James Smithson, an Englishman, became the benefactor of a grant to start the institution named in his honor on this day in 1846.
Promoting the development and diffusion of knowledge of all kinds, Smithson, whose body is buried in the Smithsonian Castle in Washington, DC, could never have imagined how great the Smithsonian Institution has become, as it is now a complex of 19 museums and galleries plus the National Zoo, locations that provide enlightenment, enjoyment, and learning to millions of tourists in Washington DC and elsewhere at no cost to the public, other than taxpayer support.
The author, having just this summer visited four of the museums under its aegis–The Museum of American History, The Museum of Natural History, The Museum of Air and Space, and the Museum of the American Indian—was overwhelmed by the experience, and in 2015, there will be a Museum of African American History and Culture, and two years ago, the National Museum of American Jewish History opened in Philadelphia.
Any visitor to Washington DC or Philadelphia needs to make sure that he or she visits the various museums, as it is a memorable experience!
Hello Professor,
I would also suggest the National Museum of Art too. I have seen the Edward Hopper exhibit of all of his work of course the most famous being, “Night Hawks.†It was fantastic!!
I would also suggest at least taking the time to see the Leonardo da Vinci painting, “Ginevra de’ Benci.†I have stood there for several minuets just studying that painting. It is second only to the Mona Lisa and you can really get to understand the genus of da Vinci.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ginevra_de'_Benci
Other artist such as Vincent van Gogh, Claude Monet, Paul Cézanne, Pablo Picasso, James Whistler, Paul Gauguin, etc. The wealth of art and artist is just too great to completely list.
I would have to say that you could spend a whole week at the National Mall / Smithsonian and not see it all. It is truly a Nation Treasure.
You may not be aware that the National Gallery of Art is NOT part of the Smithsonian Institution, although there are other art museums under the Smithsonian. I did visit the National Gallery on recent trips to DC, and found it fascinating!
Oh yes, everything located in the National Mall area is not part of the Smithsonian.