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Smithsonian Store Unveils 2026 Holiday Gift Guide Featuring Museum-Inspired Finds for Every Interest
WASHINGTON, Oct. 10 -- The Smithsonian Institution issued the following news release:
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Smithsonian Store Unveils 2026 Holiday Gift Guide Featuring Museum-Inspired Finds for Every Interest
From Smithsonian Collections to Holiday Traditions, Unique Gifts Support the Nation's Museum
October 9, 2026
The Smithsonian Store today launched its 2026 Holiday Gift Guide, offering hundreds of distinctive gifts inspired by the Smithsonian's museums, collections, research and exhibitions. From science kits and artisan jewelry to books, apparel and home decor, the guide helps shoppers find meaningful ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Oct. 10 -- The Smithsonian Institution issued the following news release: * * * Smithsonian Store Unveils 2026 Holiday Gift Guide Featuring Museum-Inspired Finds for Every Interest From Smithsonian Collections to Holiday Traditions, Unique Gifts Support the Nation's Museum October 9, 2026 The Smithsonian Store today launched its 2026 Holiday Gift Guide, offering hundreds of distinctive gifts inspired by the Smithsonian's museums, collections, research and exhibitions. From science kits and artisan jewelry to books, apparel and home decor, the guide helps shoppers find meaningfulgifts while supporting the world's largest museum, education and research complex.
Whether shopping for a budding paleontologist eager to take home a modern keepsake inspired by the prehistoric world or a history buff drawn to the stories and discoveries that shaped the world, shoppers will find gifts that reflect the Smithsonian's commitment to curiosity, creativity and imagination.
Every Smithsonian Store purchase directly supports the Institution's mission with the proceeds helping sustain its educational and scholarly work for generations to come. Shoppers can also take advantage of seasonal discounts, like free shipping on Veterans Day, by signing up for the Smithsonian Store newsletter.
Best-selling favorites from the holiday guide include:
Exclusive Smithsonian Men's Winter Layers--Forget the ugly holiday sweater. Smithsonian-inspired apparel combines comfort and style with stories drawn from American history, culture and art. Standout pieces include a Bird House short sleeve button down shirt, a long-sleeve Tuskegee Airmen T-shirt and a fleece hoodie featuring Jean-Michel Basquiat's iconic Pez Dispenser artwork.
Handmade Holiday Cards--Send a holiday greeting inspired by the Smithsonian's collections. A tasteful and fun way to do that is by sending handcrafted cards inspired by the Smithsonian's collections. Designs like Merry Berries for garden lovers and Artistic Christmas Trees for art enthusiasts bring a personal touch to holiday messages.
Seasonal Pins Collection--Inspired by objects and designs found throughout Smithsonian collections, these festive accessories add a touch of holiday spirit to any wardrobe. Featured designs include a peace dove, red cardinal, pinecone branch and a freshwater pearl snowman.
Gifts for Home Chefs and Dinner Party Hosts--Inspired by culinary traditions and museum collections, these gifts are ideal for food lovers and entertainers alike. Highlights include the New Native Kitchen cookbook from the National Museum of the American Indian and Julia Child's Kitchen, a behind-the-scenes look at the famed chef's recipe-testing laboratory, along with distinctive housewares, including the Polka Dot Salad and Server Set and Murano stemless wineglasses, that help elevate any holiday gathering.
Science Activity Kits--These kits encourage hands-on learning and discovery designed to inspire the next generation of scientists and explorers. Young learners can build a glow-in-the-dark giant volcano, grow crystals, explore dinosaurs through virtual reality, or investigate the sky with a beginner-friendly telescope.
Whether shopping by interest or by museum, the Smithsonian Store's Holiday Gift Guide offers a meaningful way to celebrate the season. The full guide is available at SmithsonianStore.com, and information about more ways to support the Smithsonian is on its website.
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About Smithsonian Enterprises
Smithsonian Enterprises oversees the commercial activities of the Smithsonian through a variety of business activities. Media includes Smithsonian magazine, which reaches over 850,000 print subscribers; www.smithsonianmag.com with more than 7 million unique monthly visitors; and the Smithsonian Channel, which is available to over 40 million cable households in the U.S. and Canada and 71 million subscribers via the Paramount+ streaming platform; Retail includes 31 museum and airport stores, two IMAX theaters, a planetarium, and food concessions; E-Commerce runs smithsonianstore.com; Travel oversees Smithsonian Journeys and Smithsonian Student Travel with over 300 departures annually; and Licensing oversees over 85 licensees in categories such as toys, publishing, collectibles, jewelry and home. These revenue generating activities support and further the Smithsonian mission of "the increase and diffusion of knowledge" by providing revenue to support the exhibition and research programs of the Smithsonian.
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Original text here: https://www.si.edu/newsdesk/releases/smithsonian-store-unveils-2026-holiday-gift-guide-featuring-museum-inspired-finds
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Smithsonian Store Unveils 2026 Holiday Gift Guide Featuring Museum-Inspired Finds for Every Interest
From Smithsonian Collections to Holiday Traditions, Unique Gifts Support the Nation's Museum
October 9, 2026
The Smithsonian Store today launched its 2026 Holiday Gift Guide, offering hundreds of distinctive gifts inspired by the Smithsonian's museums, collections, research and exhibitions. From science kits and artisan jewelry to books, apparel and home decor, the guide helps shoppers find meaningful ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Oct. 10 -- The Smithsonian Institution issued the following news release: * * * Smithsonian Store Unveils 2026 Holiday Gift Guide Featuring Museum-Inspired Finds for Every Interest From Smithsonian Collections to Holiday Traditions, Unique Gifts Support the Nation's Museum October 9, 2026 The Smithsonian Store today launched its 2026 Holiday Gift Guide, offering hundreds of distinctive gifts inspired by the Smithsonian's museums, collections, research and exhibitions. From science kits and artisan jewelry to books, apparel and home decor, the guide helps shoppers find meaningfulgifts while supporting the world's largest museum, education and research complex.
Whether shopping for a budding paleontologist eager to take home a modern keepsake inspired by the prehistoric world or a history buff drawn to the stories and discoveries that shaped the world, shoppers will find gifts that reflect the Smithsonian's commitment to curiosity, creativity and imagination.
Every Smithsonian Store purchase directly supports the Institution's mission with the proceeds helping sustain its educational and scholarly work for generations to come. Shoppers can also take advantage of seasonal discounts, like free shipping on Veterans Day, by signing up for the Smithsonian Store newsletter.
Best-selling favorites from the holiday guide include:
Exclusive Smithsonian Men's Winter Layers--Forget the ugly holiday sweater. Smithsonian-inspired apparel combines comfort and style with stories drawn from American history, culture and art. Standout pieces include a Bird House short sleeve button down shirt, a long-sleeve Tuskegee Airmen T-shirt and a fleece hoodie featuring Jean-Michel Basquiat's iconic Pez Dispenser artwork.
Handmade Holiday Cards--Send a holiday greeting inspired by the Smithsonian's collections. A tasteful and fun way to do that is by sending handcrafted cards inspired by the Smithsonian's collections. Designs like Merry Berries for garden lovers and Artistic Christmas Trees for art enthusiasts bring a personal touch to holiday messages.
Seasonal Pins Collection--Inspired by objects and designs found throughout Smithsonian collections, these festive accessories add a touch of holiday spirit to any wardrobe. Featured designs include a peace dove, red cardinal, pinecone branch and a freshwater pearl snowman.
Gifts for Home Chefs and Dinner Party Hosts--Inspired by culinary traditions and museum collections, these gifts are ideal for food lovers and entertainers alike. Highlights include the New Native Kitchen cookbook from the National Museum of the American Indian and Julia Child's Kitchen, a behind-the-scenes look at the famed chef's recipe-testing laboratory, along with distinctive housewares, including the Polka Dot Salad and Server Set and Murano stemless wineglasses, that help elevate any holiday gathering.
Science Activity Kits--These kits encourage hands-on learning and discovery designed to inspire the next generation of scientists and explorers. Young learners can build a glow-in-the-dark giant volcano, grow crystals, explore dinosaurs through virtual reality, or investigate the sky with a beginner-friendly telescope.
Whether shopping by interest or by museum, the Smithsonian Store's Holiday Gift Guide offers a meaningful way to celebrate the season. The full guide is available at SmithsonianStore.com, and information about more ways to support the Smithsonian is on its website.
* * *
About Smithsonian Enterprises
Smithsonian Enterprises oversees the commercial activities of the Smithsonian through a variety of business activities. Media includes Smithsonian magazine, which reaches over 850,000 print subscribers; www.smithsonianmag.com with more than 7 million unique monthly visitors; and the Smithsonian Channel, which is available to over 40 million cable households in the U.S. and Canada and 71 million subscribers via the Paramount+ streaming platform; Retail includes 31 museum and airport stores, two IMAX theaters, a planetarium, and food concessions; E-Commerce runs smithsonianstore.com; Travel oversees Smithsonian Journeys and Smithsonian Student Travel with over 300 departures annually; and Licensing oversees over 85 licensees in categories such as toys, publishing, collectibles, jewelry and home. These revenue generating activities support and further the Smithsonian mission of "the increase and diffusion of knowledge" by providing revenue to support the exhibition and research programs of the Smithsonian.
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Original text here: https://www.si.edu/newsdesk/releases/smithsonian-store-unveils-2026-holiday-gift-guide-featuring-museum-inspired-finds
National Gallery of Art Presents First Exhibition Exploring the Fragment in Sculpture Across Time and Place
WASHINGTON, Oct. 10 -- The National Gallery of Art issued the following news release:
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National Gallery of Art Presents First Exhibition Exploring the Fragment in Sculpture Across Time and Place
October 9, 2026
Broken: The Power of the Fragment in Sculpture brings together more than 70 works across continents and millennia, including some never before on view in the US
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Washington, DC--The National Gallery of Art presents Broken: The Power of the Fragment in Sculpture, the first exhibition to consider the fragment as an artistic concept across place and time. Breakage has always been ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Oct. 10 -- The National Gallery of Art issued the following news release: * * * National Gallery of Art Presents First Exhibition Exploring the Fragment in Sculpture Across Time and Place October 9, 2026 Broken: The Power of the Fragment in Sculpture brings together more than 70 works across continents and millennia, including some never before on view in the US - Washington, DC--The National Gallery of Art presents Broken: The Power of the Fragment in Sculpture, the first exhibition to consider the fragment as an artistic concept across place and time. Breakage has always beena part of the history of art. Time, natural events, war, devotion, and even artists themselves have transformed sculptures into fragments that hold their own distinctive power. For millennia fragments have captivated viewers, revealing their fascinating histories while eliciting a range of complex responses--from awe to curiosity to empathy.
