The Smithsonian is such a vast organization that almost anyone should be able to find many things of interest. Although the query here was for folk and folklife stuff, there's a whole lot of other things to be seen.

For a place to start, the Smithsonian home page.

On the left, the "Smithsonian Magazine" is a great place for "random reading." It's one of the very few magazines I subscribe to in "tree-killer" format - and actually make a point of reading.

On the right, there's a long list of theme-specific "museums," each of which has its own research staff and publications, along with the exhibits and archives. Some exhibits travel internationally, so people almost anywhere may occasionally get a chance to visit one.

John