Smithsonian Institution. I INTRODUCTION Smithsonian Institution, largest museum complex in the world and a major center for research and education. The Smithsonian consists of 16 museums, the National Zoo, and several prominent research centers. It has headquarters in Washington, D.C., where most of its museums are located. The Smithsonian was founded in 1846 by an act of the Congress of the United States under the terms of the bequest of British scientist James Smithson. Smithson stipulated in his will that the institution should function as "an establishment for the increase & diffusion of knowledge." The institution's collections number more than 140 million items, from masterpieces of modern sculpture and the world's oldest fossil to the original compass used by the Lewis and Clark expedition to the American West. The Smithsonian museums share these collections with the public through exhibitions, lectures, symposiums, school programs, concerts, festivals, and publications. As one of the world's leading research institutions, the Smithsonian advances knowledge in fields as diverse as American art, tropical organisms and ecosystems, the care and preservation of museum objects, and the study of comets and asteroids. Smithsonian research serves the scholarly and scientific communities, and it often reaches the general public through exhibitions, programs, and publications. II ORGANIZATION The secretary of the Smithsonian Institution is its chief executive officer. The secretary is appointed by the board of regents, which consists of the vice president of the United States, the chief justice of the United States, three members of the U.S. Senate, three members of the U.S. House of Representatives, and nine private citizens. By tradition, the chief justice is chancellor of the Smithsonian. Each museum and research institute has its own director and staff. Some have private citizen advisory boards. A group of administrative offices serves the entire Smithsonian. III FUNDING The Smithsonian Institution is funded through a combination of public and private sources. Public funds come from an annual appropriation from the Congress of the United States. Additional funds come from the Smithson trust. The Smithsonian's board of regents and its secretary administer this trust. The institution also receives funding from such private sources as foundations, corporations, and individuals. In addition, the Smithsonian produces revenue through sales at its museum shops, sales of its publications, and its membership programs. IV MUSEUMS AND RESEARCH CENTERS What most people know as the Smithsonian is the impressive group of museums that line the National Mall in Washington, D.C. But there are also Smithsonian museums and research facilities in other parts of Washington; in New York City; in Cambridge, Massachusetts; on the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland; and in Panama. A hallmark of the Smithsonian is its accessibility. Every museum is open to the public free of charge, generally every day of the year except December 25 (some of the museums follow different schedules). The research centers offer frequent public exhibitions and educational programs. The Smithsonian's principal museums, research centers, and the National Zoo are briefly described below. Separate articles feature longer profiles of most of these institutions. A The Castle The Smithsonian's original structure and its most prominent landmark is the Smithsonian Institution Building, located on the National Mall. Popularly known as the Castle, the red sandstone building was finished in 1855. It was designed by James Renwick, architect of St. Patrick's Cathedral and Grace Church in New York City, as well as the building that is now the Renwick Gallery in Washington. The Castle originally held the entire Smithsonian, including living quarters for the secretary and his family. Today, the Castle houses Smithsonian offices and the Smithsonian Information Center. B Arts and Industries Building The Arts and Industries Building, designed by Washington architect Adolph Cluss, is adjacent to the Castle. Completed in 1881, it was the Smithsonian's second structure. Known originally as the United States National Museum, it has held a variety of collections over the years, including the historical collections that would later become the National Museum of American History and aircraft that became the core collection of the National Air and Space Museum. It now contains offices, a museum shop, and galleries for temporary exhibitions. C Enid A. Haupt Garden The Enid A. Haupt Garden stretches between the Castle and the Arts and Industries Building. The garden is named for its donor, American philanthropist Enid Annenberg Haupt. Beneath the garden lies an underground complex that houses the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, the National Museum of African Art, and the S. Dillon Ripley Center, which has offices, classrooms, a lecture hall, and exhibition space. D Anacostia Museum The Anacostia Museum specializes in African American history and culture. Exhibitions and educational programs trace the historical experience of African Americans in the "upper South," a region that includes Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, D.C. The museum also focuses on the impact of contemporary social issues on African Americans and their communities. E Archives of American Art The Archives of American Art is a research center containing the largest source of documentary materials on the history of the visual arts in the United States. Its collections reflect the history of American art and the art world through the lives and careers of artists; art critics and historians; and art collectors, dealers, curators, and museum administrators. The archives also contain records from art organizations and galleries. F Arthur M. Sackler Gallery The Arthur M. Sackler Gallery houses a permanent collection of art from China, South and Southeast Asia, ancient and Islamic Iran, and Japan. Changing exhibitions of Asian art are drawn from collections in the United States and abroad. The core of the collection was a gift from American research physician and medical publisher Arthur M. Sackler. G Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum The Cooper-Hewitt is located in New York City and features examples of historical and contemporary design. Its collections include