ABOUT THE SMITHSONIAN
After a two-year renovation, the National Museum of American History reopened to the public in 2008 with a Grand Reopening Festival. Historical characters, including George Washington, mingle with the public.
For many people, the red sandstone building that resembles a castle symbolizes the Smithsonian Institution. But the Smithsonian is much more than that. It encompasses 19 museums, the National Zoological Park, and numerous research facilities. Centered on the National Mall in Washington, DC, the Smithsonian has facilities in other parts of the nation’s capital, a number of states, the Republic of Panama, Chile, and Belize.
The Smithsonian Institution is the world’s largest museum complex and research center, with collections in every area of human interest numbering nearly 138 million items, ranging from a magnificent collection of ancient Chinese bronzes to the Hope diamond, from portraits of US presidents, to the Apollo lunar landing module, to a 3.5 billion-year-old fossil. The scope is staggering. All of these objects help us understand the past, consider the present, and preserve history for future generations.
Only a small part of the Smithsonian’s collections is on display in the museums at any one time, but we are putting more of our experts and objects online. On expeditions to all parts of the world, Smithsonian researchers continually gather new facts and make discoveries in the fields of art, science, history, and culture.
A CENTER FOR LEARNING
The Smithsonian is deeply involved in public education for people of all ages. Visiting groups of schoolchildren are common sights in the museums, and families come together here on weekend outings and summer vacations. Educators from the elementary school through the university level use the Smithsonian’s resources, as do scholars pursuing advanced research. Through public classes, lectures, performances, and studio arts courses, the Smithsonian Associates offers a wide range of lifelong learning opportunities.
The Smithsonian also offers an exciting schedule of “living exhibits.” Performing-arts activities include music, theater, dance, film programs, and Discovery Theater performances for youngsters. The Smithsonian Latino Center (latino.si.edu) develops and supports curatorial positions, research, exhibitions, public and educational programs, Web content, and collections that highlight and advance Latino contribution in art, science, culture, and the humanities.
The Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center is an innovative museum lab for understanding the Asian Pacific American experience. The Smithsonian Science Education Center (ssec.si.edu), an organization of the Smithsonian and the National Academies, works to improve the learning and teaching of science for all students in the United States and throughout the world.
Willem de Kooning (1904–1997), Woman, Sag Harbor, 1964, oil and charcoal on wood. Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden.
SMITHSONIAN FOLKLIFE FESTIVAL
Every summer on the National Mall, the Smithsonian Folklife Festival celebrates traditional and folk cultures of the nation and beyond. By inviting artisans, musicians, cooks, dancers, and other experts to share their stories, songs, and experiences—and encouraging visitors to join in—the Festival offers a vibrant stage for sustaining traditions and promoting cross-cultural engagement.
Clockwise from top: Conard and Jones Co., 1916 Floral Guide, 1916; Owen Jones, Examples of Chinese Ornament: Selected from Objects in the South Kensington Museum and Other Collections, 1867; John F. C. Mullen, Official Guide of the Centennial Exposition of the Ohio Valley and Central States: Cincinnati, O., U.S.A. 1888. Smithsonian Libraries
SMITHSONIAN LIBRARIES
This 21-branch library system boasts collections of two million volumes, in science, history, art, and technology, including more than 40,000 rare books and 10,000 exceptional manuscripts. Smithsonian Libraries holdings also include a unique and distinguished collection of manufacturers’ trade literature (480,000 pieces representing 35,000 companies) and World’s Fair materials. All libraries may be visited by appointment. Digital exhibitions and digitized editions of rare books are on view online at library.si.edu. (For information about the Smithsonian Libraries Exhibition Gallery, see the entry on the National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center in this guide.)
NATIONAL OUTREACH
As a national institution, the Smithsonian takes cultural and educational programs to people across the country. The Smithsonian Associates develops and presents programming designed for audiences of all ages primarily in the Washington, DC, area but also for communities and classrooms nationally. Smithsonian Affiliations is a unique outreach program that shares Smithsonian collections, staff experts, researchers, and educational resources with communities across the country. The Smithsonian Center for Learning and Digital Access offers educational resources to teachers and students and endeavors to make the Smithsonian a learning laboratory for everyone. The Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service shares the wealth of Smithsonian collections and research with millions of people outside Washington, DC, through exhibitions about art, science, and history. (For more information on these national programs, see “Smithsonian Across America” at the back of this guide.) Smithsonian publications make available the expertise that its scholars assemble. Smithsonian and Air & Space/Smithsonian magazines publish lively articles on topics inspired by Smithsonian activities. Through the World Wide Web, home and school computer users have instant access to a rich resource with which to plan a visit, conduct research, find out about programs and exhibitions, and communicate with the Smithsonian.
