Friday's website of art interest: THE SMITHSONIAN AMERICAN ART MUSEUM

The Smithsonian American Art Museum, is today's art website of interest. It is the nation's first collection of American art, and is an unparalleled record of the American experience. The collection captures the aspirations, character and imagination of the American people throughout three centuries. The American Art Museum is the home to one of the largest and most inclusive collections of American art in the world. Its artworks reveal key aspects of America's rich artistic and cultural history from the colonial period to today. More than 7,000 artists are represented in the collection.

In addition to a robust exhibition program in Washington, D.C., the Museum maintains a highly regarded traveling exhibition program. It has circulated hundreds of exhibitions since the program was established in 1951. From 2000 to 2005, museum staff have organized 14 exhibitions of more than 1,000 major artworks from American Art's permanent collection that traveled to 105 venues across the United States. More than 2.5 million visitors saw these exhibitions. The Museum had three major exhibitions touring the U.S. in 2009. The museum staff also produces a series of podcasts, also available through iTunes, which feature voices of artists, curators, and students.