Category: Relaxation

Digital Jigsaw Puzzles

5/21/2020

Need a fun mental break? Here's six digital jigsaw puzzles from Smithsonian Libraries created through Jigsaw Explorer that feature a few favorite images from their collection. Use the links to explore the art work and play each individual puzzle. Each puzzle is set to contain about 100 pieces, but they are customizable for any skill set. Hit the question mark icon on a puzzle for more information. We hope you enjoy them as much as we did!

“The Lilac” from Eugene Grasset’s La plante et ses applications ornementales (1896). A stunner of a book, Grasset’s design patterns focus on plants and flowers. It was intended to promote the Art Nouveau style. Puzzle link: https://jigex.com/CsBd
“The Koodoo” from Samuel Daniell’s African Scenery and Animals, 1804-05. The kudu is a type of spiral-horned antelope. It’s one of many species (some now extinct) featured in African scenery and animals (1804-05), available in the Biodiversity Heritage Library. These hand-colored aquatint plates present artwork by Samuel Daniell, produced during an expedition to Africa at the end of the eighteenth century. Puzzle link: https://jigex.com/HzPd
“Pour rêver un peu” from La guirlande, fasc (1919). The title of this illustration says it all – “To dream a little”. It was published in 1919 in the French literary and art journal, La guirlande. The publication’s art director was Italian artist Umberto Brunelleschi, known for his book and fashion illustrations. Puzzle link: https://jigex.com/6N8V
Cover from Aéroplane captif (1909). Aéroplane captif is one of hundreds of pieces of aeronautical-themed sheet music collected by Bella C. Landauer (1874–1960). Landauer took an interest in aviation when her son became a pilot and scoured music shops to amass her collection. She’s one of many collectors featured in our exhibition, Magnificent Obessions: Why We Collect. Puzzle link: https://jigex.com/4E1R
“Smithsonian Institution, from the North East” from Robert Dale Owen’s Hints on public architecture . . . (1849). This charming drawing of men and women strolling on the paths on the Mall in front of the Smithsonian Institution Building (The Castle) is from Robert Dale Owen’s 1849 publication, Hints on public architecture, containing, among other illustrations, views and plans of the Smithsonian institution. Owen was a Smithsonian regent and the head of the Building Committee. The exterior of the building wasn’t actually completed until 1851. Puzzle link: https://jigex.com/Vggy
Front cover from John Lewis Childs’ New, rare & beautiful flowers, (1890). John Lewis Childs was born on May 13, 1856. He acquired a few acres and set up his business as a seedsman and florist at age eighteen, after one year as a florist’s helper on Long Island. His operation was based in Floral Park, New York, which was often featured in his catalogs. The Smithsonian Libraries holds more than 10,000 seed and nursery catalogs dating from 1830 to the present. Puzzle link: https://jigex.com/6Bzy

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Best Podcasts For Sleep or Relaxing

5/6/2020

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We’ve all have those nights when you just can’t seem to fall asleep. It's doubly so in these stressful times. You’ve tried changing your position like a million times. You’ve tried sleeping with and without a blanket. You’ve probably also tried googling how to fall asleep fast, only to find that your bright phone hurts your eyes way worse than you could have ever imagined. The next time you’re in one of these pickles, why not give podcasts a try? They’re the perfect thing to help you sleep, as you can just lay down, put on some headphones, and let the voices and sounds guide you to relaxation. Following are some podcasts to help you fall asleep.

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Digital Jigsaw Puzzles

Best Podcasts For Sleep or Relaxing

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