August 10, 2022 – Smithsonian

It was on this day in 1846 that the Smithsonian Institution was created! Today the institution has 19 museums, 21 libraries, 9 research centers, and a zoo.
The Smithsonian is named for an obscure British scientist named James Smithson, who was the founding donor. He published many scientific papers on topics like mineral composition, geology, and chemistry. Though he was wealthy, he never married or had children. So in his will, he left his estate to his nephew. However, there was one stipulation – if his nephew died without heirs, his estate was to be used to “found in Washington, under the name Smithsonian Institution, an establishment for the increase and diffusion of knowledge among men.”
Six years after Smithson’s death, his nephew died without an heir. This set in motion his bequest to the United States – even though he had never been here before. The reason he chose Washington, D.C. remains a mystery, but there has been speculation that it was either because he was impressed by our democracy, or that he wanted to enrich a country that only had a few educational hubs at the time.
Today, the Smithsonian holds 154 million items, although just 1% of their collection is on display at any given time. The museum houses many American treasures, including the Star-Spangled Banner, Abraham Lincoln’s stove pipe hat, the ruby slippers Judy Garland wore in The Wizard of Oz, and the original Wright Brothers’ plane.
The museum’s National Air and Space Museum has the world’s largest and most significant collection of aviation and space artifacts. It’s the most visited museum in the country. Two new Smithsonian museums will be opening in the coming years: the National Museum of the American Latino and the Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum. Learn more here.