We're more than a museum. We're 21 of them and the National Zoo. Legal: http://s.si.edu/legal
www.si.edu Instagram.comToday is our birthday! The Smithsonian was officially created on Aug. 10, 1846.
In 1829, English scientist James Smithson left his fortune to the United States to found an institution for the “increase and diffusion of knowledge.” Why? It’s a mystery.
Smithson, an Oxford graduate who first identified the mineral now named smithsonite, never visited the U.S. while he was alive.
His bequest sparked widespread debate over what such a national institution might be. Once established, the Smithsonian became part of the process of developing a U.S. national identity. Today we are the world's largest museum, education, and research complex.
This photo of the Smithsonian's 150th birthday party in 1996 comes from @smithsonianarchives.
Location: National Mall
