60 Years of Wonder: Frederica Adelman on the Legacy and Future of Smithsonian Associates

The Not Old - Better Show

Paul Vogelzang

History, Fitness, Film, Health, Aging, Employment, Fashion, Career, Technology, Seniors, Society & Culture, Music, Health & Fitness

5 • 1.8K Ratings

🗓️ 28 July 2025

⏱️ 40 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

🎉 Celebrating 60 Years of Smithsonian Associates: A Conversation Worth Sharing

Since 1965, Smithsonian Associates has offered more than just lectures or museum tours—it has sparked imagination, created lifelong connections, and helped generations see the world with new eyes. This year marks its 60th anniversary—a milestone that honors the past and looks boldly toward the future.

To celebrate, The Not Old Better Show – Smithsonian Associates Interview Series sat down with Director Frederica “Fredie” Adelman to talk about what makes this organization so extraordinary. Fredie shares rich, behind-the-scenes stories—from Justice Ginsburg and Justice Scalia debating on stage (“they laughed, they dueled, and the audience loved it,” as NPR’s Nina Totenberg recalled) to the evolution of museum sleepovers, arts programs, and the groundbreaking move to virtual learning.

But this episode goes beyond nostalgia. We asked bold, reflective questions:
🔹 What does it mean to lead an organization shaped by six decades of curiosity?
🔹 How has Smithsonian Associates balanced innovation with tradition?
🔹 And what will the next 60 years look like for lifelong learning?

Fredie answers with wisdom, humor, and purpose—and offers a preview of the 60th Anniversary Celebration Weekend, including the public events at the Ripley Center this October. For anyone passionate about museums, education, leadership, or meaningful cultural experiences, this conversation is for you.

🎧 Listen to the full episode and see why learning—at any age—is still the best kind of adventure: [Insert Link]
#SmithsonianAssociates #NotOldBetterShow #LifelongLearning #Leadership #MuseumEducation #PublicEngagement #60YearsOfWonder

Transcript

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0:00.0	Welcome to the Not Old Better Show,
0:08.5	Smithsonian Associates interview series on radio and podcast.
0:12.8	The show covering all things health, wellness, culture, and more.
0:16.5	The show for all of us who aren't old, were better.
0:19.4	Each week we'll interview superstars, experts,
0:22.6	and ordinary people doing extraordinary things, all related to this wonderful experience of getting
0:28.2	better, not older. Now here's your host, the award-winning Paul Vogelze. If you've ever sat spellbound at a Smithsonian lecture, sketched a masterpiece in a studio arts class, or watched your grandchild sleep under the giant whale at the National Museum of Natural History, then you've already been touched
0:56.1	by the magic of Smithsonian Associates. Welcome to a special episode of the Smithsonian Associates
1:03.4	interview series on The Not Old Better Show. I am Paul Vogelzang, and today we're celebrating
1:08.0	something truly remarkable. Sixty years of curiosity, connection, and culture.
1:14.0	Sixty years of wonder with the Smithsonian Associates.
1:18.1	Since 1965, Smithsonian Associates has done what few others have dared,
1:24.5	turned a museum into a living, breathing classroom for the world. Whether it was
1:29.9	hearing L. Fitzgerald sing live, watching kids meet a real-life astronaut, or tasting global
1:37.0	cuisine with a master chef, Smithsonian Associates, has made the extraordinary feel personal. And at the heart of it all is Frederica
1:46.7	Freddie Adelman, our guest today, director of Smithsonian Associates, educator, innovator,
1:52.9	and champion of lifelong learning. Freddie joins us with unforgettable stories behind the scenes,
2:00.2	moments, and a look at what makes this anniversary
2:03.9	not just a celebration of the past but a promise for the future. As legendary radio personality,
2:11.4	Nina Totenberg once said of an amazing Smithsonian Associates evening, they laughed, they dueled, and the audience loved it.
2:20.6	That spirit, it's still alive,
2:22.4	and it's still dazzling audiences 60 years on.
	...

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