On May 21, the Diplomacy Center Foundation (DCF) and the National Museum of American Diplomacy (NMAD) met with the Foreign Service Retirees Association of Florida (FSRA-FL) as part of a joint effort to share information about the creation, history, and future of NMAD with members of the US diplomatic community. Joining the panel of speakers were DCF Executive Director Robert Heath, NMAD Acting Director Dr. Jane Carpenter-Rock, NMAD Education Program Specialist Lauren Fischer, and FSRA’s Michael Boorstein.
During the meeting, Dr. Jane Carpenter-Rock and Lauren Fischer shared how NMAD encourages visitors online and in-person to explore the story of American diplomacy through collection artifacts, education programs, and exhibits. Some of NMAD’s current offerings include the Diplomacy Is Our Mission preview exhibit, virtual programs, and the newly-launched Facing Diplomacy project.
Dr. Jane Carpenter-Rock shared artist renderings of future exhibits, including those featuring the famous pin collection of 64th US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and the “The Ambassador Shirley Temple Black Gift Vault and Protocol Gallery.” She also highlighted objects from NMAD’s growing collection of 9,000+ artifacts, such as a Great Seal damaged during the 2013 US consulate bombing in Herat, Afghanistan, and a blindfold worn by a diplomat during the 1979 Iran Hostage Crisis. Artifacts in NMAD’s collection represent American diplomacy and the work of the US Department of State. They are often donated to the museum by active or retired diplomats to preserve and share their diplomatic experiences.
Robert Heath outlined additional opportunities for individuals to help bring the story of American diplomacy to the public through the DCF’s giving societies, which honor the contributions of our diplomats. The meeting concluded with answering questions about NMAD from FSRA-FL members about education resources, NMAD’s future digital archives, and more.
FSRA-FL is a nonprofit organization, formalized in 1982, designed to enhance the camaraderie and friendship of members and guests. FSRA also endeavors to increase public knowledge of the Foreign Service and international affairs, in part by providing guest speakers to educational institutions and other groups.