Welcome … The Smithsonian Early Enrichment Center (SEEC) offers a rich learning environment for children, parents, and teachers in our community and at the same time extends its innovative practices to professionals in schools and museums through an educational outreach program. For those of us who enjoy learning new ideas through the wonders of museums, SEEC is an exciting experience.  Read More...

     The SEEC 2005 - 2006 Annual Report is available for download.
Download the Annual Report

     The mission of the Smithsonian Early Enrichment Center (SEEC) is two-fold: to provide a high-quality educational program for young children, and to advance educational opportunities for all children by sharing SEEC’s expertise on a national level, thereby furthering the education mandate of the Smithsonian Institution.

     SEEC is an educational program located directly within the Smithsonian museum complex, and serves children between the ages of 3 months and 6 years through its child development center, preschool program and kindergarten.

     SEEC is a 501(c) 3, non-profit organization governed by an independent board of directors in the District of Columbia. The Smithsonian Institution provides space, utilities, and limited administrative services.

     SEEC is dedicated to a multicultural approach to education and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, sex, or national origin.

     SEEC is accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children www.naeyc.org and consists of three centers: the National Museum of American History (East and West Centers) and the National Museum of Natural History. SEEC serves 135 students.

     SEEC’s educational philosophy encourages respect for the child and recognizes the unique nature of the individual. Hands-on exploration and discovery, both in the classroom and the museum, offer a chance to construct knowledge from personal experience. Through the comprehensive collections housed in the Washington community, children develop an understanding of the diversity of the world.

     The SEEC philosophy is based upon five key concepts: Child-oriented learning, real-world integrated learning, cultural diversity, critical thinking skills, and aesthetic awareness.

     Children are natural scientists, eager to explore and learn about their world. Museums and gardens offer multiple venues that encourage children to observe, explore, classify, predict, and experiment as they develop formative scientific concepts. A visit to the Insect Zoo provides an “up close and personal” look at some of the smaller creatures that share our environment. By visiting the Butterfly Garden adjacent to the Natural History Museum, our young children engage in multi-sensory activities that teach about the interdependent relationships so important in our world. Learning is exciting when children see themselves as scientific investigators.

     Artists as people, artistic techniques and styles, and works of art enrich the preschool and kindergarten experience. Children are introduced to Faith Ringgold and her beautiful quilt-like creations during a unit on clothing. They come to know Alexander Calder as their friend “Sandy” when they explore mobiles and stabiles and the relationships of these works of art to the concept of balance. They see nature from a new perspective when introduced to Georgia O’Keeffe during a unit on ecology. The children explore creative movement as a means of communication and become dancers for a moment when viewing Degas’ sculpture of the Little Dancer. Children at SEEC learn about their world through the richness of the arts.

     Children learn by building upon past knowledge and experience, making meaningful connections between objects that are familiar and unknown objects. In a visit to the Sackler Gallery during a study of clothing, SEEC children see padukahs, sandals worn by clerics in ancient India. The padukahs, an unfamiliar museum artifact, become familiar when compared to shoes that children wear. The museums are an integral part of the SEEC program.

Sharon Shaffer, Ex Officio
Executive Director, SEEC

Karen Avery, Chair
Smithsonian Institution, Office of Development

Kevin Chase, Vice-Chair
Motorola, Inc.

Susan Fruchter, Treasurer
National Museum of Natural History

Shannon Perich, Secretary
National Museum of American History

Members (Secretarial Appointees)

John Lapiana (Secretarial Appointment)
Smithsonian Institution, Office of the Deputy Secretary and Chief Operations Officer

Alison McNally
Smithsonian Institution, Office of the Under Secretary for Science

Members

Farleigh Earhart
Smithsonian Institution, OGC

Laura Rasar King
Council on Education for Public Health

Tracey Enright
Smithsonian Institution, SCEMS

Farhana Hossain
Smithsonian Institution, OHR

Christine Hoisington
Smithsonian Institution, Business Ventures

Jennifer Jones
National Museum of American History

Eleanor Harvey
Smithsonian Institution, SAAM