Explore the 2026 calendar and interactive story map to find events in your region!
The first ever human sunburst was created by about 4,000 Smithsonian staff, interns, fellows, and volunteers. Photo by Dane Penland
Young visitors enjoy a parachuting activity at the National Air and Space Museum.Photo by Jim Preston
A docent at the Smithsonian American Art Museum leads a visitor on one of the museum’s America InSight verbal description tours. Photo by Mary Tait
Sgt. Gerardo Ramirez helps a visitor with directions at the Udvar-Hazy Center.Photo by Cristobella Durrette
For the Common Good
Washington, D.C., June 16–July 11, 2026
“As the Smithsonian celebrates this moment, this history, this nation, [our staff is] a microcosm of a country forged by the hopes and dreams of people from around the world, with a multitude of talents and insights.”
—Lonnie Bunch, Secretary, Smithsonian Institution
—Lonnie Bunch, Secretary, Smithsonian Institution
Have you ever wondered who tends to the Smithsonian’s gardens or keeps the museums secure? Or what it takes to restore the Smithsonian Castle?
In this conversation series, Smithsonian staff explore how their work in museums, research and education centers, and a zoological park illuminates the ideals of a nation and contributes to our shared future. As the United States marks the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, this moment offers opportunities for commemoration, contemplation, and celebration that foster renewed commitment to shared ideals and aspirations. We invite you to join us as we reflect on what it means to work toward the common good.
Join us in the historic Arts and Industries Building and online, Tuesdays through Saturdays, June 16 to July 11, at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. ET. All sessions are open to the public and streaming on YouTube, where they will remain available to watch.
Sessions
Latin Music Fans: Making Culture & Keeping Tradition
Tuesday, June 16, 11 a.m.–12 p.m.- Ranald Woodaman, assistant director of exhibition development and curator, National Museum of the American Latino
- Pablo Yglesias (DJ Bongohead)
Notes on “Our Shared Future 250”
Tuesday, June 16, 1–2 p.m.- Julissa Marenco, Assistant Secretary for Communications and External Affairs and Chief Marketing Officer
- Sabrina Motley, director, Smithsonian Folklife Festival
- Lisa Sasaki, Smithsonian Deputy Under Secretary for Special Projects
Science in the City: A Conversation with the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center
Wednesday, June 17, 11 a.m.–12 p.m.- Rebecca Hale, senior scientist and principal investigator, Coastal Disease Ecology Lab
- Katrina Lohan, senior scientist and principal investigator, Coastal Disease Ecology Lab
- Roy Rich, senior scientist and principal investigator, Technology in Ecology Lab
- Heather Richardson, internship and fellowship coordinator
Registrars 101
Wednesday, June 17, 1–2 p.m.- Emily Conforto, associate registrar for exhibitions and loans, National Museum of Natural History
- Andrea Jain, head registrar, Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden
- Erik Satrum, chief registrar, National Air and Space Museum
- Linda St. Thomas, chief spokesperson (retired), Office of Public Affairs
What a Dream Can Do: Celebrating Ten Years of the National Museum of African American History and Culture
Thursday, June 18, 11 a.m.–12 p.m.- Ariana Curtis, curator
- Tuliza Fleming, curator
- Douglas Remley, book co-editor
- Tulani Salahu-Din, curator
The Promise of a Nation: Essays on 250 Years of American History
Thursday, June 18, 1–2 p.m.- Tasha Coleman, editorial committee chair, Office of the Secretary
- Jim Deutsch, senior content coordinator, Office of the Secretary
- Sojin Kim, chapter author and curator, Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage
- Andrew Meade McGee, chapter author and curator, National Air and Space Museum
Bison: The National Mammal at the National Museum
Friday, June 19, 11 a.m.–12 p.m.- Rebecca Fenton, curator, Smithsonian Folklife Festival
- Emil Her Many Horses, curator, National Museum of the American Indian
- Kirk Johnson, Sant director, National Museum of Natural History
- Bill McShea, research wildlife biologist, National Zoo’s Conservation Ecology Center
Growing Tomorrow: Developing a Mall-Wide Garden Exhibition
Friday, June 19, 1–2 p.m.- Lauren Brandes, landscape architect, Smithsonian Gardens
- Rebecca Martin, associate director of collections, programs, and engagement, Smithsonian Gardens