Through educationally focused museum sleepovers, summer camps, and performances at Discovery Theater, the Smithsonian Associates serves children and their families.
RESEARCH AT THE SMITHSONIAN
The Smithsonian is a preeminent research center. Its research activities are known throughout the world for their benefit to the scholarly community and the advancement of knowledge. Smithsonian scientists, historians, and art historians explore topics as diverse as global environmental concerns, the nature of the world’s changing human and social systems, and the care and preservation of museum objects.
ARCHIVES OF AMERICAN ART
The Archives collects and preserves materials and makes available primary sources documenting the history of the visual arts in the United States. Headquartered in Washington, DC, the Archives also has a research center in New York City. For information, call 202-633-7940.
MUSEUM CONSERVATION INSTITUTE
The Museum Conservation Institute (MCI) is the center for specialized technical collections research and conservation for all Smithsonian museums and collections. MCI staff collaborates with and serves as a resource for in-depth studies of art, anthropological and historical objects, and natural history and biological materials using the most advanced analytical techniques to elucidate their provenance, composition, and cultural context. MCI studies are also used to improve the Smithsonian’s conservation and collections storage capabilities. Such studies require the latest instrumentation, analytical expertise, and knowledge of archaeology, art history, biology, chemistry, conservation, conservation science, geology, mechanical engineering, and interpretive abilities, all of which are available through MCI. For more information, call 301-238-1240 or visit MCI’s Web site at si.edu/mci.
SMITHSONIAN CONSERVATION BIOLOGY INSTITUTE
The Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, which launched on January 25, 2010, serves as an umbrella for the Smithsonian’s global effort to conserve species and train future generations of conservationists. The SCBI is headquartered in Front Royal, Virginia, at the facility previously known as the National Zoo’s Conservation and Research Center..
SMITHSONIAN MARINE STATION AT FORT PIERCE
This research facility of the National Museum of Natural History serves as a field station that draws more than 100 top scientists and students each year. Research focuses on the marine biodiversity and ecosystems of the Indian River Lagoon and the nearshore waters of Florida’s east central coast. The station has also teamed with community partners to create a marine science outreach center and public aquarium. For information, visit sms.si.edu.
The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory’s MMT Telescope glows against the Arizona sunset.
SMITHSONIAN ASTROPHYSICAL OBSERVATORY
This research center is part of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics (SAO) in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Smithsonian scientists are recognized leaders in theoretical astrophysics, ground-based gamma-ray astronomy, solar and stellar physics, extrasolar planets, the Milky Way and other galaxies, and the dynamics and evolution of the Universe. SAO has observatories in Arizona, Hawaii, Chile, and Antarctica. The largest field facility is the Fred Lawrence Whipple Observatory on Mount Hopkins near Tucson, Arizona. SAO also manages the control center for NASA’s Chandra X-Ray Observatory. For information regarding public programs, visit cfa.harvard.edu or call the Public Affairs Office in Cambridge at 617-495-7461 or the Whipple Observatory at 520-879-4407.
A Smithsonian Environmental Research Center technician measures the effects of exposure to increased concentrations of atmospheric carbon dioxide on accumulation of soil carbon in a brackish tidal marsh.
SMITHSONIAN ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH CENTER
The Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC) provides science-based knowledge to meet critical environmental challenges. SERC leads objective research on coastal ecosystems—where land meets the sea—to inform real-world decisions for wise policies, best business practices, and a sustainable planet. SERC’s headquarters in Edgewater, Maryland, comprise 2,650 acres of diverse landscape and 16 miles of protected shoreline on the nation’s largest estuary—Chesapeake Bay—25 miles east of Washington, DC. The site serves as a natural laboratory for long-term and cutting-edge ecological research. Here the Smithsonian explores the earth’s most pressing environmental issues, including toxic chemicals, water quality, invasive species, land use, depleted fisheries, and global change. SERC also explains environmental science in innovative ways that transform how people view the biosphere and inspire them to take active roles in sustainable stewardship of the planet. SERC leads networks of research and education that extend across the coasts of the United States and around the world. For information, call 443-482-2200 or visit serc.si.edu.
Democracy dilemma: Sabrina Amador, postdoctoral fellow at the Smithsonian in Panama, asks how acacia ants “decide” who will do a given task. Social insect behavior provides clues about the organization of more complex societies.
SMITHSONIAN TROPICAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE
Headquartered in the Republic of Panama, the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute is the world’s premier tropical biology research organization, dedicated to increasing understanding of the past, present and future of tropical biodiversity and its relevance to human welfare.
