Smithsonian Institution

The Smithsonian Institution is a huge group of museums and research centers.

Its main goal is to increase and spread knowledge to everyone. It is not part of any branch of the U.S. government. Instead, it works as a special kind of trust. Most of its buildings are in Washington, D.C. Some are also in Maryland, New York, and Virginia.

It is a very important place for learning about our world.

This group works in many different ways to help people. It manages 21 museums and 21 libraries. It also runs 14 research and education centers. There is even a zoo for people to visit.

The Smithsonian holds over 157 million different items. These include things like fossils, plants, and art. Most visitors can see these things without paying any fee. This helps about 30 million people visit every single year.

The story began with a scientist named James Smithson.

He lived in Britain and left his wealth to the United States. He wanted to start an establishment for knowledge. In 1838, an American diplomat named Richard Rush collected the money. He brought back 105 sacks filled with gold coins. This was about $500,000 at that time. After some debate in Congress, the Smithsonian was officially founded on August 10, 1846.

Many famous buildings have been built for the Smithsonian over time. The very first building was called "The Castle."

It was designed by James Renwick Jr. and opened in 1855. Later, the National Museum of Natural History opened in 1911. The National Air and Space Museum opened in 1976. It is the largest museum in the group by floor space.

New museums, like the National Museum of the American Indian, opened in 2004.

The Smithsonian connects many different parts of our history and science. It uses collections from Navy expeditions and military surveys. These collections include items from the South Pacific and the American West. The institution also works with many other museums across 47 states. It even has affiliates in places like Puerto Rico and Panama. By keeping these items, the Smithsonian helps us understand the past. It also helps us prepare for the future through science.