Consider the look of panic on people's faces when they're urged to express an opinion about a Jackson Pollock painting. "It's hard to start a conversation with a stranger," Meadows, 33, said. But these days she has an ally in her efforts: a small humanoid robot named Pepper. The human-shaped robot stands four feet tall on one tapered leg, a shiny white body and big puppy dog-like eyes. Tucked into the curves of the Smithsonian's brutalist modern art temple, Meadows watches Pepper entertain guests.

The Smithsonian said in a news release Tuesday that humanoid Pepper robots have been deployed in six Smithsonian spaces in an experimental program to test how robot technology can enhance visitor experience and educational offerings.