Nov 19 Smithsonian closing museums and zoo again amid COVID-19 spike By Ashraf Khalil, Associated Press In response to rising COVID-19 infection numbers, the Smithsonian Institution is indefinitely shutting down operations at all its facilities, effective Monday and affecting seven museums, plus the National Zoo. Continue reading
Nov 19 National Book Awards honor Charles Yu’s ‘Interior Chinatown,’ Malcolm X biography By Hillel Italie, Associated Press Charles Yu's "Interior Chinatown," a satirical, cinematic novel written in the form of a screenplay, has won the National Book Award for fiction. Continue reading
Nov 19 Joy Harjo will serve a rare third term as U.S. poet laureate By Joshua Barajas Harjo is the second poet laureate to serve this many terms in a row since the current duties of the position were established 77 years ago. Continue reading
Nov 18 Watch 6:12 In rural Michigan, Detroit artists reimagine the iconic American barn By Jeffrey Brown, Lorna Baldwin The American barn is a cultural icon, but one that is quickly disappearing. In Port Austin, Michigan, an art project aims to draw attention to these structures -- and maybe even save some of them along the way. Jeffrey Brown… Continue watching
Nov 18 Charlie Brown specials to air on TV, after all, in PBS deal By Associated Press Last month, Apple TV+ became the new home to the beloved Peanuts holiday specials. That sparked an outcry from viewers who were accustomed to annually tuning in on network TV. Continue reading
Nov 18 Dolly Parton adds pandemic hero to list of accomplishments By Associated Press Parton's $1 million gift to Nashville's Vanderbilt University Medical Center helped researchers develop Moderna's experimental coronavirus vaccine, announced this week. Continue reading
Nov 17 New Orleans cancels Mardi Gras parades for virus By Associated Press The raucous Mardi Gras parades where riders on elaborate floats toss trinkets to adoring throngs have been canceled in New Orleans because the close-packed crowds could spread the coronavirus. Continue reading
Nov 17 Watch 5:04 These Parkinson’s patients find relief at the barre By Shana Fischer For the million people living with Parkinson’s disease in the United States, medication is the most common form of treatment. But some doctors are now prescribing dance as a way to slow the symptoms -- and bring joy to patients… Continue watching
Nov 17 Beloved arts facility Poets House suspends operations By Associated Press One of the country's leading literary community and educational centers, Poets House, is suspending operations because of “challenges presented” by the coronavirus pandemic. Continue reading
Nov 17 WATCH: Senators review plans for new national museums dedicated to Latino, women’s histories By Joshua Barajas The proposed plans for two new museums, telling the histories of Latinos and women in the U.S., will be reviewed before a Senate committee Tuesday after, separately, receiving bipartisan support in the House of Representatives. Continue reading