Smithsonian

Founded in 1846, the Smithsonian Institution is the world’s largest museum, education, and research complex, dedicated to increasing and diffusing knowledge. With 21 museums, 14 education and research centers, and the Smithsonian’s National Zoo, the Institution welcomes more than 15 million visitors each year. Eleven museums are located along the National Mall in Washington, DC, with additional museums in the DC metro area and two in New York City, and more in development.

Home to more than 157 million objects and specimens, the Smithsonian preserves and presents an extraordinary range of art, history, culture, science, and technology – from the Star-Spangled Banner and the Hope Diamond to ancient fossils, groundbreaking aircraft, and world-class works of art. Its leading institutions – including the National Air and Space Museum, the National Museum of Natural History, the National Museum of American History, the National Museum of African American History and Culture, the National Museum of Asian Art, the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, and the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute – combine research storytelling, and educational outreach that inspire curiosity and lifelong learning.

Image Credit: Jeremy Norwood for Smithsonian

https://www.si.edu