Every Collection has a Story. The Archives holds records that document the Smithsonian’s people, events, buildings, and research. The history of the Smithsonian is a vital part of the history of American experience, scientific exploration, and international cultural understanding.
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October 18, 1977
A seventy-five carat emerald, believed to have been owned by Abdul Hamid II of the Ottoman Empire, is given to the National Museum of Natural History's National Gem Collection by Mrs. Stewart Hooker of New York.
