The Donald J. Ortner Papers, dated 1963 to 2013, document his research and professional activities while working in the Division of Physical Anthropology in the Department of Anthropology at the Smithsonian Institution National Museum of Natural History. They primarily deal with his contributions to the field of paleopathology and his work with specimens from Bab edh-Dhra, Jordan and Chichester, England. The bulk of this collection consists of correspondence, files related to Ortner's publications, specimen observations and analysis, and photographs.

These papers reflect the professional lives of Alice Cunningham Fletcher (1838-1923), an ethnologist with the Peabody Museum of Harvard and collaborator with the Bureau of American Ethnology, and Francis La Flesche (1856-1923), an anthropologist with the Bureau of American Ethnology. Due to the close professional and personal relationship of Fletcher and La Flesche, their papers have been arranged jointly. The papers cover the period from 1874 to 1939. Included in the collection is correspondence, personal diaries, lectures, field notes and other ethnographic papers, drafts, musical transcriptions, publications by various authors, maps and photographs.

The Department of Anthropology records contain administrative and research materials produced by the department and its members from the time of the Smithsonian Institution's foundation until today.

The collections consists mostly of original and copy prints. There are also some negatives, artwork, photographs of artwork, and printed materials. Included is a large miscellany of ethnological, historical, and some archaeological subjects collected by the Bureau of American Ethnology from a wide variety of sources. To these have been added some p...

The records offer primary documentation of natural history exhibition production at the Smithsonian. Exhibits include "Ainu: Spirit of a Northern People," "Spiders!," "Japanese Ceramics Today: Masterworks from the Kikuchi Collection," "5000 Years of Korean Art," "Seeds of Change," "Ocean Planet," "Crossroads of Continents: Cultures of Siberia ...

These records document agendas associated with special programs, exhibitions, and related budgetary matters of the International Center and individuals or outside organizations that participate in the activities of the Center. Materials include correspondence and memoranda; Smithsonian Year 1985 Supplement: Chronology and Appendixes; "M...

The collection consists of prints of edited films and unedited reels of footage that were tranferred from the National Human Studies Film Center/National Anthropological Film Center to the Human Studies Film Archives upon creation of the Archives. The Film Archives received no information as to the source or agreements. Films include: THE AX FIGH...

This collection contains photographic prints and copy negatives taken by Ales Hrdlicka in Arizona and Mexico between 1898 and 1902. The majority of the photographs were donated by George Pepper to the Museum of the American Indian, Heye Foundation in 1923. Native communities that Hrdlicka photographed during his research include--Purepecha (Tarasco), Yoeme (Yaqui), Hualapai (Walapai), Havasupai (Coconino), Piipaash (Maricopa), Mojave (Mahave), Tohono O'odham (Papapgo), Quechan (Yuma/Cuchan), Tepecano, Akimel O'odham (Pima), Opata, Cora, Seri, Wixarika (Huichol), Nahua, Otomi and Yoreme (Mayo). Ales Hrdlicka (1869-1943) was born in the Czech Republic moved to the United States in 1881. Hrdlicka became known as the "Father" of Physical Anthropology and worked at the U.S. National Museum (now the National Museum of Natural History).

These records document the operation of the Carbon-Dating Laboratory during its twenty-four year history. They include logbooks containing raw data on samples analyzed; incoming and outgoing correspondence of Sigalove, Long, and Stuckenrath with Smithsonian and outside scientists concerning the analysis of samples submitted for dating; informa...

This record unit documents the growth and management of the Smithsonian from 1890 to 1929. Of special interest is the Institution's entry into the field of the fine arts through the creation of the National Gallery of Art and the Freer Gallery of Art. The Smithsonian continued to pursue a wide variety of other interests as well. Thus, the...