Smithsonian Institution

Hello! We are the Smithsonian Institution. You can think of us as a big family of museums and a zoo. We are a special place for everyone to learn and have fun. Our story started a very long, long time ago. It began with a kind gift from a scientist named James Smithson. He wanted to help everyone in America learn new and interesting things. Because of his special gift, we were created to share wonderful treasures with you and the whole world.

We take care of so many amazing things for the country. It is our job to keep these treasures safe. In our museums, you can see things that are very, very big, like the giant bones of a dinosaur that lived long ago. We also have the real flag that inspired the song called “The Star-Spangled Banner.” We even have spaceships that have traveled far away into space! Our family also includes the National Zoo. At our zoo, we are helpers for many wonderful animals. We take care of big, gentle elephants and fluffy giant pandas. We make sure all the animals are healthy and safe.

We hope you can come and visit us! Many of our museums and our zoo are in a city called Washington, D.C. The best part is that it is free to come inside most of our buildings. You can bring your family and friends to explore with you. We love it when children and grown-ups visit us to see all our treasures. When you visit, you can learn about science, look at beautiful art, and hear stories from history. We are here to help everyone learn.