Smithsonian (magazine)
Encyclopedia
Smithsonian is the official journal published by the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.
The first issue was published in 1970.
, the retired editor of the weekly Life
, was recruited by the then-Secretary of the Smithsonian, S. Dillon Ripley, to produce a magazine "about things in which the Smithsonian [Institution] is interested, might be interested or ought to be interested."
Thompson would later recall that his philosophy for the new magazine was that it "would stir curiosity in already receptive minds. It would deal with history as it is relevant to the present. It would present art, since true art is never dated, in the richest possible reproduction. It would peer into the future via coverage of social progress and of science and technology. Technical matters would be digested and made intelligible by skilled writers who would stimulate readers to reach upward while not turning them off with jargon. We would find the best writers and the best photographers—not unlike the best of the old Life." The first issue debuted in April 1970, reaching 160,000 readers with a cover story about amorous elephants in Sri Lanka
.
The magazine's early history, however, was plagued by instability and embarrassing gaffes, including the addressing of a letter to NBC News
as "Dear Mr. News," an incident which caused then-anchor John Chancellor
to bring the fledgling magazine to somewhat less than flattering national attention.
In 1973, the magazine turned a profit for the first time. By 1974, circulation had nearly quadrupled, to 635,000, and it reached the one million milestone in 1975—one of the most successful launches of its time. In 1980, Thompson was replaced by Don Moser, who had also worked at Life, and circulation reached upwards of two million. He was replaced, in turn, by Carey Winfrey upon his retirement in 2001.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
The first issue was published in 1970.
History
The history of Smithsonian began when Edward K. ThompsonEdward K. Thompson
Edward Kramer Thompson was an American writer and editor. The Smithsonian Magazine called him "one of the great editors of the last half [of the 20th] century." He was the editor of LIFE from its early days as a weekly and was the founding editor of Smithsonian Magazine.-Biography:Thompson was...
, the retired editor of the weekly Life
Life (magazine)
Life generally refers to three American magazines:*A humor and general interest magazine published from 1883 to 1936. Time founder Henry Luce bought the magazine in 1936 solely so that he could acquire the rights to its name....
, was recruited by the then-Secretary of the Smithsonian, S. Dillon Ripley, to produce a magazine "about things in which the Smithsonian [Institution] is interested, might be interested or ought to be interested."
Thompson would later recall that his philosophy for the new magazine was that it "would stir curiosity in already receptive minds. It would deal with history as it is relevant to the present. It would present art, since true art is never dated, in the richest possible reproduction. It would peer into the future via coverage of social progress and of science and technology. Technical matters would be digested and made intelligible by skilled writers who would stimulate readers to reach upward while not turning them off with jargon. We would find the best writers and the best photographers—not unlike the best of the old Life." The first issue debuted in April 1970, reaching 160,000 readers with a cover story about amorous elephants in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
.
The magazine's early history, however, was plagued by instability and embarrassing gaffes, including the addressing of a letter to NBC News
NBC News
NBC News is the news division of American television network NBC. It first started broadcasting in February 21, 1940. NBC Nightly News has aired from Studio 3B, located on floors 3 of the NBC Studios is the headquarters of the GE Building forms the centerpiece of 30th Rockefeller Center it is...
as "Dear Mr. News," an incident which caused then-anchor John Chancellor
John Chancellor
John William Chancellor was a well-known American journalist who spent most of his career with NBC News...
to bring the fledgling magazine to somewhat less than flattering national attention.
In 1973, the magazine turned a profit for the first time. By 1974, circulation had nearly quadrupled, to 635,000, and it reached the one million milestone in 1975—one of the most successful launches of its time. In 1980, Thompson was replaced by Don Moser, who had also worked at Life, and circulation reached upwards of two million. He was replaced, in turn, by Carey Winfrey upon his retirement in 2001.
Contributors
Smithsonian has one staff writer, Abigail Tucker, but relies mostly on freelance contributions. Notable past and current contributors to Smithsonian have included:- Richard ConniffRichard ConniffRichard Conniff is an American non-fiction writer, specializing in behavior on two, four, six, and eight legs. He has collected tarantulas in the Peruvian Amazon, tracked leopards with Kung San hunters in the Namibian desert, climbed the Mountains of the Moon in western Uganda, and trekked through...
- Jon KrakauerJon KrakauerJon Krakauer is an American writer and mountaineer, primarily known for his writing about the outdoors and mountain-climbing...
- Diana LemieuxDiana LemieuxDiana Lemieux is a United States freelance photographer and has been the assistant to the President of the Lymphoma Research Foundation, a non-profit cancer organization in downtown Manhattan. She resides in Brooklyn, New York. Her photograph "Sometimes the Road Gets Rugged and It's Hard to Travel...
- Paul LevinsonPaul LevinsonPaul Levinson is an American author and professor of communications and media studies at Fordham University in New York City. Levinson's novels, short fiction, and non-fiction works have been translated into twelve languages....
- Alan LightmanAlan LightmanAlan Lightman is an American physicist, writer, and social entrepreneur. He is a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the author of the international bestseller Einstein's Dreams. He was the first professor at MIT to receive a joint appointment in the sciences and the...
- David McCulloughDavid McCulloughDavid Gaub McCullough is an American author, narrator, historian, and lecturer. He is a two-time winner of the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award and a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the United States' highest civilian award....
- David SnellDavid Snell (journalist)David Snell was a reporter and cartoonist for the defunct Life Magazine and several other publications during his career as a journalist.-Early years, family, education:...