O Say Can You See?

A historic transaction

A national museum opens to great fanfare after being closed for 2 years. People clamor to get in, to see the Star-Spangled Banner in its new state-of-the-art chamber, to marvel at the newly renovated public spaces . . . and to shop?

Who makes a bee-line to a store when there is so much history to see? Believe it or not, there were some regular visitors in the store at 10:01 a.m. But the very first customer was Jim Gardner, our Associate Director for Curatorial Affairs. That makes sense, as he is more than a little familiar with the exhibits, but the store was all new to him. Turns out Jim is writing an article about memorials and the book Letters on the Wall was just what he needed for his research.

That’s what I love about our stores. There are souvenirs, toys, T shirts and jewelry, but also a wonderfully rich and diverse selection of books, reproductions of historical documents, maps, and memorabilia. Whether you are a history buff, a teacher or just a shopper looking for the perfect gift, our stores are bound have something you just can’t resist. (Plus, all income from sales supports the educational activities of the Smithsonian Institution.)

Kathy Sklar is the business program manager at the National Museum of American History.

Presidential tchotchkes

Last week I got a peek at the future—the future of inaugural souvenirs, at least. A full week before the election and months before our 44th president is sworn in, I got to see what a button honoring the inauguration of McCain and Palin would look like. I approved a sample of a spinner keychain that would commemorate the Obama and Biden inauguration.

At the museum we report history; we don’t play favorites or make predictions. We play it safe, so two full lines of tchotchkes are approved but only one is actually produced. I won’t deny that I fantasized about buying a pen with my favorite candidate’s name on it but I didn’t know until today whether that would be possible. 

We can all continue to participate in our democracy by coming to Washington for the inauguration, visiting the museum, and buying a tchotchke or two. 

Kathy Sklar is the museum’s business program manager.

Back(side) to the future

When the museum reopens, one of the more notable visitor amenities will be the renovated Stars & Stripes Cafe. Every aspect of the cafe on the lower level will be updated, from the kitchen to the menu to the chairs. When we selected these chairs we discovered that we had stumbled upon an all-American classic.

Emeco’s 1951 chair combines new materials for the seat and back (molded ABS plastic) with classic aluminum construction.

We loved the Emeco “1951” chair because it’s simple, sturdy and affordable. The chairs are American made in Hanover, PA and fulfill our Green Initiative because they are made of 80% recycled aluminum and are LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Green Building Rating System) compliant.  The chairs are being blanket wrapped for shipping to reduce packaging and waste.

Then we realized the chair looked really familiar . . . It is a descendant of Emeco’s classic 1006 Navy chair. These original Navy chairs can be found throughout our offices! As the story goes, the chairs were purchased from the Navy because they had a surplus. The original chairs are about 40 years old and still look great, so we are confident that the new chairs will serve us and you well.

Kathy Sklar is the museum’s Business Program Manager.

Food for thought

When the museum reopens, visitors will clamor to see the Star-Spangled Banner (the flag that inspired the national anthem), they’ll admire our new, brightly lit space and open floor plan, and they will likely seek out a favorite exhibit.  But most folks also have a second agenda that is just as compelling as the first—to have lunch and to go shopping for souvenirs and gifts.  In a museum filled with historians and curators and exhibit designers, I am the person in charge not of history but of your present-day needs.

Artist’s rendering of the Constitution Café,
with its fabulous view of Constitution Avenue

We will have two new restaurants when we reopen.  The main eatery is the Stars and Stripes Café, which is on the lower level.  That is the “we have something for everyone” place to eat.  I am most excited about the large salad bar and the individual pizzas made in a wood-burning stove.  There will also be soups, sandwiches, burgers, and the ever popular barbecue.   

The Constitution Café on the first floor at the Constitution Avenue entrance is your place to stop for specialty coffees, a snack, sandwich, or hand-dipped ice cream cone.  It is a new space with a huge window wall that opens on to a great view of Constitution Avenue and the fountain at our entrance.  I think the window counter seats will be a hot commodity for visitors (and staff!) who need a break.

Kathy Sklar is the museum's Business Program Manager. She is not shy about encouraging visitors to relax and spend some money when they visit the museum (and notes that all income from sales supports the educational activities of the Smithsonian Institution).