STRI’s basic research is conducted primarily in tropical forest and coral reef ecosystems. STRI scientists discover new organisms, test scientific explanations for ecological adaptation and evolutionary innovation, develop methods to restore degraded lands, train students, and promote conservation of tropical ecosystems.
STRI also coordinates the Center for Tropical Forest Science–Smithsonian Institution Global Earth Observatory (CTFS–ForestGEO), a global network of more than 60 forest research and monitoring stations on five continents. For information, visit stri.org.
HISTORY OF THE SMITHSONIAN
The Smithsonian owes its origin to James Smithson, a British scientist who never visited the United States. Smithson named his nephew Henry James Hungerford as the beneficiary in his will. He stipulated that should Hungerford die without heirs (as he did in 1835), the entire Smithson fortune bequeathed to Hungerford would go to this country. The purpose would be to “found at Washington, under the name of the Smithsonian Institution, an establishment for the increase and diffusion of knowledge.”
On July 1, 1836, Congress accepted Smithson’s legacy and pledged the faith of the United States to the charitable trust. In 1838, after British courts had approved the bequest, the nation received Smithson’s estate—bags of gold sovereigns, then the equivalent of more than a half-million dollars, a great fortune in those days. Eight years later, on August 10, 1846, President James K. Polk signed an act of Congress establishing the Smithsonian Institution in its present form and providing for the administration of the Smithson trust, independent of the government, by a Board of Regents and Secretary of the Smithsonian. With the formal creation of the Smithsonian came a commitment to the work that continues today in research, the operation of museums and libraries, and the dissemination of information in the fields of science, art, and history.
A statue of Joseph Henry, first Secretary of the Smithsonian, enjoys a prominent setting at the Castle’s entrance on the National Mall.
Today, the Smithsonian is a national institution that receives a substantial appropriation from the federal government. Essential funding also comes from private sources, including the Smithson trust, other endowments, individuals, foundations, corporations, and revenues raised from such activities as membership programs, a mail-order catalog, museum stores, and food services.
The chief executive officer of the Smithsonian is the Secretary. 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 private citizens. The chief justice has traditionally served as chancellor of the Smithsonian.
Each museum has its own director and staff. The central administration of the Smithsonian is headquartered in the Castle building.
The Smithsonian Institution Building, known as the Castle, was designed by architect James Renwick Jr. and completed in 1855.
THE CASTLE
The Smithsonian Institution Building, popularly known as the Castle, was designed in medieval revival style (a 19th-century combination of late Romanesque and early Gothic motifs) by James Renwick Jr., architect of Grace Church and St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York and the Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington.
A disastrous fire in 1865—just ten years after the Castle was completed—caused extensive damage and the loss of valuable objects. Restoration of the building took two years. In the 1880s, the Castle was enlarged and much of it remodeled.
The Castle originally housed the entire Smithsonian, which included a science museum, a lecture hall, an art gallery, research laboratories, administrative offices, and living quarters for the Secretary and his family. Today, administrative offices, the Smithsonian Visitor Center, and an exhibition titled “The Smithsonian Institution: America’s Treasure Chest” are located here. The Smithsonian Visitor Center opens daily (except December 25) at 8:30 A.M. Here, visitors can get questions answered by volunteer information specialists and pick up free brochures on the Smithsonian.
The Enid A. Haupt Garden is enlivened with a cascade of water in the Fountain Garden that provides a cool respite during the summer months.
A historic cast-iron fountain adorns the center of the Kathrine Dulin Folger Rose Garden. From mid-May through November, roses grace the garden with color and fragrance. Bulbs, perennials, annuals, tropical plants, and evergreens enhance the garden’s year-round beauty.
SMITHSONIAN GARDENS
Smithsonian Gardens has created several beautiful spaces around the Smithsonian museums on the National Mall. All have been designed to complement the museums they border and enhance the overall museum experience. Staff and docents lead weekly tours of some of the gardens from May through September (weather permitting). Visit any information desk for details.
The south side of the Mall features the Enid A. Haupt Garden, a 4.2 acre garden named for its philanthropic donor. An ornate parterre in the center is flanked by the Asian-inspired Moon Gate and the Moorish Fountain Garden. Other gardens on this side of the Mall include the Freer Gallery of Art’s formal courtyard garden; the fragrant Kathrine Dulin Folger Rose Garden next to the Smithsonian Castle; the colorful Mary Livingston Ripley Garden; and the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, where the plantings provide an ever-changing backdrop for the large-scale artworks on display outdoors. The native landscape at the National Museum of the American Indian and terraced beds at the National Air and Space Museum provide year-round interest for visitors.
