Treasures of the Smithsonian Book

The incredible Smithsonian-there is nothing like it anywhere else in the world. Here, in this beautiful book, are its treasures.

Written by Edwards Park, Smithsonian magazine's popular columnist, and illustrated with over 400 exquisite color photographs-many commissioned for this book and taken by a crew of gifted photographers- TREASURES OF THE SMITHSONIAN is packed with the masterpieces from all corners of the world come to see.

You will circle the Mall in Washington, D.C.- and go far beyond-through the glittering pages of this book and encounter paintings and sculpture from one of the most important collections of 20th Century art; vintage airplanes and historic spacecraft; rare pieces of Far Eastern pottery and lacquer; artifacts of American history and invention; dinosaurs and diamonds; plus more, much more - selected from millions of objects on exhibit.

withwriter Edwards Park, you will move freely from African art to modern art; from the design-filled rooms of the Cooper-Hewitt in New York to the John Bull, the oldest working locomotive in the world, now residing on a small stretch of track in American History back on the Mall; from jade transformed into ancient Chinese ceremonial art at the Freer Gallery. Offering an intimate, personal view of this diverse institution, Mr. Park combines the roles of historian, tour guide, and storyteller as he uncovers wonderfully subtle relationships and evokes the experience of seeing the treasures firsthand.

For those who have seen the treasures of the Smithsonian-and for those who have yet to do so-here is an unforgettable and spectacular experience.