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The Smithsonian Institution is the world’s largest museum and research complex, with 19 museums and galleries and the National Zoological Park (see list below). |
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The '''Smithsonian Institution''' ({{pronEng|smɪθsoʊnɪən}}) is an educational and research institute and associated [[museum]] complex, administered and funded by the [[government of the United States]] and by funds from its [[Financial endowment|endowment]], contributions, and profits from its shops and its magazine. Most of its facilities are located in [[Washington, D.C.]], but its 19 museums, zoo, and nine research centers include sites in [[New York City]], [[Virginia]], [[Panama]], and elsewhere. It has over 136 million items in its collections,<ref name="aboutSI">{{cite web|title = About the Smithsonian|url=http://www.si.edu/about/}}</ref> publishes a monthly [[magazine]] named ''[[Smithsonian (magazine)|Smithsonian]]'' and employs the [[Smithsonian Police]] to protect visitors, staff and the property of the museums. |
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==History== |
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The Smithsonian Institution was founded for the "increase and diffusion" of knowledge from a bequest to the [[United States]] by the [[United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland|British]] scientist [[James Smithson]] (1765–1829), who had never visited the United States himself. In Smithson's will, he stated that should his nephew, Henry James Hungerford, die without heirs, the Smithson estate would go to the government of the United States for creating an "Establishment for the increase & diffusion of Knowledge among men". After the nephew died without heirs in 1835, President [[Andrew Jackson]] informed [[United States Congress|Congress]] of the bequest, which amounted to 104,960 [[gold sovereign]]s, or [[United States dollar|US$]]500,000 ($9,235,277 in 2005 U.S. dollars after inflation). |
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Eight years later, Congress passed an act establishing the Smithsonian Institution, a hybrid public/private partnership, and the act was signed into law on August 10, 1846 by [[James K. Polk|James Polk]]. (''See'' {{UnitedStatesCode|20|41}} (Ch. 178, Sec. 1, 9 Stat. 102).) The bill was drafted by [[Indiana]] [[United States Democratic Party|Democratic]] [[Congressman]] [[Robert Dale Owen]], a [[Socialist]] and son of [[Robert Owen]], the father of the [[cooperative movement]]. |
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The [[Crenellation|crenellated]] architecture of the [[Smithsonian Institution Building]] on the [[National Mall]] has made it known informally as "The Castle". It was built by architect [[James Renwick, Jr.]] and completed in 1855. Many of the Institution's other buildings are historical and architectural landmarks. [[Detroit, Michigan|Detroit]] philanthropist [[Charles Lang Freer]]'s donation of his private collection for [[Freer Gallery]], and funds to build the museum, was among the Smithsonian's first major donations from a private individual. |
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Though the Smithsonian's first secretary, Joseph Henry, wanted the Institution to be a center for scientific research, before long it became the depository for various Washington and U.S. government collections. |
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The voyage of the [[United States Navy|U.S. Navy]] circumnavigated the globe between 1838 and 1842. The [[United States Exploring Expedition]] amassed thousands of animal specimens, an herbarium of 50,000 examples, shells and minerals, tropical birds, jars of seawater and ethnographic specimens from the South Pacific. These specimens and artifacts became part of the Smithsonian collections, as did those collected by the military and civilian surveys in the American West, such as the [[United States and Mexican Boundary Survey|Mexican Boundary Survey]] and [[Pacific Railroad Surveys]], which assembled many [[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] artifacts as well as natural history specimens. |
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The Institution became a magnet for natural scientists from 1857 to 1866, who formed a group called the [[Megatherium Club]]. |
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The [[asteroid]] [[3773 Smithsonian]] is named in honor of the Institution. |
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==Administration== |
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[[Image:Smithsonian Castle Doorway.jpg|thumb|200px|The Smithsonian Castle doorway]] |
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The Smithsonian Institution is established as a [[Trust (property)|trust]] instrumentality by act of Congress, and it is functionally and legally a body of the federal government. More than two-thirds of the Smithsonian's workforce of some 6,300 persons are employees of the federal government. The Smithsonian is represented by attorneys from the [[United States Department of Justice]] in litigation, and money judgments against the Smithsonian are also paid out of the federal treasury. |
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The nominal head of the Institution is the [[Chancellor (education)|Chancellor]], an office which has always been held by the [[Chief Justice of the United States]] at the time. The affairs of the Smithsonian are conducted by its 17-member board of regents, eight members of which constitute a quorum for the conduct of business. Eight of the regents are United States officials: the [[Vice President of the United States|Vice President]] (one of his few official legal duties) and the Chief Justice of the United States, three United States Senators appointed by the Vice President in his capacity as President of the Senate, and three Members of the [[U.S. House of Representatives]] appointed by the [[Speaker of the United States House of Representatives|Speaker of the House]]. The remaining nine regents are "persons other than Members of Congress", who are appointed by joint resolution of Congress. Regents are allowed reimbursement for their expenses in connection with attendance at meetings, but their service as regents is uncompensated. The day-to-day operations of the Smithsonian are supervised by a salaried "Secretary" chosen by the board of regents. The Secretary of the Smithsonian has the privilege of the floor at the [[United States Senate]]. |
