Under the patronage of Queen Rania, the Embassy of Jordan, in partnership with the Smithsonian Institution, held a gala reception and a special musical performance by Jordanian pianist Zade Dirani, to mark the official launching of the Jordan expose at the National Museum of Natural History entitled "Celebrating Jordan's History and Culture" where a series of lectures and film on Jordan were held offering an opportunity to better understand Jordan's rich cultural treasures and heritage. The film, "Jordan: The Royal Tour" was viewed at the Baird Auditorium of the National Museum of Natural History. The audience enjoyed touring Jordan through the eyes of His Majesty King Abdullah II bin Al Hussein as he rides his motorcycle through the red and dusty desert. From the craggy peaks of Wadi Rum to the depths of the Red Sea, or the beauty of Petra and the Dead Sea to the Roman ruins of Jerash, or the rock formations at Wadi Mujib 1300 below sea level to encountering a Bedouin Camel Guard, the sights of Jordan are breath-taking. Following the film, lectures by renown experts discussed Jordanian archeology, modern Jordan, the great traditions of earth architecture, and museum conservators' efforts at saving the remarkable ancient relics of Jordan. Ms. Nihad Shabbar, who is on leave from her position as curator of the Museum of Jordanian Hertage of Yarmouk University spoke to the audience about the history of Jordan from an archeological perspective. Dr. Don Ortner discussed "The EBI Tombs and Burials of Bab edh-Dhra, Jordan" which are 350 burials from the Early Bronze Age proto-urban phase. The burials form one of the largest, carefully documented skeletal samples from the Middle East. Ms. Carol Grissom, senior objects conservator at the Smithsonian Center for Materials Research and Education, discussed the ancient plaster fragments discovered in Ain Ghahzal near Amman.  The thousands of pieces ultimately composed five half life-size plaster statues, including unusual two headed statues.  And finally, Photographer and project director of "The Bedouin Tribes of Petra," Vivian Ronay, spoke about "The Bedul Bedouin Tribes of Petra" who lived in the Nabatean-carved rectilinear caves in the cliffs of Petra until 1985 when the Jordanian government invited them to move into the government-built village of Um Sayhun.