Featuring more than 70 works from over 50 lenders, including many that have never been on view in the United States, the exhibition brings together sculptures from the ancient world to today and represents a broad range of artistic traditions and geographies. Broken opens in the United States at the National Gallery on March 13, 2027, and will remain on view in the West Building through June 27, 2027, following its presentation at the Fondazione Palazzo Strozzi in Florence, Italy.
"Broken: The Power of the Fragment in Sculpture considers the unique emotional responses and creative impulses prompted by fragmented sculptures, a familiar yet intriguing form present throughout history," said Kaywin Feldman, director of the National Gallery of Art. "This ambitious exhibition would not have been possible without our close collaboration with the Fondazione Palazzo Strozzi and the extraordinary generosity of public and private collections around the world. They have entrusted us with some of their most beautiful and extraordinary objects, a testament to museums' role as sites of preservation as well as repositories for the important histories behind objects both broken and whole."
The exhibition features rare loans from major public collections, including the British Museum in London, the Hellenic National Archaeological Museum in Athens, The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the Museo Nacional de Antropologia in Mexico City, the Musee du Louvre in Paris, and the National Museum of Cambodia in Phnom Penh. The fragments on view span the ancient civilizations of Egypt, Greece, Japan, Mesoamerica, Mesopotamia, and Rome, and extend through the pre- and early modern cultures of Cambodia, China, Indonesia, France, Germany, Mali, Mexico, and Peru. The exhibition concludes with works by modern and contemporary artists, including El Anatsui, Huma Bhabha, Louise Bourgeois, Constantin Brancusi, Camille Claudel, Alberto Giacometti, Geumhyung Jeong, Cannupa Hanska Luger, Paul Pfeiffer, Auguste Rodin, Danh Vo, and Fred Wilson.
"Among the ways fragments exert their power is by making us think about the vastness of time and the passage of cultures. Many of the fragments in Broken have been carefully selected to do just that, representing extraordinary survivals from the distant past that carry us into the present," said C. D. Dickerson III, cocurator of the exhibition and dean of the Center for Advanced Study in the Visual Arts at the National Gallery of Art.
"We are very grateful to the contemporary artists who are showing their works in Broken, many of whom made their own selections. Their contributions powerfully demonstrate how the fragment is a way to both reflect on the ruptures of the past and imagine new and generative futures," said cocurator Andrew Sears, associate curator of northern European paintings at the National Gallery of Art
Broken unfolds through thematic sections that examine the forces that have rendered so many sculptures broken across time, and the resonances that the resulting fragments have held for viewers. The opening galleries introduce viewers to the visual and expressive power of the fragment. Visitors will first encounter the famous right hand of a colossal statue traditionally identified as the Roman emperor Constantine the Great (c. 330 CE), an unprecedented loan from the courtyard of Rome's Capitoline Museum. Another highlight is a rare life-size sculpture of a scarified woman (c. 200 CE) from the ancient city of Tamtoc in north central Mexico, discovered in 2005.
The next section examines how natural forces have taken their toll on sculptures, both gradually, through environmental processes like erosion, and suddenly, through cataclysmic events like earthquakes and floods. Among the exhibition's most striking objects is a Greek statue of a boy, possibly a wrestler, dating to the early 1st century BCE. It was recovered in 1900 from an ancient shipwreck after resting on the seafloor for two millennia, and it has never before been exhibited in the United States. Another highlight is a wood sculpture of Christ carrying the cross from late 14th- or early 15th-century Tuscany. Swept away in the catastrophic flooding that devastated Florence in 1966, it was later found downstream on the bank of the Arno River. Its precise origin remains unknown. This section also features a contemporary work by Cannupa Hanska Luger (enrolled member of the Three Affiliated Tribes of Fort Berthold [Mandan, Hidatsa, Arikara] and Lakota): a pair of ceramic bison skeletons that reflect on the species' near-extinction and its effect on the environment and inhabitants of the Great Plains.
The exhibition then pivots to focus on acts of iconoclasm--the destruction of objects driven by religious or political beliefs, often marked by instances of protest, violence, or regime change. On view in the National Gallery's presentation is Joseph Wilton's Tail from the Equestrian Statue of King George III (1770-1776), which reflects political protest from the early days of US independence. Part of a larger display on the history of equestrian statues, the fragment comes from a colonial-era equestrian statue of the British monarch, which was dismantled in 1776 during the American Revolution. This work is placed in conversation with fragments from the earliest surviving bronze equestrian statue of a ruler (c. 320-270 BCE), which was originally installed near the Athenian Agora and has never been exhibited outside Greece. Another highlight in this section is the fragmented torso of an Akkadian ruler (c. 2300-2250 BCE), probably attacked by political opponents, which has never been exhibited publicly before.
Another group of objects demonstrates the effects of war and vandalism from antiquity to the modern era. Among the highlights are two works from German collections that were severely damaged during World War II: a monumental grave figure (c. 1000-800 BCE) excavated at the archaeological site of Tell Halaf in Syria and a gothic Pieta from a Prague workshop (c. 1380), of which only the heads of Christ and the Virgin Mary survive. This section also explores efforts to repair objects destroyed by violence. One example is a 10th-century statue of the Hindu god Rama. Sawn from its base during the Cambodian Civil War, it was sold on the art market, but in 2016 it was returned to Cambodia and reunited with its original pedestal.
The exhibition concludes by exploring how artists throughout history have embraced fragmentation as a creative and generative act. Works in this section range from premodern sculptures of individual body parts that convey expressive gestures or are charged with devotional power; to figures that were sculptued through acts of breakage; and works by contemporary artists responding to the fragment as an artistic concept and form of social commentary. One notable work, a terracotta figure by Michelangelo, appears to have been deliberately modeled as a fragment, thus in emulation of the many fragments of ancient sculpture being discovered in Italy during the Renaissance. Among the modern and contemporary artists featured are Huma Bhabha, Louise Bourgeois, Robert Gober, Paul Pfeiffer, Alina Szapocznikow, Danh Vo, and Fred Wilson. Geumhyung Jeong's mixed-media installation Removed Parts: Restored, first shown in 2021 and reimagined specifically for the National Gallery's presentation, brings together medical and mechanical parts to explore the contemporary body as an assemblage of interchangeable components.
Exhibition Tour
Fondazion Palazzo Strozzi, September 25, 2026-January 24, 2027
National Gallery of Art, Washington, May 13-June 27, 2027
Exhibition Organization and Support
Broken: The Power of the Fragment in Sculpture is organized by the National Gallery of Art, Washington, and the Fondazione Palazzo Strozzi, Florence. Leadership support for the exhibition has been provided by Laura and John Arnold. The exhibition is also made possible through the generosity of the Buffy and William Cafritz Family Fund, the Richard C. von Hess Foundation, and Daniel W. Hamilton. Additional support is provided by the Annenberg Fund for the International Exchange of Art.
Exhibition Curators
The exhibition is curated by C. D. Dickerson III, dean of the Center for Advanced Study in the Visual Arts, and Andrew Sears, associate curator of northern European paintings, both from the National Gallery of Art, in collaboration with Arturo Galansino, director general of the Fondazione Palazzo Strozzi.
Accompanying Publication
Published in conjunction with the University of Chicago Press, the 280-page illustrated book that accompanies the exhibition explores the enduring fascination with broken sculptures through a range of interdisciplinary perspectives. It features contributions by scholars and artists, together with a lavish program of images illustrating fragments from the third millennium BCE to the present. Organized in three sections, the publication investigates what makes fragments so intriguing and the act of breaking itself, exploring the forces--both natural and human--that shaped these objects, the power dynamics of iconoclastic dismantling and defacement, and how various cultures treat broken statues. The book concludes by considering one of the most powerful ways humans have responded to fragments over the course of history: by creating new works that are intentionally fractured.
In the Library: Ode to the Broken
In conjunction with Broken: The Power of the Fragment in Sculpture, the National Gallery of Art Library presents an installation that is a visual meditation on art and architecture transformed by damage, destruction, or theft. It will examine the ways in which the works and places have been broken and, in some cases, transformed by their breaking.
The installation showcases rare photographs and photographic albums, stereoviews, prints, and rare books depicting art and architecture from around the world, including the Great Pyramids in Egypt, the Merida Cathedral in Mexico, temple sculptures from Nara, Japan, Roman ruins, the environs of the World Trade Center, and modern art that riffs on the meaning of broken. Visitors to the exhibition can follow Alexander the Great as he enters Babylon, visit a raucous dinner at a table in 17th century Flanders, witness theft at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, and glimpse various scenes from World War II, all representations of the universal experience of transformation.
Curated by Molli Kuenstner, image specialist for northern and central European art at the National Gallery of Art, this installation is on view from April 5 through June 25, 2027, in the East Building Library and Study Center from 11:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, except federal holidays.
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About the National Gallery of Art
The National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC, is the nation's art museum, home to a renowned collection of over 160,000 works of art, from antiquity to today. Each year, the museum welcomes millions of people in person and online to explore art, creativity, and our shared humanity. Located on the National Mall, admission to the West and East Buildings, Sculpture Garden, special exhibitions, and public programs is always free.