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===Secretaries of the Smithsonian=== |
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#[[Joseph Henry]], 1846–1878 |
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#[[Spencer Fullerton Baird]], 1878–1887 |
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#[[Samuel Pierpont Langley]], 1887–1906 |
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#[[Charles Doolittle Walcott]], 1907–1927 |
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#[[Charles Greeley Abbot]], 1928–1944 |
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#[[Alexander Wetmore]], 1944–1952 |
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#[[Leonard Carmichael]], 1953–1964 |
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#[[Sidney Dillon Ripley]], 1964–1984 |
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#[[Robert McCormick Adams]], 1984–1994 |
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#[[Ira Michael Heyman]], 1994–1999 |
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#[[Lawrence M. Small]], 2000–2007 |
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#[[Cristián Samper]] (Acting Secretary), 2007–2008 |
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#[[G. Wayne Clough]], 2008- |
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Cristián Samper is the first Latin American to hold the position. Born in [[Costa Rica]], he was raised in [[Colombia]] from the age of one. He received his Bachelor's degree in Biology from the [[University of the Andes, Colombia|Universidad de los Andes]] in [[Bogotá]] and his Ph.D. from [[Harvard University]]. He is one of the founders of the Von Humboldt Institute in Colombia, and since 2003 has been the director of the [[National Museum of Natural History]] in [[Washington, D.C.]].<ref>[http://newsdesk.si.edu/HistoryandMore/The%20Secretaries%202003.pdf The Secretaries of the Smithsonian Institution]</ref> |
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==Office of Protection Services (OPS)== |
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The Smithsonian Office Of Protection Services oversees security at the Smithsonian Facilities. Federal Code authorizes the secretary of the Smithsonian to designate certain positions within the agency to have Special Police Status in order to permit the employee to enforce certain regulations within the Smithsonian facilities and grounds as well as areas of the National Capital Parks in D.C. |
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According to {{UnitedStatesCode|40|6306}}, Smithsonian staff who are designated as Special police "''may, within the specified buildings and grounds, enforce, and make arrests for violations of, sections 6302 and 6303 of this title, any regulation prescribed under section 6304 of this title, federal or state law, or any regulation prescribed under federal or state law; and (2) may enforce concurrently with the [[United States Park Police]] the laws and regulations applicable to the National Capital Parks, and may make arrests for violations of sections 6302 and 6303 of this title, within the several areas located within the exterior boundaries of the face of the curb lines of the squares within which the specified buildings and grounds are located''." |
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The Office of Protection Services has three Main positions within the division, all of which are U.S. Government Positions: |
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* '''Smithsonian Museum Protection Officers/Guards''' undergo three weeks of specialized training which includes firearm use, arrest procedures, handcuffing and OC Spray use and are assigned to one of 19 Smithsonian Museum or Research sites in New York City or the District of Columbia |
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* '''Smithsonian Museum Physical Security Specialists''' and '''Supervisory Physical Security Specialists''' assist in overseeing the daily protection operations of the various Museum Sites. Each Specialist is assigned to a central division of OPS and has responsibilities for all Smithsonian sites. |
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* '''Smithsonian Zoological Police Officers''' are assigned to the {{convert|163|acre|km2|sing=on}} National Zoo owned by the Smithsonian in the District Of Columbia. Zoological officers receive specialized Police Officer training at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center ([[FLETC]]) |
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== Smithsonian museums == |
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[[Image:Air and Space Planes.jpg|right|195px|thumb|A variety of aircraft displayed at the National Air and Space Museum. Most notable: [[Ford Trimotor]] and [[Douglas DC-3]] (top and second from top)]] |
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===Washington, D.C.=== |
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* [[Anacostia Museum|Anacostia Community Museum]] |
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* [[Arthur M. Sackler Gallery]] (Mall Museum) |
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* [[Arts and Industries Building]] (Mall Museum) |
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* [[Freer Gallery of Art]] (Mall Museum) |
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* [[Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden]] (Mall Museum) |
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* [[National Air and Space Museum]] (Mall Museum) |
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* [[National Museum of African American History and Culture]] (not yet built) |
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* [[National Museum of African Art]] (Mall Museum) |
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* [[National Museum of American History]] (Mall Museum) |
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* [[National Museum of the American Indian]] (Mall Museum) |
