An act to authorize and enable the President to assert and prosecute with effect, the claim of the United States to the legacy bequeathed to them by James Smithson, late of London, deceased, to found at Washington, under the name of the Smithsonian Institution, an establishment for the increase and diffusion of knowledge among men
Close
Print
Usage Conditions Apply
The Smithsonian Institution Archives welcomes personal and educational use of its collections unless otherwise noted. For commercial uses, please contact photos@si.edu.Narrow Your Results
Refine Your Results
Filter Your Results
Smithsonian Museum & Research Centers Information
Close Browse records and papers documenting the history and research of major Smithsonian divisions. Pre-set filters help narrow searches by museum or research center.- United States National Museum (6692)
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (5559)
- All (5234)
- National Museum of Natural History (4209)
- National Zoological Park (4147)
- National Museum of American History (3310)
- National Air and Space Museum (2235)
- Smithsonian Institution Building (1638)
- Smithsonian American Art Museum (1170)
- Freer Gallery of Art (915)
- Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden (695)
- Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (585)
- National Portrait Gallery (570)
- National Museum of the American Indian (367)
- Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (311)
- Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum (258)
- National Museum of African Art (255)
- National Postal Museum (97)
- National Museum of African American History and Culture (86)
- + Show More
- - Show Less
Smithsonian Records Information
Close Browse official records created at the Smithsonian Institution’s museums, research centers, libraries, and archives, now in the Smithsonian Institution Archives’ collections. Pre-set filters help narrow searches by major topics or disciplines.- All (5234)
- Museum Studies (3954)
- Art (1038)
- History (525)
- Natural History (392)
- Zoology (286)
- Astronomy (263)
- Exhibitions (246)
- Science (170)
- Traveling Exhibitions (152)
- Paleontology (68)
- Conservation (67)
- Entomology (58)
- Ecology (57)
- Biology (45)
- Mammalogy (37)
- Vertebrate Zoology (36)
- Botany (35)
- World War I and II (33)
- Mineralogy (33)
- Women (31)
- Geology (29)
- Anthropology (28)
- Meteorlogy (23)
- Military History (20)
- Invertebrate Zoology (20)
- International Education (19)
- Ichthyology (14)
- Herpetology (8)
- Telecommunications (6)
- Tropical Biology (2)
- + Show More
- - Show Less
Smithsonian Secretaries Information
Close Browse records and papers of the Smithsonian Secretaries, from 1846 until today. Pre-set filters help narrow searches by individuals who have held that office.- All (2911)
- Joseph Henry (1057)
- Alexander Wetmore (466)
- Spencer Fullerton Baird (390)
- Sidney Dillon Ripley (368)
- Charles D Walcott (265)
- S. P Langley (228)
- Leonard Carmichael (217)
- C. G Abbot (198)
- Ira Michael Heyman (93)
- Robert McCormick Adams (56)
- Lawrence M Small (53)
- G. Wayne Clough (35)
- + Show More
- - Show Less
Expeditions Information
Close Browse records and papers documenting scientific and collecting expeditions either affiliated with the Smithsonian, or with which Smithsonian researchers participated. Pre-set filters help narrow searches by geographic regions predominantly represented in expedition records.Personal Papers Information
Close Browse papers and special collections created by institutions and persons who have contributed to and collaborated with the Smithsonian. Pre-set filters help narrow searches by major topics and disciplines.- All (1841)
- Aeronautics (252)
- Botany (219)
- Entomology (164)
- Mammalogy (159)
- Paleontology (130)
- Museum Studies (111)
- Geology (99)
- Zoology (97)
- History (76)
- Natural History (61)
- Astronomy (40)
- Science (37)
- Invertebrate Zoology (37)
- Biology (34)
- Ichthyology (33)
- Art (30)
- Meteoralogy (26)
- Herpetology (25)
- Mineralalogy (16)
- Anthropology (16)
- Ecology (13)
- Women's Studies (10)
- Vertebrate Zoology (9)
- World War I and II (7)
- Conservation (6)
- Tropical Biology (5)
- Exhibitions (5)
- + Show More
- - Show Less
Professional Societies Information
Close Browse records of professional societies closely associated with the Smithsonian, that focus on areas of scientific research and museum studies. Pre-set filters help narrow searches by major topics and disciplines.- All (466)
- History (51)
- Science (39)
- Biology (38)
- Museum Studies (35)
- Natural History (34)
- Zoology (27)
- Herpetology (24)
- Vertebrate Zoology (23)
- International Education (23)
- Preservation of Materials (17)
- Mammalogy (17)
- Ichthyology (15)
- Paleontology (11)
- Conservation (11)
- Entomology (10)
- Marine Biology (9)
- Ecology (5)
- Botany (5)
- Geology (3)
- Mineralalogy (1)
- Meteorlogy (1)
- Invertebrate Zoology (1)
- + Show More
- - Show Less
Oral Histories Information
Close Browse oral and video history collections containing interviews with current and retired Smithsonian staff, and others who have made significant contributions to the Institution. Pre-set filters help narrow searches by major topics or disciplines.- All (132)
- History (60)
- Museum Studies (56)
- Science (30)
- Tropical Biology (19)
- Conservation (14)
- Astronomy (13)
- Zoology (12)
- Smithsonian Employees (12)
- Women's Studies (11)
- Entomology (11)
- World War I and II (10)
- Biology (10)
- Paleontology (9)
- Ecology (8)
- Art (8)
- Military History (7)
- Mammalogy (7)
- Geology (7)
- Anthropology (7)
- Aeronautics (7)
- Molecular Biology (5)
- Invertebrate Zoology (5)
- Natural History (4)
- Ichthyology (4)
- Marine Bilology (3)
- Herpetology (3)
- Botanny (3)
- Meteorology (2)
- Exhibitions (2)
- Mineralogy (1)
- + Show More
- - Show Less