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About the Fondazione Palazzo Strozzi
The Fondazione Palazzo Strozzi in Florence is one of the leading international cultural institutions and a key reference point for the Italian art scene, housed in an icon of Renaissance architecture. Its exhibition program ranges from major shows devoted to old masters and modern art to site-specific projects and exhibitions by internationally renowned contemporary artists, such as Ai Weiwei, Olafur Eliasson, Marina Abramovic, Anselm Kiefer or Anish Kapoor. Within this ongoing dialogue between past and present, Palazzo Strozzi is a place of artistic production and research, guided by innovation and accessibility for the public.
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Broken: The Power of the Fragment in Sculpture
Fondazione Palazzo Strozzi, Florence, September 25, 2026-January 24, 2027
National Gallery of Art, Washington, March 13-June 27, 2027
For millennia, broken sculptures--or fragments--have captivated viewers and been admired for their ability to elicit a range of responses, including awe, curiosity, and empathy. As visually alluring as they are emotionally challenging, fragments bear witness to the histories they have endured, histories of violence, war, conquest, and upheaval. Broken: The Power of the Fragment in Sculpture is the first exhibition to consider the fragment as a transhistorical and transgeographical concept. The exhibition brings together more than 70 works from over 50 lenders worldwide, including several that have never been on view in the United States. Following its presentation at Palazzo Strozzi in Florence, Italy, from September 25, 2026, to January 24, 2027, Broken will debut in the United States at the National Gallery of Art in March 2027.
Broken frames the fragment as a category of sculpture in its own right. After considering why fragments provoke such powerful responses, the exhibition will explore the many forces responsible for breakage and the lessons they teach. Visitors will be led through thematic sections that engage a wide range of objects, geographies, and moments in history. One section will focus on acts of iconoclasm, or the destruction of objects driven by religious or political beliefs--from regime changes in ancient Mesopotamia to the Protestant Reformation in northern Europe and the American Revolution. Another will examine sculptures affected by war and vandalism, with examples from ancient Egypt and Greece, as well those impacted by more recent events, including World War II and the Cambodian Civil War. The exhibition will also look at how natural forces have left their mark: sculptures gradually eroded over time will be displayed alongside those suddenly altered by earthquakes or floods. The presentation will conclude with a consideration of how fragments have inspired artists to create sculptures meant to be seen as broken--a story that spans from prehistory to today. Among the modern and contemporary artists represented are Huma Bhabha, Louise Bourgeois, Constantin Brancusi, Camille Claudel, Cannupa Hanska Luger (enrolled member of the Three Affiliated Tribes of Fort Berthold [Mandan, Hidatsa, Arikara] and Lakota), Auguste Rodin, Danh Vo, and Fred Wilson.
Other exhibition highlights include the fragment of the right hand from the colossal statue of the Roman emperor Constantine (c. 330 CE), which has not left the courtyard of Rome's Capitoline Museum since being installed there in 1486; a rare life-size sculpture of a woman (c. 200 CE) from the ancient Mesoamerican city of Tamtoc, discovered in 2005 and never before exhibited in the United States; and the remains from one of the earliest known bronze equestrian statues (c. 303-302 BCE), originally installed at the Athenian Agora and never before exhibited outside Greece. Additionally, contemporary artists, including Paul Pfeiffer, have been invited to create site-specific installations for the National Gallery's presentation of the exhibition.
The exhibition is curated by C. D. Dickerson III, dean of the Center for Advanced Study in the Visual Arts, and Andrew Sears, assistant curator of northern European paintings, both from the National Gallery of Art, in collaboration with Arturo Galansino, director general of the Fondazione Palazzo Strozzi.
Exhibition Organization and Support
The exhibition is organized by the National Gallery of Art, Washington and the Fondazione Palazzo Strozzi, Florence.
Leadership support for the exhibition has been provided by Laura and John Arnold.
The exhibition is also made possible through the generosity of the Buffy and William Cafritz Family Fund and the Richard C. von Hess Foundation.
Additional support is provided by the Annenberg Fund for the International Exchange of Art.
About the National Gallery of Art
The National Gallery of Art welcomes all people to explore art, creativity, and our shared humanity. Millions of people come through its doors each year--with even more online--making it one of the most visited art museums in the world. The National Gallery's renowned collection includes over 160,000 works of art, from the ancient world to today. Admission to the West and East Buildings, Sculpture Garden, special exhibitions, and public programs is always free.
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Original text here: https://www.nga.gov/press/national-gallery-art-presents-first-exhibition-exploring-fragment-sculpture-across-time-and-place
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National Gallery of Art Presents First Exhibition Exploring the Fragment in Sculpture Across Time and Place
October 9, 2026
Broken: The Power of the Fragment in Sculpture brings together more than 70 works across continents and millennia, including some never before on view in the US
-
Washington, DC--The National Gallery of Art presents Broken: The Power of the Fragment in Sculpture, the first exhibition to consider the fragment as an artistic concept across place and time. Breakage has always been ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Oct. 10 -- The National Gallery of Art issued the following news release: * * * National Gallery of Art Presents First Exhibition Exploring the Fragment in Sculpture Across Time and Place October 9, 2026 Broken: The Power of the Fragment in Sculpture brings together more than 70 works across continents and millennia, including some never before on view in the US - Washington, DC--The National Gallery of Art presents Broken: The Power of the Fragment in Sculpture, the first exhibition to consider the fragment as an artistic concept across place and time. Breakage has always beena part of the history of art. Time, natural events, war, devotion, and even artists themselves have transformed sculptures into fragments that hold their own distinctive power. For millennia fragments have captivated viewers, revealing their fascinating histories while eliciting a range of complex responses--from awe to curiosity to empathy.
Featuring more than 70 works from over 50 lenders, including many that have never been on view in the United States, the exhibition brings together sculptures from the ancient world to today and represents a broad range of artistic traditions and geographies. Broken opens in the United States at the National Gallery on March 13, 2027, and will remain on view in the West Building through June 27, 2027, following its presentation at the Fondazione Palazzo Strozzi in Florence, Italy.
"Broken: The Power of the Fragment in Sculpture considers the unique emotional responses and creative impulses prompted by fragmented sculptures, a familiar yet intriguing form present throughout history," said Kaywin Feldman, director of the National Gallery of Art. "This ambitious exhibition would not have been possible without our close collaboration with the Fondazione Palazzo Strozzi and the extraordinary generosity of public and private collections around the world. They have entrusted us with some of their most beautiful and extraordinary objects, a testament to museums' role as sites of preservation as well as repositories for the important histories behind objects both broken and whole."
The exhibition features rare loans from major public collections, including the British Museum in London, the Hellenic National Archaeological Museum in Athens, The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the Museo Nacional de Antropologia in Mexico City, the Musee du Louvre in Paris, and the National Museum of Cambodia in Phnom Penh. The fragments on view span the ancient civilizations of Egypt, Greece, Japan, Mesoamerica, Mesopotamia, and Rome, and extend through the pre- and early modern cultures of Cambodia, China, Indonesia, France, Germany, Mali, Mexico, and Peru. The exhibition concludes with works by modern and contemporary artists, including El Anatsui, Huma Bhabha, Louise Bourgeois, Constantin Brancusi, Camille Claudel, Alberto Giacometti, Geumhyung Jeong, Cannupa Hanska Luger, Paul Pfeiffer, Auguste Rodin, Danh Vo, and Fred Wilson.
"Among the ways fragments exert their power is by making us think about the vastness of time and the passage of cultures. Many of the fragments in Broken have been carefully selected to do just that, representing extraordinary survivals from the distant past that carry us into the present," said C. D. Dickerson III, cocurator of the exhibition and dean of the Center for Advanced Study in the Visual Arts at the National Gallery of Art.
"We are very grateful to the contemporary artists who are showing their works in Broken, many of whom made their own selections. Their contributions powerfully demonstrate how the fragment is a way to both reflect on the ruptures of the past and imagine new and generative futures," said cocurator Andrew Sears, associate curator of northern European paintings at the National Gallery of Art
Broken unfolds through thematic sections that examine the forces that have rendered so many sculptures broken across time, and the resonances that the resulting fragments have held for viewers. The opening galleries introduce viewers to the visual and expressive power of the fragment. Visitors will first encounter the famous right hand of a colossal statue traditionally identified as the Roman emperor Constantine the Great (c. 330 CE), an unprecedented loan from the courtyard of Rome's Capitoline Museum. Another highlight is a rare life-size sculpture of a scarified woman (c. 200 CE) from the ancient city of Tamtoc in north central Mexico, discovered in 2005.
The next section examines how natural forces have taken their toll on sculptures, both gradually, through environmental processes like erosion, and suddenly, through cataclysmic events like earthquakes and floods. Among the exhibition's most striking objects is a Greek statue of a boy, possibly a wrestler, dating to the early 1st century BCE. It was recovered in 1900 from an ancient shipwreck after resting on the seafloor for two millennia, and it has never before been exhibited in the United States. Another highlight is a wood sculpture of Christ carrying the cross from late 14th- or early 15th-century Tuscany. Swept away in the catastrophic flooding that devastated Florence in 1966, it was later found downstream on the bank of the Arno River. Its precise origin remains unknown. This section also features a contemporary work by Cannupa Hanska Luger (enrolled member of the Three Affiliated Tribes of Fort Berthold [Mandan, Hidatsa, Arikara] and Lakota): a pair of ceramic bison skeletons that reflect on the species' near-extinction and its effect on the environment and inhabitants of the Great Plains.
The exhibition then pivots to focus on acts of iconoclasm--the destruction of objects driven by religious or political beliefs, often marked by instances of protest, violence, or regime change. On view in the National Gallery's presentation is Joseph Wilton's Tail from the Equestrian Statue of King George III (1770-1776), which reflects political protest from the early days of US independence. Part of a larger display on the history of equestrian statues, the fragment comes from a colonial-era equestrian statue of the British monarch, which was dismantled in 1776 during the American Revolution. This work is placed in conversation with fragments from the earliest surviving bronze equestrian statue of a ruler (c. 320-270 BCE), which was originally installed near the Athenian Agora and has never been exhibited outside Greece. Another highlight in this section is the fragmented torso of an Akkadian ruler (c. 2300-2250 BCE), probably attacked by political opponents, which has never been exhibited publicly before.