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* [[National Museum of Natural History]] (Mall Museum) |
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* [[National Portrait Gallery (United States)|National Portrait Gallery]] |
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* [[National Postal Museum]] |
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* [[S. Dillon Ripley Center]] (Mall Museum) |
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* [[Smithsonian American Art Museum]] |
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* [[Smithsonian Institution Building]] |
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* [[Smithsonian National Zoological Park]] (National Zoo) |
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* The [[National Gallery of Art]] is affiliated with the Smithsonian, and is run by a separate charter. |
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===New York, NY=== |
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* [[Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum]] |
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* National Museum of the American Indian's [[The George Gustav Heye Center|George Gustav Heye Center]] |
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===Chantilly, VA=== |
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* National Air and Space Museum's [[Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center]] |
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In addition, there are 156 museums that are Smithsonian affiliates.<ref name="aboutSI" /> |
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== Smithsonian research centers == |
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The following is a list of Smithsonian research centers, with their affiliated museum in parentheses: |
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*[http://www.aaa.si.edu/ Archives of American Art] |
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*[[Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory]] and the associated [[Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics]] |
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*[[Carrie Bow Marine Field Station]] (Natural History Museum) |
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*[[Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage]] |
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*[[Smithsonian Environmental Research Center]] |
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*[[Center For Earth and Planetary Studies]] (Air and Space Museum) |
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*[[Conservation and Research Center]] (National Zoo) |
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*[[Marine Station at Fort Pierce]] (Natural History Museum) |
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*[[Migratory Bird Center]] (National Zoo) |
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*[[Museum Conservation Institute]] |
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*[[Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute]] |
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*[[Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars]] |
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*[[Smithsonian Institution Libraries]] |
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==Controversy== |
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===Enola Gay Display=== |
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{{seealso|Enola Gay#Recent developments}} |
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In 1994, the display of the [[Enola Gay]], the Superfortress which executed the first [[atomic bomb]]ing in [[World War Two]], at the [[National Air and Space Museum]] became a controversy. The [[American Legion]] and [[Air Force Association]] were concerned that the display unfairly put forward one side of the [[debate over the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki]], emphasizing the death and destruction of the bombing without the context of the war. In order to take a politically sensitive stance, the aircraft was placed on display with merely technical data and without discussion of its historic role. |
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Vandalism against the aircraft was attempted during the display. {{Fact|date=January 2009}} |
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===Censorship of "Seasons of Life and Land"=== |
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In 2003, a [[National Museum of Natural History]] exhibit, [[Subhankar Banerjee]]'s "Seasons of Life and Land," featuring photographs of the [[Arctic National Wildlife Refuge]] was censored and moved to the basement by Smithsonian officials because they feared that its subject matter was too politically controversial.<ref>[http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn?pagename=article&node=&contentId=A17628-2003May20¬Found=true Smithsonian's Arctic Refuge Exhibit Draws Senate Scrutiny (washingtonpost.com)<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> |
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The Smithsonian Institution has been criticized for strong copyright restrictions<ref>[http://smithsonianimages.si.edu/siphoto/siphoto.portal?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=content&contentpath=copyright.html Smithsonian Images-Copyright] </ref><ref>[http://www.si.edu/copyright Use of Content from Smithsonian Website]</ref> imposed on its image collections which overwhelmingly consist of public domain content dating to the 19th century. An image without a Smithsonian watermark and at a resolution suitable for publication requires an expensive licensing fee (unless covered under Fair Use provisions), manual approval by the Smithsonian staff, and the restriction of any further use without permission. |
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This conflicts with the institution's own policy in a 2005 memo, in which it asserted, "The Smithsonian cannot own copyright in works prepared by Smithsonian employees paid from federal funds".<ref>[http://www.copyright.gov/orphan/comments/reply/OWR0136-Smithsonian.pdf Smithsonian Institution-Office of General Counsel]</ref> |