furniture, metalwork, glass, ceramics, jewelry, woodwork, embroidery, woven and printed textiles, lace, wall coverings, and drawings and prints. H Freer Gallery of Art The Freer Gallery of Art maintains collections representing 6000 years of Asian art, from the Neolithic period (approximately 7000 BC to 2000 BC) to the early 20th century. It was established with a gift from American industrialist Charles Lang Freer. The Freer Gallery also has a well-known collection of 19th- and 20th-century American art, including the world's largest and most important group of works of art by James Whistler. I Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden As the Smithsonian's museum of modern and contemporary art, the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden traces the evolution of European and American art from the birth of modernism in the 19th century through the present. The museum is housed in a striking circular structure designed by American architect Gordon Bunshaft. The sculpture garden displays works by British sculptor Henry Moore, American sculptor David Smith, and French artists Auguste Rodin and Edgar Degas, as well as other modern masters. The core of the collection was the gift of American financier Joseph H. Hirshhorn. J National Air and Space Museum The National Air and Space Museum presents a comprehensive survey of the evolution of aviation and space flight. Two dozen galleries trace themes and events in aviation and space history. The large and diverse collection of aircraft, spacecraft, and artifacts includes the Flyer, designed by the Wright brothers; the Spirit of St. Louis, used by Charles Lindbergh to make the first flight across the Atlantic Ocean; and the command module of Apollo 11, the first space mission to land on the moon (see Apollo program). K National Museum of African Art The collection of the National Museum of African Art contains traditional masks and figures, textiles, costumes and jewelry, furniture and household objects, and architectural elements from throughout Africa. It also includes modern sculpture, paintings, prints, and ceramics. L Smithsonian American Art Museum This museum's diverse collection represents 250 years of American artistic achievement in the areas of paintings, sculptures, graphics, folk art, and photography. The holdings of the Smithsonian American Art Museum range from 18th-century classical portraits to 19th-century landscapes to contemporary paintings and sculpture. M National Museum of American History The National Museum of American History is devoted to providing an understanding of the United States and its many peoples through extensive collections, exhibitions, and public programs. Highlights of the collection include the original Star-Spangled Banner (the battle flag from the War of 1812 (1812-1815) that inspired American lawyer and poet Francis Scott Key to compose the words of the United States' national anthem); the compass explorer William Clark used on his expedition to the American West with Meriwether Lewis from 1804 to 1806; and the oldest operable locomotive, the John Bull, built in 1841. N National Museum of Natural History The National Museum of Natural History is one of the world's leading centers for research and learning about the natural world and humans' place in it. Its collections, which number more than 120 million specimens, are the foundation for research, exhibitions, and education. Highlights include the 45.5-carat Hope Diamond, the largest deep blue diamond in the world; millions of fossilized plants, animals, and geologic specimens; and one of the most complete Allosaurus dinosaur skeletons displayed in a museum. O National Museum of the American Indian The National Museum of the American Indian is dedicated to the life, languages, history, literature, and arts of native peoples of the Western Hemisphere. It has three facilities. The main museum, located on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., opened in 2004. The other two facilities are the George Gustav Heye Center in New York City and the Cultural Resources Center in Suitland, Maryland. P National Portrait Gallery Portraits of people who have made significant contributions to the development of the nation are on view at the National Portrait Gallery. The gallery shares the Old Patent Office Building--one of Washington's oldest government buildings--with the Smithsonian American Art Museum. Q National Postal Museum The National Postal Museum explores the history of the nation's postal service. It is home to the National Philatelic Collection, the largest and most comprehensive collection of postage stamps, postmarks, and related material in the world. R National Zoological Park The National Zoo houses more than 5500 animals, representing nearly 480 species. They are exhibited in naturalistic settings designed to communicate to viewers the diversity and interrelationship of animal and plant life. The zoo is also a leading center for animal breeding, conservation, and research. S Renwick Gallery In a building designed in 1859 by James Renwick, architect of the Smithsonian Castle, the Renwick Gallery displays collections of 20th-century crafts made from glass, ceramics, wood, fiber, and metal. It is part of the Smithsonian American Art Museum. T Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory Headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory conducts research in astronomy, astrophysics, and earth and space sciences. It also develops instruments and methods for use in astronomical research. U Smithsonian Environmental Research Center The Smithsonian Environmental Research Center maintains its headquarters in Edgewater, Maryland, on the Chesapeake Bay. The research center conducts long-term ecological studies that contribute to the protection and management of natural resources. V Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute The Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute has facilities on both the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of Panama and throughout the interior regions of the Isthmus of Panama. At these facilities, scientists study the organisms, ecosystems, and peoples of the world's tropics. V OTHER DIVISIONS Other components of the Smithsonian include the Smithsonian Institution Libraries, which has 17 branches in various divisions of the institution and more than 1.2 million volumes