Another group of objects demonstrates the effects of war and vandalism from antiquity to the modern era. Among the highlights are two works from German collections that were severely damaged during World War II: a monumental grave figure (c. 1000-800 BCE) excavated at the archaeological site of Tell Halaf in Syria and a gothic Pieta from a Prague workshop (c. 1380), of which only the heads of Christ and the Virgin Mary survive. This section also explores efforts to repair objects destroyed by violence. One example is a 10th-century statue of the Hindu god Rama. Sawn from its base during the Cambodian Civil War, it was sold on the art market, but in 2016 it was returned to Cambodia and reunited with its original pedestal.
The exhibition concludes by exploring how artists throughout history have embraced fragmentation as a creative and generative act. Works in this section range from premodern sculptures of individual body parts that convey expressive gestures or are charged with devotional power; to figures that were sculptued through acts of breakage; and works by contemporary artists responding to the fragment as an artistic concept and form of social commentary. One notable work, a terracotta figure by Michelangelo, appears to have been deliberately modeled as a fragment, thus in emulation of the many fragments of ancient sculpture being discovered in Italy during the Renaissance. Among the modern and contemporary artists featured are Huma Bhabha, Louise Bourgeois, Robert Gober, Paul Pfeiffer, Alina Szapocznikow, Danh Vo, and Fred Wilson. Geumhyung Jeong's mixed-media installation Removed Parts: Restored, first shown in 2021 and reimagined specifically for the National Gallery's presentation, brings together medical and mechanical parts to explore the contemporary body as an assemblage of interchangeable components.
Exhibition Tour
Fondazion Palazzo Strozzi, September 25, 2026-January 24, 2027
National Gallery of Art, Washington, May 13-June 27, 2027
Exhibition Organization and Support
Broken: The Power of the Fragment in Sculpture is organized by the National Gallery of Art, Washington, and the Fondazione Palazzo Strozzi, Florence. Leadership support for the exhibition has been provided by Laura and John Arnold. The exhibition is also made possible through the generosity of the Buffy and William Cafritz Family Fund, the Richard C. von Hess Foundation, and Daniel W. Hamilton. Additional support is provided by the Annenberg Fund for the International Exchange of Art.
Exhibition Curators
The exhibition is curated by C. D. Dickerson III, dean of the Center for Advanced Study in the Visual Arts, and Andrew Sears, associate curator of northern European paintings, both from the National Gallery of Art, in collaboration with Arturo Galansino, director general of the Fondazione Palazzo Strozzi.
Accompanying Publication
Published in conjunction with the University of Chicago Press, the 280-page illustrated book that accompanies the exhibition explores the enduring fascination with broken sculptures through a range of interdisciplinary perspectives. It features contributions by scholars and artists, together with a lavish program of images illustrating fragments from the third millennium BCE to the present. Organized in three sections, the publication investigates what makes fragments so intriguing and the act of breaking itself, exploring the forces--both natural and human--that shaped these objects, the power dynamics of iconoclastic dismantling and defacement, and how various cultures treat broken statues. The book concludes by considering one of the most powerful ways humans have responded to fragments over the course of history: by creating new works that are intentionally fractured.
In the Library: Ode to the Broken
In conjunction with Broken: The Power of the Fragment in Sculpture, the National Gallery of Art Library presents an installation that is a visual meditation on art and architecture transformed by damage, destruction, or theft. It will examine the ways in which the works and places have been broken and, in some cases, transformed by their breaking.
The installation showcases rare photographs and photographic albums, stereoviews, prints, and rare books depicting art and architecture from around the world, including the Great Pyramids in Egypt, the Merida Cathedral in Mexico, temple sculptures from Nara, Japan, Roman ruins, the environs of the World Trade Center, and modern art that riffs on the meaning of broken. Visitors to the exhibition can follow Alexander the Great as he enters Babylon, visit a raucous dinner at a table in 17th century Flanders, witness theft at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, and glimpse various scenes from World War II, all representations of the universal experience of transformation.
Curated by Molli Kuenstner, image specialist for northern and central European art at the National Gallery of Art, this installation is on view from April 5 through June 25, 2027, in the East Building Library and Study Center from 11:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, except federal holidays.
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About the National Gallery of Art
The National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC, is the nation's art museum, home to a renowned collection of over 160,000 works of art, from antiquity to today. Each year, the museum welcomes millions of people in person and online to explore art, creativity, and our shared humanity. Located on the National Mall, admission to the West and East Buildings, Sculpture Garden, special exhibitions, and public programs is always free.
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About the Fondazione Palazzo Strozzi
The Fondazione Palazzo Strozzi in Florence is one of the leading international cultural institutions and a key reference point for the Italian art scene, housed in an icon of Renaissance architecture. Its exhibition program ranges from major shows devoted to old masters and modern art to site-specific projects and exhibitions by internationally renowned contemporary artists, such as Ai Weiwei, Olafur Eliasson, Marina Abramovic, Anselm Kiefer or Anish Kapoor. Within this ongoing dialogue between past and present, Palazzo Strozzi is a place of artistic production and research, guided by innovation and accessibility for the public.
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Broken: The Power of the Fragment in Sculpture
Fondazione Palazzo Strozzi, Florence, September 25, 2026-January 24, 2027
National Gallery of Art, Washington, March 13-June 27, 2027
For millennia, broken sculptures--or fragments--have captivated viewers and been admired for their ability to elicit a range of responses, including awe, curiosity, and empathy. As visually alluring as they are emotionally challenging, fragments bear witness to the histories they have endured, histories of violence, war, conquest, and upheaval. Broken: The Power of the Fragment in Sculpture is the first exhibition to consider the fragment as a transhistorical and transgeographical concept. The exhibition brings together more than 70 works from over 50 lenders worldwide, including several that have never been on view in the United States. Following its presentation at Palazzo Strozzi in Florence, Italy, from September 25, 2026, to January 24, 2027, Broken will debut in the United States at the National Gallery of Art in March 2027.
Broken frames the fragment as a category of sculpture in its own right. After considering why fragments provoke such powerful responses, the exhibition will explore the many forces responsible for breakage and the lessons they teach. Visitors will be led through thematic sections that engage a wide range of objects, geographies, and moments in history. One section will focus on acts of iconoclasm, or the destruction of objects driven by religious or political beliefs--from regime changes in ancient Mesopotamia to the Protestant Reformation in northern Europe and the American Revolution. Another will examine sculptures affected by war and vandalism, with examples from ancient Egypt and Greece, as well those impacted by more recent events, including World War II and the Cambodian Civil War. The exhibition will also look at how natural forces have left their mark: sculptures gradually eroded over time will be displayed alongside those suddenly altered by earthquakes or floods. The presentation will conclude with a consideration of how fragments have inspired artists to create sculptures meant to be seen as broken--a story that spans from prehistory to today. Among the modern and contemporary artists represented are Huma Bhabha, Louise Bourgeois, Constantin Brancusi, Camille Claudel, Cannupa Hanska Luger (enrolled member of the Three Affiliated Tribes of Fort Berthold [Mandan, Hidatsa, Arikara] and Lakota), Auguste Rodin, Danh Vo, and Fred Wilson.
Other exhibition highlights include the fragment of the right hand from the colossal statue of the Roman emperor Constantine (c. 330 CE), which has not left the courtyard of Rome's Capitoline Museum since being installed there in 1486; a rare life-size sculpture of a woman (c. 200 CE) from the ancient Mesoamerican city of Tamtoc, discovered in 2005 and never before exhibited in the United States; and the remains from one of the earliest known bronze equestrian statues (c. 303-302 BCE), originally installed at the Athenian Agora and never before exhibited outside Greece. Additionally, contemporary artists, including Paul Pfeiffer, have been invited to create site-specific installations for the National Gallery's presentation of the exhibition.
The exhibition is curated by C. D. Dickerson III, dean of the Center for Advanced Study in the Visual Arts, and Andrew Sears, assistant curator of northern European paintings, both from the National Gallery of Art, in collaboration with Arturo Galansino, director general of the Fondazione Palazzo Strozzi.
Exhibition Organization and Support
The exhibition is organized by the National Gallery of Art, Washington and the Fondazione Palazzo Strozzi, Florence.
Leadership support for the exhibition has been provided by Laura and John Arnold.
The exhibition is also made possible through the generosity of the Buffy and William Cafritz Family Fund and the Richard C. von Hess Foundation.
Additional support is provided by the Annenberg Fund for the International Exchange of Art.
About the National Gallery of Art
The National Gallery of Art welcomes all people to explore art, creativity, and our shared humanity. Millions of people come through its doors each year--with even more online--making it one of the most visited art museums in the world. The National Gallery's renowned collection includes over 160,000 works of art, from the ancient world to today. Admission to the West and East Buildings, Sculpture Garden, special exhibitions, and public programs is always free.
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Original text here: https://www.nga.gov/press/national-gallery-art-presents-first-exhibition-exploring-fragment-sculpture-across-time-and-place
SBA Relief Still Available to California Small Businesses and Private Nonprofits Affected by the Oakland Apartment Fire
WASHINGTON, Oct. 9 -- The Small Business Administration Office of Disaster Assistance issued the following news release:
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SBA Relief Still Available to California Small Businesses and Private Nonprofits Affected by the Oakland Apartment Fire
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WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Small Business Administration is reminding small businesses and private nonprofit organizations in California of the Nov. 10 deadline to apply for low-interest federal disaster loans to offset economic losses caused by the Oakland Apartment Fire occurring Jan. 19.
The disaster declaration covers the California counties of ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Oct. 9 -- The Small Business Administration Office of Disaster Assistance issued the following news release: * * * SBA Relief Still Available to California Small Businesses and Private Nonprofits Affected by the Oakland Apartment Fire * WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Small Business Administration is reminding small businesses and private nonprofit organizations in California of the Nov. 10 deadline to apply for low-interest federal disaster loans to offset economic losses caused by the Oakland Apartment Fire occurring Jan. 19. The disaster declaration covers the California counties ofAlameda, Contra Costa, San Francisco, San Joaquin, San Mateo, Santa Clara, and Stanislaus.