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In April 2006, the institution entered into an agreement of "first refusal" rights for its vast [[silent film|silent]] and [[public domain]] film archives with [[Showtime Networks]]. Critics contend this agreement effectively gives Showtime control over the film archives, as it requires filmmakers to obtain permission from the network to use extensive amounts of film footage from the Smithsonian archives.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/01/arts/television/01smit.html?ex=1301547600&en=8293d567dfc155d7&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss|title="Smithsonian Agreement Angers Filmmakers," ''[[New York Times]],'' April 1, 2006}}</ref> |
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In November 2007 the ''[[Washington Post]]'' reported that internal criticism has been raised regarding the institution's handling of an exhibit on the Arctic. According to documents and emails, the exhibit and its associated presentation were edited at high levels to add "scientific uncertainty" regarding the nature and impact of global warming on the Arctic. Acting Secretary of the Smithsonian [[Cristián Samper]] was interviewed by the ''Post'' and claimed that the exhibit was edited because it contained conclusions that went beyond what could be proven by contemporary climatology.<ref>{{cite news | first= | last= | coauthors= | title=Scientists Fault Climate Exhibit Changes | date=2007-11-16 | publisher= | url =http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/15/AR2007111502550.html?hpid=topnews | work =Washington Post | pages =4 | accessdate = 2007-11-18 | language = }}</ref> |
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==References== |
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{{reflist}} |
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==Further reading== |
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* Nina Burleigh, ''Stranger and the Statesman: James Smithson, John Quincy Adams, and the Making of America's Greatest Museum, The Smithsonian'', [[HarperCollins]], September 2003, hardcover, 288 pages, ISBN 0-06-000241-7 |
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* {{cite book |
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| title = The Lost World of James Smithson: Science, Revolution, and the Birth of the Smithsonian |
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| author = Heather Ewing |
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| year = 2007 |
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| publisher = [[Bloomsbury]] |
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| isbn = 9780747576532 |
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}} |
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==External links== |
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{{commonscat|Smithsonian Institution}} |
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*[http://www.si.edu Smithsonian Institution webpage] |
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*[http://www.smithsonianeducation.org Smithsonian Education webpage] |
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**[http://www.si.edu/visit/infocenter/mallmap.htm Map of the museums from the Smithsonian Institution] |
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*[http://siarchives.si.edu/history/main.html Smithsonian Institution Archives] |
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*[http://www.sil.si.edu Smithsonian Institution Libraries] |
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*[http://uwdc.library.wisc.edu/ The University of Wisconsin Digital Collections Center] presents [http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/HistSciTech.SmithSnSciSer The Smithsonian Scientific Series], a publicly accessible digital resource intended to enlighten and interest the general reader. It does not represent an attempt to summarize all science, or even all branches of science on which the Smithsonian can speak with authority. It will, however, acquaint the reader with the organization, history, and activities of the scientific institution which has grown up with the nation and fostered the nation's scientific activities. It is an introduction to the workings and achievements of the scientific method over a large field, and may open doors to some branches of science. |
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*[http://www.smithsoniannetworks.com Smithsonian Networks webpage] |
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*[http://www.smithsonianstudenttravel.com Smithsonian Student Travel], an [http://newsdesk.si.edu/releases/si_new_tour_program.pdf educational travel partnership]. |
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*[http://web.archive.org/web/19991022041430/www.yale.edu/scimag/Archives/Vol71/Tesla.html The Yale Scientific Magazine's view on Smithsonian Institution's misrepresentation of the important historical facts] |
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*[http://www.gimizu.de/sgmcol Smithsonian Gem & Mineral Collection]The Smithsonian Rocks |
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*[http://www.researchchannel.org/prog/displayseries.aspx?path=1&fID=2643&pID=2642 Smithsonian Science Lecture Series] Dr. David L. Evans, Smithsonian Under Secretary for Science speaks |
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{{Smithsonian secretaries}} |
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{{Smithsonian museums}} |
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{{Washington DC landmarks}} |
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{{coord|38.8888|-77.026|display=title|region:US-DC_type:landmark}} |
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Anacostia Community Museum <br> |
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[[Category:1846 establishments]] |
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Arts and Industries Building* <br> |
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[[Category:History of museums]] |
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Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum (New York City)<br> |
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[[Category:Members of the Cultural Alliance of Greater Washington]] |
