Via the Smithsonian Summer Showdown.
Of course Bao Bao won last year’s “Summer Showdown” at the Smithsonian. Whatever your feelings about her, there’s no doubt she comes with a dedicated fan base.
But the contest is back, pitting objects from the various institution’s museums against each other, and Bao Bao isn’t among the options for the “MOST SERIOUSLY AMAZING thing” in the collective collection. So that leaves the field wide open for things like the Hope diamond, “raising endangered babies,” a letter written by Galileo, Star Wars costumes, and a life-size Buddha sculpture to take the prize, as voted on by the public.
Sure, this is a chance for you to learn about the objects and museums in our backyard that are normally too cluttered with tourists to be bothered with. But the real value is watching the sniping going on by the people who manage the museums’ social media accounts. Behold.
.@SmithsonianEnv Charles Darwin never said this about endangered babies #SIshowdown http://t.co/zlsVDT6U51 pic.twitter.com/v59zUKlYc0
— National Zoo (@NationalZoo) August 7, 2015
.@NationalZoo Totes adorbs. But we have dragons. #SIShowdown http://t.co/wM3qQLW943 pic.twitter.com/9zeqICwbpP
— SmithsonianEnv (@SmithsonianEnv) August 7, 2015
.@SmithsonianEnv This is a real Komodo dragon. We were the 1st to hatch them outside Indonesia. #SIShowdown pic.twitter.com/OShmUxt7PJ
— National Zoo (@NationalZoo) August 7, 2015
.@SmithsonianEnv That’s nice. Andean bears eat orchids. #SIshowdown http://t.co/zlsVDT6U51 pic.twitter.com/wT6Qungy9Z
— National Zoo (@NationalZoo) August 7, 2015
3D printing, eh @3D_Digi_SI? #HopeDiamond was carried to Earth’s surface by a volcanic eruption. #NBD http://t.co/lJrq3rtlh4 #SIshowdown
— Smithsonian’s NMNH (@NMNH) August 7, 2015
. @NMNH 3D Lincoln celebrates #3D printing! He is not a real museum object! http://t.co/HLn6rPHUfH #SIshowdown pic.twitter.com/a2Vjf5Y8F3
— Smithsonian 3D (@3D_Digi_SI) August 7, 2015
Well, this IS convenient, we needed another mount. Thanks, @3D_Digi_SI! http://t.co/lJrq3rtlh4 #SIshowdown pic.twitter.com/IxxLplUBVb
— Smithsonian’s NMNH (@NMNH) August 7, 2015
The #HopeDiamond has been rocking science for 1 billion years. Geologic record > 3D printed life mask. http://t.co/lJrq3rtlh4 #SIshowdown
— Smithsonian’s NMNH (@NMNH) August 7, 2015
.@slc_latino #StarWarsCostumes will put the #DayoftheDead back in the ground! #SIShowdown #SIShowdown pic.twitter.com/YTF9Esd7Xs
— SITravelingExhibits (@sitesExhibits) August 7, 2015
.@sitesExhibits Perennials return. We heard it didn’t end so well for the Death Star #StarWarCostumes #SIShowdown http://t.co/KmfDRd8nIg
— Smithsonian Gardens (@SIGardens) August 7, 2015
You can cast your votes here. Expect more of this to come.
#SIShowdown is my summertime museum nerd Christmakkuh. pic.twitter.com/I7ZWmNwgtC
— WhenYouWorkataMuseum (@museum_life) August 6, 2015
Rachel Sadon