Under this declaration, SBA's Economic Injury Disaster Loan program is available to small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, and private nonprofit organizations -- including faith-based organizations -- impacted by financial losses directly related to the disaster. The SBA is unable to provide disaster loans to agricultural producers, farmers, or ranchers, except for small aquaculture enterprises.
Economic Injury Disaster Loans are available for working capital needs caused by the disaster and are available even if the small business did not suffer any physical damage. The loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable, and other bills which could not be paid due to the disaster.
"SBA loans help eligible small businesses and private nonprofits cover operating expenses after a disaster, which is crucial for their recovery," said Chris Stallings, Associate Administrator of the Office of Disaster Recovery at SBA. "These loans not only help business owners get back on their feet but also play a key role in sustaining local economies in the aftermath of a disaster."
The loan amount can be up to $2 million with interest rates as low as 4% for small businesses and 3.625% for private nonprofit organizations, with terms up to 30 years. Interest does not accrue, and payments are not due until 12 months from the date of the first loan disbursement. The SBA determines eligibility and sets loan amounts and terms based on each applicant's financial condition.
To apply online, visit sba.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call SBA's National Support Network Center at (866) SBA-HELP or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information about disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.
Submit completed loan applications to the SBA no later than Nov 10. However, after the deadline has passed, there is a 60-day grace period in which SBA will accept applications.
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Original text here: https://www.sba.gov/article/2026/10/09/sba-relief-still-available-california-small-businesses-private-nonprofits-affected-oakland-apartment
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SBA Relief Still Available to California Small Businesses and Private Nonprofits Affected by the Oakland Apartment Fire
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WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Small Business Administration is reminding small businesses and private nonprofit organizations in California of the Nov. 10 deadline to apply for low-interest federal disaster loans to offset economic losses caused by the Oakland Apartment Fire occurring Jan. 19.
The disaster declaration covers the California counties of ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Oct. 9 -- The Small Business Administration Office of Disaster Assistance issued the following news release: * * * SBA Relief Still Available to California Small Businesses and Private Nonprofits Affected by the Oakland Apartment Fire * WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Small Business Administration is reminding small businesses and private nonprofit organizations in California of the Nov. 10 deadline to apply for low-interest federal disaster loans to offset economic losses caused by the Oakland Apartment Fire occurring Jan. 19. The disaster declaration covers the California counties ofAlameda, Contra Costa, San Francisco, San Joaquin, San Mateo, Santa Clara, and Stanislaus.
Under this declaration, SBA's Economic Injury Disaster Loan program is available to small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, and private nonprofit organizations -- including faith-based organizations -- impacted by financial losses directly related to the disaster. The SBA is unable to provide disaster loans to agricultural producers, farmers, or ranchers, except for small aquaculture enterprises.
Economic Injury Disaster Loans are available for working capital needs caused by the disaster and are available even if the small business did not suffer any physical damage. The loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable, and other bills which could not be paid due to the disaster.
"SBA loans help eligible small businesses and private nonprofits cover operating expenses after a disaster, which is crucial for their recovery," said Chris Stallings, Associate Administrator of the Office of Disaster Recovery at SBA. "These loans not only help business owners get back on their feet but also play a key role in sustaining local economies in the aftermath of a disaster."
The loan amount can be up to $2 million with interest rates as low as 4% for small businesses and 3.625% for private nonprofit organizations, with terms up to 30 years. Interest does not accrue, and payments are not due until 12 months from the date of the first loan disbursement. The SBA determines eligibility and sets loan amounts and terms based on each applicant's financial condition.
To apply online, visit sba.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call SBA's National Support Network Center at (866) SBA-HELP or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information about disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.
Submit completed loan applications to the SBA no later than Nov 10. However, after the deadline has passed, there is a 60-day grace period in which SBA will accept applications.
***
Original text here: https://www.sba.gov/article/2026/10/09/sba-relief-still-available-california-small-businesses-private-nonprofits-affected-oakland-apartment
National Museum of American History Commemorates 250 Years of the Gunboat Philadelphia
WASHINGTON, Oct. 9 (TNSxrep) -- The Smithsonian Institution issued the following news release:
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National Museum of American History Commemorates 250 Years of the Gunboat Philadelphia
Conservation Updates and New Research Findings
October 8, 2026
The Smithsonian's National Museum of American History is the home of the gunboat Philadelphia, a rare surviving intact American revolutionary war fighting vessel that was part of a small American fleet. The Philadelphia sank on Lake Champlain during the Battle of Valcour Island 250 years ago Oct. 11, 1776, but the small fleet was successful in ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Oct. 9 (TNSxrep) -- The Smithsonian Institution issued the following news release: * * * National Museum of American History Commemorates 250 Years of the Gunboat Philadelphia Conservation Updates and New Research Findings October 8, 2026 The Smithsonian's National Museum of American History is the home of the gunboat Philadelphia, a rare surviving intact American revolutionary war fighting vessel that was part of a small American fleet. The Philadelphia sank on Lake Champlain during the Battle of Valcour Island 250 years ago Oct. 11, 1776, but the small fleet was successful indelaying the advancing British troops.
The Philadelphia is currently undergoing a multi-year conservation treatment, on view to the public in the "The Gunboat Philadelphia Preservation Project" exhibition, and the museum will mark the 250th anniversary of the historic battle with updates about the conservation treatment and new historical research into the boat's construction and time afloat. The findings are the result of work by curators from the museum's Division of Military and Society and a team of underwater archeologists and maritime conservators from Texas A&M's Nautical Archaeology Program, working under contract with the Smithsonian. These new discoveries have informed a detailed treatment plan that will help the museum ensure the survival of the Philadelphia for generations to come.
"The gunboat Philadelphia remains a powerful symbol of the earliest days of the Revolutionary War and emergence of the new nation," said Anthea M. Hartig, the museum's Elizabeth MacMillan Director. "Coinciding with the nation's 250th celebration, this is an ideal time to spotlight and share the rich history of this National Historic Landmark."
The gunboat Philadelphia was constructed in the summer of 1776, when the Americans mobilized some 11,000 people to come to the southern end of Lake Champlain to quickly build fortifications and a fleet that could stop a British invasion from Canada. Over the course of just a few months, the Patriots pieced together a small fleet that battled the British at the Battle of Valcour Island. British cannon fire sank the Philadelphia on the first day of that engagement, Oct. 11. Although defeated, the fleet succeeded in delaying the British. Meanwhile, the Philadelphia sank to the bottom of Lake Champlain where it remained until a salvage team led by Lorenzo Hagglund found and raised it in 1935. On view in the Lake Champlain region until 1961, the gunboat and its original equipment, as well as the cannon ball that issued the ship's fatal blow, were moved to the new National Museum of History and Technology (the museum's original name) before the completion of the museum's construction and opening to the public Jan. 23, 1964.
The museum opened "The Gunboat Philadelphia Preservation Project" exhibition in August 2025 to allow visitors to follow the work to clean and stabilize the vessel in real time, through viewing windows. In fall 2025, the gunboat team dry cleaned the vessel with small brushes, discovering items from the mid-1900s and evidence of rodents, most likely from the ship's time in a barn on the shore of Lake Champlain, prior to coming to the museum. During the winter months, the conservators diligently removed sediment from Lake Champlain from the bottom interior of the boat, amounting to 174 pounds of debris. When cleaning was completed, the team moved to work on the cannons and the anchor, removing old lacquer that was placed on all the iron fittings in the 1930s to protect them from rusting. Using pads soaked in acetone, the lacquer was disintegrated to make way for modern conservation techniques and materials that will inhibit further deterioration of the iron.
In summer 2026, the conservation team focused on the stabilization of the gunboat hull timbers, paying specific attention to the interior planking called ceiling planks, by removing compacted soil and other matter that had collected on the surface over 60 years of continuous display in the museum. With brushes and formulated solutions, the team gently removed the debris from the wood surfaces at the rate of approximately one board foot per hour. By the end of September, the ceiling planks were completed, and the conservation team has begun to focus on the decking inside the hull and the raised midship gun platforms.
New research in historical records have brought to light the names and stories of the individuals and companies among the 11,000 Americans who worked to build and sail the gunboat. The roster spans the breadth of American society at the time, including men and women who labored cutting down trees, sawing them into boards, working 24/7 at a local iron forge to craft fittings for the fleet, assembling the vessels, manning them, and cooking, cleaning and caring for nearly one-third of the force that was sick at any one time that summer. The Patriots came from all along the East Coast, from Philadelphia up to Maine and Canada, and included French Canadians, Indigenous Americans, free and enslaved African Americans and people of Iberian, English, Scottish, Irish and Dutch heritage.
In his self-published pamphlet about the raising, "A Page from the Past," Hagglund notes that portions of an arm bone, a skull fragment and teeth came up with the vessel. When the Smithsonian acquired the Philadelphia from Hagglund's widow after he died in 1960, it also received dozens of artifacts that came up with the gunboat, including three teeth. In addition to the teeth that came to Smithsonian, three other teeth belonged to a collection of material from the Philadelphia that Hagglund gave to the funder of his expedition, brewer J. Rupert Schalk. When Schalk died in 1962, his Philadelphia collection ultimately went to Rear Adm. John E. Kirkpatrick, who was deeply interested in naval history. His collections became a foundation of the Oklahoma Science and Arts Foundation in Oklahoma City, now known as Science Museum Oklahoma, a Smithsonian Affiliate.
In addition, the Smithsonian and Science Museum Oklahoma teams have worked together with the U.S. Army Human Resources Command to plan the military burial of human remains that came up with the Philadelphia in 1935, an interment that will take place at Saratoga National Cemetery in Schuylerville, New York, Tuesday, Oct. 13, as part of commemorations recognizing the 250th anniversary of the Battle of Valcour Island.
