Smithsonian Institution facts

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Comedian Rodney Dangerfield was recognized by the Smithsonian Institution, which put one of his trademark white shirts and red ties on display. When he handed the shirt to the museum's curator, Rodney joked, "I have a feeling you're going to use this to clean Lindbergh's plane."

how big is the smithsonian institution?

James Smithson sent the US $500,000 (1.5% the federal budget) in the 19C to found an institution "for the creation and diffusion of knowledge." The Smithsonian is today the world's largest museum complex; all are free of charge and open to the public, and James Smithson never visited the US.

What is the smithsonian institution?

In my opinion, it is useful to put together a list of the most interesting details from trusted sources that I've come across answering what does the smithsonian institution do. Here are 50 of the best facts about Smithsonian Institution Jobs and Smithsonian Institution Washington Dc I managed to collect.

which tv character's chair is on display at the smithsonian institution?

When his heir died childless, the estate of British scientist James Smithson passed to the U.S. government. American diplomat Richard Rush was sent to England to collect the money, and returned with today's equivalent of $11M in gold coins, which was used to found the Smithsonian Institution.
The very first barcode scanned was for a pack of Juicy Fruit in Troy, Ohio on June 26, 1974. The pack of gum and its receipt are now on display at the Smithsonian Institute.
In 1908 Teddy Roosevelt approached the Smithsonian Institution with an idea. He would collect specimens from Africa to have sent back for display and would be of unique value. The “unique value” he was referring to was the chance to acquire specimens shot by the president of the United States.
Many of the Smithsonian Institute exhibits and buildings are free admission.
Ramsay received numerous awards including the Davy and Longstaff Medals, the Barnardo Medal, a prize of $5,000 from the Smithsonian Institution, and the A.W. Hoffman medal in gold.
As an illegitimate child of a English Duke, James Smithson, donated his entire wealth to found the Smithsonian Institute in Washington D.C. despite never visiting the United States. In 1904, at Alexander Graham Bell request, his body was moved to the institute that he founded.
Samuel Langley, Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, successfully flew an unmanned fixed wing plane.
The money donated by Smithson to start the Smithsonian was invested by our federal government and completely lost in bonds issued by the state of Arkansas, which defaulted. Years later the institution was founded with money from the federal coffers.
James Smithson set aside his fortune to become patron of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. despite having never visited the United States to "increase & diffus[e] knowledge among men

smithsonian institution facts — What is the smithsonian institution building?

Why is the smithsonian institution important?

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The Smithsonian galleries and museums include the African American History and Culture Museum, the African Art Museum, the Air and Space Museum, the Air and Space Museum Udvar-Hazy Center, American Art Museum, American History Museum, American Indian Museum, the Anacostia Community Museum, the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, Freer Gallery of Art, Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Natural History Museum, Portrait Gallery, Postal Museum, Renwick Gallery, American Indian Museum Heye Center, and the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum.

The Smithsonian Institute published a monthly magazine Smithsonian, and a bi-monthly magazine Air & Space.

The Smithsonian collections include 138 million objects, works of art, and specimens, the majority of which (127 million) are located at the National Museum of Natural History.

Billy Dee Williams (Star Wars' Lando Calrissian) attended the National Academy of Fine Arts and Design in New York. His work hangs in the National Portrait Gallery, the Smithsonian Institution and the Schomburg Museum.

A washtub bass made by Fritz Richmond is on display at the Smithsonian Institute.

When was the smithsonian institution established?

Nikola Tesla is not mentioned in the Smithsonian Institute and his alternating current generator invention is contained within the Thomas Edison exhibition.

How many research centers are in the smithsonian institution?

The box art for the '80s toyline Dino Riders was so impressive to the Smithsonian Institution they contacted the toy company to reproduce them without the motorized mechanisms and lasers for their "Dinosaur and other Prehistoric Reptile Collection"

The Smithsonian Institution also featured an exhibition of artefacts from James Fort. The exhibition is called Written in Bone: Forensic Files of the 17th-Century Chesapeake.

Approximately 6300 people work for the Smithsonian in some capacity, and a large percentage are government employees.

Aside from government and tourism being main industries in Washington, D.C., the district also thrives on educational institutions (Gallaudet University, Howard University, Georgetown University, and Catholic University of America), non-profit, professional, and business organizations, and arts and cultural attractions such as the National Gallery of Art and the Smithsonian Institution.

When Henry Hungerford died the American government, who was to receive the Smithson bequest, did not even know that it existed. U.S. President Andrew Jackson had to pass the info to Congress after learning about it.

Interesting facts about smithsonian institution

The United States National Museum is called the "Smithsonian Institute" after founding donor James Smithson, a British scientist who never visited the United States.

The first typewriter to be commercially successful was invented in 1868 by Americans Christopher Latham Sholes, Carlos Glidden and Samuel W. Soule in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The prototype for the typewriter is still to this day being held by the Smithsonian Institution.

The original Smithsonian Institution's building was the Castle, located near the National Mall in Washington, D.C. It is a red brick building that looks like a castle, built after a design competition in 1946. It is still the headquarters of the Smithsonian Institute.

Smithson's estate was transferred from Europe to the United States accompanied by Richard Rush. The estate would have been worth roughly $11.1 million today.

In Washington, D.C. the Smithsonian museums are open every day of the year except Christmas.

How is the smithsonian institution funded?

The Smithsonian Institute research facilities include the Smithsonian Tropical research Institute and the Marine Station, Smithsonian Institution Archives, Smithsonian Institution Libraries, Museum Conservation Institute, Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, and the Archives of American Art.

Some of the animals at the National Zoo include North Island brown kiwis, cheetahs, Sumatran tigers, western lowland gorillas, Asian elephants, and giant pandas.

The Smithsonian was initially funded by an English scientist who upon his death without heirs left his fortune "to found atWashington, under the name of the Smithsonian Institution, an Establishment for the increase & diffusion of knowledge among men."

The only non-government person allowed on the floor of the US Senate is the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution

James Smithson, English scientist and founder of the Smithsonian Institution, never set foot in the United States.

The leather jacket worn by The Fonz on Happy Days was acquired by the Smithsonian Institution for permanent collection at the National Museum of American History

Smithsonian facilities can be found in Washington, New York, Virginia, and Florida.

The first person to earn a nursing diploma in the United States was Linda Richards, in 1873. The proof of Linda's graduation is located in Washington's Smithsonian Institution.

The first UPC marked item ever scanned at a retail checkout was at the Marsh supermarket in Troy, Ohio on June 26, 1974, and was a 10-pack (50 sticks) of Wrigley's Juicy Fruit chewing gum. This item went on display at the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of American History.

The Megatherium Club, a group of raucus bachelor scientists who lived inside the Smithsonian Institution in the mid-19th century

An anthropologist with the Smithsonian Institute believes the first Europeans arrived in America 22,000 years ago on the Delmarva peninsula where handmade tools have been found

When Emmett Till's body was exhumed in 2005, his original casket was discarded in a storage shed, until it was acquired by the Smithsonian Institute.

Fake news existed 108 years ago based on the practice of "yellow journalism". An article in the Phoenix Gazette dated April 5, 1909 claimed ancient Egyptians had visited the Grand Canyon. Caves filled with artifacts were supposedly discovered by Smithsonian Institute explorers.

You can volunteer for the Smithsonian Institution by transcribing and digitizing documents and collections online.

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