altogether; the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service, which circulates exhibitions to communities throughout the country; the Center for Folklife Programs and Cultural Studies, known for its annual Festival of American Folklife; and the Smithsonian Office of Education, which provides programs and publications for educators. VI EDUCATION AND PUBLIC SERVICE The Smithsonian is dedicated to bringing education, enlightenment, and enjoyment to the American public. Smithsonian Secretary I. Michael Heyman wrote in the institution's 1996 annual report that "as a public trust, we exist to fulfill the public's desires and needs, whether these involve building new dimensions of knowledge, collecting valued objects, honoring the nation's diverse heritage, or sometimes simply having a good time." Much of this effort is realized in the Smithsonian's exhibitions and programs, but the institution has many other ways of reaching and serving the public. The Smithsonian Associates, the institution's membership, cultural, and educational division, offers a wide array of courses, workshops, lectures, films, and performing arts events for people in the Washington, D.C. area and around the country. The Smithsonian's Discovery Theater presents live performances for children. The annual Kite Festival on the Mall is a popular spring event for serious and amateur kite flyers alike. The Smithsonian's publications include Smithsonian and Air & Space Smithsonian magazines, as well as books for popular and scholarly audiences. The Smithsonian shares its resources with educators through its workshops, publications, and curriculum materials. VII HISTORY British scientist James Smithson was the illegitimate son of the first Duke of Northumberland and never met his father. However, he was born into wealth because he inherited his mother's family fortune. Smithson studied chemistry and mineralogy at Pembroke College of the University of Oxford. At the age of 22 he became a member of The Royal Society, an independent organization that promotes study of the natural sciences. He is known for identifying a carbonate of zinc that is now called smithsonite. Smithson never visited the United States, but his own ideals closely paralleled those of the young nation. He was opposed to the British monarchy and admired such supporters of the American Revolution as political philosopher Thomas Paine and diplomat, scientist, and philosopher Benjamin Franklin. His great enthusiasm for individualism and social equity--along with his desire to be remembered by later generations--probably led to his unusual bequest for the founding of the Smithsonian Institution. In his will he stated that should his nephew and sole heir, Henry James Hungerford, die childless, the bulk of Smithson's fortune--about $500,000, a substantial amount at that time--should go to the United States of America, to found the Smithsonian Institution in Washington. Smithson died in 1829, and his nephew died without an heir six years later. The United States Congress accepted Smithson's bequest in 1836, and two years later the gift, consisting of 11 boxes of gold coins, was shipped from England. But the Smithsonian Institution was not yet a reality. Congress debated its purpose and structure for almost a decade. Former U.S. president John Quincy Adams, then a U.S. representative, headed the organizing committee to found the institution. On August 10, 1846, U.S. president James K. Polk signed an act of Congress creating the Smithsonian's present organizational structure. The act also stipulated that the Smithson trust would be administered, independent of the federal government, by a board of regents and the secretary of the Smithsonian. American physicist Joseph Henry, one of the most famous scientists of the time, was named the first secretary and set the institution on its course. The Smithsonian immediately became recognized as a notable scientific research institution. Its first museums were developed beginning in the 1880s. The institution greatly expanded both its collections and its scope from the 1890s through most of the 1920s. During this time the National Zoo, the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, and the National Aeronautics Collection were founded; Charles Lang Freer gave his collection of Asian and American art to the institution; and the National Museum was moved from the Arts and Industries Building to a newly constructed building (now the National Museum of Natural History). During the Great Depression in the United States (1929 to the early 1940s) the Smithsonian's fiscal health suffered, restricting continued growth. The financial constraints continued until the early 1950s when the institution began a renewed effort to expand its holdings and to reach a wider audience. From the mid-1960s to the 1990s the Smithsonian dramatically increased its collections, exhibitions, and educational efforts. After decades of planning, the National Museum of American History opened to the public in 1964. Among the other new museums were the Anacostia Museum (1967), the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden (1974), and the National Air and Space Museum (1976). In 1989 the U.S. Congress passed legislation to establish the National Museum of the American Indian. Research facilities also expanded. For example, the Archives of American Art became part of the Smithsonian in 1970. In 1973 the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory joined with Harvard University to form the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. In the 1980s and 1990s the Smithsonian strengthened its commitment to recognize all of the varied communities that have shaped American culture and society. As part of this effort, the Smithsonian made considerable strides to expand the appeal of its exhibitions and programs to racial and ethnic groups and others who had not traditionally visited Smithsonian museums in great numbers. The museums also expanded their collections with objects representing the full variety of American cultural experience, especially that of racial and ethnic groups. Attendance, federal appropriations, and private contributions all grew substantially during the late 20th century, making the Smithsonian a more vital institution than at any time in its history. Contributed By: Ellen Hirzy Microsoft ® Encarta ® 2009. © 1993-2008 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