Through incomparable collections, rigorous research and dynamic public outreach, the National Museum of American History seeks to empower people to create a more just and compassionate future by examining, preserving and sharing the complexity of our past. The museum, located on Constitution Avenue N.W., between 12th and 14th streets, is open daily except Dec. 25, between 10 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Admission is free. The doors of the museum are always open online and the virtual museum offers always expanding access to online exhibitions, PK-12 educational materials and programs. The public can follow the museum on social media on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. For more information, visit the museum's website. For Smithsonian information, the public may call (202) 633-1000.
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Original text here: https://www.si.edu/newsdesk/releases/national-museum-american-history-commemorates-250-years-gunboat-philadelphia
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National Museum of American History Commemorates 250 Years of the Gunboat Philadelphia
Conservation Updates and New Research Findings
October 8, 2026
The Smithsonian's National Museum of American History is the home of the gunboat Philadelphia, a rare surviving intact American revolutionary war fighting vessel that was part of a small American fleet. The Philadelphia sank on Lake Champlain during the Battle of Valcour Island 250 years ago Oct. 11, 1776, but the small fleet was successful in ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Oct. 9 (TNSxrep) -- The Smithsonian Institution issued the following news release: * * * National Museum of American History Commemorates 250 Years of the Gunboat Philadelphia Conservation Updates and New Research Findings October 8, 2026 The Smithsonian's National Museum of American History is the home of the gunboat Philadelphia, a rare surviving intact American revolutionary war fighting vessel that was part of a small American fleet. The Philadelphia sank on Lake Champlain during the Battle of Valcour Island 250 years ago Oct. 11, 1776, but the small fleet was successful indelaying the advancing British troops.
The Philadelphia is currently undergoing a multi-year conservation treatment, on view to the public in the "The Gunboat Philadelphia Preservation Project" exhibition, and the museum will mark the 250th anniversary of the historic battle with updates about the conservation treatment and new historical research into the boat's construction and time afloat. The findings are the result of work by curators from the museum's Division of Military and Society and a team of underwater archeologists and maritime conservators from Texas A&M's Nautical Archaeology Program, working under contract with the Smithsonian. These new discoveries have informed a detailed treatment plan that will help the museum ensure the survival of the Philadelphia for generations to come.
"The gunboat Philadelphia remains a powerful symbol of the earliest days of the Revolutionary War and emergence of the new nation," said Anthea M. Hartig, the museum's Elizabeth MacMillan Director. "Coinciding with the nation's 250th celebration, this is an ideal time to spotlight and share the rich history of this National Historic Landmark."
The gunboat Philadelphia was constructed in the summer of 1776, when the Americans mobilized some 11,000 people to come to the southern end of Lake Champlain to quickly build fortifications and a fleet that could stop a British invasion from Canada. Over the course of just a few months, the Patriots pieced together a small fleet that battled the British at the Battle of Valcour Island. British cannon fire sank the Philadelphia on the first day of that engagement, Oct. 11. Although defeated, the fleet succeeded in delaying the British. Meanwhile, the Philadelphia sank to the bottom of Lake Champlain where it remained until a salvage team led by Lorenzo Hagglund found and raised it in 1935. On view in the Lake Champlain region until 1961, the gunboat and its original equipment, as well as the cannon ball that issued the ship's fatal blow, were moved to the new National Museum of History and Technology (the museum's original name) before the completion of the museum's construction and opening to the public Jan. 23, 1964.
The museum opened "The Gunboat Philadelphia Preservation Project" exhibition in August 2025 to allow visitors to follow the work to clean and stabilize the vessel in real time, through viewing windows. In fall 2025, the gunboat team dry cleaned the vessel with small brushes, discovering items from the mid-1900s and evidence of rodents, most likely from the ship's time in a barn on the shore of Lake Champlain, prior to coming to the museum. During the winter months, the conservators diligently removed sediment from Lake Champlain from the bottom interior of the boat, amounting to 174 pounds of debris. When cleaning was completed, the team moved to work on the cannons and the anchor, removing old lacquer that was placed on all the iron fittings in the 1930s to protect them from rusting. Using pads soaked in acetone, the lacquer was disintegrated to make way for modern conservation techniques and materials that will inhibit further deterioration of the iron.
In summer 2026, the conservation team focused on the stabilization of the gunboat hull timbers, paying specific attention to the interior planking called ceiling planks, by removing compacted soil and other matter that had collected on the surface over 60 years of continuous display in the museum. With brushes and formulated solutions, the team gently removed the debris from the wood surfaces at the rate of approximately one board foot per hour. By the end of September, the ceiling planks were completed, and the conservation team has begun to focus on the decking inside the hull and the raised midship gun platforms.
New research in historical records have brought to light the names and stories of the individuals and companies among the 11,000 Americans who worked to build and sail the gunboat. The roster spans the breadth of American society at the time, including men and women who labored cutting down trees, sawing them into boards, working 24/7 at a local iron forge to craft fittings for the fleet, assembling the vessels, manning them, and cooking, cleaning and caring for nearly one-third of the force that was sick at any one time that summer. The Patriots came from all along the East Coast, from Philadelphia up to Maine and Canada, and included French Canadians, Indigenous Americans, free and enslaved African Americans and people of Iberian, English, Scottish, Irish and Dutch heritage.
In his self-published pamphlet about the raising, "A Page from the Past," Hagglund notes that portions of an arm bone, a skull fragment and teeth came up with the vessel. When the Smithsonian acquired the Philadelphia from Hagglund's widow after he died in 1960, it also received dozens of artifacts that came up with the gunboat, including three teeth. In addition to the teeth that came to Smithsonian, three other teeth belonged to a collection of material from the Philadelphia that Hagglund gave to the funder of his expedition, brewer J. Rupert Schalk. When Schalk died in 1962, his Philadelphia collection ultimately went to Rear Adm. John E. Kirkpatrick, who was deeply interested in naval history. His collections became a foundation of the Oklahoma Science and Arts Foundation in Oklahoma City, now known as Science Museum Oklahoma, a Smithsonian Affiliate.
In addition, the Smithsonian and Science Museum Oklahoma teams have worked together with the U.S. Army Human Resources Command to plan the military burial of human remains that came up with the Philadelphia in 1935, an interment that will take place at Saratoga National Cemetery in Schuylerville, New York, Tuesday, Oct. 13, as part of commemorations recognizing the 250th anniversary of the Battle of Valcour Island.
Through incomparable collections, rigorous research and dynamic public outreach, the National Museum of American History seeks to empower people to create a more just and compassionate future by examining, preserving and sharing the complexity of our past. The museum, located on Constitution Avenue N.W., between 12th and 14th streets, is open daily except Dec. 25, between 10 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Admission is free. The doors of the museum are always open online and the virtual museum offers always expanding access to online exhibitions, PK-12 educational materials and programs. The public can follow the museum on social media on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. For more information, visit the museum's website. For Smithsonian information, the public may call (202) 633-1000.
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Original text here: https://www.si.edu/newsdesk/releases/national-museum-american-history-commemorates-250-years-gunboat-philadelphia
NASA's SPHEREx Telescope Sees Menagerie of Brown Dwarfs
PASADENA, California, Oct. 9 -- NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory issued the following news:
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NASA's SPHEREx Telescope Sees Menagerie of Brown Dwarfs
Oct. 8, 2026
The dimly glowing balls of gas formed like stars but in other ways resemble giant planets.
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NASA's SPHEREx (Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization, and Ices Explorer) space telescope is shedding light on brown dwarfs, celestial objects that blur the line between stars and exoplanets. New findings published in The Astrophysical Journal show that these dark and cloudy worlds have chemically rich ... Show Full Article PASADENA, California, Oct. 9 -- NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory issued the following news: * * * NASA's SPHEREx Telescope Sees Menagerie of Brown Dwarfs Oct. 8, 2026 The dimly glowing balls of gas formed like stars but in other ways resemble giant planets. - NASA's SPHEREx (Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization, and Ices Explorer) space telescope is shedding light on brown dwarfs, celestial objects that blur the line between stars and exoplanets. New findings published in The Astrophysical Journal show that these dark and cloudy worlds have chemically richatmospheres not unlike the giant planets in our own solar system.
First discovered in the 1990s, brown dwarfs form from collapsing clouds of gas, like stars do, but they aren't hefty enough to sustain hydrogen fusion in their cores. These dimly glowing balls of warm gas also share characteristics with Jupiter and Saturn. In contrast to most planets, however, brown dwarfs drift in darkness, ungoverned by a host star and heated entirely from within.
"They're kind of goth," said Zafar Rustamkulov, lead author of the new study and a scientist at IPAC, Caltech's science and data center in Pasadena, California. "Unlike exoplanets, free-floating brown dwarfs are completely independent celestial objects that will fade into eternity alone. We're still learning how complex they are."
Only a few dozen of these "dark wanderers" have been studied in detail with space-based telescopes. Astronomers want to observe more of them in the wild because much of our understanding of their makeup, storminess, and evolution comes from theoretical models.
Enter NASA's SPHEREx, an infrared space telescope launched in March 2025 and managed by the agency's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California.
The study authors analyzed SPHEREx observations of 37 nearby brown dwarfs spanning the full brown dwarf temperature range, from about 4,000 to minus 10 degrees Fahrenheit (2,200 to minus 20 degrees Celsius). The telescope measures their brightness in 102 different colors, from the deepest red our eyes can see, to the invisible heat of infrared light, creating a spectrum. These spectra revealed to the study authors chemically rich atmospheres harboring water, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and methane.
"We're seeing the signatures of these molecules and how they change from object to object across the entire temperature regime," said study coauthor J. Davy Kirkpatrick, a scientist at Caltech's IPAC. "Our paper concentrated on just three dozen, but we have thousands more that we are in the process of analyzing. I really want to see what bounds the universe places on the variety of brown dwarfs."
"From orbit, SPHEREx sees wavelengths of light that are basically impossible to see with telescopes on the ground because water in Earth's atmosphere absorbs them," Rustamkulov said. "We are picking up light from the deep, red clouds of brown dwarfs all over the sky."