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Freer Gallery of Art <br> |
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[[Category:Museums in Washington, D.C.]] |
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Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden<br> |
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[[Category:Smithsonian Institution| ]] |
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National Air and Space Museum <br> |
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National Air and Space Museum’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center (Chantilly, Va.)<br> |
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National Museum of African American History and Culture**<br> |
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National Museum of African Art<br> |
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National Museum of American History<br> |
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National Museum of the American Indian<br> |
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National Museum of the American Indian’s George Gustav Heye Center (New York City)<br> |
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National Museum of Natural History<br> |
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National Portrait Gallery<br> |
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National Postal Museum<br> |
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Renwick Gallery<br> |
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Arthur M. Sackler Gallery<br> |
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Smithsonian American Art Museum<br> |
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Smithsonian Institution Building (“Castle”)<br> |
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* The Arts and Industries Building is closed for renovation. <br> |
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[[ar:مؤسسة سميثسونيان]] |
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** The National Museum of African American History and Culture is scheduled to open in 2015 on a National Mall site between the Washington Monument and the National Museum of American History.<br> |
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[[ca:Smithsonian Institution]] |
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[[cy:Sefydliad Smithsonian]] |
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'''The Budget'''<br> |
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[[de:Smithsonian Institution]] |
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The Smithsonian’s federal appropriation for fiscal year 2008 was approximately $682 million. The Institution is approximately 70 percent federally funded (a combination of the congressional appropriation and federal grants and contracts). <br> |
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[[es:Instituto Smithsoniano]] |
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[[fa:موسسه اسمیتسونین]] |
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In addition to the federal contribution, the Smithsonian has trust funds, which include both contributions from private sources (endowments; donations from individuals, corporations and foundations; and memberships) and revenues from the Smithsonian Enterprises operation, which includes the magazines, mail-order catalog, product development, entertainment, shops and restaurants, concessions and credit card alliances.<br> |
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[[fr:Smithsonian Institution]] |
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'''Museum Visitors'''<br> |
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[[id:Institusi Smithsonian]] |
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There were more than 25 million visitors to the museums and National Zoo in 2008.<br> |
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[[it:Smithsonian Institution]] |
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[[he:סמית'סוניאן]] |
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Admission to all Smithsonian museums in Washington, D.C., is free. The museums are open seven days a week. (The Smithsonian is closed on Christmas Day.) Hours are from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. daily. The Smithsonian American Art Museum and National Portrait Gallery’s hours are 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily. An information center is located in the Smithsonian Institution Building (“Castle”).<br> |
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[[hu:Smithsonian Institution]] |
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'''Research Facilities''' <br> |
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[[ja:スミソニアン博物館]] |
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*Archives of American Art — An organization that acquires and preserves documents and memorabilia of American artists, collectors, critics and art societies.<br> |
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[[no:Smithsonian Institution]] |
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*Museum Conservation Institute — Located at the Museum Support Center in Suitland, Md., the center carries out research in the technical study, analysis and conservation methods of museum objects and related materials. <br> |
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[[pl:Smithsonian Institution]] |
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*Conservation and Research Center — This 3,200-acre wooded area in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains (Front Royal, Va.) is a breeding preserve and study center for the National Zoo’s rare and endangered animals. <br> |
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[[pt:Smithsonian Institution]] |
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*Smithsonian Marine Station — Scientists working at this research center located in Fort Pierce, Fla., study estuarine and marine environments along Florida’s east coastline and adjacent ocean shelves, seeking basic information about natural and man-made causes of stress and environmental change. The station is operated by the National Museum of Natural History.<br> |
