Smithsonian Institution

Hello! We are the Smithsonian Institution. Our story is a special one, and it begins with a surprising gift from someone who never even saw the country he wanted to help. It all started with an English scientist named James Smithson. He lived his whole life in Europe and never once set foot in America. And yet, when he passed away, he left his entire fortune to the United States. He had a very specific wish for his gift: he wanted it to be used to create an organization for the “increase and diffusion of knowledge.” This was a powerful and generous idea. The United States government thought so, too. In 1846, Congress officially accepted Mr. Smithson’s gift, and we were created to fulfill his dream of sharing knowledge with everyone.

Once we were established, we needed a home for our work and our growing collection of objects. Our very first home was a beautiful building in Washington, D.C., made of red stone. With its towers and unique shape, people started calling it the Smithsonian Castle, and they still call it that today. When we first opened, our collection was quite small. But it didn’t stay that way for long! We began to gather important items from all areas of study: science, history, art, and culture. The collection grew and grew, and it is still growing now. We take care of this national treasure for the American people and for visitors from all over the world.

Today, we care for millions and millions of items across our many museums. Each object tells a part of the story of our world and the people who live in it. Some of our most famous items are scientific wonders, like the giant and brilliant blue Hope Diamond, or the towering skeletons of dinosaurs that lived millions of years ago. Other items tell the story of American history. We protect the original Star-Spangled Banner, the actual flag that inspired the national anthem. We also have the Apollo 11 command module, the very spacecraft that carried the first astronauts to land on the Moon. From tiny insects to huge spacecraft, our collection helps everyone explore the history of our planet and human creativity.

But our work isn’t only about collecting and showing objects in our museums. We are also a very large research organization, and this is how we fulfill the first part of our mission: the “increase” of knowledge. We have hundreds of scientists who work all over the world to make new discoveries. At our astrophysical observatory, our researchers use powerful telescopes to study distant stars and galaxies, helping us understand our place in the universe. At the National Zoo's conservation center, our scientists work to protect and study endangered animals, helping to save species from disappearing forever. Through this important research, we are always learning new things about the world, which is exactly what James Smithson wanted.

Of course, increasing knowledge is only half of our job. The other half, the “diffusion” of knowledge, is just as important. To diffuse something means to spread it out or share it widely. We do this by making sure as many people as possible can learn from our collections and our research. That is why most of our museums are free to visit. We believe that everyone should have the chance to learn and be inspired, no matter how much money they have. We want to welcome the world through our doors.

In today's world, we have even more ways to share what we know. We use the internet to reach people far beyond Washington, D.C. Through our websites, you can see amazing objects from our collections in online exhibits, even items that are not currently on display in the museums. We also create educational programs and digital resources for students and teachers. Our goal is to make it possible for you to explore with us from anywhere in the world. By doing research and sharing it freely, we continue to honor James Smithson’s incredible gift and his mission to increase and diffuse knowledge for all.