Smithsonian Institution

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Introduction

Smithsonian Institution, the largest museum complex in the world and a centre for research, with its headquarters in Washington, D.C. It was founded in 1846 by an act of Congress of the United States under the terms of the bequest of the British scientist James Smithson as “an establishment for the increase and diffusion of knowledge”. To accomplish these objectives, the institution maintains the national collections of the United States, sponsors scientific research and exploration, and publishes books and periodicals.

The Smithsonian Institution is governed by a board of regents, which consists of the vice-president of the United States, the chief justice, three members each of the US Senate and House of Representatives, and nine citizens appointed by joint resolution of Congress. The secretary of the institution acts as executive director.

The libraries of the Smithsonian Institution contain about 1.4 million volumes, dealing mainly with science, natural history, and the humanities. The central reference collection is located in the National Museum of Natural History with branches in each major Smithsonian museum and research unit.

The original Smithsonian Institution Building, completed in 1855 and popularly known as the Castle, was designed by the architect James Renwick, Jr. This building served as home for the first secretary of the Smithsonian, Joseph Henry, and his family, and for many years housed all aspects of Smithsonian operations. The building currently houses the Smithsonian Information Center, and the administrative offices. Located inside near the north entrance is the crypt of James Smithson. The Smithsonian Institution is composed of 18 museums and galleries; the National Zoo in Washington, D.C.; and 9 research centres, as well as having 140 affiliate museums. A brief description of some of these institutions follows.

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Anacostia Museum

This museum specializes in African-American history and culture. Exhibits trace the historical experience of African-Americans in Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Washington, D.C., as well as the impact of contemporary social issues on African-Americans and their communities. The museum also offers educational programmes.

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Arthur M. Sackler Gallery

Connected to the Freer Gallery by an underground exhibition space, this gallery houses a permanent collection of art from China, South and South East Asia, ancient and Islamic Iran, and Japan, as well as changing exhibitions of Asian art drawn from collections in the United States and abroad. It was founded in honour of Arthur M. Sackler, a 20th-century medical researcher, publisher, and art collector.

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Cooper-Hewitt Museum, National Design Museum

The museum possesses more than 250,000 decorative items, representing cultures from antiquity through to the present; a library of some 50,000 volumes; and about 30,000 drawings, including many by the American artist Winslow Homer. It is housed in the Carnegie Mansion in New York.