On the Mall’s north side, extensive landscape design at the National Museum of African American History and Culture includes a green roof, reading grove, water feature, pavilion with seating, and oculus, which brings light into the museum’s Contemplative Court. The Victory Garden at the National Museum of American History is typical of vegetable gardens planted during World War II, while the nearby Heirloom Garden showcases favorites cultivated in American gardens before 1950. The Pollinator Garden and the Urban Bird Habitat at the National Museum of Natural History spotlight plantings that provide food and shelter for migrating wildlife species.
The Enid A. Haupt Garden sits atop an underground complex of museums and is therefore a rooftop garden. It comprises three separate garden spaces, each reflecting the cultural influences celebrated in the adjacent architecture and museums.
Beneath the Haupt Garden is a three-level underground museum, research, and education complex that contains the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, the National Museum of African Art, and the S. Dillon Ripley Center. The museums are accessible through aboveground entrance pavilions. Through a bronze-domed kiosk, visitors enter the Ripley Center, named for the Smithsonian’s eighth Secretary. It currently houses the International Gallery with its changing exhibitions, workshops and classrooms for public programs, and a lecture hall. The Smithsonian Associates and the Contributing Membership Program have their offices in the Ripley Center.
Nestled between the Arts and Industries Building and the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, the Mary Livingston Ripley Garden displays dozens of unusual varieties of plants in raised beds along a curvilinear brick path.
SMITHSONIAN SECRETARIES: 1846 TO TODAY*
JOSEPH HENRY [1846–78], a physical scientist and pioneer and inventor in electricity, was founding Secretary. Henry set the Smithsonian’s course with an emphasis on science.
Naturalist SPENCER FULLERTON BAIRD [1878–87] developed the early Smithsonian museums and promoted the accumulation of natural history specimens and collections of all kinds.
SAMUEL PIERPONT LANGLEY [1887–1906], whose focus was aeronautics, astrophysics, and astronomy, launched the Smithsonian in those directions. During the administration of
CHARLES DOOLITTLE WALCOTT [1907–27], a geologist and paleontologist, the National Museum of Natural History and the Freer Gallery of Art opened, and the National Collection of Fine Arts (now Smithsonian American Art Museum) became a separate museum.
CHARLES GREELEY ABBOT [1928–44], a specialist in solar radiation and solar power, established a bureau to study the effect of light on plant and animal life—the precursor of the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center. During the tenure of ornithologist
ALEXANDER WETMORE [1945–52], the National Air Museum (now National Air and Space Museum) and the Canal Biological Area (now Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute) became part of the Institution.
LEONARD CARMICHAEL [1953–64], a physiological psychologist and former president of Tufts University, oversaw the opening of the National Museum of History and Technology (now National Museum of American History, Behring Center).
Under the leadership of S. DILLON RIPLEY [1964–84], a biologist, ecologist, and authority on birds of East Asia, the Smithsonian added the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, the National Museum of African Art, the Renwick Gallery, and the Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum (now Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum). The National Air and Space Museum moved to its building on the Mall, and construction began on the underground complex for the National Museum of African Art and the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery. Ripley also encouraged innovative ways of serving a wider public.
ROBERT Mc.C. ADAMS [1984–94], an anthropologist, archaeologist, and former university administrator, placed new emphasis on broadening the involvement of diverse cultural communities and enhancing research support and educational outreach. The National Museum of the American Indian was established as part of the Smithsonian during his administration.
I. MICHAEL HEYMAN [1994–99], a law professor and former chancellor of the University of California at Berkeley, guided the Smithsonian to reach out to Americans who do not visit Washington, DC. Initiatives included the first traveling exhibition of Smithsonian treasures, for the Institution’s 150th anniversary; a Smithsonian Web site; and the Affiliations Program for the long-term loan of collections.
During the tenure of LAWRENCE M. SMALL [2000–2007], the Smithsonian opened the National Air and Space Museum’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center and the National Museum of the American Indian; reopened the newly renovated/named Donald W. Reynolds Center for American Art and Portraiture; and established the National Museum of African American History and Culture.
G. WAYNE CLOUGH [2008–14] expanded the Smithsonian’s global relevance and helped shape the nation’s future through emphasis on research, education, and scientific discovery. He initiated long-range planning for the Institution; made more of the collections accessible through a digitization effort; and oversaw the opening of Sant Ocean Hall at the National Museum of Natural History and the reopening of the National Museum of American History.
DR. DAVID J. SKORTON assumed his position as the 13th secretary in 2015. As a board-certified cardiologist, he is the first physician to lead the Smithsonian. An ardent and nationally recognized supporter of the arts and humanities, Skorton has called for a national dialogue to emphasize the importance of funding for these disciplines. He asserts that supporting the arts and humanities is a wise investment in the future of the country.
