'Nation's Attic' No More

After a bumpy ride with Lawrence Small at the helm — including $90,000 in unauthorized expenses — the Smithsonian Institution finally got the kind of leadership it deserves in July of last year.

Not only is 68-year-old Wayne Clough the kind of leader who will likely stay away from such scandals, as evidenced by his resoundingly successful presidency of Georgia Institute of Technology; he is also, according to the Associated Press, "intent on building up the Smithsonian's science, research and educational impact beyond its walls."

Where Small made business deals and tried to increase the Smithsonian's clout as a tourist attraction, Clough plans to focus on strengthening the soul of the complex of museums, research centers and the National Zoo. He wants the institution to contribute meaningfully to the debates on important domestic and global issues such as climate change and immigration.

He also plans to beef up the Smithsonian's educational role. He has already brought in a $1.3 million grant to hire an education director and set up the Smithsonian's first central office dedicated to K-12 education, which will bring together 32 disparate educational programs.

Whatever he does, it will be aimed at transforming the Smithsonian from the "Nation's Attic" into a dynamic and important institution for the 21st century.

Photo courtesy of brad_holt, via Flickr