Sweet spot
Spotting brown dwarfs is something of a side project for SPHEREx. The space telescope takes about 3,600 unique images per day to stitch into maps of the entire sky. Knowing where hundreds of millions of galaxies are distributed across the cosmos will help scientists reconstruct what happened in the first billionth of a trillionth of a trillionth of a second after the big bang. As it scans the sky, the telescope also is searching for the chemical ingredients of life and finding interstellar ice that could one day seed oceans on distant worlds.
For years, brown dwarfs have been spotted by other observatories, including NASA's James Webb Space Telescope and retired Spitzer Space Telescope. But thanks to its spectral coverage, SPHEREx is now imaging thousands of them for the first time in a fruitful region of the electromagnetic spectrum that spans deep red and infrared wavelengths of light.
At those wavelengths, molecules carve out distinct absorption patterns in the light shining out to space. The patterns change as brown dwarfs grow older and colder. Some of the brown dwarfs observed by SPHEREx are in a dynamic stage of life when their exotic clouds thin out, giving way to methane-rich atmospheres.
"The state-of-the-art models are capturing the general chemical trend, but when it comes to these cloudy transitions, the models are struggling to match the data," said Rustamkulov. "No two brown dwarfs are alike. Even at the same temperature, their spectra look quite distinct."
"The findings are a call to action to explore even more of these dark worlds," said Kirkpatrick. "This journey has turned many of us into accidental meteorologists. We know how hard it is to predict weather on our own planet, and we realize it's going to be just as challenging to explain the phenomena we see in these bizarre, cold objects."
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More about SPHEREx
The mission is managed by JPL for NASA's Astrophysics Division within the Science Mission Directorate in Washington. The telescope and the spacecraft bus were built by BAE Systems. The science analysis of the SPHEREx data is being conducted by a team of scientists at 13 institutions across the United States and in South Korea and Taiwan, led by Jamie Bock, principal investigator, who is based at Caltech with a joint JPL appointment, and by JPL's Olivier Dore, the project scientist. Data is processed and archived at IPAC at Caltech in Pasadena. Caltech manages JPL for NASA. The SPHEREx dataset is freely available to scientists and the public.
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Original text here: https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/nasas-spherex-telescope-sees-menagerie-of-brown-dwarfs/
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NASA's SPHEREx Telescope Sees Menagerie of Brown Dwarfs
Oct. 8, 2026
The dimly glowing balls of gas formed like stars but in other ways resemble giant planets.
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NASA's SPHEREx (Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization, and Ices Explorer) space telescope is shedding light on brown dwarfs, celestial objects that blur the line between stars and exoplanets. New findings published in The Astrophysical Journal show that these dark and cloudy worlds have chemically rich ... Show Full Article PASADENA, California, Oct. 9 -- NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory issued the following news: * * * NASA's SPHEREx Telescope Sees Menagerie of Brown Dwarfs Oct. 8, 2026 The dimly glowing balls of gas formed like stars but in other ways resemble giant planets. - NASA's SPHEREx (Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization, and Ices Explorer) space telescope is shedding light on brown dwarfs, celestial objects that blur the line between stars and exoplanets. New findings published in The Astrophysical Journal show that these dark and cloudy worlds have chemically richatmospheres not unlike the giant planets in our own solar system.
First discovered in the 1990s, brown dwarfs form from collapsing clouds of gas, like stars do, but they aren't hefty enough to sustain hydrogen fusion in their cores. These dimly glowing balls of warm gas also share characteristics with Jupiter and Saturn. In contrast to most planets, however, brown dwarfs drift in darkness, ungoverned by a host star and heated entirely from within.
"They're kind of goth," said Zafar Rustamkulov, lead author of the new study and a scientist at IPAC, Caltech's science and data center in Pasadena, California. "Unlike exoplanets, free-floating brown dwarfs are completely independent celestial objects that will fade into eternity alone. We're still learning how complex they are."
Only a few dozen of these "dark wanderers" have been studied in detail with space-based telescopes. Astronomers want to observe more of them in the wild because much of our understanding of their makeup, storminess, and evolution comes from theoretical models.
Enter NASA's SPHEREx, an infrared space telescope launched in March 2025 and managed by the agency's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California.
The study authors analyzed SPHEREx observations of 37 nearby brown dwarfs spanning the full brown dwarf temperature range, from about 4,000 to minus 10 degrees Fahrenheit (2,200 to minus 20 degrees Celsius). The telescope measures their brightness in 102 different colors, from the deepest red our eyes can see, to the invisible heat of infrared light, creating a spectrum. These spectra revealed to the study authors chemically rich atmospheres harboring water, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and methane.
"We're seeing the signatures of these molecules and how they change from object to object across the entire temperature regime," said study coauthor J. Davy Kirkpatrick, a scientist at Caltech's IPAC. "Our paper concentrated on just three dozen, but we have thousands more that we are in the process of analyzing. I really want to see what bounds the universe places on the variety of brown dwarfs."
"From orbit, SPHEREx sees wavelengths of light that are basically impossible to see with telescopes on the ground because water in Earth's atmosphere absorbs them," Rustamkulov said. "We are picking up light from the deep, red clouds of brown dwarfs all over the sky."
Sweet spot
Spotting brown dwarfs is something of a side project for SPHEREx. The space telescope takes about 3,600 unique images per day to stitch into maps of the entire sky. Knowing where hundreds of millions of galaxies are distributed across the cosmos will help scientists reconstruct what happened in the first billionth of a trillionth of a trillionth of a second after the big bang. As it scans the sky, the telescope also is searching for the chemical ingredients of life and finding interstellar ice that could one day seed oceans on distant worlds.
For years, brown dwarfs have been spotted by other observatories, including NASA's James Webb Space Telescope and retired Spitzer Space Telescope. But thanks to its spectral coverage, SPHEREx is now imaging thousands of them for the first time in a fruitful region of the electromagnetic spectrum that spans deep red and infrared wavelengths of light.
At those wavelengths, molecules carve out distinct absorption patterns in the light shining out to space. The patterns change as brown dwarfs grow older and colder. Some of the brown dwarfs observed by SPHEREx are in a dynamic stage of life when their exotic clouds thin out, giving way to methane-rich atmospheres.
"The state-of-the-art models are capturing the general chemical trend, but when it comes to these cloudy transitions, the models are struggling to match the data," said Rustamkulov. "No two brown dwarfs are alike. Even at the same temperature, their spectra look quite distinct."
"The findings are a call to action to explore even more of these dark worlds," said Kirkpatrick. "This journey has turned many of us into accidental meteorologists. We know how hard it is to predict weather on our own planet, and we realize it's going to be just as challenging to explain the phenomena we see in these bizarre, cold objects."
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More about SPHEREx
The mission is managed by JPL for NASA's Astrophysics Division within the Science Mission Directorate in Washington. The telescope and the spacecraft bus were built by BAE Systems. The science analysis of the SPHEREx data is being conducted by a team of scientists at 13 institutions across the United States and in South Korea and Taiwan, led by Jamie Bock, principal investigator, who is based at Caltech with a joint JPL appointment, and by JPL's Olivier Dore, the project scientist. Data is processed and archived at IPAC at Caltech in Pasadena. Caltech manages JPL for NASA. The SPHEREx dataset is freely available to scientists and the public.
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Original text here: https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/nasas-spherex-telescope-sees-menagerie-of-brown-dwarfs/
Factory Floor Fridays: Chairman Jovanovic Tours Lockheed Martin Aeronautics, Talks with Industry Leaders on Future of U.S. Aviation
WASHINGTON, Oct. 9 -- The Export-Import Bank of the U.S. issued the following news release:
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Factory Floor Fridays: Chairman Jovanovic Tours Lockheed Martin Aeronautics, Talks with Industry Leaders on Future of U.S. Aviation
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FORT WORTH, TX. -- Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM) Chairman John Jovanovic visited Lockheed Martin Aeronautics' Fort Worth facility as part of its Factory Floor Fridays initiative. Factory Floor Fridays tell the story of the American Dream through the eyes of the companies and workers building the next generation of American industry, proving with ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Oct. 9 -- The Export-Import Bank of the U.S. issued the following news release: * * * Factory Floor Fridays: Chairman Jovanovic Tours Lockheed Martin Aeronautics, Talks with Industry Leaders on Future of U.S. Aviation * FORT WORTH, TX. -- Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM) Chairman John Jovanovic visited Lockheed Martin Aeronautics' Fort Worth facility as part of its Factory Floor Fridays initiative. Factory Floor Fridays tell the story of the American Dream through the eyes of the companies and workers building the next generation of American industry, proving withthe right tools and support, U.S. innovation can compete and win anywhere in the world.
During the visit, Chairman Jovanovic toured Lockheed Martin Aeronautics' F-35 assembly facility, met with the plant's leaders and workers, and discussed the importance of keeping America dominant in the industries of the future. The company employs more than 30,000 highly-skilled professionals around the world and is responsible for the development of high-tech systems that shape the future of U.S. aviation.
"U.S. EXIM is focused on ensuring our advanced manufacturing supply chains are secure, and it all starts with mining," said Chairman Jovanovic. "Lockheed Martin continues to support America's mines through strong partnerships. You can't build the warplane of the future without the critical minerals used to power them. We're proud to work with them to strengthen supply chains, revitalize manufacturing, and keep future generations of Americans safe."
"America's security and economic strength are built on factory floors like this one in Fort Worth," said Jim Taiclet, Chairman, President and CEO of Lockheed Martin. "We appreciate Chairman Jovanovic's focus on strengthening U.S. manufacturing, building a resilient industrial base and ensuring America maintains its leadership in aerospace and defense technology."
"American manufacturers are the backbone of our economic security," Jovanovic added. "Factory Floor Fridays give everyday Americans the opportunity to hear from businesses large and small--which account for nearly 90 percent of our transactions--and ensure they have the financing tools they need to compete, grow, and win in global markets."
When EXIM was founded 92 years ago, its mission was simple: support America's economic recovery from the Great Depression by creating well-paying jobs and rebuilding the nation's manufacturing base. Under President Trump's leadership, EXIM is once again a frontline economic tool to revitalize America's economy and define a future led by U.S. innovation.
