Smithsonian Lecture Series: Saving Lives, Saving History
Explore how medical history intersects with everyday life with the Smithsonian.
From groundbreaking transplant surgeries to revolutionary ambulance services, HBO’s critically acclaimed drama series “The Pitt” has spotlighted how our region has shaped the story of modern health care. And while the show brings attention to life-saving innovations in medicine, the real stories extend far beyond the screen.
So, what is the history behind these innovations? How do museums collect and interpret the objects and personal experiences behind this history?
Join Alexandra Lord, chair of the division of medicine and science at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History, and Anne Madarasz, chief historian and director of the Western Pennsylvania Sports Museum, as they reflect on how medical innovations and everyday health care objects have shaped American life over the last 200 years.
Admission
Tickets are $10 for non-members and $5 for members. This is a hybrid program. Attendees can participate in-person at the Heinz History Center or online.
American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation will be available upon request. Please contact us at [email protected] in advance to request accommodations.
About the Series
The Smithsonian Lecture Series brings experts from the Smithsonian Institution to Pittsburgh, presenting a unique opportunity to hear from the scholars behind the organization’s world-renowned research and museum exhibitions.
While each lecture will focus on a different topic, each expert will offer rare insights into how they preserve, collect, and interpret history at the world’s largest museum, education, and research institution.
As Western Pennsylvania’s only Smithsonian Affiliate, the Heinz History Center proudly brings world-class Smithsonian exhibitions, artifacts, and programs to the region. This special lecture series is part of that ongoing partnership.
About the Speaker
Alexandra Lord is the Chair of the Medicine and Science Division at the National Museum of American History and a curator of the history of medicine. She received her A.B. from Vassar College and her Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin, Madison. She is the recipient of various fellowships, including most recently a Fulbright Fellowship, as well as awards for her book, “Condom Nation: The US Government’s Sex Education Campaign from World War I to the Internet.” She has spoken on the history of medicine in venues ranging from the History Channel to academic conferences, Ellis Island, and The PBS Newshour. She has also published articles on the history of medicine in places such as The Washington Post, CNN.com, and various academic journals.
She is currently engaged in writing a multi-generational history of suicide entitled, “Bridge: Suicide and Its After Life in an American Family, 1885-2020.” Between 2016 and 2018, she was the President of the National Council on Public History, the nation’s largest public history organization. In 2020, she was appointed to the Board of Directors of the American Council of Learned Societies and since 2019, she has served on the Landmarks Committee of the National Park Service.