BOULDER ­­— The University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR), which provides unique exhibits on weather and climate, has been accepted to join a leading group of national museum and cultural organizations as an Affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution. The affiliation establishes a long-term collaborative partnership between the two institutions.

UCAR’s exhibits in the Mesa Lab of the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder are a destination for thousands of tourists and school children each year.

As an Affiliate, UCAR will have access to Smithsonian resources such as its collections of 138 million objects, artworks, and specimens; professional development opportunities; and membership benefits. UCAR and the Smithsonian Institution will also have the opportunity to develop important collaborations, such as collecting oral histories from communities that are being affected by climate change and developing traveling exhibits that will highlight weather, climate, and other aspects of the atmospheric sciences.

Hands-on exhibits such as this one simulating clouds are a destination for thousands of tourists and school children who visit NCAR's Mesa Lab each year. UCAR, which curates the NCAR exhibits, has been accepted to join a leading group of national museum and cultural organizations as an Affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution. (©UCAR. Photo by Carlye Calvin. This image is freely available for media & nonprofit use.)

“We are deeply honored to become an Affiliate and gain the opportunity to collaborate with the exceptional talent and expertise within the Smithsonian Institution,” said UCAR president Thomas Bogdan. “We are very much looking forward to working together on high-quality programs and exhibits for the enrichment of the general public, learners, and educators.”

“Smithsonian Affiliations represent the highest professional standards in education within the museum community,” said Emily CoBabe-Ammann, director of UCAR Community Programs, which oversees the organization’s exhibits. “To be able to bring that work and the support of the Smithsonian network to UCAR is a truly exciting step for us.”

UCAR joins 199 museums and educational and cultural organizations in 44 states, Panama, and Puerto Rico that are in association with the Smithsonian.

“The Smithsonian is very proud of its new affiliation with the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research,” said Harold A. Closter, director of Smithsonian Affiliations. “We are delighted to begin this new partnership that builds on shared missions, a commitment to education, and scholarly exchange. We look forward to new collaborations that will continue to bring together the strengths of both organizations to benefit audiences, both locally and nationally, and provide the opportunity to underscore the importance of atmospheric research in our daily lives and in the years ahead.”

About Smithsonian Affiliations

Established in 1996, Smithsonian Affiliations is a national outreach program that develops long-term collaborative partnerships with museums, educational, and cultural organizations to enrich communities with Smithsonian resources. The long-term goal of Smithsonian Affiliations is to facilitate a two-way relationship among Affiliate organizations and the Smithsonian Institution to increase discovery and inspire lifelong learning in communities across America. More information about the Smithsonian Affiliations program and Affiliate activity is available at www.affiliations.si.edu.

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