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Bei Bei explores the outside world with mother, Mei Xiang

By Michael Stankiewicz

WASHINGTON — The National Zoo’s beloved panda cub wandered outside for the first time on Thursday, Feb. 4.

In a video from the National Zoo, Bei Bei explored the outside world while in the close proximity of his mother, Mei Xiang, at the zoo.

Bei Bei, born Aug. 22, 2015, is the third surviving offspring for parents Tian Tian and Mei Xiang, who also live at the zoo along with their second cub, Bao Bao, who was born in 2013.

The couple’s first surviving offspring, Tai Shan, lives in China.

 

National Museum of the American Latino to be housed in historic Smithsonian building

By Neal Augenstein
The Smithsonian Institution has decided to put the National Museum of the American Latino into an existing, historic building, rather than constructing a new one. The Smithsonian Board of Regents on Monday designated the Arts and Industries Building, a 145-year-old redbrick Victorian structure located between the Smithsonian Castle and the Hirshhorn Museum, as the permanent site of the National Museum of the American Latino, which Congress authorized in 2020. In 2022, the Smithsonian narrowed its survey for permanent locations for the National Museum of the American Latino and the American Women's History Museum to four locations near the National Mall on land owned by the National Park Service. The Arts and Industries Building, located at 900 Jefferson St. SW, was one of the four sites. New construction on National Park Service land would require congressional approval. However, since the Smithsonian already owns the Arts and Industries Building, the institution can place the National Museum of the American Latino in the existing building without additional legislation.
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