Smithsonian Institution

Smithsonian Institution research and education center, at Washington, D.C.; founded 1846 under the terms of the will of James Smithson of London, who in 1829 bequeathed his fortune to the United States to create an establishment for the "increase and diffusion of knowledge among men." The institution began as a museum and today "the nation's attic" is the largest museum complex in the world, with 19 museums, nine research centers, and the national zoo. The vast complex includes the Anacostia Community Museum; the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery; the Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage; the Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum (New York City); the Freer Gallery of Art; the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden ; the National Air and Space Museum (both on the National Mall and at Dulles International Airport); the National Museum of African Art; the National Museum of American History; the National Museum of Natural History; the National Museum of the American Indian ; the National Portrait Gallery; the National Postal Museum; the National Zoological Park; the Smithsonian American Art Museum; the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory; the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center; the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute; and the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts is an independent bureau within the institution, and the National Gallery of Art is an affiliate of the Smithsonian.

Bibliography: See The Official Guide to the Smithsonian (2002).

Smithsonian Institution US independent trust, based in Washington, D.C. Created in 1846, the Institution funds research, publishes the results of explorations and investigations, and preserves for reference more than 65 million items of scientific, cultural, and historical interest. Created in 1846, the Institution funds research, publishes the results of explorations and investigations, and preserves for reference over 65 million items of scientific, cultural and historical interest.

http://www.si.edu