Secretary Clough announces SI's new strategic plan
The next five years should prove to be a very productive period for the Smithsonian as it proceeds with its new strategic plan, Inspiring Generations through Knowledge and Discovery, which has just been approved by the Board of Regents.
The new plan focuses on two major initiatives:
- To promote a more interdisciplinary approach among our own museums and research facilities.
- To build collaborative relationships with both private and public organizations outside the institution.
The new plan also establishes four areas where we will focus our resources and talent:
Unlocking the Mysteries of the Universe
We will continue to lead in the quest to understand the fundamental nature of the cosmos, using next-generation technologies to explore our own solar system, meteorites, the Earth’s geological past and present, and the paleontological record of our planet.
Understanding and Sustaining a Biodiverse Planet
We will use our resources across scientific museums and centers to significantly advance our knowledge and understanding of life on Earth, respond to the growing threat of environmental change, and sustain human well-being.
Valuing World Cultures
As a steward and ambassador of cultural connections, with a presence in some 100 countries and expertise and collections that encompass the globe, we will build bridges of mutual respect, and present the diversity of world cultures and the joy of creativity with accuracy, insight, and reverence.
Understanding the American Experience
America is an increasingly diverse society that shares a history, ideals, and an indomitable, innovative spirit. We will use our resources across disciplines to explore what it means to be an American and how the disparate experiences of individual groups strengthen the whole, and to share our story with people of all nations.
The plan also identifies six values that will direct all we do: Discovery, Creativity, Excellence, Diversity, Integrity, and Service.
Our mission has always been clear: to increase and diffuse knowledge. But with new resources and technologies available to us, we now have more opportunities than ever before to achieve our goals.
We would like to thank all of our Affiliates for helping this institution share its resources with the world. Through our 165 partnerships across the country, the Smithsonian is able to reach millions of people each year, exposing them to the mysteries of science, the triumphs, defeats and consequences of history, the expression of the human condition through art, and the interpretation of all of this through culture.
“In the long history of humankind (and animal kind, too) those who learned to collaborate and improvise most effectively have prevailed” – Charles Darwin