- Tyler Nelson, technical director, Smithsonian Folklife Festival
- Virginia Thaxton, interior horticulturist, Smithsonian Gardens,
The Kids Are Alright: Youth Voices Leading the Future of Museums
Saturday, June 20, 11 a.m.–12 p.m.- Kelly Harro, manager of gallery programs, National Air and Space Museum
- Sahtiya Hosoda Hammell, education specialist, National Portrait Gallery
- Megan Linehan, education specialist, National Museum of American History
- Kirsten McNally, manager of teen programs, Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum
¡Puro Ritmo! Music, Participation, and Community
Saturday, June 20, 1–2 p.m.- Natalia Febo, community engagement and volunteer coordinator, National Museum of the American Latino
- Dan Ramirez, Hyattsville Branch Library manager
- Maribel Rodríguez, bilingual program and outreach associate, Prince George’s County Memorial Library System
- Ranald Woodaman, assistant director of exhibition development and curator, National Museum of the American Latino
Reflections on the 1976 Bicentennial and the Nation’s 250th Anniversary in 2026
Tuesday, June 23, 11 a.m.–12 p.m.- Lonnie Bunch, Secretary, Smithsonian
- Richard Kurin, Distinguished Scholar and Ambassador at Large, Smithsonian
Safety, Service, and Access: Behind the Scenes with the Office of Protection Services
Tuesday, June 23, 1–2 p.m.- Wendell Diggs, officer, National Museum of American History
- Priya Menzies Fluitt, acting deputy director
- Louis Holliday, officer, National Air and Space Museum
- Jahmal James, lieutenant, Suitland facilities
- Morgan C. Kane, acting director
Voices of History: Oral History Across the Smithsonian
Thursday, June 25, 11 a.m.–12 p.m.- Jose Centeno-Melendez, oral historian, National Museum of American History
- Miriam Doutriaux, head of collections, Anacostia Community Museum
- Ben Gillespie, head of curatorial affairs, Archives of American Art
- Rachel Seidman, curator, American Women’s History Museum
InSight: Photos and Stories from the National Museum of the American Indian Archives
Thursday, June 25, 12–1 p.m.- Rachel Menyuk, processing archives
- Emily Moazami, head archivist
- Meg Rivers, exhibits manager
- Nathan Sowry, reference archivist
Smithsonian Starstruck: An Immersive Experience
Thursday, June 25, 1–2 p.m.- Laura Brenneman, astrophysicist, Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory
- Michelle Cook, inclusive design specialist, Office of Visitor Accessibility
- Denise Elliott, acting director, Smithsonian Enterprises
- Randall Smith, senior astrophysicist, Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory
How Can You Forget Me: Filipino American Stories
Friday, June 26, 11 a.m.–12 p.m.- Mia Cariello, education specialist, Asian Pacific American Center
- Aurianna Nacua, gallery educator, Asian Pacific American Center
- Erwin Tiongson, professor, Georgetown University
- Sam Vong, curator, National Museum of American History
Tiny Stamps, Big Stories: Inside the World’s Largest Stamp Gallery and One-Minute Wonders
Friday, June 26, 1–2 p.m.- Ren Cooper, public affairs specialist and social media manager, National Postal Museum
- Lynn Heidelbaugh, curator, National Postal Museum
- Daniel Piazza, chief curator of philately, National Postal Museum
For the People: Living Traditions in the Classroom
Saturday, June 27, 11 a.m.–12 p.m.- Destini Collins, classroom teacher
- Ashleigh Coren, education project coordinator, Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage
- Philippa Rappoport, head of education and engagement, Office of Educational Technology
- Katrina Villavicencio, teaching artist
Play Date! Early Learning Collaborative at the Smithsonian
Saturday, June 27, 1–2 p.m.- Ann Caspari, early childhood education specialist,National Air and Space Museum
- Beth Evans, youth and family programs coordinator, National Portrait Gallery
- Anne Matlock, youth and family programs manager, National Postal Museum
- Emily Porter, manager of early childhood and family learning experiences, National Zoo
Smithsonian Goes to the Moon
Tuesday, June 30, 11 a.m.–12 p.m.- Cari Corrigan, research geologist/curator of Antarctic meteorites, National Museum of Natural History
- Emily Margolis, curator for contemporary spaceflight, National Air and Space Museum
- Teasel Muir-Harmony, curator for the Apollo collection, National Air and Space Museum
- Matt Shindell, curator for the history of planetary science, National Air and Space Museum
Gunboat Philadelphia: The Warship as Old as America!