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Original text here: https://www.exim.gov/news/factory-floor-fridays-chairman-jovanovic-tours-lockheed-martin-aeronautics-talks-industry
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Factory Floor Fridays: Chairman Jovanovic Tours Lockheed Martin Aeronautics, Talks with Industry Leaders on Future of U.S. Aviation
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FORT WORTH, TX. -- Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM) Chairman John Jovanovic visited Lockheed Martin Aeronautics' Fort Worth facility as part of its Factory Floor Fridays initiative. Factory Floor Fridays tell the story of the American Dream through the eyes of the companies and workers building the next generation of American industry, proving with ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Oct. 9 -- The Export-Import Bank of the U.S. issued the following news release: * * * Factory Floor Fridays: Chairman Jovanovic Tours Lockheed Martin Aeronautics, Talks with Industry Leaders on Future of U.S. Aviation * FORT WORTH, TX. -- Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM) Chairman John Jovanovic visited Lockheed Martin Aeronautics' Fort Worth facility as part of its Factory Floor Fridays initiative. Factory Floor Fridays tell the story of the American Dream through the eyes of the companies and workers building the next generation of American industry, proving withthe right tools and support, U.S. innovation can compete and win anywhere in the world.
During the visit, Chairman Jovanovic toured Lockheed Martin Aeronautics' F-35 assembly facility, met with the plant's leaders and workers, and discussed the importance of keeping America dominant in the industries of the future. The company employs more than 30,000 highly-skilled professionals around the world and is responsible for the development of high-tech systems that shape the future of U.S. aviation.
"U.S. EXIM is focused on ensuring our advanced manufacturing supply chains are secure, and it all starts with mining," said Chairman Jovanovic. "Lockheed Martin continues to support America's mines through strong partnerships. You can't build the warplane of the future without the critical minerals used to power them. We're proud to work with them to strengthen supply chains, revitalize manufacturing, and keep future generations of Americans safe."
"America's security and economic strength are built on factory floors like this one in Fort Worth," said Jim Taiclet, Chairman, President and CEO of Lockheed Martin. "We appreciate Chairman Jovanovic's focus on strengthening U.S. manufacturing, building a resilient industrial base and ensuring America maintains its leadership in aerospace and defense technology."
"American manufacturers are the backbone of our economic security," Jovanovic added. "Factory Floor Fridays give everyday Americans the opportunity to hear from businesses large and small--which account for nearly 90 percent of our transactions--and ensure they have the financing tools they need to compete, grow, and win in global markets."
When EXIM was founded 92 years ago, its mission was simple: support America's economic recovery from the Great Depression by creating well-paying jobs and rebuilding the nation's manufacturing base. Under President Trump's leadership, EXIM is once again a frontline economic tool to revitalize America's economy and define a future led by U.S. innovation.
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Original text here: https://www.exim.gov/news/factory-floor-fridays-chairman-jovanovic-tours-lockheed-martin-aeronautics-talks-industry
EPA Deputy Administrator Fotouhi Wraps Two-Day Swing in Virginia, Joins Representative Kiggans to Announce Over $90 Million for Chesapeake Bay Program
WASHINGTON, Oct. 9 -- The Environmental Protection Agency issued the following news release:
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EPA Deputy Administrator Fotouhi Wraps Two-Day Swing in Virginia, Joins Representative Kiggans to Announce Over $90 Million for Chesapeake Bay Program
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WASHINGTON -- Last week, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Deputy Administrator David Fotouhi was joined by U.S. Representative Jen Kiggans (R-VA-02) to announce more than $90 million in funding for 83 projects in Smithfield, Va. The funding coming from Small Watershed Implementation and Innovative Nutrient and Sediment Reduction grants ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Oct. 9 -- The Environmental Protection Agency issued the following news release: * * * EPA Deputy Administrator Fotouhi Wraps Two-Day Swing in Virginia, Joins Representative Kiggans to Announce Over $90 Million for Chesapeake Bay Program * WASHINGTON -- Last week, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Deputy Administrator David Fotouhi was joined by U.S. Representative Jen Kiggans (R-VA-02) to announce more than $90 million in funding for 83 projects in Smithfield, Va. The funding coming from Small Watershed Implementation and Innovative Nutrient and Sediment Reduction grantsand matching funds, will help to improve water quality and reduce nutrient and sediment pollution throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed. The pair got to see firsthand the impact the funding can have during a tour of the living shoreline at Windsor Castle Park, a key project providing a tangible example of how federal investments support practical, on-the-ground restoration and coastal resilience.
"My visit to Virginia was yet another example of why it's so important to meet with state and local leaders and speak directly to them about how EPA can best support their communities," said EPA Deputy Administrator Fotouhi. "Our announcement on Friday to provide tens of millions of dollars in additional funding to the Chesapeake Bay program proves how the Trump Administration is investing in improving water quality, reducing nutrients and sediment entering the watershed, and keeping our ecosystems healthy for generations to come."
The announcement was part of a two-day swing in Virginia where he met with state and local leaders to discuss how the Trump EPA can continue advancing cooperative federalism with the state to protect human health and the environment. On Thursday, Deputy Administrator Fotouhi met with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Norfolk District following the completion of the Norfolk Harbor and Thimble Shoal Channel deepening project. Port-related activity like this supports more than 570,000 jobs and approximately $63 billion in Virginia gross state product annually. As the port continues to expand its infrastructure, Deputy Administrator Fotouhi and USACE focused on how efficient permitting and coordination among federal agencies can help ensure these projects continue.
Next, Deputy Administrator Fotouhi traveled to Virginia Beach to meet with Mayor Bobby Dyer and City Manager Patrick Duhaney. Mayor Dyer is a newly appointed member of EPA's Local Government Advisory Committee (LGAC), an advisory group comprised of state and local officials who help advance the agency's core mission while Powering the Great American Comeback. Their discussion focused on local infrastructure priorities and the federal-local partnership.
Deputy Administrator Fotouhi ended his trip with a visit at the Atlantic Wood Industries Superfund Site. This site is a 50-acre industrial waterfront property along the Southern Branch of the Elizabeth River, where EPA has led a multi-phase cleanup addressing contaminated soil, groundwater and more than 30 acres of river sediment, including the dredging of approximately 360,000 cubic yards of contaminated sediment. The visit highlighted progress of the cleanup and ongoing efforts to measure its impact on the health of the Elizabeth River ecosystem, including through tissue sampling of oysters and other aquatic species. The Trump EPA's Superfund Solutions initiative aims to expedite cleanups at sites across the country so that they can return to productive reuse in their communities.
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Original text here: https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-deputy-administrator-fotouhi-wraps-two-day-swing-virginia-joins-representative
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EPA Deputy Administrator Fotouhi Wraps Two-Day Swing in Virginia, Joins Representative Kiggans to Announce Over $90 Million for Chesapeake Bay Program
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WASHINGTON -- Last week, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Deputy Administrator David Fotouhi was joined by U.S. Representative Jen Kiggans (R-VA-02) to announce more than $90 million in funding for 83 projects in Smithfield, Va. The funding coming from Small Watershed Implementation and Innovative Nutrient and Sediment Reduction grants ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Oct. 9 -- The Environmental Protection Agency issued the following news release: * * * EPA Deputy Administrator Fotouhi Wraps Two-Day Swing in Virginia, Joins Representative Kiggans to Announce Over $90 Million for Chesapeake Bay Program * WASHINGTON -- Last week, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Deputy Administrator David Fotouhi was joined by U.S. Representative Jen Kiggans (R-VA-02) to announce more than $90 million in funding for 83 projects in Smithfield, Va. The funding coming from Small Watershed Implementation and Innovative Nutrient and Sediment Reduction grantsand matching funds, will help to improve water quality and reduce nutrient and sediment pollution throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed. The pair got to see firsthand the impact the funding can have during a tour of the living shoreline at Windsor Castle Park, a key project providing a tangible example of how federal investments support practical, on-the-ground restoration and coastal resilience.
"My visit to Virginia was yet another example of why it's so important to meet with state and local leaders and speak directly to them about how EPA can best support their communities," said EPA Deputy Administrator Fotouhi. "Our announcement on Friday to provide tens of millions of dollars in additional funding to the Chesapeake Bay program proves how the Trump Administration is investing in improving water quality, reducing nutrients and sediment entering the watershed, and keeping our ecosystems healthy for generations to come."
The announcement was part of a two-day swing in Virginia where he met with state and local leaders to discuss how the Trump EPA can continue advancing cooperative federalism with the state to protect human health and the environment. On Thursday, Deputy Administrator Fotouhi met with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Norfolk District following the completion of the Norfolk Harbor and Thimble Shoal Channel deepening project. Port-related activity like this supports more than 570,000 jobs and approximately $63 billion in Virginia gross state product annually. As the port continues to expand its infrastructure, Deputy Administrator Fotouhi and USACE focused on how efficient permitting and coordination among federal agencies can help ensure these projects continue.
Next, Deputy Administrator Fotouhi traveled to Virginia Beach to meet with Mayor Bobby Dyer and City Manager Patrick Duhaney. Mayor Dyer is a newly appointed member of EPA's Local Government Advisory Committee (LGAC), an advisory group comprised of state and local officials who help advance the agency's core mission while Powering the Great American Comeback. Their discussion focused on local infrastructure priorities and the federal-local partnership.
Deputy Administrator Fotouhi ended his trip with a visit at the Atlantic Wood Industries Superfund Site. This site is a 50-acre industrial waterfront property along the Southern Branch of the Elizabeth River, where EPA has led a multi-phase cleanup addressing contaminated soil, groundwater and more than 30 acres of river sediment, including the dredging of approximately 360,000 cubic yards of contaminated sediment. The visit highlighted progress of the cleanup and ongoing efforts to measure its impact on the health of the Elizabeth River ecosystem, including through tissue sampling of oysters and other aquatic species. The Trump EPA's Superfund Solutions initiative aims to expedite cleanups at sites across the country so that they can return to productive reuse in their communities.
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Original text here: https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-deputy-administrator-fotouhi-wraps-two-day-swing-virginia-joins-representative