The Smithsonian Institution

17 August 2013 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General, Museums, Exhibitions Reading Time:  5 minutes

National Mall with 9 of the 14 Smithsonian Museums in Washington, D.C. © flickr.com - Smithsonian Institution/Carl Hansen

National Mall with 9 of the 14 Smithsonian Museums in Washington, D.C.
© flickr.com – Smithsonian Institution/Carl Hansen

The Smithsonian Institution, established in 1846 “for the increase and diffusion of knowledge,” is a group of museums and research centers administered by the United States government. Originally organized as the “United States National Museum,” that name ceased to exist as an administrative entity in 1967. Termed “the nation’s attic” for its eclectic holdings of 137 million items, the Institution’s Washington, D.C. nucleus of nineteen museums, nine research centers, and zoo—many of them historical or architectural landmarks—is the largest such complex in the world. Additional facilities are located in Arizona, Maryland, New York City, Virginia, Panama and elsewhere. The Institutions’s thirty million annual visitors are admitted without charge; funding comes from the Institution’s own endowment, private and corporate contributions, membership dues, government support, and retail, concession and licensing revenues. Institution publications include Smithsonian and Air & Space magazines.   read more…

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