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[[ru:Смитсоновский институт]] |
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*Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory—Headquartered in Cambridge, Mass., the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory is a partner with the Harvard College Observatory in the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, where more than 300 scientists are engaged in a broad program of research in astronomy, astrophysics, earth and space sciences, and science education. The observatory maintains field facilities in Arizona and Hawaii for ground-based astronomy.<br> |
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[[simple:Smithsonian Institution]] |
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*Smithsonian Environmental Research Center — Staff and visiting researchers at this Edgewater, Md., facility near the Chesapeake Bay study land-water relationships and plan programs to increase awareness of ecological systems and to determine how they are affected by humans. <br> |
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[[fi:Smithsonian-instituutti]] |
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*Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute — Scientists from the Smithsonian and all over the world study the evolution and behavior of tropical organisms at various facilities of this institute in the Republic of Panama.<br> |
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[[sv:Smithsonian Institution]] |
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*Smithsonian Institution Libraries — The most comprehensive museum library system in the world, it supports the vital research of the Institution as well as the work of scientists and scholars around the world. <br> |
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[[te:స్మిత్సోనియన్ సంస్థ]] |
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*Smithsonian Institution Archives — The archives hold an estimated 50,000 cubic feet of paper documents, 7 million photographs and thousands of films and audio recordings.<br> |
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[[th:สถาบันสมิธโซเนียน]] |
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<br> |
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[[vi:Viện Smithsonian]] |
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'''History'''<br> |
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[[uk:Смітсонський інститут]] |
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James Smithson (1765-1829), a British scientist, drew up his will in 1826 naming his nephew, Henry James Hungerford, as beneficiary. Smithson stipulated that, should the nephew die without heirs (as he did in 1835), the estate would go to the United States to found “at Washington, under the name of the Smithsonian Institution, an establishment for the increase and diffusion of knowledge among men.”<br> |
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[[zh:史密森尼学会]] |
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<br> |
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On July 1, 1836, Congress accepted the legacy bequeathed to the nation by James Smithson and pledged the faith of the United States to the charitable trust. In 1838, following approval of the bequest by the British courts, the United States received Smithson’s estate—bags of gold sovereigns, then the equivalent of $515,169. Eight years later, on Aug. 10, 1846, an Act of Congress signed by President James K. Polk established the Smithsonian Institution in its present form and provided for the administration of the trust, independent of the government itself, by a board of regents and secretary of the Smithsonian.<br> |
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<br> |
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'''The First Building'''<br> |
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The Smithsonian Institution Building, commonly known as the Castle, was designed by architect James Renwick and constructed between 1847 and 1855. The Castle houses the Smithsonian Information Center and administrative offices, as well as the James Smithson crypt.<br> |
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'''Organization of the Smithsonian'''<br> |
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The chief executive officer of the Smithsonian is the secretary. There have been 12 secretaries since 1846. The Institution is governed by a board of regents which, by law, is composed of the vice president of the United States, the chief justice of the United States, three members of the Senate, three members of the House of Representatives and nine citizen members. The chief justice of the United States has traditionally served as chancellor of the Smithsonian. <br> |
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<br> |
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Each museum has its own director and staff. The central administration of the Institution is headquartered in the Castle.<br> |
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<br> |
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The Smithsonian has more than 6,000 people on its permanent staff. More than 5,500 men and women support the work of the Institution as volunteers.<br> |
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<br> |
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'''Smithsonian Collections'''<br> |
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The total number of objects, works of art and specimens at the Smithsonian is estimated at nearly 137 million, including more than 126 million specimens and artifacts at the National Museum of Natural History. Many artifacts are donated to the Smithsonian by individuals, private collectors and federal agencies; others come to the collections through field expeditions, bequests, exchanges with other museums and organizations, and purchases. <br> |
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<br> |
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Artifacts not on display are stored in collection study areas in the museums and are available to researchers by appointment. Air- and spacecraft are conserved and stored in the Paul E. Garber Facility in Suitland, Md., about six miles from the National Mall. Also in Suitland is the Museum Support Center, which houses research collections and is headquarters for the Museum Conservation Institute.<br> |
