Michelle Obama Presents Highest Honors for Museums to Japanese American National Museum

LAS ANGELES, CA.- The Japanese American National Museum was presented the Institute of Museums and Library Services’ (IMLS) National Medal, the nation’s highest honor for museums, by First Lady Michelle Obama in ceremonies at the White House on Friday, December 17, 2010. The National Medal was accepted by National Museum President & CEO Akemi Kikumura Yano, Board Chairman Emeritus Ernest Doizaki, and community member Paul Takemoto. Institutions are presented with the National Medal by IMLS in recognition for their “extraordinary civic, educational, [...]

Michelle Obama Says She’s Bringing the Arts to the White House to Lift Young People

WASHINGTON (AP).- First lady Michelle Obama says she’s bringing the arts to the White House to “lift young people up.” Mrs. Obama started a series of White House events last year highlighting different genres of music — from jazz and country to Latin and classical — and this year she kicked off a dance series with performances by the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. All the events include an instructional component for students led by professional artists. “We want to [...]

Cooper-Hewitt Announces Winners of 11th Annual National Design Awards

NEW YORK, NY.- The Smithsonian’s Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum will celebrate outstanding achievement in design this fall with its 11th annual National Design Awards program, now in its second decade. Today, Cooper-Hewitt Director Bill Moggridge announced the winners and finalists of the 2010 National Design Awards, which recognize excellence across a variety of disciplines. The Award recipients will be honored at a gala dinner Thursday, Oct. 14, at Cipriani 42nd Street in New York. First Lady Michelle Obama serves as [...]

Smithsonian Accepts Michelle Obama’s Inaugural Ball Gown

WASHINGTON, DC.- First Lady Michelle Obama formally presented the gown she wore to the 2009 inaugural balls to the Smithsonian’s First Ladies Collection Tuesday, March 9, during a ceremony at the National Museum of American History. The gown will be displayed in the center of a new gallery addition to the museum’s popular exhibition, “The First Ladies at the Smithsonian.” The new gallery, “A First Lady’s Debut,” opens to the public March 10. The one-shouldered, white-silk chiffon gown, created by [...]

Mrs. Obama to Donate Inaugural Gown to Smithsonian

WASHINGTON, DC.- The one-shouldered, white chiffon gown first lady Michelle Obama wore to the inaugural balls is going on display. Mrs. Obama is donating the gown to the First Ladies Collection at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History on Tuesday. Dotted with beads and covered in fabric petals, the gown was a star attraction at 10 inaugural balls held in January 2009 to celebrate President Barack Obama’s swearing-in. Designer Jason Wu, 27, of New York, planned to join Mrs. [...]