Fathers' Day is just around the corner! If you haven't secured a gift yet, don't worry – make your way to the Museum Shop any time from 1:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, June 20 or Sunday, June 21 and grab a gift your dad is sure to love.

"One should not underestimate Mrs. Bliss for her desire for tranquility, as she was a discerning philanthropist and patron of the humanities."

Up next from our collaboration with Smarthistory: the Center for Public Art History is "Medieval business cards: Byzantine seals, an introduction," by Postdoctoral Fellow in Byzantine Coins Aristotelis Nayfa.

We are looking for a Postdoctoral Fellow in Byzantine Coins to work with the Museum team on projects relating to the cataloguing, publication, and exhibition of our coin collection.

As the academic year comes to a close, why not revisit some of the wonderful events put on at DO in the past few months?

Dumbarton Oaks is thrilled to announce the appointment of Elizabeth "Beth" Hyde, PhD, as Program Director of Garden and Landscape Studies. Meet Beth and learn more about her new appointment at https://www.doaks.org/newsletter/press-releases/beth-hyde-named-program-director/.

Our Publications team are not only great editors, but also phenomenal writers!

Announcing an incredible new partnership between Dumbarton Oaks and @smarthistory_official! This exciting project will promote Byzantine research and scholarship to new audiences in an accessible manner.

Anthony Kaldellis just posted his latest Byzantium & Friends podcast episode, where he interviews Charles Kuper, the translator of The Menologion of Basil II, on that manuscript. He also discusses Kuper’s translation for DOML.

Come see Managing Editor Nicole Eddy at #ICMS2026 and hear about our recent publications! Receive 30% off all DOML publications with the code KDO30 at https://www.hup.harvard.edu/series/dumbarton-oaks-medieval-library

POV from the beautiful @dumbartonoaks.bsky.social :: thrilled to experience it for the first time for Migration and Place Histories: What Does Migration Mean for Places? 📚

New podcast feature alert! Nicole Eddy, Managing Editor of the Dumbarton Oaks Medieval Library, has recently been a guest in the podcast Byzantium & Friends, hosted by Anthony Kaldellis.

Attention archaeologists! At the #SAA2026 meeting in San Francisco? Swing by our book table to see our amazing publications about the ancient and colonial Americas and meet our staff! #SAA2026 #DOaksOnTheRoad

Yota Batsaki, shares how @dumbartonoaks.bsky.social @harvard.edu are activating BHL for Storytelling and Teaching via The Plant Humanities Lab: “BHL is essential to our storytelling”. #BHLDay2026 🧪🌱

This is a reminder that the Gardens are closed from Thursday, April 23 through Saturday, April 25 due to our Byzantine Symposium. Daily tickets will not be sold and Season Passes will not be honored. Please also note that daily Garden tickets for Sunday, April 26 are sold out.

Happy Earth Day!

New reviews alert! THE LIFE AND DEATH OF THEODORE OF STOUDIOS “is an excellent addition to the superb Dumbarton Oaks Medieval Library series.” Read the review: https://domedieval.org/review-the-life-and-death-of-theodore-of-stoudios-2/

The Byzantine community at Dumbarton Oaks mourns the recent death of Averil Cameron DBE.

April is quite the musical month at Dumbarton Oaks!

Did you know that in 2021, wild rice was a plaintiff in a lawsuit against the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources? Learn about this interesting “plant-iff” in February’s #PlantOfTheMonth, “Wild Rice and the Rights of Nature.” https://daily.jstor.org/wild-rice-and-the-rights-of-nature/

What can the silver from a sunken ship tell us about the transformation of wealth in Pre-Columbian and colonial times? Join us on Thursday, April 16 at 6:00 p.m. to find out!

Family Day is just around the corner! On April 11, from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., we will host a series of family-friendly activities inspired by our Gardens and Museum collections.

Join us on Sunday, April 12 or Monday, April 13 at 7:00 p.m. to hear harpist Maeve Gilchrist (2026 Musician-in-Residence) and violinist Layale Chaker (Fall 2021 Early Career Musician Resident).

Happy #InternationalWomensDay! Today, we celebrate the women who have shaped Dumbarton Oaks into what it is today. Learn more about three notable women of our early history and their passion for the humanities. Explore more of DO’s history at https://www.doaks.org/about/history#InternationalWomensDay

Colin Whiting, Managing Editor of Byzantine Studies, has recently been interviewed by the American School of Classical Studies at Athens about his book, DOGS IN THE ATHENIAN AGORA, in which he explores the relationship between the ancient Greeks and dogs.

Have you ever visited the Music Room? If so, you have probably seen our beautiful Steinway piano – which is turning 100 years old this year! Hear from Carla Galfano, Manager of the House Collection, about the history of our piano and what makes it special at vimeo.com/1168601413?s...

Join us on Sunday, March 8 or Monday, March 9 at 7:00 p.m. for a night of music with the extraordinary Hungarian pianist Dénes Várjon, one of today’s most inspiring and highly regarded contributors to international musical life.

