Public Programs

Newsroom of the Smithsonian

Media resources for our public programs. See our Event Calendar for all of our public programs.

Image of a group of performers in traditional dress, with long white sleeves, black bodice and high ponytails dancing.

Musical performers synchronously holding their instruments in the air at the museum’s 2023 Chuseok festival. Credit: National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution.

National Museum of Asian Art Announces Its 2024 Chuseok Family Festival
09.03.2024
Asian Art Museum Public Programs
A group of people sit in folding chairs holding various flags.
National Museum of African Art Hosts Teaching Africa Day
Ninth Annual Daytime Event Focuses on “Storytelling Through the Ages: Past, Present, and Future”
08.29.2024
African Art Museum Public Programs
Image of a row of teenagers standing in front of propped up photographs.

“Teen Photo Exhibition” by Matailong Du, 2016. Courtesy Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery.

National Portrait Gallery Announces Teen Portrait Competition Timed With Museum’s “The Outwin 2025: American Portraiture Today” Exhibition
Call for Entries Opens Sept. 15–Dec. 23
08.26.2024
Portrait Gallery Public Programs
Photograph of people in traditional skull face painting and colorful clothing standing in a line.

Credit: Dancers in front of Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery for Día de los Muertos festival (2023). Photo by Matailong Du.

National Portrait Gallery Celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month and Día de Los Muertos
08.15.2024
Portrait Gallery Public Programs
Woman modeling a colorful, slightly sheer, abstractly-patterned shawl
Smithsonian Craft2Wear Show Opens Sept. 27
Highlights Include a Special Exhibition of Crafts From South Korea
08.15.2024
Public Programs
Two women sit opposite each other at wooden table, looking at archival books with black and white photos and news cutouts.
National Museum of African American History and Culture To Offer Community Curation Programs in St. Louis and East St. Louis
08.07.2024
African American Museum Public Programs
Headshot of white man smiling in a purple sweater and white collar.

Credit: Andrew Eccles.

Smithsonian Associates Honors Henry Winkler With John P. McGovern Award
08.01.2024
Smithsonian Associates Public Programs
Black-and-white photograph of First Lady Grace Coolidge holding an absentee ballot envelope and pen while seated at a desk.
Library of Congress
National Postal Museum - Voting By Mail, Mrs. Coolidge

First Lady Grace Coolidge holds an envelope to vote absentee by mail in the 1924 presidential election.

Download (1.99 MB)
Graphic with collage of images on the left side and blocky font on right side reading Native Cinema Showcase 2024.
National Museum of the American Indian Presents the Best in Indigenous Film in the Native Cinema Showcase in Santa Fe
Special Appearance by Indigenous Screen Legends Graham Greene, Tantoo Cardinal, Gary Farmer and Wes Studi
07.19.2024
American Indian Museum Public Programs
Image of outer space with bright stars and clouds of purples and blues.

The "Tarantula Nebula" (officially known as 30 Doradus) is a region of active star formation located in the Large Magellanic Cloud, a neighbor galaxy of the Milky Way. X-ray: NASA/CXC/Penn State Univ./L. Townsley et al.; IR: NASA/ESA/CSA/STScI/JWST ERO Production Team.

Celestial Imagery from the Chanda X-ray Observatory to Appear in Six Metro Stations
07.18.2024
Astrophysical Observatory Public Programs
Graphic logo for Smithsonian National Museum of the American Latino with small blue circle and yellow sunburst inside above text
National Museum of the American Latino Kicks Off Annual Community-Conscious Leadership Practicum
07.10.2024
American Latino Museum Public Programs
Folklife Festival 2024
Media Alert: Smithsonian Folklife Festival Continues June 29 to July 1 on National Mall
06.28.2024
Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage American Indian Museum Public Programs
SAAM Arcade 2024

Courtesy of the Smithsonian American Art Museum; photo by Norwood Photography. 

Smithsonian American Art Museum Hosts 11th Annual SAAM Arcade 2024
Popular Free Public Event Highlights Innovative Video Games That Explore Travel and Adventure
06.27.2024
American Art Museum Public Programs
People dancing in a line at dusk.
Solstice Saturday - Castle
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Women dance in red skirts and black tops.
2024 Folklife Festival - Dance
Download (6.79 MB)
A man in a vibrant colorful outfit plays a long wooden flute in front of a crowd.
2024 Folklife Festival - Performance
Download (2.5 MB)
Graphic of circle split horizontally with yellow on top, blue on bottom.
Smithsonian Welcomes the Start of Summer With “Solstice Saturday”
06.13.2024
Public Programs
Graphic with big blocky text in burnt orange color.
2024 Folklife Festival - Logo
Download (172.69 KB)
Graphic with black background, blocky typeface, and black and white picture of woman smiling.
2024 NPM Guest Artist: June 18, Shapes in Nature
Download (2.63 MB)
Graphic with red background, blocky typeface and black and white image of woman smiling.
2024 NPM Guest Artist: July 25, A Love Story
Download (4.14 MB)
Graphic with dark background, blocky typeface, and a black and white image of a woman with short hair smiling.
National Postal Museum Will Host Guest Artist Program
Renowned Stamp Artist Katie Kirk To Participate in Five Free Events
06.03.2024
Postal Museum Public Programs
Red brick castle with sandy walkways in front, people crossing the paths, and white tents in foreground.
Smithsonian Folklife Festival Program To Highlight the Living Traditions of Indigenous Peoples of the Western Hemisphere
2024 Program Celebrates the National Museum of the American Indian
05.28.2024
Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage American Indian Museum Public Programs
Three young women stand in a triangle formation, holding large flags with rainbow colors.

Celebrate Pride with your chosen family at SAAM. Image credit: Norwood Photography.

Smithsonian Marks National Pride Month With Exhibits and Public Programs
05.24.2024
Public Programs
Man in black long sleeves and black cap leans over colorful tapesty, one arm out holding a paintbrush.
Brian Barlow
Pride Month 2024 - Jeffrey Gibson in Studio
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