Tuesday, June 30, 1–2 p.m.- Kenneth Cohen, curator, National Museum of American History
- Dr. Peter Fix, research scientist, Texas A&M University
- Jennifer Jones, curator and project director, National Museum of American History
How Now, Butter Cow? The Making of the Renwick’s State Fairs: Growing American Craft Exhibition
Wednesday, July 1, 11 a.m.–12 p.m.- Leah Bright, objects conservator, Smithsonian American Art Museum
- Meghan O’Loughlin, exhibition designer, Smithsonian American Art Museum
- Sarah Pratt, butter sculptor
- Mary Savig, Fleur and Charles Bresler Curator‑in‑Charge, Renwick Gallery
If These Walls Could Talk: Restoring the Smithsonian Castle
Wednesday, July 1, 1–2 p.m.- Carly Bond, associate director of architectural history and historic preservation
- Jamil Burnett, supervisory senior construction manager
Making the Smithsonian Accessible for All Visitors
Thursday, July 2, 11 a.m.–12 p.m.- Geoffrey Cohrs, docent coordinator, Smithsonian American Art Museum
- Ashley Grady, accessibility program specialist, Office of Visitor Accessibility
- Emma Jaromin, visitor accessibility and programs manager, Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum
- Diane Nutting, accessibility program manager, Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage
The Future Is Now? Reflections on the Promises of New Technologies
Thursday, July 2, 1–2 p.m.- Joshua Bell, curator of globalization, National Museum of Natural History
- Javier Mateo-Vega, Assistant Under Secretary for Research Programs and Partnerships
- Andrew Meade McGee, curator of computing, National Air and Space Museum
Rethinking What It Means to Be a Museum: Shared Stewardship, Ethical Returns, and Trust-Building in Practice
Tuesday, July 7, 11 a.m.–12 p.m.- Greg Adams, archivist, National Museum of African Art
- Danielle Bennett, archivist, National Museum of Asian Art
- Sarah Loudin, archivist, National Museum of Natural History
- Caroline Angle Maguire, archivist, National Museum of African Art
- Kelly McHugh, archivist, National Museum of the American Indian
Democracy in Dialogue Virtual Exchange Program
Tuesday, July 7, 1–2 p.m.- Ali McKersie, Democracy in Dialogue co-lead, Office of the Under Secretary of Education
- Andy Mink, director, Smithsonian’s Rural Initiative
- Jared Morris, Democracy in Dialogue co-lead, Office of the Under Secretary of Education
- Sheeba Rashada, Democracy in Dialogue co-lead, Office of the Under Secretary of Education
Smithsonian Folkways Recordings Celebrates Forty Years
Wednesday, July 8, 11 a.m.–12 p.m.- Maureen Loughran, director and curator, Smithsonian Folkways Recordings
- Mark Puryear, producer, Smithsonian Folkways Recordings
- Jay Summerour, musician
From Classrooms to the Cosmos: How Smithsonian STARS Is Taking Astronomy to Rural Schools
Wednesday, July 8, 1–2 p.m.- Jason Gurtman, community engagement specialist, Smithsonian STARS
- Kal Mannis, senior director for rural engagement, Arizona Science Center
- Emma Marcucci, executive director, Smithsonian STARS
- Catherine Zucker, astrophysicist, Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory
Meet the Beetles
Thursday, July 9, 11 a.m.–12 p.m.- Betty Belanus, program curator, Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage
- Frank Krell, taxonomist, U.S. Department of Agriculture
- Floyd Shockley, senior collections manager of entomology, National Museum of Natural History
- Inger Toraason, osteological specimen preparator, National Museum of Natural History
Smithsonian Affiliations: What’s in Your Neighborhood?
Thursday, July 9, 1–2 p.m.- Kara Blond, director, Smithsonian Traveling Exhibition Service | Smithsonian Affiliations
- Ann Fortescue, executive director, International Museum of Art & Science
- Andy Masich, president and CEO, Senator John Heinz History Center
Revitalizing the Hirshhorn’s Sculpture Garden
Friday, July 10, 11 a.m.–12 p.m.- Anne Reeve, curator
- Sarah Tietbohl, horticulturalist
- Anouk Verbeek, sculpture conservator
Calling All Jazz Cats! Jazz at the Smithsonian
Friday, July 10, 12–1 p.m.- Theo Gonzalves, curator, National Museum of American History
- Krystal Klingenberg, curator, National Museum of American History
- Charlie Young, artistic director, Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra
Looking Under the Hood of Lowriders at the National Museum of American History
Friday, July 10, 1–2 p.m.- Michael Denison, head exhibit designer
- Howard Morrison, exhibit developer
- Mike Valle, president, Just Klownin Car Club
- Steve Velasquez, lead curator
“Freedom in the Air”: The Enduring Legacy of Bernice Johnson Reagon’s Work at the Smithsonian
Saturday, July 11, 11 a.m.–12 p.m.- James Counts Early, former assistant secretary for education and public service and director of cultural heritage policy, Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage
- Niani Kilkenny, former director of the Program in African American Culture, National Museum of American History
- Krystal Klingenberg, curator of music, National Museum of American History
Protecting Our Shared Histories at the Museum Conservation Institute
Saturday, July 11, 1–2 p.m.- Sanchita Balachandran, director
- Shannon Brogdon-Grantham, conservator of photographs and paper
- Amelia Hurst, predoctoral fellow
- Liz Kirby, senior advisor for programs and partnerships
- Thomas Lam, physical scientist
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