LAST CALL! There are only a few more days left to see the exhibits "Clothing for the Afterlife" and "Trees of Dumbarton Oaks!"

We’re excited to announce our newest publication, BLACK ATLANTIC WORLDS!

Today, at 9:00 a.m. Central, at #CAA114, meet Carla Galfano, Manager of the House Collection, who will present a paper on a collection of Asian art gathered by Mildred and Robert Bliss, our founders. This paper is being presented as part of the New Research in the History of Collecting session.

At the College Art Association's 114th conference in Chicago? Swing by Booth 325 to see our recent publications and meet our staff, including Director Tom Cummins! #CAA2026 #CAA114

The Byzantine Studies community at Dumbarton Oaks is saddened to learn of the passing of Hélène Glykatzi-Ahrweiler on Monday, February 16, 2026, at the age of 99. 1/3

In the spirit of Valentine's Day, we are celebrating the areas of study we love at Dumbarton Oaks. Find the perfect Pre-Columbian or Byzantine-inspired card for your Byzan-tine – I mean, Valentine – below! Need Valentine's plans? How about a Museum date? Plan your visit at https://www.doaks.org/!

On this Valentine's Day, follow along Post-Baccalaureate Fellow Kyle Mandell as he narrates the history of the Gardens' most romantic spot: the Lovers' Lane Pool! Watch the video at https://vimeo.com/1164148835?share=copy&fl=sv&fe=ci

Happy Galentine's Day! Whether you are celebrating Valentine's or Galentine's, here are some more endearing cards inspired by our founders, Mildred Barnes Bliss and Robert Woods Bliss, and our garden's landscape architect, Beatrix Farrand. Share these with your platonic and romantic loves!

Beat the cold with a visit to the museum! The Museum at Dumbarton Oaks reopens Tuesday, February 10 at 11:30 a.m. For the safety of staff and visitors, the Gardens will remain closed through Monday, February 23. Stay up to date on our opening status on our website and social media platforms.

Exciting news! Paul Ulishney’s “New Evidence for Conversion to Islam in Anastasius of Sinai’s Hodegos” has won the 2026 @medievalacademy.bsky.social Van Courtlandt Elliott Prize, which recognizes the best early-career article. Get your copy: https://www.hup.harvard.edu/books/9780884025184

On Sunday, February 22, and Monday, February 23 at 7:00 p.m., Dumbarton Oaks will welcome the wonderful Thalea String Quartet performing "The Natural World," which includes works by Terry Riley, Haydn, Beethoven, Henry Purcell, Gabriella Smith, and Andrew Yee.

Do mysteries pique your interest? Head over to JSTOR Daily for the newest #PlantOfTheMonth, which recounts the story of Lignum nephriticum, an enigmatic tree known for its healing properties and ... turning water blue?

OLD ENGLISH CATHOLIC HOMILIES is “a clear and helpful volume for anyone interested in monastic culture in the medieval West, early medieval England generally, or the Church's long tradition of preaching.”

With an on-site population of nearly 70 and miles of pathway and sidewalk, it takes a gargantuan effort to maintain safe walkways.

For the safety of staff and visitors, the Museum and Gardens at Dumbarton Oaks are closed until further notice. Keep an eye out on our website and social media for further closure updates.

Due to this weekend's inclement weather, the Museum and Gardens at Dumbarton Oaks are closed on Saturday, January 24, and Sunday, January 25. Stay tuned to our website and social media platforms for further weather closure updates. Until then, stay safe and warm! ☃️

Due to this weekend’s weather conditions and travel issues, the concerts featuring Maeve Gilchrist and Layale Chaker have been postponed until further notice. Individual ticketholders will be contacted about ticket options.

MEXICO-TENOCHTITLAN is a “richly illustrated volume . . . [and] a valuable addition to Teotihuacan literature.” Read the review: https://www.thearchcons.org/current-issue-book-reviews/

In just five days, the Music Room will host the wonderful Layale Chaker and Maeve Gilchrist performing “Smoke Veins”, a suite drawn from Celtic and Levantine traditions.

February 23 is the deadline to apply for Introduction to Ge’ez, a #language and #paleography course held from July 5–August 1, 2026, at HMML in Collegeville, Minnesota. Course fees, meals, and lodging are generously sponsored by @dumbartonoaks.bsky.social#language#paleography Apply today: hmml.org/programs/intro-ge-ez

Khipus are a complex information system that use knotted, colored, and twisted cords to record and convey information. Last November, a group of stellar graduate students was able to closely observe the Dumbarton Oaks khipu collection during our 2025 Graduate Student Museum Study Day.

Wondering how the humanities can support careers in STEM? Meet Michael Kennedy-Yoon! Following his time at Dumbarton Oaks as an Early Career Fellow, Michael pursued a career in medicine.

"Some flavors whisper of home, speaking a language rooted in place and memory. For those living in the Levant, the slightly bitter and spicy notes of za’atar have been a symbol of heritage, culture, and resilience for centuries."