Smithsonian Institution

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 DC nucleus of nineteen museums, nine research centers, and zoo. Many of them are historical or architectural landmarks. It is the largest such complex in the world. Additional facilities are located in Arizona, Maryland, New York City, Virginia, Panama and elsewhere, and 168 other museums are Smithsonian affiliates. The Institutions' 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.
==Museums==
Nineteen museums and galleries, as well as the National Zoological Park, comprise the Smithsonian museums. Eleven are on the National Mall, the strip of land that runs between the Lincoln Memorial and the United States Capitol. Other museums are located elsewhere in Washington DC, with two more in New York City and one in Chantilly, Virginia.
The Smithsonian has close ties with 168 other museums in 39 states, Panama and Puerto Rico. These museums are known as Smithsonian Affiliated museums. Collections of artifacts are given to these museums in the form of long-term loans. The Smithsonian also has a large number of traveling exhibitions. In 2008, 58 of these traveling exhibitions went to 510 venues across the country.
*Anacostia Community Museum -- African American culture -- Washington, D.C.
*Arthur M. Sackler Gallery -- Asian art -- Washington, D.C.
*Arts and Industries Building -- No exhibitions -- Washington, D.C.
*Cooper–Hewitt, National Design Museum -- Design history -- New York City
*Freer Gallery of Art -- Asian art -- Washington, D.C.
*Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden -- Contemporary and modern art -- Washington, D.C.
*National Air and Space Museum --Aviation and spaceflight history -- Washington, D.C.
*National Air and Space Museum's Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center -- Aviation and spaceflight history -- Chantilly, Virginia
*National Museum of African American History and Culture -- African-American history and culture -- Washington, D.C.
*National Museum of African Art -- African art -- Washington, D.C.
*National Museum of American History -- American history -- Washington, D.C.
*National Museum of the American Indian -- Native American history and art -- Washington, D.C.
*National Museum of the American Indian's George Gustav Heye Center -- Native American history and art -- New York City
*National Museum of Natural History -- Natural history -- Washington, D.C.
*National Portrait Gallery -- Portraiture -- Washington, D.C.
*National Postal Museum -- United States Postal Service; postal history; philately -- Washington, D.C.
*Renwick Gallery -- American craft and decorative arts -- Washington, D.C.
*Smithsonian American Art Museum -- American art -- Washington, D.C.
*Smithsonian Institution Building -- Visitor center and offices -- Washington, D.C.
*National Zoological Park (National Zoo) -- Zoo -- Washington, D.C.
==Research centers and programs==
The following is a list of Smithsonian research centers, with their affiliated museum in parentheses:
*Archives of American Art
*Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory and the associated Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics
*Carrie Bow Marine Field Station (Natural History Museum)
*Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage
*Smithsonian Environmental Research Center
*Center For Earth and Planetary Studies (Air and Space Museum)
*Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute (National Zoo)
*Marine Station at Fort Pierce (Natural History Museum)
*Migratory Bird Center (National Zoo)
*Museum Conservation Institute
*Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute
*Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars
*Smithsonian Institution Libraries
*Smithsonian Institution Archives[13]
*Smithsonian Latino Center[14]
*Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Program
*Smithsonian Institution Scholarly Press
Also of note is the Smithsonian Museum Support Center (MSC), located in Silver Hill, Maryland (Suitland), which is the principal off-site conservation and collections facility for multiple Smithsonian museums, primarily the National Museum of Natural History. The MSC was dedicated in May 1983. The MSC covers 4.5 acres (1.8 ha) of land, with over 500,000 square feet (46,000 m2) of space, making it one of the largest set of structures in the Smithsonian. It has over 12 miles (19 km) of cabinets, and more than 31 million objects.
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