2 results in SIA.FARU9594 for "Smithsonian Institution 150th Birthday Party on the National Mall (1996: Washington, D.C.)"
Nancy Pope was interviewed by Felix Lapinski on July 6, 1996. She worked at the Library of Congress prior to working at the Smithsonian. She began her career at the Institution in October 1984 in the National Philatelic Collection of the National Museum of American History. Pope now works at the National Postal Museum. This interview discusses how Pope got her job, her first day at work, her supervisor Reidar Norby, her early projects with the National Philatelic Collection, the beginnings of the National Postal Museum and Pope's role in its creation, a description and history of the collection, the goals of the museum, the history and significance of several artifacts in the museum, the history of the Postal Museum's building, and the Postal Museum's plans for the 150th birthday party.
Dick Ball was interviewed by David Bosserman on July 7, 1996. He has lived in Washington, DC, for 46 years and worked for 45 years as a structural engineer. Ball is an Information Specialist at the National Air and Space Museum (NASM). He has been volunteering at the Smithsonian for 5 years. This interview discusses what an Information Specialist does, the training courses one takes to become an Information Specialist, why Ball wanted to volunteer, how he got involved, the relationships he has formed through working at the Smithsonian, the Festival of American Folklife, other museums he has visited, impressions of the Smithsonian, what he will do as he works during the 150th birthday party, his other volunteer work, strange questions he has been asked, dealing with the language barrier, the work of an Information Specialist as compared to that of a docent, care of the artifacts in the museum, and his previous interest in aeronautics.
