American Magazine: November 2015

mastery
ILLUSTRATION BY PETER HOEY
1975
Graduated from AU with
a degree in art history.
While at AU, learned
Marjorie Merriweather
Post had willed Hillwood
Estate—home to an
extensive collection
of Russian decorative
arts—to the Smithsonian.
Landed a volunteer
position cataloging
the collection.
1976
Offered a position as
assistant to Smithsonian
Keeper of the Castle
James Goode. One month
later, caught a glimpse of
Queen Elizabeth II when
she visited the Castle.
1973
Inspired by a love of
Russian literature, made
her first visit to Russia—
a trek she would make
more than 30 times.
Malcolm Gladwell’s book Outliers: The Story of
Success offers a formula for success—being born
in the right place and time and investing at least
10,000 hours in pursuit of your goal. Amy
Ballard, CAS/BA ’75, who will celebrate 40
years at the Smithsonian Institution next year,
has certainly surpassed that milestone. As senior
historic preservation specialist, Ballard works to
protect the Smithsonian’s diverse buildings. In
addition to preserving the past, she also helps to
shape the future, contributing to plans for new
buildings such as the National Museum of the
American Indian and the National Museum of
African American History and Culture.
1978
Added “owl caretaker” to her
résumé when Dillon Ripley,
ornithologist and former
Smithsonian secretary,
revived nineteenth-century
tradition of housing barn
owls in Castle’s northwest
tower. Twice a week, donned
National Zoo jumpsuit and
helmet, climbed five-story
ladder, and fed owls a sack of
dead rats. “THROUGHOUT
MY CAREER, THIS
OWL STORY HAS
ALWAYS FOLLOWED
ME, NO MATTER WHAT
OTHER THINGS I DO.”
1985
Named historic preservation
specialist. Relished
opportunity to work with
museum directors and
maintenance workers,
architects and engineers,
curators and construction
crews. “WHEN I GO
TO A MUSEUM, IT
ISN’T REALLY TO
LOOK AT THE ART.
I HAVE TO LOOK AT
FLOORS AND SMOKE
DETECTORS AND
LIGHT FIXTURES.”
1987
After department reorganized
into Office of Architectural
History and Historic
Preservation, took graduate
courses in architectural
history and historic
preservation at George
Washington University.
1999
Attended intensive course
at State Hermitage Museum
in Saint Petersburg, Russia,
studying its architecture
and collections.
2004
National Museum of the
American Indian opened.
“THAT WAS ONE OF
THE BEST PROJECTS
I’VE WORKED ON.
IT WAS NEAT TO BE
IN VISION SESSIONS
WITH NATIVE
AMERICANS AND
MEET MEDICINE MEN.”
2003
With National Museum of
African American History and
Culture officially established,
became part of the multiyear
planning effort.
Received the 300th Anniversary
of Saint Petersburg Medal for
her work advising DC’s Russian
Embassy and Russian Cultural
Centre on exhibits. Honored
at the embassy, where former
ambassador Yuri Ushakov
pinned on the medal.
2002
Created a single-case exhibit,
“Madam on the Mall,” featuring
porcelain, champagne corks,
and other relics from a
nineteenth-century brothel
unearthed during construction
of the National Museum of
the American Indian. “IT
WAS WASHINGTON’S
MOST EXPENSIVE AND
EXCLUSIVE BROTHEL.”
Attended England’s Attingham
Trust Royal Collection Studies
Programme.
2001
Attended England’s
Attingham Trust Study
Programme for in-depth
studies on historic
buildings.
2009
Won a Likhachev
Foundation Fellowship,
spending two weeks in
Saint Petersburg to work
on projects related to
historic preservation and
Russian music.
Coauthored A Guide to
Smithsonian Architecture.
2010
Promoted to senior historic
preservation specialist.
“THERE AREN’T
MANY OF US WHO
HAVE BEEN AT THE
SMITHSONIAN AS
LONG AS I HAVE, SO
I’M OFTEN ASKED FOR
ADVICE. I’M ALWAYS
HAPPY TO HELP.”
2011
Created online St. Petersburg
Music Guide to help visitors
to that city experience
the breadth of its musical
offerings.
2012
On a South American cruise,
met the consul general
for Vladivostok, Russia,
who invited her to that
city to speak to museum
professionals. A few months
later, she made the first of
many such trips.
2014
Joined the Board of Trustees
of the Hillwood Estate,
Museum, and Gardens,
coming full circle to her
very first museum job.
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