostia Community Museum, and the American Art Museum. Resources incorporate artifacts tied to events like the Lewis and Clark Expedition, the Apollo 11 mission, and exhibits on figures such as Harriet Tubman, Albert Einstein, and Frederick Douglass. Materials draw on primary documents from the National Anthropological Archives, specimen data from the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, and imagery from the Smithsonian American Art Museum. Specialized collections inform modules on topics represented by the Zimmerli Art Museum and research centers such as the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center.

Partnerships and Outreach

Outreach strategies engage a wide set of partners including the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the American Museum of Natural History, and university partners such as Harvard University, George Washington University, and the University of California, Berkeley. Collaborative grant-making has involved the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the Carnegie Corporation of New York, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Public programs have been developed in concert with event partners like the National Geographic Society and the Monumental Sports & Entertainment network for community-facing festivals and exhibitions. International collaborations have included exchanges with institutions such as the British Museum, the Musée du Louvre, and the National Museum of China.

Educational Research and Impact

Smithsonian Education commissions and disseminates research measuring learning outcomes in collaboration with academic units such as the Carnegie Mellon University,[ [Columbia University, and the Stanford University Graduate School of Education. Evaluations have used methodologies common to studies by the American Educational Research Association and metrics aligned with the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development assessments. Findings inform practice and policy dialogues involving stakeholders like the U.S. Department of Education and the Council of Chief State School Officers. Peer-reviewed work arising from these activities appears in journals associated with the National Science Teachers Association and the American Alliance of Museums.

Category:Smithsonian Institution Category:Educational programs