In the heart of Washington, D.C., droves of visitors can be spotted marveling at the wonders of the Smithsonian Institution. Commonly referred to as "the Smithsonian," the institute is well known for its educational museums and publications. Its museums are renowned throughout the United States and the world for their fascinating artifacts and impressive displays.
The story of the Smithsonian's origins is almost as interesting as the institution's exhibits. In 1829, a British scientist named James Smithson passed away, leaving his estate to his nephew. Smithson's will stated that if his nephew died without an heir, the money was to be donated to the United States and used to "increase the diffusion of knowledge." When his nephew died six years later, he had named no heir, so the money went to the U.S. government, per Smithson's request.
In 1838, the United States received just over five hundred thousand dollars from Smithson's estate. However, the funds were tied up for eight years while Congress debated the best ways to use the money to spread knowledge. Finally, in 1846, the Smithsonian Institution was officially founded. No one knows why Smithson, an Englishman who had never even visited America, left his fortune to the United States, but his gift would go on to have a tremendous impact.
Today, the Smithsonian consists of more than twenty museums, multiple research facilities, and the National Zoo. The Smithsonian complex holds over 157 million artifacts, works of art, specimens, and other objects. Additionally, there are upwards of two million books in the Smithsonian's libraries and more than 146 million cubic feet of documents, including records of the Smithsonian's own history. However, only a tiny portion—less than one percent—of the Smithsonian's collections can be seen by the public at any given time. Many collections are used solely for research by scientists and scholars.
Nevertheless, the variety of objects and specimens that visitors can see in the museums is truly astounding—they have everything from a Conestoga wagon used by colonial traders to a supersonic Concorde airplane. Specimens range from microscopic plants and miniscule fairy wasps to the massive fossilized bones of a Tyrannosaurus rex. Some iconic objects, like Abraham Lincoln's top hat and the flag that inspired the national anthem, help tell the story of America's political history. Others, such as the original Kermit the Frog puppet and Dorothy's ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz, reflect milestones in pop culture and entertainment.
In keeping with Smithson's directive to spread knowledge, admission to the Smithsonian's museums is always free. What's more, many objects and artifacts can be appreciated from the comfort of one's home because the Smithsonian has digitized parts of its collections for online learning and exploration. Even the National Zoo has embraced the idea of going digital, placing webcams around the zoo so that viewers at home can observe the daily habits of various animal residents.
But the Smithsonian's work does not stop there. New artifacts from all over the world, and even beyond it, are continually being acquired. Whether it is a gem from deep in the earth or a stone from the surface of the moon, each new discovery is carefully preserved and maintained for exhibition or study in order to build and spread knowledge, just as Smithson envisioned.
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It’s about the Smithsonian Institution’s most popular exhibits
It’s about the enduring popularity of the Smithsonian in
It’s about the life and legacy of the Smithsonian institution’s founder
It’s about the origins and collections of the Smithsonian Institution