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<br> |
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'''Membership Programs'''<br> |
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The Smithsonian Associates—45,000 members around the United States—enjoy many benefits. The Associates program offers classes, films, lectures, studio arts courses, performances and a variety of educational activities for adults and children in the Washington metropolitan area. The Institution also has a Contributing Membership Program and a Corporate Membership Program.<br> |
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<br> |
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The National Air and Space Museum, Cooper-Hewitt Museum, the National Museum of the American Indian, the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the National Zoo have active membership programs, as do several other Smithsonian organizations. <br> |
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<br> |
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'''National Outreach'''<br> |
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*Smithsonian Affiliations—Through this ambitious program of long-term loans of collections of artifacts and the expertise of its staff, the Smithsonian shares its vast collection and programmatic resources with museums and educational institutions around the country. There are more than 161 affiliates in 39 states, Panama and Puerto Rico. For more information, visit www.affiliations.si.edu.<br> |
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*Traveling exhibitions—The Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES) organizes exhibitions on art, history and science and circulates them around the country. In 2008, SITES traveled 58 exhibitions to 510 venues. <br> |
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*Internet—The Smithsonian home page www.smithsonian.org is multilingual and offers a wide range of information including photographs and descriptions of all museums, and several virtual exhibits. <br> |
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Revision as of 16:38, 4 March 2009
 The Smithsonian Institution Building or "Castle" on the National Mall serves as the Institution's headquarters. | |
| Established | August 10, 1846 |
|---|---|
| Location | Washington, D.C. |
| Director | G. Wayne Clough |
| Public transit access | Smithsonian, L'Enfant Plaza Maryland Avenue exit. |
| Website | http://www.si.edu/ |
The Smithsonian Institution is the world’s largest museum and research complex, with 19 museums and galleries and the National Zoological Park (see list below).
Anacostia Community Museum
Arts and Industries Building*
Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum (New York City)
Freer Gallery of Art
Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden
National Air and Space Museum
National Air and Space Museum’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center (Chantilly, Va.)
National Museum of African American History and Culture**
National Museum of African Art
National Museum of American History
National Museum of the American Indian
National Museum of the American Indian’s George Gustav Heye Center (New York City)
National Museum of Natural History
National Portrait Gallery
National Postal Museum
Renwick Gallery
Arthur M. Sackler Gallery
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Smithsonian Institution Building (“Castle”)
- The Arts and Industries Building is closed for renovation.
- The National Museum of African American History and Culture is scheduled to open in 2015 on a National Mall site between the Washington Monument and the National Museum of American History.
- The National Museum of African American History and Culture is scheduled to open in 2015 on a National Mall site between the Washington Monument and the National Museum of American History.
The Budget
The Smithsonian’s federal appropriation for fiscal year 2008 was approximately $682 million. The Institution is approximately 70 percent federally funded (a combination of the congressional appropriation and federal grants and contracts).
In addition to the federal contribution, the Smithsonian has trust funds, which include both contributions from private sources (endowments; donations from individuals, corporations and foundations; and memberships) and revenues from the Smithsonian Enterprises operation, which includes the magazines, mail-order catalog, product development, entertainment, shops and restaurants, concessions and credit card alliances.
Museum Visitors
There were more than 25 million visitors to the museums and National Zoo in 2008.
Admission to all Smithsonian museums in Washington, D.C., is free. The museums are open seven days a week. (The Smithsonian is closed on Christmas Day.) Hours are from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. daily. The Smithsonian American Art Museum and National Portrait Gallery’s hours are 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily. An information center is located in the Smithsonian Institution Building (“Castle”).
Research Facilities
- Archives of American Art — An organization that acquires and preserves documents and memorabilia of American artists, collectors, critics and art societies.
- Museum Conservation Institute — Located at the Museum Support Center in Suitland, Md., the center carries out research in the technical study, analysis and conservation methods of museum objects and related materials.
- Conservation and Research Center — This 3,200-acre wooded area in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains (Front Royal, Va.) is a breeding preserve and study center for the National Zoo’s rare and endangered animals.
- Smithsonian Marine Station — Scientists working at this research center located in Fort Pierce, Fla., study estuarine and marine environments along Florida’s east coastline and adjacent ocean shelves, seeking basic information about natural and man-made causes of stress and environmental change. The station is operated by the National Museum of Natural History.
- Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory—Headquartered in Cambridge, Mass., the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory is a partner with the Harvard College Observatory in the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, where more than 300 scientists are engaged in a broad program of research in astronomy, astrophysics, earth and space sciences, and science education. The observatory maintains field facilities in Arizona and Hawaii for ground-based astronomy.
- Smithsonian Environmental Research Center — Staff and visiting researchers at this Edgewater, Md., facility near the Chesapeake Bay study land-water relationships and plan programs to increase awareness of ecological systems and to determine how they are affected by humans.
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute — Scientists from the Smithsonian and all over the world study the evolution and behavior of tropical organisms at various facilities of this institute in the Republic of Panama.
- Smithsonian Institution Libraries — The most comprehensive museum library system in the world, it supports the vital research of the Institution as well as the work of scientists and scholars around the world.
- Smithsonian Institution Archives — The archives hold an estimated 50,000 cubic feet of paper documents, 7 million photographs and thousands of films and audio recordings.
History
James Smithson (1765-1829), a British scientist, drew up his will in 1826 naming his nephew, Henry James Hungerford, as beneficiary. Smithson stipulated that, should the nephew die without heirs (as he did in 1835), the estate would go to the United States to found “at Washington, under the name of the Smithsonian Institution, an establishment for the increase and diffusion of knowledge among men.”
On July 1, 1836, Congress accepted the legacy bequeathed to the nation by James Smithson and pledged the faith of the United States to the charitable trust. In 1838, following approval of the bequest by the British courts, the United States received Smithson’s estate—bags of gold sovereigns, then the equivalent of $515,169. Eight years later, on Aug. 10, 1846, an Act of Congress signed by President James K. Polk established the Smithsonian Institution in its present form and provided for the administration of the trust, independent of the government itself, by a board of regents and secretary of the Smithsonian.
The First Building
The Smithsonian Institution Building, commonly known as the Castle, was designed by architect James Renwick and constructed between 1847 and 1855. The Castle houses the Smithsonian Information Center and administrative offices, as well as the James Smithson crypt.
Organization of the Smithsonian
The chief executive officer of the Smithsonian is the secretary. There have been 12 secretaries since 1846. The Institution is governed by a board of regents which, by law, is composed of the vice president of the United States, the chief justice of the United States, three members of the Senate, three members of the House of Representatives and nine citizen members. The chief justice of the United States has traditionally served as chancellor of the Smithsonian.
Each museum has its own director and staff. The central administration of the Institution is headquartered in the Castle.
The Smithsonian has more than 6,000 people on its permanent staff. More than 5,500 men and women support the work of the Institution as volunteers.
Smithsonian Collections
The total number of objects, works of art and specimens at the Smithsonian is estimated at nearly 137 million, including more than 126 million specimens and artifacts at the National Museum of Natural History. Many artifacts are donated to the Smithsonian by individuals, private collectors and federal agencies; others come to the collections through field expeditions, bequests, exchanges with other museums and organizations, and purchases.
Artifacts not on display are stored in collection study areas in the museums and are available to researchers by appointment. Air- and spacecraft are conserved and stored in the Paul E. Garber Facility in Suitland, Md., about six miles from the National Mall. Also in Suitland is the Museum Support Center, which houses research collections and is headquarters for the Museum Conservation Institute.
Membership Programs
The Smithsonian Associates—45,000 members around the United States—enjoy many benefits. The Associates program offers classes, films, lectures, studio arts courses, performances and a variety of educational activities for adults and children in the Washington metropolitan area. The Institution also has a Contributing Membership Program and a Corporate Membership Program.
The National Air and Space Museum, Cooper-Hewitt Museum, the National Museum of the American Indian, the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the National Zoo have active membership programs, as do several other Smithsonian organizations.
National Outreach
- Smithsonian Affiliations—Through this ambitious program of long-term loans of collections of artifacts and the expertise of its staff, the Smithsonian shares its vast collection and programmatic resources with museums and educational institutions around the country. There are more than 161 affiliates in 39 states, Panama and Puerto Rico. For more information, visit www.affiliations.si.edu.
- Traveling exhibitions—The Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES) organizes exhibitions on art, history and science and circulates them around the country. In 2008, SITES traveled 58 exhibitions to 510 venues.
- Internet—The Smithsonian home page www.smithsonian.org is multilingual and offers a wide range of information including photographs and descriptions of all museums, and several virtual exhibits.