Smithsonian Memories Project, 1996 – C. Booth

Following his retirement from a long military career between 1945 and 1968, Carvester Booth decided to take a vacation. He traveled to Washington, D.C, and went on a sightseeing tour of the Smithsonian museums. And there he remained for the next twenty-two years as a security officer. Booth really loved the Smithsonian. He began working for the National Air and Space Museum in 1976, the day before it opened, and protected various other museums on the National Mall. If you feel like a good listen and laugh, join a group of volunpeers in transcribing Booth’s interview from the 1996 Folklife Festival in which he recounts a typical day of an officer at the Smithsonian.

This project is part of a celebration of Smithsonian’s 173rd anniversary. For even more information about these interviews, explore the Smithsonian Memories Project finding aid.