Fish Skin Road | Museo d'Arte Orientale Venezia

Smithsonian in the Arctic: 165 Years of Research, Collecting, and Exhibition

Lecture by William W. Fitzhugh

The lecture of William W. Fitzhugh, Director of the Arctic Studies Center, Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History, Washington, DC examines 165 years of Smithsonian research in the Arctic, tracing the development of its scientific expeditions, ethnographic collections and exhibitions. Dr Fitzhugh will discuss the Smithsonian's contribution to Arctic anthropology and the documentation of Indigenous cultural heritage and the importance of museum collections for contemporary research.

Conference in English, without translation.

ore 16:00

The Fish Skin Road: Mapping Indigenous Knowledge from the Lower Amur River to Sakhalin Island

Book presentation by Elisa Palomino

Elisa Palomino, researcher at the Smithsonian Arctic Studies Center, presents her book, published in 2026 by Edizioni Ca’ Foscari in the Marco Polo. Studies in Global Europe-Asia Connections series, directed by Sabrina Rastelli. The author examines indigenous fish skin clothing traditions among communities from the Lower Amur River to Sakhalin Island. Drawing on museum collections, historical sources and collaborative research with Indigenous practitioners, the book investigates fish skin processing techniques, clothing construction and the transmission of Indigenous knowledge across Northeast Asia. The presentation will be followed by a round-table discussion chaired by Dr William W. Fitzhugh.

Conference in English, without translation.

The events are organised in collaboration with Sabrina Rastelli, Editor-in-Chief of Marco Polo Studies in Global Europe-Asia Connections, Edizioni Ca’ Foscari, and Maddalena Barenghi from the MaP Marco Polo Centre for Global Europe-Asia Connections, a research centre within the Department of Asian and North African Studies (DSAAM) at Ca’ Foscari University of Venice.